The War and Treaty/ Brennen Leigh/ Stephen Wilson Jr./ Luke Combs
l-r: David McClister/ Brooke Hamilton/ Acacia Evans/ Jeremy Cowart

15 Best Country Albums of 2023

Luke Combs, The War & Treaty, Turnpike Troubadours + more.

This article is part of Wide Open Country's Best of 2023 roundup, celebrating the best music, moments and personalities of the year. 

Country music took center stage in 2023, with artists such as Zach Bryan topping the Billboard Artist 100, Hot 100 & Billboard 200 with his self-titled LP. Luke Combs also had a winning streak with his stellar cover of Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car," featured on his 2023 album Gettin' Old, the counterpart to 2022's Growin' Up. Beyond those and other headline-grabbing country music stories (including Oliver Anthony's meteoric rise), a slew of country artists from Dierks Bentley to Kip Moore released impactful works that spoke to where they are in both their lives and careers.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma favorites Turnpike Troubadours made a long-awaited return with A Cat in the Rain, the band's first release in six years; and Stephen Wilson Jr. shared a stirring exploration of grief with søn of dad.

Husband-and-wife duo The War and Treaty showcased raw emotion through powerhouse vocals and vivd lyricism on the Dave Cobb-produced tour de force Lover's Game. And Brennen Leigh tipped her hat to country gold with heart, humor and genre-defining storytelling on Ain't Through Honky Tonkin' Yet.

Read on for Wide Open Country's picks for the 15 best country albums of 2023.

 

 

READ MORE: 20 Best Country Songs of 2023