2009's Remaining Release Schedule Comes into Focus

2009Thus far, 2009’s releases have done little to fire up the charts,

with most of this year’s strongest-selling albums being holdovers from 2008. While Rascal Flatts, Jason Aldean, and Keith Urban have sold strongly, the chart remains dominated by last year’s releases from Taylor Swift, Sugarland, Zac Brown Band, Lady Antebellum, Darius Rucker, and Jamey Johnson.

So what’s left for 2009? Here’s what we know so far:

New Releases

  • Carrie Underwood will release her third studio album on November 3, with a lead single going to radio this fall. Her previous set, Carnival Ride, is nearing sales of 3 million, and produced four #1 singles and a #2 single, all five of which were certified gold in their own right.
  • George Strait will release Twang on August 11. It’s the follow-up to his 33rd platinum album Troubadour, a set which produced his 43rd #1 single and earned him the first Grammy of his career, along with a pair of CMA trophies (Single and Album)
  • Miranda Lambert is readying Revolution for September 29. Lead single “Dead Flowers” is struggling at radio, but that’s never slowed her down at retail anyway.
  • Reba McEntire’s Valory debut Keep on Lovin’ You arrives August 18. Lead single “Strange” is approaching the top ten.
  • Willie Nelson releases another standards collection called American Classic on August 25.
  • Rosanne Cash will release The List, a covers album, on October 6.
  • Sarah Darling releases Every Monday Morning on July 28.
  • Mac McAnally’s Show Dog debut – Down By the River – comes out on August 4. McAnally recently scored a big hit teaming up with Kenny Chesney on “Down the Road”, and was the co-writer on several classic Sawyer Brown singles like “All These Years” and “Thank God For You.”
  • Mindy Smith releases Stupid Love on August 11.
  • Radney Foster and The Confessions release Revival on September 1, with guest appearances by Dierks Bentley and Darius Rucker.
  • Chris Young releases The Man I Want to Be on September 1.

Reissues and Compilations

  • Brooks & Dunn release the 30-track #1 Hits…and Then Some on September 8. Track listing here. The set is preceded by lead single “Indian Summer.” The duo’s previous set, Cowboy Town, was their first to fall short of gold certification. The new hits compilation is similar in set up to top-selling collections by George Strait, Toby Keith and Reba McEntire in recent years.
  • Wounded Bird just released 2-albums-on-1-CD collections for Kris Kristofferson on July 7. Eight albums are included from his 1972-1981 output
  • A pair of Tommy Cash’s albums from 1970 will combine on one CD on July 21; Tommy is the younger brother of Johnny Cash
  • Hank Snow’s 1958 album When Tragedy Struck is being remastered and reissued on August 11.

I’ll be picking up many of the above releases, but I have to say that I’m most looking forward to picking up all of the remastered Beatles albums and the Madonna anthology this fall.

What releases are you most looking forward to in the second half of 2009?

41 Comments

  1. The Brooks & Dunn album is a greatest hits compilation. I was disappointed when I learned that as I was looking forward to a new studio album.

  2. No real information to report on these, but I think Toby Keith, Alan Jackson, Joe Nichols and Clay Walker hope to have albums out by the end of the year as well.

    Any information on the Madonna compilation? I’m looking forward to that one as well.

  3. Sorry for the multiple comments but I also want to mention Gretchen Wilson’s I’ve Got Your Country Right Here, Sugarland’s Live On the Inside and Justin Moore. As of now, I don’t know of any holiday albums coming out. From the looks of it, I probably won’t be picking up very many of the remaining year’s releases. Which is sad because I didn’t buy very many CDs during the first half of the year. It certainly doesn’t help an already struggling industry.

  4. I’m excited for Reba and Carrie Underwood’s new albums. I’ve been waiting for those for awhile! I’m excited to see how George is gonna follow up Troubador. And I might be the only one here excited about Gloriana’s debut album (hits stores Aug. 4) but that’s ok! I have no shame in admitting it!

  5. From Country Standard Time:

    “Appalachian music worked the first time around for Patty Loveless, so she’s going to do it again. “Mountain Soul II” comes out Sept. 29 on Saguaro Road.”

