Rolling Stone All Access

It’s our final official episode of the year and we run through our list of the best country albums of 2025 with Rolling Stone contributors Marissa R. Moss and Josh Crutchmer. We also talk about albums we loved that didn’t make the list and look ahead to what we’d most like to see in country in 2026. Plus, we have a very special interview with the artist behind Nashville Now host Joseph Hudak’s favorite all-genre album of the year –  singer, songwriter, and guitar hero Brian Dunne.   Country is Here…Nashville is Now.   Check out our Hear Now playlist on Spotify, updated weekly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Marcus King is helping revive guitar-rock in country music, while also working on himself. The South Carolina guitar-slinger joins us in the Nashville Now cabin to talk about getting sober (an Ozzy Osbourne quote inspired him), his new album Darling Blue, and the time he was caught sneaking into a club to give Warren Haynes a demo tape. King also gets candid about the response to his wife Briley King’s cover of “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia.”  It’s a conversation of Southern rock, self-awareness, and soul searching.   Country is Here…Nashville is Now.   Check out our Hear Now playlist on Spotify, updated weekly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joe Budden joins Senior Music Editor Jeff Ihaza for an unfiltered conversation about his evolution from rapper to one of hip-hop’s most influential media voices. As The Joe Budden Podcast enters its tenth year, he opens up about building a network on his own terms, clashing with co-hosts, and walking away from Spotify. Budden also reflects on the pressures of independence and what it takes to stay honest – and relevant – in today’s culture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Step into Rolling Stone All Access, where the biggest voices in music and culture tell the stories you won’t hear anywhere else. From the must-hear reporting of Music Now to the pulse of country on Nashville Now and the unfiltered conversations of The Rolling Stone Interview, this new feed pulls back the curtain on the artists and ideas driving the world forward. With new original series and special drops like Voices of the Year on the way, Rolling Stone All Access brings you the moments that matter — straight from the source. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Breland joins us in the Nashville Now cabin for one of the podcast's most honest conversations yet. It's a look behind the curtain at what it means to "play the game" in country music, with the "My Truck" singer and songwriter openly talking about his experience of being Black in Nashville. Breland also teases new music coming in 2026 and shares his candid reaction to one of his collaborators performing a controversial gig.    Country is Here…Nashville is Now. Check out our Hear Now playlist on Spotify, updated weekly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices