20 Country Albums Every Rock Fan Should Listen To

There's probably a lot of people wondering why a lot of these albums tend to focus on artists that are more from the realm of classic pop and rock. What about the bold new talents filling out the scene today? Aren't there any real country stars nowadays who are carrying that outlaw spirit? Well..yeah...let me meet you guys halfway here.

Right off the bat, Brad Paisley is not really known to have some of the greatest lyrics in any way, shape, or form. You're not necessarily looking to hear some bold new lease on the life from the same guy who brought you songs like Alcohol and Accidental Racist. No, Paisley's talents have always lied in his guitar playing, which is why one of his most hard hitting albums remains almost an entirely instrumental affair. That's right...for most of this album, Paisley hangs back and lets his guitar do the talking, with some of the less cheesy elements of his sound pushed to the side.

Instead of the cornball efforts you would get from Nashville, this is an album that is mandatory for any guitar player to dig up, with any rock six-stringer wanting to steal a few licks from Paisley's playbook. While it sounds like a slam saying that an artist's best album is when they don't sing, Play is still a fantastic little gem that will still get the house going without the need for anyone at the mic.