Brad Paisley At Wrigley Field

Brad Paisley

If ever an artist has earned the right to title an album This Is Country Music, it’s Brad Paisley. It’s not because he’s the Country Music Association’s reigning Entertainer of the Year or because his H2O Tour was 2010’s top country trek in attendance or because he’s sold more than 12 million albums and scored 18 #1 hits at country radio.

It’s not because he’s been performing professionally since he was 13 as a regular on Wheeling, West Virginia’s famed Jamboree USA, becoming the youngest person ever inducted into the Jamboree Hall of Fame. It’s not because he’s won 14 CMA Awards, including Male Vocalist of the Year three times or because of the record-setting five consecutive Academy of Country Music Male Vocalist honors that count among his 14 ACM wins.Click here for more from BradPaisley.com.

Miranda Lambert

In her hit single “Baggage Claim,” Miranda Lambert sings about the kind of luggage you wish would get lost. “I have been dragging around your sensitive ego,” she tells an ex-friend or lover — soon concluding, with characteristic swagger, that she’ll “drop your troubles off at the conveyor belt/I hand you a ticket to go get it yourself.” Mr. Needy is left doing loops on the suitcase carousel while Lambert’s rocking out in the unloading zone.

With the release of Four the Record, Miranda comes bearing some baggage of her own – the precious kind, well-earned over the course of three highly loved (and unanimously platinum) prior albums. Her accolades could fill a whole set of trunks. Click here for more from MirandaLambert.com

Chris Young

When an artist looks back on his or her own career, there are always moments he or she can point to where there was a shift to another level. Those defining moments tend to be easy to spot with the benefit of hindsight but more difficult to see without the passage of time. Yet Chris Young has a sense that something is happening.

“I really do believe in timing,” says Young. “Everybody has a different point in their career when things start to come together and click, when it’s your time.”

With the release of his third studio album, NEON, Chris Young leaves no doubt. Now is his time. Click here for more from ChrisYoungCountry.com.

The Band Perry

The Band Perry’s “modern throwback” style combines classic Country with an eclectic infusion of Rock, Gospel and Soul. As songwriters and musicians, their sound is rounded out by perfect three-part harmonies. The self-titled debut album, THE BAND PERRY, was released in October 2010 by Republic Nashville and one year later, has been certified Platinum.

The Band Perry currently counts a 2012 Grammy Best New Artist nomination and a 2012 ACM Vocal Group of the Year nomination among their list of honors. They are the reigning 2011 ACM New Artist of the Year as well as the CMA New Artist of the Year. They earned the 2011 CMA Award for Single of the Year while Kimberly Perry was honored with the 2011 CMA Song of the Year award. Other honors include the 2011 CMT Music Award for Breakthrough Video of the Year, the “Best New Live Act” Award sponsored by Nationwide Insurance, as well as TEEN CHOICE, AMA and ACA award nominations. Click here for more from TheBandPerry.com.

Jerrod Niemann

Jerrod Niemann is not a typical country artist, and the audacious, groundbreaking Judge Jerrod & The Hung Jury is a far cry from a typical country album. With the first track, which is a humorously hyperbolic movie trailer, and the attention-grabbing lyrics of the opening song, “They Should Have Named You Cocaine,” listeners quickly realize they’re in for an extraordinary ride.

Niemann’s debut for Sea Gayle/Arista Nashville includes up-tempo cuts, heartache balladry, wicked wordplay and a couple of cool covers, all woven together with short comedic interludes. The 20 tracks constitute a progressive, album-length voyage into utterly unique territory in the country music landscape. Click here for more from JerrodNiemannOfficial.com.