Dierks Bentley has always been an enigma - he can bust out the most country radio-friendly tune you have probably ever heard in your life (see: "Drunk on a Plane") but then he will show up at the CMA's flanked by Molly Tuttle, Sierra Hull, and
Thinking about country music that doesn't fit (in a good way).
put a record on
New year, new music - though yes, there are at least two songs with whiskey in the title. It's a country newsletter!
Hello readers - welcome to 2026, Happy New Year (are we still allowed to say that?) and thanks for allowing us a wee break to tend to our tired hearts and tiring children. If you missed our best of 2025 list, you can review that here, too. New year, same
Playlists
A workout playlist by an extra special guest!
A quick note to our community: we cannot thank you enough for reading and subscribing to our little country newsletter this year! We're very excited for what 2026 will bring, and hope that you will let us know in the comments what you hope to see more of
Somehow we're already just about done with list season, and on the cusp of that blissful couple of weeks when time sort of collapses into a decadent holiday haze (unless you're working in retail or food service, in which case — I am so sorry, on behalf
A country music newsletter.
Happy end of 2025 - we did it, everyone! Well, almost. This year, we were excited to once again partner with our friends at Stereogum to rundown our favorite albums of the year (with our favorite songs listed below as well). I think Natalie summed up everything expertly in her
For a Lone Star holiday :)
An homage to a legend of country and beyond.
If you're chronically online (and I'll start by saying I hope you aren't), you probably caught a secondhand whiff of various discourses earlier this year among the tragically music nerdy about poptimism — a savior or a villain or something in between, depending on where
Welcome back to Don’t Rock the Inbox. Here’s this week’s music recommendation post and playlist, which are for paying subscribers only. If you’re interested in paid content but not able to afford it, shoot us an email. Oh PS - our 40% off sale ends this
In case you didn't notice, it's the holiday season. While normal beings have fun decorating the tree, spinning dreidels, shopping for presents or partaking in whatever kind of festive pursuits you enjoy, those of us who write about music for a living are making lists: best
First off, thanks for all of you who joined me last week in the CMA chat post. Some of you gave the excellent feedback that you think we should consider a DRTI Discord - curious to hear what more of you think (Discord? Right here on the newsletter? Reddit? Whatever?
Welcome back to Don’t Rock the Inbox. Here’s this week’s music recommendation post and playlist, which are for paying subscribers only. If you’re interested in paid content but not able to afford it, shoot us an email. The Good "In Her Eyes (Act I, Scene
It's Country's Biggest Night! And like many of you, I'll be watching tonight's CMA Awards from the comfort of my couch. But it wouldn't be a CMA Awards if we didn't offer you up a safe comment section
When I moved to East Nashville in 2012, legend had it that if you wanted to find Todd Snider, all you had to do was go to Drifter’s BBQ in Five Points, and he’d be there at the bar. Nashville always had rumblings like this: that John Prine
As someone who listens to music all the time, and writes about music and musicians for a living, there is one curious time when I am extremely picky about what I listen to: when I am actually writing. And when I am in that deep work, ignore everything else and
Back with more arcane country chart history, because as we all know it brings me great joy :) Hop in, let’s take a ride on the Billboard time machine… 75 Years Ago: November 11, 1950 In its 19th (!) week on the chart, we have the now-standard "I'm