The 10 Best Country Albums of 2023: Staff Picks

Charles Wesley Godwin, Family Ties

Cody Johnson, Leather

With each of his albums, Texas native Johnson has deeply entrenched himself as an artist who places a premium on top-shelf songcraft–and in the process, with songs like “‘Til You Can’t” and “The Painter” (a song from his new album), he’s helped redefine the past year or so in country music, pushing thoughtful lyricism and a more traditional-leaning sound to the forefront. He continues building on that brand with this dozen-track outing. Though Johnson doesn’t contribute to writing any of the songs here, he’s curated a cohesive project that draws upon a range of topics, including Lone Star state pride (“That’s Texas”), redemption (the stellar Jelly Roll collab “Whiskey Bent”), angry retribution (“Jesus Loves You”) odes to country music and cowboys (the superb title track, as well as the Brooks & Dunn collab “Long Live Country Music”) and placing the priority on relationships (“Dirt Cheap,” “The Painter”) — with some good-time barnburners thrown in (“People in the Back”). Tying them all together is Johnson’s refined, twangy vocal and a thousand-watt energy that shines, whether he’s on record or onstage. — J.N.

Luke Combs, Gettin’ Old

The companion set to 2022’s Growin’ Up finds Combs looking at his stage in life where hangovers hit harder than they used to, hanging at home has more and more appeal and adventures are still relished, but harder to come by. Combs’ amiable, everyman appeal permeates every track, as does his stellar, expressive voice. In addition to “Fast Car,” his gorgeous remake of Tracy Chapman’s 1988 classic; highlights include “Where the Wild Things Are” (a story song and rare album track not written by Combs) and “Love You Anyway,” a ballad about enduring love, even if he ends up with a heartache, that Combs took straight to No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. — MELINDA NEWMAN

Megan Moroney, Lucky

Brandy Clark, Brandy Clark

It’s been a good year for Clark, who also co-wrote the songs for the Tony-nominated Broadway musical, Shucked. In addition to her beautiful voice, Clark imbues the songs on this set with a simple honesty. Whether it’s the bracing truthfulness of the string-laden “Dear Insecurity” (featuring Brandi Carlile), where Clark pleads with her self-doubts to give her a break for once or “She Smoked in the House,” that paints a vivid, beautifully specific picture of her grandmother, or the Grammy-nominated “Buried,” a gentle song about an unrequited love, these songs feel like old friends even upon first listen. — M.N.

Ashley McBryde, The Devil I Know

Zach Bryan, Zach Bryan

Bryan’s follow-up to last year’s breakthrough set, American Heartbreak, is a reflective, often somber affair that highlights his unflinchingly honest brand of rock, country and folk. His solo tunes all resonate, but the standouts here are the collaborations, including Hot 100 No. 1 “I Remember Everything,” an understated, yet aching tale of destroyed love featuring Kacey Musgraves; “Hey Driver,” his pairing with The War and Treaty (which will make you long for a full album featuring the trio) and “Holy Roller,” his lilting duet with Sierra Ferrell — M.N.

Jelly Roll, Whitsitt Chapel

Jelly Roll’s breakthrough country album feels authentic and raw, from the first note of opening track “Halfway to Hell” through the last chord of closer “Hungover in a Church Pew.” Named after the Antioch, Tennessee-church he was baptized in when he was 14, the album focuses on a sinner’s search for redemption in a world that offers more temptation than salvation. Highlights include the plaintive “Need a Favor,” the gospel-tinged “Save Me” (featuring Lainey Wilson) and “Nail Me,” where Jelly takes on the hypocrites he shares church pews with. — M.N.

Kelsea Ballerini, Rolling Up the Welcome Mat

2023 may have been filled with sad songs, but with her succinct, six-song set, Ballerini released a true salve for the brokenhearted as she chronicled her own complex emotions swirling around the dissolution of her previous marriage. “Just Married” recognized emotional disconnection, while the piercing “Interlude” took aim at intense public scrutiny that comes with celebrity divorces, the truth-searing banter of “Blindsided” had fans rallying around it and the album’s closer, “Leave Me Again,” offered up clear-eyed, soul-mending reconnection to self. Working with co-producer Alysa Vanderheym, Ballerini has refined her glossy, sparkly pop sound with this collection of songs, which proved that her songwriting prowess — much like her industrial-strength bond with her fans — only expands and deepens. — J.N.

Chris Stapleton, Higher

Country’s most distinctive and emotional voice churns out another album that feels full of instant classics, from its first single, the western, expansive rocker “White Horse,” to the opening track, “What Am I Gonna Do,” where he contemplates how he’ll move on from a lost love. A little deeper, you’ll also fall for the romantic “It Takes a Woman” and the swampy “South Dakota.” Like Stapleton’s previous sets, Higher feels at once both timeless and of the moment. — M.N.