The term “country music” covers a wide spectrum of styles. From the acoustic hillbilly honky tonk of Hank Williams to the hip-hop-adjacent bro country of the early 2000s, it all fits under the big umbrella, for better or worse. However, some albums can answer the question “What is country music?” better than others.
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These albums span the history of modern country music and, with the right ear, will tell the story of the genre. So, if your kids ever ask you to explain the meaning of country music, you can sit them down, turn up the volume, and let them learn by experiencing these classic LPs.
[RELATED: 4 Underrated Country Albums I’ll Be Passing Down to My Children]
1. Memorial Album (1953) by Hank Williams
It’s hard to talk about genre-defining country albums without mentioning something by Hank Williams. He had a short but impactful recording career before he died on New Year’s Day in 1953. This posthumously released compilation captures some of the Hillbilly Shakespeare’s most popular singles.
“Cold, Cold Heart” and “Your Cheatin’ Heart” are country standards. Moreover, they’re amazing examples of heartbroken honky tonk songs. “Settin’ the Woods on Fire” is a little more upbeat and was likely much more risque when it was released. The album also contains the timeless “Hey Good Lookin’.” While Memorial Album doesn’t contain all of his best work, it’s a rock-solid snapshot of one of the genre’s most influential acts.
2. The Best of Buck Owens (1964) by Buck Owens
Even those who don’t listen to country music associate the genre with Nashville, Tennessee. However, the West Coast birthed an alternate country music scene in the nightclubs and dancehalls of Bakersfield, California. The likes of Merle Haggard, Wynn Stewart, and Dwight Yoakam represent the Bakersfield Sound. Buck Owens helped popularize the sound in the early 1960s with a massive string of No. 1 hits.
The Best of Buck Owens is a must-hear record for fans of country music. It’s also a great introduction to one of the artists who shaped Merle Haggard’s iconic sound. The clear standout here is “Act Naturally,” which was later covered by the Beatles. Then, you have “Under Your Spell Again,” “Foolin’ Around,” and “Second Fiddle” among others. This album is truly hard to beat.
3. Honky Tonk Heroes (1973) by Waylon Jennings
“Outlaw Country” is a term that gets thrown around fairly often. A solid quarter of new up-and-comers try to cultivate an “outlaw” image that includes getting too drunk on stage and dressing like 1970s icons. That’s never what the Outlaw Country movement was about, though. It was all about artists taking creative control and making the music they wanted to make. That’s why it’s hard to nail down a sonic signature for the sub-genre.
Honky Tonk Heroes is about as outlaw as it gets, though. With this album, Waylon Jennings went against the country music machine and recorded songs penned by the then-unknown Billy Joe Shaver. With plenty of Telecaster twang, free-wheeling attitude, and the ever-present steel guitar of Ralph Mooney, it’s a near-perfect snapshot of the early 1970s.
4. Goodbye Normal Street (2012) by Turnpike Troubadours
The 2010s saw countless people online claim, “They don’t make good country music anymore.” This album, from the Red Dirt country all-stars, Turnpike Troubadours, is proof that they were all wrong. At the same time, it’s a look at just how good Red Dirt can be.
The style is named for the red clay that is prevalent in Oklahoma and parts of Texas, where the large community of artists under the banner resides. Like Outlaw Country, Red Dirt varies sonically from artist to artist. However, one thing they all have in common is a focus on songwriting and storytelling. Turnpike Troubadours’ singer/songwriter Evan Felker might be one of the best at what he does. In truth, you could swap out Goodbye Normal Street with any of their other albums. They’re all top-notch country that shows the best of what the modern iteration of the genre has to offer.
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