Tom's 2021 Nashville Scene Music Critics Poll Ballot

For the last 13 years, I've begun every post on my Nashville Scene Country Music Critics Poll ballot with this: "Once again, I voted in the Nashville Scene Music Critics Poll".

But that didn't happen this year.  Because the Nashville Scene decided to stop publishing a Critics Poll.  This is sad not just for me, because I always looked forward to voting in it, but for Country music itself.  The genre needs its own poll, because most music magazines, websites short-change Country albums/songs in their year-end polls. There's more to the story on why they dumped their poll, but I'll let readers Google the behind the scenes drama. 

If you're looking for some kind of Country albums poll, No Depression publish one every year. 

So let's hope in 2022 somebody resurrects another Country music poll.  

I had already started to fill out my proposed ballot weeks before the email came that the poll was off.

Here's what my ballot would have looked like for 2021: 

Here's my 2021 Ballot: 

TOP TEN COUNTRY ALBUMS OF 2021:

 

1.  Allison Russell - Outside Child

2.  Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Raise the Roof

3.  Yola - Stand for Myself

4.  Mickey Guyton - Remember Her Name

5.  Miko Marks - Our Country

6.  Brandi Carlile - In These Silent Days

7.  James McMurtry - Horses and the Hounds

8.  Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall - Marfa Tapes

9.  Kacey Musgraves - Star-Crossed

10. Sturgill Simpson - Ballad of Dood & Juanita

 

TOP TEN COUNTRY SONGS OF 2021:

 

1.  Walker Hayes - Fancy Like

2.  James McMurtry - What's the Matter

3.  Kacey Musgraves - Camera Roll

4.  Lainey Wilson - Things A Man Oughta Know

5.  Brandi Carlile - Faster Horses

6.  Carly Pearce/Ashley McBryde - Never Wanted To Be That Girl

7.  Carly Pearce - What He Didn't Do

8.  Morgan Wade - Wilder Days

9.  Jimmie Allan & Brad Paisley - Freedom Was A Highway

10. Elvie Shane - My Boy

 

TOP FIVE COUNTRY REISSUES OF 2021:

1.  Elvis Presley - Back In Nashville

2.  Choctaw Ridge: New Fables of the American South 68-73- Various

3.  Emmylou Harris - Ramble In Music City: Lost Concert

4.  Randy Travis - Storms of Life (reissue)

5.  Billy Joe Shaver & Kinky Friedman - Live Down Under