Poptimism and Country Music and You (Plus 6 2025 Country Radio Hits You'll Actually Like)

If you're chronically online (and I'll start by saying I hope you aren't), you probably caught a secondhand whiff of various discourses earlier this year among the tragically music nerdy about poptimism — a savior or a villain or something in between, depending on where

Put A Record On: Gettin' By, Gettin' Laid

Welcome back to Don’t Rock the Inbox. Here’s this week’s music recommendation post and playlist, which are for paying subscribers only. If you’re interested in paid content but not able to afford it, shoot us an email. Oh PS - our 40% off sale ends this

I'm the Problem (With Your Year-End Lists)

In case you didn't notice, it's the holiday season. While normal beings have fun decorating the tree, spinning dreidels, shopping for presents or partaking in whatever kind of festive pursuits you enjoy, those of us who write about music for a living are making lists: best

Kelsea Ballerini & Carly Pearce: Can You *Have It All* in Country Music?

First off, thanks for all of you who joined me last week in the CMA chat post. Some of you gave the excellent feedback that you think we should consider a DRTI Discord - curious to hear what more of you think (Discord? Right here on the newsletter? Reddit? Whatever?

Put A Record On: It's All Our Fault

Welcome back to Don’t Rock the Inbox. Here’s this week’s music recommendation post and playlist, which are for paying subscribers only. If you’re interested in paid content but not able to afford it, shoot us an email. The Good "In Her Eyes (Act I, Scene

The DRTI CMA Live Chat & Predictions Forum

It's Country's Biggest Night! And like many of you, I'll be watching tonight's CMA Awards from the comfort of my couch. But it wouldn't be a CMA Awards if we didn't offer you up a safe comment section

Something good comes along, then it’s gone: Farewell, Todd Snider.

When I moved to East Nashville in 2012, legend had it that if you wanted to find Todd Snider, all you had to do was go to Drifter’s BBQ in Five Points, and he’d be there at the bar. Nashville always had rumblings like this: that John Prine

Put a Record On: An Instrumental Country Playlist for Writing (or whatever else you do)

As someone who listens to music all the time, and writes about music and musicians for a living, there is one curious time when I am extremely picky about what I listen to: when I am actually writing. And when I am in that deep work, ignore everything else and

This Week In Country Chart History: Standards, Sexism and Cincinnati Dancing Pigs

Back with more arcane country chart history, because as we all know it brings me great joy :) Hop in, let’s take a ride on the Billboard time machine… 75 Years Ago: November 11, 1950 In its 19th (!) week on the chart, we have the now-standard "I'm

Put A Record On: Who Gets to Grow Old?

Welcome back to Don’t Rock the Inbox. Here’s this week’s music recommendation post and playlist, which are for paying subscribers only. Sorry if they are a little late in the day today - I got stuck in the airport mess thanks to Trumps Government Shutdown! - MM

James Talley On 50 Years of 'Got No Bread, No Milk, No Money, But We Sure Got A Lot Of Love'

The veteran singer-songwriter talks with DRTI about his timeless debut, and the half-century since.

Put a Record On: For the Mothers

I've been thinking about motherhood lately. Just kidding - I think about it and write about it all the time, because it's obviously very much a part of who I am, as a mom to two young kids who refuses to hide this part of myself