So, this is a fun game… how old can I make myself feel?
The YouTube Creator “Some Randon Guy” just released a compilation of 100 songs turning 20 this year.
2005 was 20 years ago. I feel like it was more like 7.
Time is a freaking thief.
Let’s take a stroll down memory lane to low-rise jeans, swoopy bangs, burnt CDs and RAZR phones:
That hurts deep.
Especially as I was playing some of these songs on the radio when they were first released.
Anyhow, Imma get some ibuprofen for my back and reminisce about back when with my equally old husband on the days when I really wanted to be a Pussycat Doll.
Morgan Wallen just dropped a new single called “Smile”, and I think it may be one of my favorites of his.
Written by Morgan, Ernest, Rocky Block, John Byron, Ryan Vojtezak and Luis Witkiewitz, I have a feeling this will be another #1 hit.
Because, like it or not, that’s all Morgan Wallen seems capable of producing these days.
Damn.
What I like about this song- aside from the sound and subject matter- is that it really shows of what a good vocalist Morgan is, which can sometimes be hidden with other hits like “Last Night” and “I Had Some Help”.
This definitely bodes well for more solid stuff in 2025.
And now this will be in my head all day, which isn’ a bad thing.
I don’t know about you, but I am NOT emotionally ready for “Yellowstone” to end tomorrow night.
Yeah, there’s like seven million spinoffs, including one centered around Beth and RIP in the future, but still I hate to see it end.
Thanks, Kevin Costner.
Anyhow, Ryan Bingham- who plays “Walker” on the show- is also a legit Country singer/songwriter, and has released a song for “Yellowstone Fans”.
You may have heard it on a previous episode this season, but this is the official release.
Check out “A Song for the Stone” below:
Here is Bingham’s official quote regarding the release of the song:
““I’d like to dedicate this song to all the Yellowstone fans out there, all the cast and crew, and all the folks that have made this whole thing possible over the years. It’s been a pretty amazing journey, and I’m honored to just be a part of. It’s taken me a while to write this song, but sometimes you’ve got to live it before you can write it.”
Well done, Ryan.
Here’s the “Fireside Version” that he put out a couple of days ago:
Anyhow, I’m really not ready for “Yellowstone” to be over tomorrow.
BUT- “Landman” with Billy Bob Thornton is pretty damn good, AND the “1923” prequel with Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford comes back (finally) for Season 2 on February 23rd on Paramount +, so not all is lost.
Thank you, “Yellowstone”, for the past few years, and bringing the Western lifestyle back to the forefront.
It’s the end of the year, so naturally, all the major publications have to put out their “Best Of” lists- some objecive, and some not so objective.
“Rolling Stone” -possibly the least objective of them all- has graced us with their list of “The 100 Best Songs of 2024”, and here’s the Top 10:
1. “Good Luck, Babe!”, Chappell Roan:
I’m actually totally down with this being #1. I love this song, and a lot of what Chappell Roan is putting out. An extremely talented and unique artist, and I’m not going to argue “Roling Stone” on this one.
2. “Not Like Us”, Kendrick Lamar:
This song was HUGE this Summer, and 21-year-old me would have been all about it. 41-year-old me could take it or leave it.
3. “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”, Shaboozey:
This song was (and still is) EVERYWHERE in 2024. It’s catchy as hell. But, is it technically a good song? Nah. Just fun and one of those ear-worms that you can’t get out of your head. It’s also the biggest song of the year as far as chart performance goes, as it’s spent a whopping record-tying 19 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
My biggest complaint about this song is that it’s basically the Country version of J-Kwon’s “Tipsy” that was huge 20 years ago:
I’m also salty that this song is 20 years old.
Oooof.
4. “Espresso”, Sabrina Carpenter:
I flipping LOVE Sabrina Carpenter, and her songs are ridiculously fun and catchy, and I still crank this one up when I hear it on the radio. even though have heard it eight million times this year.
Kudos to Sabrina for killing it in 2024.
5. “Birds of a Feather”, Billie Eilish:
I’m honestly not a huge Billie Eilish fan- I think she’s incredibly talented artist, but she’s not my style.
That being said, this is my favorite of hers, and I love that she’s showing off her gorgeous vocals on this song.
Also, she is incredibly gorgeous without trying.
6. “Too Sweet”, Hozier:
Hozier had a massive hit on his hands with “Too Sweet” this year, and it was his first ever #1 hit.
Kudos to him.
7. “Nasty”, Tinashe:
It’s a NO from me, dawg.
Again, college me would have had it on repeat on my Napster-burned CD.
Today me, not so much.
8. “Pink Skies”, Zach Bryan:
I’m going to be completely honest here… I don’t get the Zach Bryan obsession.
Is a good artist and writer? Yes. Does he have a great jawline? Also, yes.
But for me, he’s just emo-Country, and I just don’t vibe with it.
He’s got a few songs I like, but again, just not my cup of bourbon.
9. “Girl, So Confusing (Remix)”, Charli XCX featuring Lorde:
Real talk: I never heard this song before.
But I don’t hate it.
10. “Right Back to It”, Waxahatchee featuring MJ Lenderman:
Ok, again, I’m clearly not cool enough to be aware of every single song on this list, but I do love that one now.
So, thank you “Rolling Stone” for alerting me to it.
She has been one of my favorite Country artists for years, and has one of the most pure Country voices as well as an incredible talent for songwriting. She’s definitely underrated as far as I’m concerned. And live? Unfreakingbelieveable.
Like, truly, flawless.
You’ll get to experience her flawlessness while she’s on the road with Cody Johnson for the next few months, and she just dropped a new single for you to enjoy called “Ain’t Enough Cowboy Songs” and it’s pretty dang flawless, too:
Dammmnnnn…
Yep, adding it to my playlist now!
No word on if Ashley is working on a new album, which is usually the case when an artist randomly releases a song. But my fingers are crossed for a follow up to “The Devil I Know” in the near future.
Brooks and Dunn released their “Reboot 2” album this morning, which is some of their biggest hits reimagined by today’s biggest Country stars.
One standout is their version of their classic “Neon Moon” with Morgan Wallen.
It’s a cool, modern take on one of my favorite Country songs of all time:
Lets be real- nothing can compare to the original. But it’s a pretty solid version.
Add Morgan Wallen to anyting these days, and you’ve got an automatic win.
However, THIS is my favorite version of the song, which features the incredible Kacey Musgraves:
That one never gets old.
The Brooks and Dunn “Reboot 2” album is out now, and here is the full track listing:
REBOOT 2 Track List:
“Play Something Country” with Lainey Wilson
“Neon Moon” with Morgan Wallen
“Rock My World (Little Country Girl)” with Marcus King Band
“Ain’t Nothing ‘Bout You” with Megan Moroney
“Brand New Man” with Warren Zeiders
“Believe” with Jelly Roll
“She Used to Be Mine” with Riley Green
“She Likes to Get Out of Town” with The Cadillac Three
“Boot Scootin’ Boogie” with Halestorm
“Ain’t No Way To Go” with Mitchell Tenpenny
“How Long Gone” with The Earls of Leicester
“I’ll Never Forgive My Heart” with Jake Worthington
“She’s Not the Cheatin’ Kind” with Hailey Whitters
“Hard Workin’ Man” with Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
“Hillbilly Deluxe” with HARDY
“Indian Summer” with ERNEST
“Drop in the Bucket” with A Thousand Horses
“Only In America” with Corey Kent
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