5 Must-Hear New Country Songs: Eric Church, Lukas Nelson, Valerie June & More
This week's collection of new music features a somber new track from Eric Church, who has set his upcoming album, Evangeline Vs. The Machine, for May. Jeannie Seely welcomes Hannah Dasher and Tiera Kennedy for a new collaboration, while Lukas Nelson, Valerie June and Riley Roth offer new music.
Check out all of these and more in Billboard's roundup of the best country, Americana and bluegrass songs of the week below.
More from Billboard
Playboi Carti Scores Second No. 1 on Billboard 200 With 'MUSIC'
Selena Gomez Drops Narrated Version of 'I Said I Love You First' - Plus 'Stained,' an Unreleased Track From Eight Years Ago
J Balvin Lights Up Miami With Back to the Rayo Tour Stop: Best Moments
Eric Church, 'Hands of Time'
Horns, guitars, passionate choral voices and Eric Church's signature swaggering voice swirl together on this new release written by Church and Scooter Carusoe. The song builds into a punchy, rock-fueled anthem as Church sings of turning to simple pleasures — particularly music — to fend off the impact of the passing decades. 'We ain't as young as we used to be, but young at heart is so easy/ When you let some loud guitars and words and rhymes handle the hands of time,' he sings, giving praise to artists including Kris Kristofferson, Tom Petty and Bob Seger; suitably, the sound of a ticking clock winds down the song. 'Hands of Time' is from Church's upcoming new album, Evangeline Vs. The Machine, out May 2.
Lukas Nelson, 'Ain't Done'
After parting ways with his longtime band Promise of the Real in 2024, Lukas Nelson transitions into his first solo outing with 'Ain't Done,' from his upcoming debut solo album American Romance, out June 20 on Sony Music Nashville. Written by Nelson and Aaron Raitiere, 'Ain't Done' pulls back on the hard-charging, full-band sound, opting for a more bare-bones sound bolstered by slabs of fiddle. He looks at life's various shifts with an even-keeled perspective, in a song that seems in some ways to mirror his own current season of musical transition. 'There's a guarantee with every evening sun/ Nothing lasts and God ain't done,' he sings. Though in a newly solo venture, Nelson's new music still brims with the insightful songwriting and grizzled voice he's known for.
Valerie June, 'Sweet Things Just For You'
Valerie June previews her upcoming album Owls, Omens and Oracles (out April 11 on Concord Records) with this musical collaboration with Norah Jones (on backing vocals) and producer M. Ward. Breezy and straightforward, this romantic track finds June singing about absorbing the light and positivity from a significant other, and desiring to mirror that love and affection back toward them. Plucked guitar bolsters this sweetly sung piece of sincere affection, which offers a charming glimpse into June's upcoming project.
Jeannie Seely, Hannah Dasher and Tiera Kennedy, 'Who Needs You'
'Miss Country Soul' Jeannie Seely, who has performed more than 5,400 times on the Grand Ole Opry during her 58-year career, teams with a new generation of country artists — Tiera Kennedy and Hannah Dasher — on this twangy post-breakup anthem that feels perfectly suited for a girls' night out. Written by Seely, 'Who Needs You' features the three entertainers musing that 100-proof whiskey, a new romance and some moments of recreational smoking are all preferred alternatives to returning to an ex-lover. Seely's voice brings in a slice of gritty wisdom, Dasher's vocal purrs with sweetness, while Dasher offers up both humor and wit. 'Who Needs You' is one of a slate of collaborations Seely is releasing, including work with Mae Estes ('Let's Get Together') and Madeline Edwards ('Anyone Who Knows What Love is (Will Understand)').
Riley Roth, 'Right Where We Left Off'
After releasing the 2024 TikTok wedding anthem 'Give Me Away,' Riley Roth returns with a sentimental new song centered on paying homage to unbreakable friendship. Time and distance can't chip away at the rock-solid bond these friends have forged over years of supporting each other through heartbreak, life pivots and a host of trials and triumphs. This sweetly sentimental track and churning, bubbly instrumentation fits her soft, conversational voice well. 'Right Where We Left Off' was written by Roth with Lauren McLamb and Kyle Schlienger.
