25 Best Country & Americana Albums of 2016 So Far
From Maren to Loretta, Dierks to Vince, the best LPs of the year’s first half


Nino Muñoz, Red Light Management, Reto Sterchi
In a musical landscape that can be unwelcoming at best to young artists, newcomers have more than held their own in country music. Maren Morris earned her wings with a sassy, pop-country LP that breaks all sorts of molds. The buzz on Margo Price's magnificent debut earned her a rare SNL musical guest invitation. And, with Pawn Shop, Brothers Osborne delivered the most vibrant mix of country and rock since Eric Church became the Chief. Meanwhile, legends like Loretta Lynn and Vince Gill kept pace with the youngsters, delivering some of their best, most introspective work to date. Here, in no particular order, are our picks for the best country and Americana albums so far this year.