New Music Friday: July 10, 2026

The standout line, “If it really is a man’s world, then I ain’t doing too bad for a girl,” is both cute and poignant at the same time.

The song really is an anthem for figuring it out as you go, leaning into the chaos, and finding the upside in life’s uncertainty. I could listen to Ashley Anne all day, every day. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: she’s one to watch.

She has the talent, the work ethic, and that je ne sais quoi that could (and should) launch her into the stratosphere any day now.

And when that happens, I will love saying, “it couldn’t happen to a nicer person.”

I got an email this week that said, “check them out and see what you think.” Well, I hopped over to Spotify and let’s just say that email cost me around $90. I went to Instagram, followed the band, bought merch, and saw that they’ll be in Nashville next month – so, yeah, I bought tickets!

This collab with Texas artist, Kat Hasty, is just good vibes from start to finish. I’d call this a real love song. It’s the messy stuff that really makes a relationship…boring mornings, the “one too many” nights, and all the in between, but somehow, you love that person anyway. 

Count me in, Twin Fin. I’m a fan! And Katy, I can’t imagine anyone else giving this song that perfect Texas vibe.

This is an anthem! It’s the song that reminds you that changing, healing, and letting go of a past version of yourself is powerful and strong.

Meghan has a gift for using her own experiences to write songs that allow us all to heal and grow, and this one is incredibly empowering!

You can hear more about this song’s backstory on an upcoming episode of our podcast.

I’ve written about Onoleigh before because her voice is classic and soulful in a way that makes you feel like she’s an old soul that’s lived a few lives.

The girl can make you feel the words in every line of every song. This song doesn’t deviate from that.

If you’ve ever waited around for someone to get it together, love you the right way, or finally show up the way you want them to, you’ll relate!

And it might leave you realizing that maybe you shouldn’t have waited at all.

And when you hear this song, you’ll understand why.

This song captures what it feels like to be stuck between holding on and moving on when a relationship is a little bit messy. My favorite line: “And I don’t know what I’d tell my Mom. She really hates you.”

I laughed out loud…we’ve all been there. I’m looking forward to having Candi on the podcast as soon as she has a few days off in Nashville.

She has a very cool vibe and a sound that is all her home. Check it out!

I’m excited to add Eli Adams to the list this week. No, we aren’t related, but we are both from Arkansas, so it isn’t surprising that this album immediately sounded like home to me.

What I really love about this album is that it has traditional country undertones and somehow still feels like new country music.

My favorite track is the last one, Fool For You. The production is so perfect because if you close your eyes, you’re in a live music venue or bar in a small college town.

For me, this one put me at George’s Majestic in Fayetteville, Arkansas on a college football weekend.

This is another new find for me, and I’m all in on this sibling group.

Sibling harmonies always hit different, and this is no exception.

I can’t help but compare them to Lady A, I hope they take that as the compliment it is. It isn’t just the harmonies that make this work.

The lyrics are relatable, the melody is catchy, and I found myself hitting the repeat button multiple times.

Ashland added some incredible music to this deluxe addition of Dive Bar Beauty Queen, including “Yard Sale” featuring Ashley McBryde and Mae Estes, “Momma Don’t Pray Like She Used To”  with Chase Rice, and “Hangin’ Up the Honkytonk” alongside Dillon Carmichael.

The deluxe edition also introduces the new track, “Doesn’t Have To Be That Way,”  a heartfelt duet with Tyce Delk.

My instant favorite is “Momma Don’t Pray Like She Used To,” but the truth is, this album has something for everyone and every mood you might have throughout the day.

Sam has called Nashville home for more than a decade, and to a lot of people, he is forever his character on Nashville.

But this new music feels like Sam found a way to bring his London roots to Music City in a way that blends that unmistakably British pop vibe with a love for lyrics that can really only be found in Nashville.

It feels like Sam Palladio is embarking on a new chapter in his musical career, and I think it’s going to be a chapter filled with music that reflects both his love for Nashville and his British roots.

First, I have to get Hayden on the podcast immediately because after listening to this song, I know this guy can tell some stories!

If you can listen to this one without drinking – I mean, singing – along, you’re really missing out. It has that “Beer Never Broke My Heart” vibe that means you can’t get it out of your head, and honestly, you don’t want to.

My guess is that this one becomes a Honky Tonk request downtown. Will I be the one to start that trend? I’ll never tell, but there will be signs. I also feel like it’s a perfect fit for a lake day.

Guys, I have to admit: I’m late to the Conner Smith party.

But I can assure you that I won’t miss another Conner Smith release after this one! This is the kind of song you play over and over again on the back porch all summer long.

It’s that perfect summer sunset vibe, and I’m telling you it belongs in a show like “The Summer I Turned Pretty.”

The line that melts me: “I’d take an hour with you over forever with anybody else.” Swoon…

If you’re nostalgic for classic country music, you need to check out “Whiskey On Mine” by Clay Barker.

It’s clever, playful, and will have you looking for a dance partner to spin you around the floor.

Til the Wheels Fall Off is an anthem. It isn’t the loud kind. It’s the kind we play every morning as a peaceful and powerful reminder that we can do all the things and do them well. For me, this is the track that made me realize that I need to see Zoe Jean Fowler live this summer!

Fireflies will take you right back to your first love.  I might have listened to this song for the first time sitting in my living room in Nashville, but in my mind, I was in a little town in Arkansas, top off the Jeep, looking at the stars by the lake. My guess is this song will take you right back to those moments in your life, too.