Country Music Blogs
Country music fans are among the most passionate of any music genre.
Vivid Seats knows that for most country music fans, concerts are not enough: The zeal for country music spills over into the digital landscape and blogosphere.
However, the country music scene is as diverse as it is vast, with a nearly innumerable number of subgenres of music and—from history and fashion to food and drink—a robust culture that stretches beyond simply music.
Here are 15 blogs and websites of different sizes and focus that country music fans should have on their radar in 2024.
Twangville
Started in 2005, Twangville focuses on subgenres of country music and on artists that are thriving somewhat under the radar. The site also gives a voice to its readership, routinely featuring “Readers’ Picks” for artists, albums and songs.
Saving Country Music
Saving Country Music’s purpose is “spelled out in its name,” according to the site’s About page. Kyle “The Triggerman” Coroneos oversees the popular country music site that offers honest, unapologetic opinions. A recent article detailing how Kentucky is enjoying a country music surge exemplifies the site’s mission, as does this impassioned plea for why country music needs Carrie Underwood.
The Boot
The Boot keeps its finger on the pulse of the country music scene as well as any website. In addition to breaking news, The Boot also spotlights future country music stars as well as forecasting industry trends.
Taste of Country
Like The Boot, Taste of Country is a comprehensive country music news site replete with photos and videos. It’s also the namesake of the Taste of Country Music Festival, billed as “The Northeast’s Biggest Country Music Party.”
CMA
The official site of the Country Music Association has information on the CMA Awards, the CMA Music Festival and other events run by the organization dedicated to the development of country music worldwide.
American Songwriter
Founded in 1984, American Songwriter explores the wider music scene with a focus of the songwriter. Though not strictly a country music blog, it certainly hits on the world of country music with a refined voice, such as this carefully constructed piece by Paul Zollo reviewing a book about Johnny Cash and Charley Pride that wades into the idea of objectivity in music writing as well as this 2014 piece from Stephen Deusner detailing the place country music has in the New Orleans music scene.
CM Chat
The website home to the popular “#CMChat” hashtag on Twitter, CMChat is run by Jessica Northey and features artists interviews, reviews and features. In November, it scored an interview with Darius Rucker.
Noise11
Country music down under? You bet. Noise11 covers the music scene through an Australian lens, including both American and Australian country music.
Westword
Westword has been a staple in the Denver area since the late ‘70s. Though it’s immersed in the local music scene, it has not been afraid to tackle industry-wide subjects, such as this 2013 piece on the country music identity crisis and the most popular tropes in country music. In March, it produced an authoritative piece on the best country artists in The Centennial State.
Roughstock
A pillar of the digital country landscape, Roughstock was created in 1995 and continues to stay on top of the news. Editor Matt Bjorke mixes album reviews with updates on which singles and albums are topping the charts.
Houston Press
There’s no denying the role of the Lone Star State in the country music landscape. The Houston Press covers Texas country music exhaustively, as evidenced by their breakdown of the Top 10 best live acts in Texas country music by Amy McCarthy.
Dallas Observer
Like Houston Press, the Dallas Observer explores the flavor of the local country music scene in the Dallas Metroplex, with pieces on the most popular Red Dirt Texas country songs and the country songs that all Dallasites need to know. It also delves into topics impacting all of country music, while fixing in artist profiles, like this Jeff Gage piece on the rise of Dallas-area native Maren Morris.
No Depression
For more than 20 years, No Depression has been a source for high-quality, intelligent writing and discussion of music of all varieties. It produces new content quarterly, and in recent years, has hit on topics such as the cross-pollination of bluegrass and country, the phenomenon of country “not being country anymore” and this thoughtfully penned piece by Ed Maxin on the perceived death of country music.
Mountain Xpress
The mountains of North Carolina are a thriving bastion of country music, and Mountain Xpress pays it appropriate homage, staying on top of the local country scene and its sub-genres (like country rock and alt-country). It also explores the impact of the Asheville area on the country music scene at large, such as this Jeff Messer piece on country music’s long-lost forefather and this Alli Marshall feature on the resurgence of country music, albeit with a slightly different flavor than the country music of previous decades.
Nashville Gab
Nashville Gab covers Music City from top to bottom with a lighthearted voice. The site’s Twitter profile says “We write about #countrymusic and make #cornyjokes.” But Nashville Gab is a serious destination for country fans all over. It boasts exclusive interviews with artists and has a team of writers and photographers around the country which covers country music events all over.