Today is Thanksgiving for all our Country music friends in the USA and everybody else too, come to think of it! We thought it would be a nice touch to say thank you to 10 artists that have brightened our year this year, for many different reasons.
Riley Green
Riley has been part of the Country music zeitgeist this year, from making his UK debut in incendiary fashion at Morgan Wallen's BST Hyde Park show, to releasing a killer new album and starring in the year's most recognisable song alongside Ella Langley with ‘You Look Like You Love You.' We're thankful for what he's brought to the genre and the industry this year.
Drake Milligan
Drake is fast becoming an honorary UK resident – we love his energy and enthusiasm on these shores. From appearing at on the main stage in London, Belfast and Glasgow at the C2C festival to touring his own headline show in July, Milligan has devoted a huge chunk of effort and time to building up a loyal fan base over here and we've reacted suitably towards him – it's a marriage made in heaven!
Dahsa
Dasha has been a breath of fresh air in Country music this year. A singer-songwriter at heart, ‘Austin' thrust her into the limelight in a way that no-one was expecting and she grasped the opportunity with both hands. Bringing line dancing to the TikTok generation, Dasha has literally been everywhere this year. We've seen her live in Nashville and in the UK too and she always puts on a great show. Her social media is a whole bunch of Gen Z fun too.
Jelly Roll
What can we say about this dude that you don't already know? An absolute joy to be around, a magnetic presence and a whole load of talent. Jelly Roll has been a force of nature in Country music these past couple of years and he really is someone who lives like he talks. An infectious character with a terrific redemption story, he's another artist who has brought a lot of eyes to the genre and we'll never forget watching him cry through most of his CMA Fest performance in Nashville back in June.
Megan Moroney
Megan has had a terrific year and really stamped her mark on the Country music industry. With only two albums under her belt she's helped to bring a younger breed of fans into the genre with her 'emo cowgirl' brand of Country music. Her socials are absolutely on point and her whole brand screams engagement and interest, no matter how old you are. The CMA New Artist of the Year has become a likeable and vital part part of the Country family this year and we are very grateful for her.
Randall King
Similar to Drake Milligan, this talented Texan artist has set his sights on the UK in the last 18 months and built up a loyal and fervent fan-base through touring his own show and appearing at festivals over here. He's a loquacious and enthusiastic talker, always gracious with his time and thoughts, and someone who always leaves it ‘up on stage' with every performance he does. A cracking album in ‘Into the Neon' and a likeable presence on social media means that we appreciate King in 2024 and are excited to see where the relationship between the UK and him goes over the next few years.
Kezia Gill
Derby's very own Kezia Gill has had a terrific last 18 months, really showcasing her talents in an array of formats and guises and that will culminate in a main stage / Spotlight Stage appearance at the C2C festival next March. We've seen her touring her own music, as part of the ‘Girls Night In' songwriter round and deep in the heart of the convention centre in Nashville as part of CMA Fest this year. Everywhere she goes she brings her talent, enthusiasm and infectious smile. What a terrific ambassador for how professional UK Country music can be and we're very grateful that she exists.
Jackson Dean
With new album, ‘On the Back of My Dreams' released in Q4 this year, Dean has cemented his position in the genre as a rising newcomer of much renown. Dean is another artist who has put a lot of effort into touring the UK in the last couple of years, and tickets for his next tour are on sale from tomorrow. Dean's social media takes you behind the scenes of his artistry and craft, which is both intriguing and engaging in a way that makes GRWM type nonsense look like the shallow rubbish it often is!! We're thankful for this intelligent, thoughtful musician and the effort he puts into his music.
Keith Urban
You only had to watch Urban at this year's CMA awards last week to see what an advocate for Country music and the genre in general he is. Alongside releasing ‘High,' his best album in over a decade this year, Urban is a willing participant and guest on other people's projects and songs, like appearing on the new Jelly Roll album and providing guitar work for Madeline Merlo's ‘one house down (from the girl next door.)' He regularly guests on the Bobby Bones show and brings a kind of infectious positivity with him that the whole world could do with channeling!
Alana Springsteen
With a new live EP of her iconic Tiny Desk Performance show due on December 6th, Alana is rounding off 2024 in fine style. She's another artist who has put a lot of time and effort into developing a close relationship with her European fans – touring here and playing festivals too. Alana is always very generous with her time with both the media and her fans and it's been a privilege to watch her music evolve and develop over the past couple of years – leaving her in a place where she is poised to step up to the big leagues in the next phase of her career. And that's not even mentioning her huge crossover pop hit ‘Hot Honey' with Tiesto this year either!
Happy Thanksgiving to all our American friends, musicians and colleagues – we hope you have a terrific day.
