Country Universe

Top Ten Albums of 2008

December 22, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 24

In a year where excellent mainstream country albums were few and far between, there were still many wonderful projects waiting to be discovered by listeners willing to look for them. Among all releases, mainstream and

Lynn’s Favorite Songs of 2008

December 22, 2008 Guest Contributor 10

Country Universe has presented you with its top 40 singles of 2008, but as you know, singles rarely scratch the surface of a great album. Over the course of the past year, while listening to

Favorite Songs by Favorite Artists: Dolly Parton

December 21, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 16

Earlier this month, my friend and colleague Leeann Ward shared her favorite songs by Dolly Parton. I’m happy to now share mine. My respect for Parton as an artist knows no bounds. I don’t think

Discussion: Christmas Wish List

December 21, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 15

Christmas is nearly upon us. There are certainly a lot of country music gifts out there worth having, ranging from books and DVDs to CD’s and box sets sets. What country Christmas gift are you

Discussion: 2009 Singles

December 20, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 36

With little new music on the horizon, we can at least hope for some fresh songs on the radio and video outlets from current albums. I miss the days when a label could work three

Discussion: Recommend a Track – Christmas Edition

December 19, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 19

I wrote last week about my affection for sad Christmas songs. The only upbeat Christmas songs I usually like are the spiritual ones. But good Lord, do I love this piece of fluff from Kenny

Best Country Singles of 2008, Part 4: #10-#1

December 19, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 37

Our top ten singles of the year represent the very best of what country music is and what country music can be. With a combination of rising stars and veteran artists, it’s clear that the

News: USA Today and Entertainment Weekly Announce Best-of Music Lists

December 18, 2008 Guest Contributor 6

The music critics at USA Today have announced their favorite singles and albums from the last year. Brian Mansfield, the newspaper’s Nashville correspondent, named Jamey Johnson, Kathy Mattea and Taylor Swift on his ballot, with

Discussion: Best Music Videos of 2008

December 18, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 16

Music videos feel like a dying art form in country music, if only because so few videos are played on CMT and the life cycle of a single often stretches past six months. But there

Best Country Singles of 2008, Part 3: #20-#11

December 17, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 24

The consensus builds with the next set of ten singles. While there is still some lesser known singles and artists in the mix, more than half of these entries come from top-selling albums. Of course,