Best of Billboard
Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1
Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits
H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Buzz Feed
3 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
Bad Bunny Says It Is Silly To Complain About His Job
It's fair to say that Bad Bunny is one of the hardest-working music artists in the game right now. Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio went from the barrio to the Billboard charts, becoming one of the first Latin artists to sell out stadiums around the world, even breaking the record for most tickets ever sold in Spain (he's set to perform 12 shows there on his upcoming tour). In a June 18 interview with Variety, the Puerto Rican superstar spoke to his work ethic as a music artist and celebrity. When his comments went viral, the fans were eating it up just as much as his boricua beats. In the interview, discussing his upcoming residency and tour surrounding his sixth studio album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos, Benito got real about what's expected of him as he embarks on one of the biggest tours of his career. "At times, I do think, cabrón, what I'm signing up for is a lot," he said. For context, Benito is set to perform a 30-night residency at the Colseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan, not too far from where he grew up from July 11 to Sept. 14, and then he's going on a 56-date world stadium tour from November 2025 to July 2026. Basically, he's booked and busy. "But the way I see it, I'm not a doctor; I'm not a teacher; I'm not someone who has to wake up every morning at 5 a.m. to lay down concrete on a busy road to survive," Benito continued. "My job is to fucking sing, and even though it comes with its own set of sacrifices, it feels silly to complain about it." When Benito's comments on the pressure of fame started to make their rounds on the internet, like in this Reddit thread, a lot of people had something to say about it, many praising the three-time Grammy winner for his honesty. Here are some of my favorite comments. "He's a man who got famous as an adult and has managed to become the hometown hero of Puerto Rico, which he obviously put in the work to deserve. It's not necessarily easy to handle, but you can compare that to what a lot of women and people who start as child stars go through. Good for him that he feels this way about it, but I'm not shocked that it's not a common perspective. If he can avoid the toxicity of overwhelming greed and not chase being a billionaire or whatever, he might actually stay happy," a Reddit user shared. Another Reddit user said, "Finally someone with some common sense. I'm so tired of celebs complaining how hard their job is, having never worked a real job in their lives. Like, sure, the pressure must be a lot and paparazzi and public scrutiny, but that's nothing compared to some annoying boomer manager breathing down your neck 24/7 or a customer having a screaming meltdown over a difference of 28 cents or cleaning up vomit, etc." "I appreciate the humility but the more artists downplay the work they put in the more the public does as well. EVERY job has pros and cons so please remember that. He is lucky to have the job he has but it's not like many of them don't work hard for it. 💙" X user wrote. This Reddit user wrote, "He has the right attitude and a healthy perspective." "Good way of putting it, everything is relative and even with fame and money and privilege you can still stress and be sad and be overwhelmed at times, but still understand and be grateful for what you have," another X user wrote. "I truly wish more celebrities and influencers had enough self-awareness to realize that publicly whining about their privileged lives doesn't hit the way they think it does," another Reddit user added. Finally, this Reddit user said, "It doesn't even sound like he's saying that as a performer you can't have bad days or struggle in/with your career, it more so sounds like he simply thinks it's in poor taste to publicly lament about how hard you have it since it's a highly privileged profession." What do you think about Bad Bunny's take on the pressures of being a famous singer? Let's talk about it in the comments.
UPI
6 hours ago
- UPI
Morgan Wallen's 'I'm the Problem' tops U.S. album chart for 4th week
Morgan Wallen's "I'm the Problem" is No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart for a fourth week. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo June 21 (UPI) -- Country music star Morgan Wallen's I'm the Problem is the No. 1 album in the United States for a fourth consecutive week. Coming in at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart dated Saturday is Lil Wayne's Tha Carter VI, followed by ENHYPEN's Desire: Unleash at No. 3, Addison Rae's Addison at No. 4 and SZA's SOS at No. 5. Rounding out the top tier are My Chemical Romance's Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge at No. 6, Sabrina Carpenter's Short n'Sweet at No. 7, Wallen's One Thing at a Time at No. 8, Turnstile's Never Enough at No. 9 and Kendrick Lamar's GNX at No. 10. CMA Awards: Lainey Wilson, Luke Combs walk the red carpet Host Lainey Wilson arrives on the red carpet for the 58th annual CMA Awards in Nashville on November 20, 2024. Wilson is nominated for Entertainer of the Year alongside Luke Combs, Chris Stapleton, Morgan Wallen and Jelly Roll. Wilson is also nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year, Single of the Year for "Watermelon Moonshine" and Music Video of the Year for "Wildflowers and Wild Horses." Photo by John Angelillo | License Photo
Forbes
7 hours ago
- Forbes
Post Malone's Greatest Hits Album Soars On Every Chart
Post Malone's The Diamond Collection jumps nearly 100 spots on the Billboard 200 while reentering ... More the Top Streaming Albums chart at No. 18. INDIO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 16: Post Malone performs at the Sahara Tent at 2022 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival weekend 1 - day 2 on April 16, 2022 in Indio, California. (Photo byfor Coachella) Post Malone has several singles and albums on the Billboard charts this week, – which isn't unusual for him – and his presence across various rankings demonstrates his multi-genre appeal. While he recently (and quite successfully) ventured into country, the singer-songwriter originally got his start in hip-hop, later expanding into a mix of pop and rock music. A collection of his earliest smashes, ones which have been certified diamond for moving 10 million units (or more) in the United States alone, is both rebounding and surging in popularity, as Americans continue to stream everything Malone has ever released, regardless of genre. The Diamond Collection Soars Malone's The Diamond Collection, a greatest hits compilation, is experiencing a major resurgence on the Billboard charts. This frame, the title leaps up three rankings and returns to the Top Streaming Albums list. It reappears as one of the most-streamed full-lengths and EPs in the U.S., reentering that tally at No. 18. The Diamond Collection has now spent 68 weeks on the streaming tally and previously peaked at No. 11, so its return inside the top 20 on a 50-spot roster is especially notable. The Diamond Collection's Consumption Nearly Doubles Luminate reports that in the past tracking period, the compilation moved 21,600 equivalent units, which marks an increase of just under 90% from the week prior. That type of gain helps the hits-packed project rocket from No. 116 to No. 26 on the Billboard 200. Post Malone's Fastest-Rising Album This Week Notably, The Diamond Collection stands as Malone's highest-rising title on the Billboard 200 this frame, jumping almost 100 spots in one enormous gain. It lands a single rung ahead of F-1 Trillion, his first country effort, which dips from No. 25 to No. 27. Meanwhile, Beerbongs & Bentleys falls to No. 192, sliding nearly 20 spaces. Post Malone Returns to the Top 10 The Diamond Collection also returns to the top 10 on two other Billboard rankings. The set leaps to No. 5 on the Top Rap Albums list and No. 7 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
