What's hot in country music? Well, for starters, the 2018 Stagecoach Festival, which will hit Indio, Calif., this weekend and feature more than 50 performers from Kelsea Ballerini and Carly Pearce to Florida Georgia Line and Keith Urban.
Speaking of Urban, he's one of the country artists who has dropped some hot new tuneage in 2018. Featured on his new album, Graffiti U, his latest single is a collaboration with "Issues" singer/songwriter Julia Michaels, "Coming Home," which meshes a modern country-pop sound with a revamp of Merle Haggard's classic "Mama Tried" guitar riff.
Meanwhile, Carrie Underwood, Urban's "The Fighter" duet partner, returned to the fold with "Cry Pretty," an uplifting confessional that is all about "when emotions take over and you just can't hold them back." Who's also returning? Sugarland are set to release Bigger, their first album in eight years, which has been preceded by their sweet single with Taylor Swift, "Babe."
Jason Aldean sings it simple and true on "You Make It Easy," a single from his forthcoming Rearview Town LP. Fresh face Abby Anderson dropped her debut single, "Make Him Wait," a song based on dating advice the native Texan received from her father. Brothers Osborne could have used some of that advice — their latest 2018 hit, the six-minute-plus "Shoot Me Straight," is a cocktail mixing a "hard hangover and one hell of a heartache."
A tribute to his wife, Dierks Bentley described "Woman, Amen" as one of the "more personal" songs of his successful career. On the other side of love, the hazy memory of a relationship gone wrong is the theme behind Dan + Shay's bittersweet "Tequila." Maddie & Tae's power ballad "Friends Don't" offers the first taste of their sophomore album and the latest proof of the duo's positive chemistry.
"Get Along" finds Kenny Chesney in a peaceful, optimistic frame of mind as he prepares for his upcoming Trip Around The Sun tour. Proving she's still a believer in the notion of "Follow Your Arrow," Kacey Musgraves has ridden in her Golden Hour album with "High Horse," a song unapologetically fusing country twang with disco flourishes.
Of course, this highlighted playlist is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg as far as new country songs. But we want to know: Which of these new country singles released so far this year is your favorite? Cast your vote!
