It was way too hard to narrow down all of our favorite albums this year to just 5, so we split between pop and country.  Here are our favorite country albums that were released in 2016!  (Okay so we picked 6, deal)

1.Thomas Rhett – “Tangled Up”
Thomas rode the momentum of his hit single “Makes Me Wanna” and the funky vibes of “Crash And Burn” into an an album full of soulful, R&B tinged jams, all country at heart.  “Die A Happy Man,” which Thomas wrote for his wife Lauren, will make you cry; “Vacation” will make you dance, and “I Feel Good” will turn any day around.

2. Hunter Hayes – “The 21 Project”
2015 was the year of trying new things for Hunter Hayes, including how he released music.  After dropping digital singles throughout the Summer, Hunter released a 3-disc set featuring 7 songs as acoustic, studio and live versions.   “Saint Or A Sinner” is one of our favorite songs of the year, no matter how we listen to it. 

3. Kacey Musgraves – “Pageant Material”
Kacey’s latest album sparkles just as much as she does on stage.  She might not be “Pageant Material,” but she sure is great at crafting clever lyrics that anyone can relate to.  Each track has a story of it’s own and they all come together to create one of our favorite country albums of 2015.

4. A Thousand Horses – “Southernality”
What do you get when you mix Lynyrd Skynyrd, Allman Brothers Band, and a whole lot of Southern moonshine? A Thousand Horses released the best “throwback” country rock album this year that we’ll be spinning for years to come.  Standout songs are the title track, “Trailer Trashed,” and “Travelin’ Man.”

5. Old Dominion – “Meat and Candy”
Even the band has commented on the strange name of their debut album but “Meat and Candy” is actually a fitting title for an album that has lots of sweet jams along with some more substantial tracks.  Their live show is not to be missed.

BONUS: Cam – “Untamed”
Released last week, Cam’s album barely made the cut but it’s one of the strongest debut albums we’ve heard in a long time!  We’re still kicking ourselves for not picking up one of those cute yellow flash drive bracelets when we saw Cam open for Dan+Shay!