PopMatters' 15 Best Country Albums of 2023
This year's best country albums spring from hard-country bands to traditional true believers and from alternative country renegades to pop-country superstars.
Source
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Strays | Margo Price | Jan-13-2023, Contemporary Country |
| #2 | Higher | Chris Stapleton | Nov-10-2023, Contemporary Country |
| #3 | 1988 | Lori McKenna | Jul-21-2023, Singer-Songwriter |
| #4 | I'm In Love | Hailey Whitters | Jul-28-2023, Contemporary Country |
| #5 | Rustin In The Rain | Tyler Childers | Sep-08-2023, Country |
| #6 | Sweet Memories: The Music Of Ray Price & The Cherokee Cowboys | Vince Gill, Paul Franklin | Aug-04-2023, |
| #7 | Workin' on a World | Iris DeMent | Feb-24-2023, Americana |
| #8 | The Rainbow Wheel of Death | Dougie Poole | Feb-24-2023, Progressive Country |
| #9 | The Long And Lonesome Letting Go | Jim Lauderdale, Del McCoury, The Po' Ramblin' Boys | Sep-15-2023, Bluegrass |
| #10 | I'm Not Crying, You're Crying | Whitehorse | Jan-13-2023, Neo-Traditionalist Country |
| #11 | Loving You | Amanda Shires, Bobbie Nelson | Jun-23-2023, |
| #12 | The Golden Crystal Kingdom | Vincent Neil Emerson | Nov-10-2023, Neo-Traditionalist Country |
| #14 | Stand in the Joy | William Prince | Apr-14-2023, Country Pop |
| #15 | Southern Star | Brent Cobb | Sep-22-2023, Country Soul |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Strays | Margo Price | Album, Jan-13-2023, Contemporary Country |
| #2 | Higher | Chris Stapleton | Album, Nov-10-2023, Contemporary Country |
| #3 | 1988 | Lori McKenna | Album, Jul-21-2023, Singer-Songwriter |
| #4 | I'm In Love | Hailey Whitters | EP, Jul-28-2023, Contemporary Country |
| #5 | Rustin In The Rain | Tyler Childers | Album, Sep-08-2023, Country |
| #6 | Sweet Memories: The Music Of Ray Price & The Cherokee Cowboys | Vince GillPaul Franklin | Album, Aug-04-2023, |
| #7 | Workin' on a World | Iris DeMent | Album, Feb-24-2023, Americana |
| #8 | The Rainbow Wheel of Death | Dougie Poole | Album, Feb-24-2023, Progressive Country |
| #9 | The Long And Lonesome Letting Go | Jim LauderdaleDel McCouryThe Po' Ramblin' Boys | Album, Sep-15-2023, Bluegrass |
| #10 | I'm Not Crying, You're Crying | Whitehorse | Album, Jan-13-2023, Neo-Traditionalist Country |
| #11 | Loving You | Amanda ShiresBobbie Nelson | Album, Jun-23-2023, |
| #12 | The Golden Crystal Kingdom | Vincent Neil Emerson | Album, Nov-10-2023, Neo-Traditionalist Country |
| #14 | Stand in the Joy | William Prince | Album, Apr-14-2023, Country Pop |
| #15 | Southern Star | Brent Cobb | Album, Sep-22-2023, Country Soul |