    Also, Jack Ingram said to look for his new album on August 25.

  6. I just said this on The 9513 (before I saw this post) but I am definitely most excited about Rosanne Cash’s new album – and I haven’t heard even a sample of the songs. But I have a lot of faith in her interpretative ability as well as her father’s song selection.

    Reba’s Keep On Loving You is right up there too, but I just get the feeling it’s not going to be the mature album I want it to be. But I’ll be picking up those 2 and probably the George Strait and Miranda Lambert albums as well for sure.

  7. Michael,

    A live Sugarland project sounds a whole world of awesome!

    As for the Madonna compilation, what I’m hearing is that it will be a multi-CD collection with two or three new tracks. It’ll cover her whole career. I have trouble seeing how they’ll do that in only two CDs without it being redundant, given the three hits compilations already out there.

    I’m hoping for a DVD box set of the videos and tours from the WB years more than anything else.

    @ J.R.,

    Judging by the lead single and video, and the album packaging, I’d be shocked if this was a mature Reba album. She said Kelly Clarkson rubbed off on her approach to this project.

  8. I especially am looking forward to obtaining the Tommy Cash reissue, but my curiosity also is piqued by his niece’s upcoming covers album

  9. Oh, yes. I forgot about Sara Evans. Also, thanks for the heads up on Mountain Soul II, ccdixon. I think all of Nashville will be looking for Carrie to save them this year.

    The Sugarland CD/DVD combo will be a Walmart exclusive and it’s scheduled to be released on August 4. I’ve never seen them live but I am excited for all of the interesting cover choices on the album:
    CD:
    “Love Shack”
    “Better Man”
    “Circle”
    “Sex On Fire”
    “The One I Love”
    “Nightswimming”/”Joey”
    “Irreplaceable”
    “Love”
    “Stay”
    “All I Want To Do”

    DVD:
    “Love”
    “Settlin'”
    “Baby Girl”
    “Want To”
    “Nightswimming”
    “Joey”
    “Already Gone”
    “Steve Earle”
    “Genevieve”
    “All I Want To Do”
    “Everyday America”
    “Stay”
    “Down In Mississippi”
    “The One I Love”
    “Something More”
    “It Happens”

    I own all of the Madonna studio albums (and the three existing hits collections) so I’m also a little curious (nervous) to see how WB will condense her 26 year career on two discs. Almost every hits collection I’ve purchased in the last few years has been redundant. I usually just replace old collections with the new.

  10. I’m excited to hear the new Miranda, Rosanne, Patty and Chris Young (he’s finally progressing at radio, hooray!). And I’m cautiously interested to hear a new Carrie album, though I’ll be really disappointed if it’s more of the same.

  11. the carrie underwood rummored song oklahoma wind sounds pretty good…picture carrie and a piano..hervocals…wow just amazing i hope this songs is in the album

  12. Forgot about Terri Clark! That should be a good one.

    Not super excited (yet) about Mountain Soul II. That title is killing me. I can’t get my head around it.

    Michael,

    Not to hijack this thread too much with a non-country release, but apparently the name of the Madonna collection will be “Celebration” and the song “Celebrate” goes to radio on July 28. I’m hearing it’s a 2-CD set, so I’m assuming they’re going for “capture all the biggest hits” rather than definitively cover her career. They’re still going to have to leave some off.

  13. We need a CU contest to see who can suggest the best alternate title for Mountain Soul II. That’s gotta be at least worth a discussion post.

  14. I’m like Dan when it comes to Carrie’s album. I think she’s still got a chance to win me over, but the chance is likely gone for me if the next album is more of the same.

  15. Miranda’s is pretty much the only album I’m really excited about for the rest of the year in the realm of albums. Very excited about this one. Everything else will be a wait and see probably.

    I’m interested in Carrie’s but since I’ve never been a huge fan, she’ll have to wow me with some of the singles. I’ve already been burned by Dierks this year, so hopefully there will be some good ones on the back end of the year.

