BEST COUNTRY VOCAL ALBUM
Rolling Up the Welcome Mat KELSEA BALLERINI
Ballerini earns her second career nomination in this category (and fourth overall Grammy nod) with her latest, 16-minute set. Instead of burying deep the emotional wounds following her divorce this year, the Knoxville, Tenn., native used the EP Rolling Up the Welcome Mat to excavate and examine every step on her healing journey. Ballerini wrote each of the project’s six songs, collaborating with co-writer Alysa Vanderheym on half of them. The sweeping release veers from disillusionment and angst (“Mountain With a View,” “Penthouse”) to reclaiming oneself (“Leave Me Again”).
Brothers Osborne BROTHERS OSBORNE
Siblings T.J. and John Osborne made considerable shifts in their signature production of their self-titled fourth album — and it earned them their third best country album Grammy nomination. Working with producer Mike Elizondo (Fiona Apple, Carrie Underwood, twenty one pilots), the brothers co-wrote every track on the album including “Nobody’s Nobody,” which earned a best country duo/group performance nod. Elsewhere, they delve deeply into imperfect yet enduring relationships on the rollicking “We Ain’t Good at Breaking Up,” soak in a 1970s disco groove on “Ain’t Nobody Got Time for That” and trade guitar for piano leads on the stunning closer, “Rollercoaster (Forever and a Day).”
Zach Bryan ZACH BRYAN
Bryan’s genre-defying selftitled and self-produced album debuted atop the Billboard 200 this year, spearheaded by the Hot 100 chart-topper “I Remember Everything,” featuring Kacey Musgraves. (The track earned two Grammy nominations this year, for best country song and best country duo/group performance.) Bryan is the sole writer on nearly all of the album’s 16 tracks that encapsulate earnest songcraft and heartland rock. Throughout, his gruff vocals bring transparency to often deep-seated emotions that helped several songs — including collaborations with The War and Treaty (“Hey Driver”) and The Lumineers (“Spotless”) — reach the Hot 100.
Rustin’ in the Rain TYLER CHILDERS
Childers melds old-school country with modern perspectives on this succinct, seven-song set, which mixes originals with tracks from Kris Kristofferson (“Help Me Make It Through the Night”) and S.G. Goodman (“Space and Time”).
Childers’ sixth studio album nets the singer his first best country album nomination after it debuted at No. 4 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. “In Your Love,” the set’s tender centerpiece, earned nominations for best country song and best country solo performance. The song’s video, which depicts a tender love story arc between two coal miners in 1950s Appalachia, earns a nod for best music video.
Bell Bottom Country LAINEY WILSON
The Country Music Association’s newly named entertainer of the year earns her first two Grammy nominations, including best country album for her fourth set, Bell Bottom Country. Wilson’s hippie-country brand and openhearted perspective reverberate from the breezy, first-love feel of “Watermelon Moonshine,” the tender “Those Boots (Deddy’s Song)” and the freewheeling “Wildflowers and Wild Horses.” A familiar resolve runs through songs including “Heart Like a Truck,” “Smell Like Smoke” and the country-funk of “Grease.” Wilson also mixes things up with a cover of the 4 Non Blondes hit “What’s Up?”