Since I am currently all caught up with the albums that I want to cover this week (next week is another story) I was thinking about different lists that I could make. I think lists can be fun to make and can be useful for the readers. So, I decided to make the least objective list that I could possibly come up with and do a top 10 list of current country artists. Now, I don’t want this to just be a list of all time greats like George Strait and Dolly Parton. I understand that they are still making music however, I wanted this to be a list of more current artists. For the purposes of the list, whether or not the artist is mainstream or independent is irrelevant. The only qualification is that they are a country artist who is semi current. This is just my personal top 10 artists at the moment so there was plenty of artists who could have been swapped. Feel free to comment, agree/disagree. Enjoy!
10. Josh Turner: One of my all time favorite artists. The mainstream has certainly chased it’s share of trends over Josh Turner’s career however he has stayed true to his neo-traditional sound through it all.
9. Miranda Lambert: Before The Weight of These Wings was released I would not have had Lambert on this list. However, when you combine her past work with the Weight of These Wings, it’s hard to argue that there are many better artists in the mainstream.
8. Eric Church: Is there an artist in the mainstream that releases as many quality singles as Eric Church? Sure he’s not a traditional artist but, he makes great, modern country music and he actually has something to say!
7. Aaron Watson: Perhaps the biggest country artist in Texas and for good reason. Watson does a fantastic job of combining radio sensible songs and powerful songs with a message in his albums. Even in his more modern sounding songs you can still hear tons of country instrumentation.
6. Kacey Musgraves: Radio doesn’t deserve Kacey Musgraves. A fantastic neo traditional artist who refuses to compromise her art for the radio machine.
5. Flatland Cavalry: The closest comparison to Flatland Cavalry would be the Turnpike Troubadours and boy is that a hell of a compliment. After only releasing about an album and a half’s worth of songs, they have already established themselves as one of country’s best groups.
4. Sunny Sweeney: It’s hard to argue Sunny Sweeney isn’t one of country music’s best after her most recent masterpiece Trophy. The neo traditionalist is extremely honest and relateable in her music with loads of traditional instrumentation.
3. Chris Stapleton: The biggest, most important moment in country music in recent memory was Chris Stapleton performing alongside Justin Timberlake at the 2015 CMA Awards. Stapleton has since become the biggest selling star in country music with perhaps the greatest voice in the genre. He has helped to prove the irrelevance of radio and the fact that people will pay for good music.
2. Cody Johnson: Cody Johnson is country music. It’s rare that I go a day without listening to a Cody Johnson song. A true cowboy who mixes heartbreak and uptempo tracks with an undeniable country sound.
1. The Turnpike Troubadours: The Turnpike Troubadours are the greatest group/artist in country music. Their songs are written so brilliantly it makes you wonder how anyone could have written such brilliant songs. Musically lets just say if you don’t love the fiddle you may want to stay away from this Oklahoma based group.
Critically Country 
Alex, this is a great idea! All of the artists you have chosen are amazing. 🙂
Some other artists that could fit this list:
-Ashley Monroe
-Carrie Underwood
-Brad Paisley
-William Michael Morgan
-Tim McGraw
-Jon Pardi
-Maddie and Tae
-Brothers Osborne
-Midland
-Runaway June
-Zac Brown Band
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Some of the artists you mentioned I didn’t include because they don’t have enough music to judge. For example Runaway June has 1 song I have heard. But yes there’s plenty of artists that could have been swapped, this is just my top 10.
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My top 10:
10. Eric Church: No, he’s not exactly traditional country. But he is for sure someone who consistently delivers quality music to a landscape that desperately needs it.
9. Josh Turner: A great artist that country radio will never fully appreciate, but he has plenty of fans and people with great music taste that do. Long Black Train is a musical masterpiece.
8. Maddie and Tae: By far the best duo in country music today. They make clever, fun music that does not insult the intelligence, and it is also fairly country.
7. Jon Pardi: Another artist that proves that actual country music can be fun. By the way, Cowboy Hat and She Ain’t In It are absolutely fantastic. Like The Turnpike Troubadors, if you don’t like fiddle, stay away from Jon Pardi.
6. Midland: These guys are the real deal. Their EP is fantastic and I can hardly wait to hear more from them.
5. Turnpike Troubadors: An amazing group that makes fantastic, authentic country music. Come As You Are and The Bird Hunters are amazing songs.
4. Miranda Lambert: An artist whom I have long been a fan of. The Weight of These Wings is a fantastic album, and Miranda is a fantastic songwriter.
3. Kacey Musgraves: An amazing artist that radio does not deserve. She truly cares about country music, is an amazing songwriter, and makes pure country music straight from the heart.
2. William Michael Morgan: For sure one of the best artists in the mainstream today. Radio does not deserve him and will never fully appreciate him the way he should be appreciated. Vinyl is an extremely solid album, and Lonesomeville and I Know Who He Is are damn near masterpieces.
1. Ashley Monroe: My favorite artist of all time. Like a Rose is my favorite album ever, as every song is truly amazing. Ashley is a brilliant songwriter, and has the voice of an angel. Yet she is extremely underrated by the industry. It is so sad to me that the mainstream focuses on sub-par female artists like Kelsea Ballerini instead of fantastic artists like Ashley and Kacey Musgraves. Radio will never give her the appreciation she deserves, but her fans know just how incredible she is. Two Weeks Late and Used will go down, in my opinion, as two of the best songs in country music, period.
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My Top Ten Current Country Artists:
10. Eric Church–because we all need some country rock in our lives, and his last album was pretty genius.
9. George Strait–He is still making music, and therefore he still counts.
8. Maddie & Tae–They’d be higher, but they’ve only had one album. Nice, relatable country, and stupid that radio/Big Machine failed them.
7. Kacey Musgraves–She’s a great songwriter who releases genuine country music, and as Amanda said, genuinely cares about it.
6. Zac Brown Band–Yeah, their last album was weird and disappointing, but that’s just how good the first three are. Uncaged was one of the best albums in the past ten years.
5. Courtney Patton–One of the best-kept secrets of Texas country…echo everything I said about Kacey Musgraves and apply it to her.
4. Miranda Lambert–The best artist in the mainstream, period.
3. Jason Eady–The most underrated artist in Texas. Just sit in a room and listen to Daylight and Dark, and then dispute this point.
2. Turnpike Troubadours–Because we need that fiddle in our lives too. And also because they’re currently the best band in Red Dirt.
1. Ashley Monroe–The only one who beats Miranda, and she can’t even really count because the mainstream has overlooked her so severely and unfairly. One of the most brilliant songwriters and outstanding voices in Nashville.
Honorable Mention/if I can’t count Strait: Carrie Underwood
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I keep putting off commenting because it’s so tough to narrow everything down…I finally decided to just say “screw it” and acknowledge that I like your list and don’t know who I’d put on mine lol. I ditto the Jason Eady comment though Megan!
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