2021 is going to be a huge year for country music. Many artists have spent a lot of time at home during a difficult year in 2020 writing and recording new music. That could very well lead to some amazing new country music songs from the biggest stars.
There are no doubt many people to thank for providing us some great music to help us get through this year. In just a couple of days, 2020 will come to an end and it will mark the start of a new year and new music. And although none of us can predict what 2021 will be like, we can at least give you something to look forward to in the form of new music.
There have been rumored releases from some of the biggest stars in the industry such as Eric Church and Thomas Rhett. They join confirmed new albums from Morgan Wallen and more on this list of new music scheduled to arrive in the new year.
Take a look at our list below of the upcoming, confirmed, and potential country music records for 2021!
Morgan Wallen – Dangerous
The first album we can look forward to at the start of the new year is from the rising star, Morgan Wallen. He will be sharing his new music right out of the gate. And lucky for us, it’s not just one album, but two!
Wallen will be releasing his sophomore and junior album all at once. The upcoming young country star announced plans back in November to issue a 30-song set, “Dangerous: The Double Album,” on January 8th. The upcoming album release follows a successful year for Wallen despite controversies after winning CMA’s ‘New Artist of the Year’ award.
The tracklist from Wallen’s Dangerous album includes songs with Chris Stapleton and more. And there’s plenty of reason to expect albums from other artists released this year to be similar.
Florida Georgia Line – Life Rolls On
Another album we’re thrilled about is the new one from the popular country music duo, Florida Georgia Line. After being hit by both a COVID-19 diagnosis and break-up rumors in November, Florida Georgia Line made the announcement of their fifth studio album.
Life Rolls On is chalked full with 16 new tracks and arrives February 12th. The duo of Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley worked on producing the album with Corey Crowder. Life Rolls On marks the duo’s first full-length album without longtime producer Joey Moi.
The new album compiles the six songs from Florida Georgia Line’s 6-Pack EP, which was released in May, and the lead single “Long Live.” It also features new tracks like “Life Looks Good,” written with Crowder and Jaren Johnston, and “New Truck,” composed by a seven-person army of writers — including singer-songwriter Priscilla Renea, who co-produced the track.
“I think this personally is just a big, celebratory chapter,” Hubbard, who battled COVID-19 last month, says in a statement. “We’ve come a long way since 2012 when we dropped our first album, it’s wild to think about the journey we’ve been on – the things we’ve got to do, the places music has taken us. We’re celebrating life and the good times, the ups and the downs, and the journey it took us to get where we’re at.”
“It’s just evident within the music how good of a time we’re having,” Kelley says. “And how good of a place in life we are for sure.”
The announcement of the new album arrived not with a new song release, but with a video taking fans into the studio with Florida Georgia Line. Take a look below:
Willie Nelson – That’s Life
That’s Life continues country music legend Willie Nelson’s longtime musical appreciation of Frank Sinatra. The album honors the everlasting influence and inspiration of Frank Sinatra, whose 105th birthday would have been celebrated on December 12th.
Back in 2018, Nelson released a compilation of cover songs in tribute to Sinatra entitled My Way. Now in 2021, the Texas outlaw country guitarist is planning to release another studio album in tribute to Sinatra. The 11-track album, That’s Life, is due out February 26th by Legacy Recordings.
That’s Life is the upcoming seventy-first solo studio album by Nelson.
That’s Life is produced by Buddy Cannon and Matt Rollings. Nelson’s new album was recorded at Capitol Studios in Hollywood, the same studio where Frank Sinatra, the first musician to record at the facility, created a string of album masterpieces from March 1956 to November 1961.
Carrie Underwood – My Savior
Carrie Underwood is showing no plans to slow down in 2021 when it comes to new music.
In a recent Twitter video, the “Jesus Take the Wheel” singer revealed she is working on a new gospel album titled “My Savior.” She describes it as a “companion” to her first Christmas album, “My Gift.” The new project will feature covers of various gospel hymns she sang during her childhood.
“When I was making this music, I felt like my soul was in such a great place, I wanted to keep making music like the music off of ‘My Gift,'” Underwood explained.
Underwood fans have been requesting a gospel album from her for years now. “My Savior” will arrive “just in time for Easter,” the country music star said.
“It’s just been such a blessing to make music like this, music that is near and dear to my heart,” Underwood added. “I hope you guys enjoy listening to it as much as I loved making it.”
More Country Albums Coming in 2021
No tours in 2020 left country music artists with lots of time to write and record new music. We are expecting the top artists to have some of their best albums scheduled for 2021.
In addition to the confirmed new albums mentioned in our list above, other stars in the country music industry have announced new album plans as well. Here are a few more artists that are going to release new music to start the year:
Jan. 8: Aaron Watson, American Soul
Jan. 15: Devin Dawson, The Pink Slip EP
Jan 22: Willie Jones, Right Now
Feb. 12: Kip Moore, Wild World Deluxe Album
Furthermore, there have been multiple stars with rumored releases in 2021. Thomas Rhett has hinted that his fifth studio project is on its way. Meanwhile, Dan + Shay and Eric Church are among the artists from whom fans can expect new albums from. We are also hoping to get new albums from Jason Aldean and Chris Young. Although with all of the above artists, their exact plans have yet to be revealed.
2021 is going to be one of the best years in a while for country music. And while at best we won’t see full tours until late spring or summer, at least we can cherish what will likely be a great year for recorded music.