    I also thought I heard something a while back that Jamey Johnson was interested in releasing something later in the year. Anybody heard anything?

  16. Sorry to hear you feel you were “burned” by Dierks’ CD, Russ! I happen to love it and every thing he does.

    I was happy and surprised to read: Radney Foster and The Confessions release Revival on September 1, with guest appearances by Dierks Bentley and Darius Rucker. Can’t wait to hear more about that one!
    ~Ronna

  17. Dan, Saguaro did solicit suggestions for an alternate title saying they DIDNT want to call it Mountain Soul 2…And they got a lot of good ones, one of my suggestions was “Diamond In My Crown, the Appalachian Soul of Patty Loveless”..Diamond In My Crown being one of the tacks on the album and all, I thought it sounded nice along with the subtitle..

    But the suggestions also got pretty silly towards the end, one guy came up with “Biscuits and Banjos, Good Eatin’ and Good Music” I think he was mocking us!

    So, soon after, SRR pulled the thread…by that time they may have already settled on Mountain Soul 2.

    But in a way, I think Patty is wise to trade on that name, because of the enormous credibility of the first MS…this is truth in advertising and is more likely to bring in a lot of fans from the first masterpiece that way.

    Personally, I have never been more excited by the impending release of a new album in my 53 years on this planet!

  18. I’m probably Going to get Chris Young’s and Sarah Darling’s albums but the one on the list I cannot wait for is Miranda’s. Even though I’m not thrilled with the first single I have faith that this album will be very solid. Also I’ve heard that Gary Allan is planning on releasing an album this fall, has anybody heard a hard release date for it yet?

  19. Clever, Kevin, and pretty funny actually… that is better than some of the silly ones some folks were posting on SRR’s message boards towards the end…

  20. I know they have no track record to speak of but with The Taylor Swift fans enjoying Gloriana on tour and their single on the radio doing well, I’m sure that They’ve got a chance to sell quite a few albums. Love and Theft might too.

  21. Andie, if “Oklahoma Wind” makes Carrie’s album, I think it’s safe to say the album won’t be more of the same.

  22. The Sugarland CD/DVD set is also only going to cost 12.99, so I’m really excited for it! I’m a big fan of “Irreplaceable”…

    SHeDAISY’s A Story To Tell was originally slated for September, but nobody really knows.

    Wow, loving “Oklahoma Wind”, it better be on Carrie’s album, hopefully not overproduced. I’ll gether album, but I hope it’s better than Carnival Ride.

    Super excited about Reba, Miranda, Terri, George and Patty’s albums, all for different reasons of course.

  23. I’m happy to see alot of artists from the past releasing new material.

    I’m really hoping Shania Twain’s new album makes it out by the end of the year, since 2002 was her last full-length studio album.

  24. I am looking forward to the Miranda and George albums listed above, along with the comment mentioned Terri Clark and SheDaisy albums. I am also looking forward to the new album from Trent Tomlinson, which I believe was supposed to be released in June/July but is now due for release in October. And if Jamey Johnson put out another album I would pick it up in a heartbeat.

  25. Miranda Lambert, Gloriana, live Sugarland and Chris Young are what I’m looking forward to.

    I really wish Miranda would get the radio recognition she deserves.

  26. mirandas album is gonna be great…its miranda..i hoe she gets more recognition, she deserves it, and when the time comes(probably this cmas) and carrie has to loose female vocalist it will go to someone who deserves and ahs great talent like miranda

  27. Oh, forgot to shout out the new Mindy Smith. Love her, although I didn’t dig the second album as much as the first.

  28. Tift Merritt’s new live acoustic album BUCKINGHAM SOLO (recorded live last November in Buckingham, England) came out just recently; and like its three in-studio predecessors, it marks her as a fine singer. Ten of its twelve tracks are live versions of songs from the three studio albums, but she includes two new ones: a version of George Harrison’s “I Live For You”; and her own folkish composition “Do Something Good.”

    Linda Ronstadt is said to be coming out with something before this year is over; but giving how long it has taken her to release albums as of late, I’m not holding my breath.

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