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𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞’𝐬 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝐃𝐨𝐳𝐞𝐧: # 𝟏𝟐 – 𝟏
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New albums come and go throughout the year – handed to me personally, delivered to my mailbox, or sent to my inbox and DMs.. and suggested via my algorithms across all the streaming platforms I subscribe to. How these albums strike me depends on my emotional and physical state at whatever given moment I decide to press play. It’s my surroundings, the company I’m sitting with, the weather and so much more. Maybe on a long walk or drive through the country, sitting on the front porch for another sunset, or at the river skipping rocks. Some grab me immediately and never let go. Others get set aside, only to be picked up later with the realization that it’s the best thing you’ve ever put your ears on. It’s all about timing – when the record feels right, or when I’m in the right space to truly connect and listen. Things unravel from there, and when it clicks – it sticks.

That said, my top dozen albums aren’t necessarily the “best” in any objective sense; they’re the ones that struck me at the right time, got the most continuous play, and became the soundtrack to a chapter of my year. These twelve albums are the soundtrack of my 2025, and I’d recommend finding your right moment to give each and every one a proper listen.

Swipe through to see how they stack up and comment below, let me know which one is your favorite! Here’s to another great year of music! Bring it on 2026!
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#LiveMusic #NewMusic #Americana #Country #HonkyTonk #Folk #Pop #Records #Best #2025 #2026 …

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𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫
“The Land On Most High“
Country
★
@jackforestblocker
Release; September 12, 2025
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Listen up! Full album in BiO!
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Is there a stigma that follows a swing of the bat, or even a win on a stage like American Idol or The Voice? ..on some level, certainly. Those platforms offer massive exposure, but they also invite skepticism: questions of authenticity, longevity, and whether the spotlight outweighs the songs. But it doesn’t take long on Jack Blocker’s debut to feel that noise fade. The Land On Most High settles in quickly and confidently and by the time you’re halfway through the first track, the doubts dissolve and don’t stand much of a chance.

With production from Colter Wall collaborator Patrick Lyons, the album leans into tradition without feeling trapped by it. Loaded with quality musicianship but it all leaves room for Blocker’s voice to do what it does best – carry the weight of his story. There’s grit & gravel here, but also tenderness with some soul.

“This is a collection of nostalgic daydreams,” Blocker says. “A picture painted with hundreds of little memories – the driveway basketball games, motel naps, homemade slip ‘n slides, & trailside snacks that seemed insignificant at the time but keep circling back.” That philosophy is the backbone of this record.

Across the record, Blocker moves from the mountain‑etched vistas of “If Heaven Looks Like Arkansas” to the barroom intimacy of “Waltz With Me,” shaping small, specific moments into something more universal. Even the lighter turns, like the loose sway of “100 Dollar Bill,” feel grounded in character rather than spectacle.

The closer, “Lonestar,” lifts its eyes back toward home, swelling with soul and long-held devotion. It’s not just a love letter to a place – it’s a statement of belonging.

The Land On Most High doesn’t sound like a debut chasing momentum. It sounds like an artist already rooted. Blocker isn’t trying to outrun his origin story – he’s rewriting it with honesty, one memory at a time. And in doing so, he is establishing himself as one of the more compelling new voices in country music right now – yet at 27, there’s still room to grow.
– @meanwhile_in_music …

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𝐋𝐮𝐤𝐞 𝐓𝐲𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐨𝐧
“Blue Sky“ ep
Americana
★
@luketylershelton
Release; July 18, 2025
@concordrecords
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Listen up! Full album in BiO!
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Luke Tyler Shelton’s Blue Sky lands like a quiet revelation – the kind of debut that doesn’t shout for attention but earns it through honesty, intention, and an instinctive feel for melody. It’s the sound of a young songwriter from the San Fernando Valley stepping into his voice with uncommon ease, backed by a tight, understated band that knows exactly when to push and when to disappear into the frame.

Shelton writes like someone who has learned the value of paying attention – to people, to silence, to the hum of a late-night drive. There’s a wisdom to his music, something steady and unforced, surprising from an artist still in his twenties. His voice carries a calmness, shaped with west coast vibes and the kind of miles you can only rack up wandering with a guitar and a notebook.

The EP leans into the timeless backbone of Americana: warm acoustics, patient rhythms, and melodies that feel inherited rather than invented. But Shelton never sounds like he’s imitating anyone. His touch is subtle but distinct – small lyrical turns, quiet emotional pivots, and images that flicker long after the song fades.

