The Ten Best Country albums ever!!!

 

1 Uncle Tupelo, No Depression (1990) £9.99

 

Both Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy have made better records since (Farrar with Son Volt and Tweedy with Wilco), but No Depression gave birth to the " alt.country" movement.

 

2 Loretta Lynn, Van Lear Rose (2004) £11.99

 

Born into poverty and a mother of four by 18, Lynn brought her fair share of country credentials to this collaboration with Jack White of The White Stripes. Respectful, but raw and soulful.

 

3 Gillian Welch, Time (The Revelator) (2001) £12.99

 

Welch gives a modern-day edge to songs that could be Depression-era originals. The success of the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack owes much to her anachronistic approach.

 

4 Ryan Adams, Heartbreaker (2000) £7.99

 

The post-punk Parsons' first solo album proved that he could create country classics for fun. Good enough to buy Adams credit for an entire future of erratic albums.

 

5 The Jayhawks, Hollywood Town Hall (1992) £9.99

 

This, the major-label debut of Minnesota's Jayhawks, was produced by Rick Rubin. It's anyone's guess as to why they haven't become this century's answer to The Eagles.

 

6 Various, O Brother, Where Art Thou (2000) £9.99

 

Via this soundtrack to the Coen brothers' film, Alison Krauss, Gillian Welch et al introduced bluegrass music to casual record-buyers who thought they knew better.

 

7 Emmylou Harris, Pieces of the Sky (1975) £9.99

 

Harris's major-label debut still stands as the pinnacle of an illustrious career. Although she borrowed her mentor Gram Parson's band, this shows that she could stand on her own two feet.

 

8 Gram Parsons GP/Grievous Angel (1973/4) £9.99

 

Often imitated but never bettered, Parsons' two solo albums have been packaged together since 1990. For less than £10 you get two records' worth of the sweetest sound known to man.

9 The Byrds, Sweetheart of the Rodeo (1968) £7.99

 

In protest at the ubiquity of psychedelia, The Byrds went country. Sweetheart of the Rodeo combined counter-culture with cowboys and wrote the book on country-rock.

 

10 Dillard & Clark, The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & amp; Clark (1968) £13.99

 

Here, Gene Clark of The Byrds joined banjo virtuoso Doug Dillard to give a bluegrass edge to some of the finest songs Clark would ever conjure.

 

 

Chosen by Simmy Richman, music critic of 'The Independent on Sunday'

Published: 04 December 2006

That's one....bad....list..

That's one....bad....list..

 

and why is it such a bad list? no American Idols in there perhaps???

No "The Woman In Me"..

 

Plus some great albums by Dolly, Allison, Garth, etc. all missing..

Im a huge country music fan, and some of those albums are actually quite good, but I would have a different list, but that would only be because of influences from other genres of music upon my tastes...

and why is it such a bad list? no American Idols in there perhaps???

 

And as for American Idols in Country there has only ever been one Idol with true country success, Carrie Underwood, whilst others have done okay, Kellie Pickler, Josh Gracin. Carrie is a huge star in the music industry at the moment, and arguabley the biggest country star of the past year (in terms of sales and chart success).

Yeah, carrie has been the biggest country star of the last year and will prob be the biggest around for quite a few years

I hope she continues to do well, shes a breath of fresh air for Country Music... But there are other great artists like the Rascal Flatts, Sara Evans, Martina McBride

I'm not keen on Country. However i do LOVE the Wreckers :wub: Even though they're like 60% country..

Where is Shania Twain :(

Shania is good, but country radio aren't too fond of her, she can sometimes be seen as a little too pop for Country Radio..

 

And the Wreckers are a good band, their album is quite solid.

And as for American Idols in Country there has only ever been one Idol with true country success, Carrie Underwood, whilst others have done okay, Kellie Pickler, Josh Gracin. Carrie is a huge star in the music industry at the moment, and arguabley the biggest country star of the past year (in terms of sales and chart success).

 

 

Yeah, carrie has been the biggest country star of the last year and will prob be the biggest around for quite a few years

Dixie Chicks were bigger this year. :D

Not in terms of sales or singles positions in the USA (main country market), Carrie battered them in both :D

I have never listened to the Dixie Chicks ... something makes me not want to mmmm

Gretchen :angry: my country hoe :wub:

Dixie Chicks are amazing... and they sold more worldwide, Carrie is yet to break the UK.

 

They've been nominated for five Grammys too. :o

I know pretty impressive, although I find it quite annoying they are nominated in at least 1 country catagory, when they said they dont want anything more to do with country...