There are countless ways to find new music with radio, streaming services, physical albums, and more. So it’s no question that, these days, country music fans have a plethora of music waiting to be heard right at their fingertips. With such a variety of tunes to navigate through, Charted is serving listeners everywhere with its weekly On The Radar series, which highlights and showcases new music each week, so you don’t have to.
Here are 4 fresh songs to add to your playlist:
“Happy Ever After You” — MacKenzie Porter featuring Jake Etheridge
Married couple and singer/songwriters MacKenzie Porter and Jake Etheridge have joined forces for a heartfelt collaboration called “Happy Ever After You.” The track, which features a relaxing melody, somber lyrics, and two broken hearts as Porter and Etheridge provide separate perspectives of a romance gone wrong, already has the potential to become the heartbreak duet of the new year. Dubbing themselves as Thelma & James, the loving duo has gone viral with the track for its highly relatable subject content. The video for “Happy Ever After You” has also earned over 5 million views overnight upon its release. “Happy Ever After You” is the first co-write between the spouses in over a decade.
Reasoning why they took so long to come together in the writing process, Porter and Etheridge shared via a press release: “We met songwriting, fell in love, and chose to keep our careers separate as we have pretty different tastes in music. Usually, in the morning, before we both leave for our separate writes we jokingly ask, ‘Got any good hooks I can steal?’ And ‘happy ever after you’ was one thrown out some months back. Luckily, we ended up just writing it together. It’s amazing what this little moment has turned into already. Sometimes it’s just right under your nose (or bed) the whole time.”
Stream MacKenzie Porter’s’ “Happy Ever After You” HERE.
“Day Late and A Buck Short” — Julia Cole
Country rising artist and podcast co-host Julia Cole has released a catchy track called “Day Late & A Buck Short.” Providing a new spin on a song about a cheating man, the tune finds Cole showing off her sass, spunk, and undeniable southern charm as she sings over a fast-paced country-rock beat that calls to mind Miranda Lambert’s “Mama’s Broken Heart.” Cole released a video for the boot-stomping “Day Late & A Buck Short,” inviting her #ColeTeam to be a part of her celebratory release with TikTok clips featuring her followers singing along to every word! Already, the track earned Cole a whopping quarter of a million streams on Spotify in just one day. And, it’s no surprise, given its impressively clever lyrics!
“You went out hunting, but forgot your gun / Oh dear tell me something, do you think I’m dumb? / Camo can’t cover up the smell of her sweet Dior / So there’s your suitcase, baby, on the front porch / ‘Cause you’re a day late and a buck short (hey),” Cole sings throughout the track of the uptempo ear-worm.
Stream Julia Cole’s “Day Late and A Buck Short” HERE.
“Dozen Red Flags” — Mackenzie Carpenter
Mackenzie Carpenter is looking back with the realization that she should’ve kicked an ex to the curb long before she did. But in her latest infectious track, “Dozen Red Flags,” she reasons, “Man, he was cute and, damn, he was funny / My brother thought he was the man / If violets are blue, then I’m such a dummy / To think he’d have roses in hand.”
“I would’ve settled for tulips or daisies / I ain’t picking petals ’cause all that he gave me / Was reasons for running / And a couple dozen red flags,” she continues crooning over the drum-heavy beat.
Written alongside Brandon Hood and Nicolle Galyon, “Dozen Red Flags,” comes ahead of Carpenter’s forthcoming debut album, Hey Country Queen, out via The Valory Music Co. on March 7. The tune falls in the vein of a Megan Moroney-styled track, putting Carpenter in the spotlight as an artist, who’s primed to take country music by storm. With her effortless vocals, universal appeal, latest self-respect-themed track, and follow-up to previous releases like “Boots On,” “Only Girl,” and “Sound Of A Heartbreak,” there’s no doubt that Carpenter is bringing her a-game in 2025!
Stream Mackenzie Carpenter’s “Dozen Red Flags” HERE.
“West of Fort Worth” — Grant Gilbert
Grant Gilbert is kicking off 2025 in high gear with his brand new track, “West of Fort Worth.” The tune follows the River House Artists 2024 releases — “Drunk Since Dallas,” “This Ain’t That Song,” and “Things a College Town Taught Me,” his collaborative track with Clayton Mullen.
Written with Barrett Baber, Dan Alley, and Korey Hunt and produced by Lukas Scott, “West of Fort Worth” finds Gilbert paying tribute to his Texas roots as he takes listeners through a journey in the Lonestar state. He namechecks places like Dallas and Greenwood, singing, “If your headlights hit Texarkana / Don’t get lost in them east Texas pines / Just drive on through Dallas, don’t think twice about it / There won’t be one wasted mile / If you ever get west of Fort Worth / I’ll make it worth your while.”
Fans can look for “West of Fort Worth” live as Gilbert is currently on the road as a supporting act for Hudson Westbrook’s headlining tour.
Stream Grant Gilbert’s “West of Fort Worth” HERE.
Comments