Blue Sky unfolds like a series of Polaroids: back-porch conversations, low-light reflections, long stretches of road where a single thought can shift the shape of a whole day. Shelton doesn’t rush to fill space; he lets the music settle. His band supports that approach beautifully, giving the record a soft, golden-hour glow – drums brushing in like distant weather, guitars shimmering at the edges.

​Shelton isn’t performing at you; he’s offering a seat beside him, letting the stories rise at their own pace. It’s a debut built on humility and craftsmanship – a reminder that sometimes the most powerful moments come from letting a song simply be itself.
– @meanwhile_in_music
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#NewMusic #California #Americana …

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𝐂𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐨𝐧
“100% Cotton“
★
@cotton_clifton
Release; November 18, 2025
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Listen up! Full album in BiO!
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Debut albums show up in all shapes, but they rarely arrive with the kind of mileage and mastery that Cotton Clifton brings to the table. 100% Cotton may be his first full-length release, but it carries the weight of a player who has spent years living on stages around the world, and in your local honky-tonks.

Clifton should be a familiar face to anyone paying attention to the country underground – a blazing guitarist known for shredding and especially for backing the Highway Queen herself, Nikki Lane – as heard on “California Stoned.” With that reputation riding shotgun, it may be surprising that 100% Cotton is his debut. What’s not surprising is how good the record actually is.. Clifton keeps the throttle open almost the entire way.

The album feels like a ride through the sauce of the South – swampy, twangy, and full of grit. Tracks like “New Salvation Blues” and “Dauphine Street” serve as early anchors, beginning at a slow simmer before building to a full boil. Together, they form an eight-minute highlight. It’s a swirl of banjo, big guitars, and swagger – the kind of wild, joyful noise that evokes ZZ Top–style arena rock screaming from a mountaintop farm, where the tractor meets the T-Tops.

Clifton’s background helps explain the ease with which he blends all these sounds. Raised in Louisiana and later rooted in Tennessee – and now hanging his hat in Texas.. he grew up absorbing a stew of country, southern rock, gospel, and metal. Years of touring, collaborating, and leading bands sharpened his instincts and taught him how to hold an audience – lessons that show up everywhere on the new record.

Clifton’s debut doesn’t feel like someone introducing himself – it feels like a long-time player finally stepping into his own spotlight. 100% Cotton is a fully formed statement from an artist who has spent years preparing for this moment, and the road ahead is wide open. Vroom-vroom.
@meanwhile_in_music
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#music #newMusic #Country #Americana #Louisiana #Texas #Nashville #Cotton #SupIt …

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𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐥
“Memories and Empties“
Country & Western
★
@colterwall
Release; November 14, 2025
@lahonda.records
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Listen up! Full album in BiO!
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Few voices in modern country music cut as deep as Colter Wall’s. The Saskatchewan native has built a reputation on songs that feels as earnest and unapologetic as the land itself – dusty, unhurried, and honest to the bone. With his deep baritone and stripped-down delivery, Wall continues to blur the line between myth and memory, turning the stillness of prairie life into quiet poetry.

Memories and Empties, his latest release, leaves him right where he belongs – behind the mic, telling his stories. Co-produced with longtime collaborator Patrick Lyons and recorded at Nashville’s legendary RCA Studio A, the record carries the spirit of the greats who came before him. That room once held Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard, and you can feel their presence in the wood and wire. Backed again by his band – the trusted Scary Prairie Boys.

The album opens with “1,800 Miles,” a road-worn reflection that doubles as a quiet protest against the industry machine. Wall is helping keep country music alive with rare authenticity, however, he is quite clear about his disdain for the state it’s in.. and he’s never been fully comfortable with the business surrounding it. That push and pull – the love for the craft and the distaste for its circus – is what gives Memories and Empties its pulse.

Throughout the record, his writing remains as sharp and grounded as ever. Each line feels lived-in, spoken in the language of ranch hands and small-town poets. He has a gift for spinning simple phrases into something meaningful. It’s that real-world charm and unforced character that helps set him apart.

Colter Wall may never chase stardom, but that’s part of his power. He stands as one of the few keeping traditional country and western music breathing in a world that too often forgets its roots. Here’s hoping he doesn’t hang his hat anytime soon. …