I'm not defending it, just throwing out ideas why it might have happened. They might not have had great vinyl sales off of Diamonds or Goodbye to think the pump in price for the second record would be a win for them, and then S/T sold well enough to do it for A Long Way. Could also be a timing issue where they can get a one record album out in time for release date, but if it's a double the plant can't guarantee it's ready for release date, so they opt to have it in time?
There could be any number of reasons. I just think it's interesting that I've only ever seen it happen in the folk/Americana space, which tends to be a pretty album-centric genre community.
What are people thinking about new Will Hoge and Ingrid Andress? Thought Hoge was alright on first listen but really liked Ingrid.
Pretty much my reactions. Some cool songs on the Hoge album, but I mostly feel like he's run out of ideas and isn't challenging himself anymore. He's not a good self-producer, either, which doesn't help. I really want him to work with someone who will push him outside of his comfort zone again. Ingrid album is great, though. Really strong songwriting across the board.
No shit, huh? “Nicki’s a Republican Now” should have been a sensation with the timing when it dropped.
I think I recall there being some Luke Bell fans in this thread in the past. Very sad news. Country Singer Luke Bell Has Died At 32
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-country-albums-1234581876/ publishing this with zero Townes Van Zandt albums is absolutely embarrassing
Opened the list, first album I come to is a Kenny Chesney album, closed the list. Also, agree that no Townes on the list is a joke.
Made it a little further than you. They say they wanted to keep it to the Nashville system (why? Especially when so much of the Willie and Waylon that they'll out on here is not in the Nashville system) and there won't be any alt-country, Americana, country rock. Then at 92 is Flying Burrito Brothers and I stopped. They literally created the genres rollingstone said they aren't putting on the list. Clearly they are just throwing whatever they want on it and making random excuses for why certain things aren't on it. Townes not being on the list makes sense if they wanted to keep it to things produced by the Nashville system, but they through that out by number 92 and now makes no sense for Townes not to be included.
The definitions and boundaries around country music are so nebulous and ever-changing that making a list like this is ultimately just an exercise in futility. I feel like you either have to do it by sub-genres or by eras, not as an all-encompassing, all-time list. As is, there are lots of great records on this list, but it feels incomplete and oddly put together.
it deserves to be included but saying there will be no alt-country and including car wheels on a gravel road is baffling
The most egregious miss on that list besides Townes is absolutely Lyle Lovett. Brooks and Dunn also feels like an oversight. And I had my fingers crossed for the longshot of Past the Point of Rescue Including Come On Come On made me audibly “YES!” at work though Other tiny nitpick is that I Still Believe in You would be the ideal Vince Gill pick
jesus christ the state of that fucking list. I know it's Rolling Stone and everything, but good lord lol I did the same, got morbidly curious, and re-opened it and only got up to like #60 before closing it again. also, very sad news about Luke Bell. It's a shame he never made more music than the one album because it's excellent. Sad that there'll now never be anything else.
The new Kolby Cooper album is very good. I really like the new Jon Pardi album as well. He just keeps putting out very good stuff.
Chesney is pretty middle of the road for me. Not terrible (I liked his more stripped down album from a few years ago) but rarely great.