7 Country songs you need to hear right now

Grab the Kleenex, you’re going to need ‘em. Just weeks after Kelsea Ballerini and Morgan Evans announced their divorce, Morgan took the stage with vulnerability at an all-time-high as he performed this song which he’d written just days before. While Evans did not name drop on stage or specifically share the meaning behind the tune, his tears, raw emotion and straight forward lyrics left nothing to the imagination. Videos of Evans performing the song that night went viral, prompting him to release it shortly after. “I wrote this song 3 weeks ago and we hit record at our show in Melbourne, Australia last Thursday,” he said. “It was only the 2nd time I ever played it. The videos, comments and messages I’ve received from you all since have been overwhelming. It felt like the right thing to share it like this. ‘Over For You (Live In Melbourne)’ is out now, everywhere you find music.”

Kentucky native, Hannah Ellis captures the pure essence of Country music in 3 minutes with her single, “Country Can.” A beautiful tribute to a genre centered around three chords and the truth, the song will have you feeling connected to other Country fans far and wide as Ellis sings all there is to love about the genre. "'Country Can’ is an anthem for all of us,” she said of the tune. “From red dirt to west coast sand, nothing get’s you back home like Country can.”

"'For What It’s Worth' is probably the most straight up and down, Country-leaning song on the project [Cross Country]. It’s really the center of the album," explains Breland. "I felt like I wanted to give people something that they could really understand and latch onto. It’s a mostly autobiographical story about holding myself accountable for past relationships that may have gone wrong based on things that I did and just kind of reaching out to that person and saying, ‘Hey, I hope that you’re doing well, I hope that you found who’s providing you things I couldn’t,’ and just kind of recognizing my own fault as a person. I think there aren’t enough break up songs that actually hold the artist accountable for the mistakes that they’ve made. I feel like it would be good to have one like that.”

Dylan Scott is showing off his romantic side with a sweet anthem referencing his real-life romance with high school sweetheart turned wife, Blair. The song took on a life of its own after Scott posted it to social media and watched it go viral not long after. The song is a good ol’ Country boy’s guide to finding true love, and Scott’s all up for supporting as counselor. “Find you a girl that leaves you speechless,” he sings. “Gets wild on the town but still loves Jesus, There’s just one condition: You can’t have his girl,” he quips.

Not looking forward to hunting season? Newcomer, Makenzie Carpenter will shift your perspective in a snap with her brand new song, “Huntin’ Season.” “I wrote this song to show off the playful side of hunting season,” she said of the cheeky tune. “When your guy is outta the house, outta your hair, and totally focused on the prize. You could wait around for him to come home, constantly checking your phone, or you could lean into the fun part. Drink wine, call the girls, go shopping, even send the kids with him, if you have them. He’s gonna go either way, so we might as well learn how to take advantage of the free time.”

Some may find this pair an unlikely duo, but that will change with one sound of their beautifully blended vocals. A unique way to tell a familiar story, the song will capture you from the very beginning, just like it did Justin and Priscilla the first time they heard it. “When I first heard ‘You, Me, And Whiskey’ I just thought, man, this is a really cool song,” said Moore. “Priscilla was the first one I thought about [for a duet] because we had just played a show together, and I thought ‘Man, she would knock this out of the park,’ and she did.” Priscilla added, “I could not be more excited for this song. It’s super, super special to me. I’ve been a fan of Justin forever, and the fact he asked me to be a part of it is just mind-blowing, I’m still freaking out. I cannot wait for everyone to fall in love with it just like I did the first time I heard it.”

Hardy and Lainey Wilson are changing the game and paving new paths with their duet, “Wait In The Truck.” With a gripping storyline and sensitive issue at hand, the pair are standing up to provide hope for the hopeless. “’Wait in the truck,’ my next single, is one of my favorite songs I’ve ever written – probably the best song I’ve ever written to be honest,” Hardy expressed. “It hit me so hard the first time I heard the demo back, and no other song had done that before. Very excited for the world to hear the song, excited for the song to give people a platform to maybe speak out about stuff that might be going on in their own homes. Thank you to Lainey Wilson for doing this song with me – she crushed it… I just can’t wait for the world to see this and I can’t wait to play it live.” Lainey added, “I always love working with HARDY, but this track is extra special. I am so proud to be part of ‘wait in the truck’ because it’s such a powerful song and story, and I really do think it will change lives.”