Looking back on this year I have realized it has been full of great music. So narrowing down the amazing albums released this year has been quite challenging, but I believe the choices I made reflect country music as a whole. Now without further ado, here is my list of the best albums of 2017:

5. Back To Us, Rascal Flatts

With their 10th studio album Rascal Flatts shows why they have been around for 17 years. With a mixture of upbeat driving songs like, Yours if You Want it, and the ballads the band is known for, Rascal Flatts Back to Us proves they are still one of the premiere country acts.

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(Rascal Flatts Back to Us- Big Machine Records)

4. Midland, On the Rocks

As if they were taken straight out of the 80's, Midland arrived this year out of nowhere and showed the world of Bro Country that classic sound will never go out of style. Sparked by their massive debut single, Drinkin Problem plus a solid word of mouth about their live performance skill, Midland has shown that they will be a country force to reckon with in the years to come.

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(Midland On the Rocks- Big Machine Records)

3. Luke Combs, This One's For You

It is very rare for me to listen to an album and truly love every single song, to have that on a debut album has not happened since Chris Stapleton's Traveller. And yet Luke Combs has proven himself to me as the brightest up and comer in country music. Any song on the album could have been chosen as a single and I believe it would do well and that is an absolute fact. The only reason I did not put this at the top of my list is because he is not as seasoned as the other 2 ahead of him. Aside from that Luke knows his sound and plays it well.

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(Luke Combs This One's for You- Columbia Records Nashville)

2. Brantley Gilbert, The Devil Don't Sleep

I may be a little biased about this one, I have been a fan of Brantley Gilbert since his independent days. Brantley Gilbert is one of the hardest working acts in country music, he will take a little longer to put out an album because he wants to make sure that it truly is the best work he can provide, and it shows. If you havent listened to this album already, you owe it to yourself to give The Devil Don't Sleep a shot. You won't be disappointed.

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(Brantley Gilbert the Devil Don't Sleep- Valory Music Group)

1. Chris Stapleton, From A Room Vol. 1

Was there really any doubt that Chris Stapleton would be on here? He truly is the best thing in country music right now and his albums prove it. You can hear the passion and heartache in every word, note, and key in every song on the album and Christ Stapleton has proven once again that he is as good as it gets when it comes to a performer.

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(Chris Stapleton From A Room Vol.1- Mercury Nashville

There you have it, my picks for the best albums of 2017, some honorable mentions:

-Chris Young, Losing Sleep

-Lady Antebellum, Heartbreak

-Kip Moore, Slowheart

 

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