Top Original Country Music Christmas Songs

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It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! As Thanksgiving is behind us and the magic of the holiday season begins to fill the air, what better way to get into the spirit than turning up that holiday music? In the list below, we’re taking a look at original Christmas songs from some of our favorite country music artists.

 

 

“It’s Not Christmas”
by Brown & Gray

“It’s Not Christmas” is an emotional and heartfelt ode to one’s significant other claiming despite everything that makes it feel like Christmas, “It’s not Christmas til you come around”.  The beautiful lyrics and soft vocals make for the perfect Christmas love song. Brown & Gray joined NYCountry Swag to record the song for a LIVE Swag Session, check out the video above.

 

“Glow”
by Brett Eldredge

“Glow” immediately hits you with the ever-cheerful jazz, of so many classic Christmas songs. It’s a new take on the timeless Christmas love song, filled with flattering lyrics and holiday metaphors about a glowing love interest, “Your looks are evergreen/ Sweet as the angels as they sing.”

 

“Gold and Green”
by Sugarland

“Gold and Green” is a delicate acoustic tune that provides a description of many elements that create Christmas magic- lit up sparkling Christmas trees, tinsel in windows, flickering candles, packages and presents, children, carols, confetti, and wishes. The reiteration that “Everything looks better in gold and green,” emphasizes the extra details put into the Christmas season.

 

“You Make It Feel Like Christmas”
by Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton

“You Make It Feel Like Christmas” is a dance-worthy song that shows gratitude toward your lover. They brought love and joy back into your life and because of them, you are experiencing all of the wonderful elements of Christmas again- “Sweet gingerbread made with molasses/My heart skipped and I reacted.”

 

“Present Without A Bow”
by Kacey Musgraves and Leon Bridges

“Present Without A Bow” is a great way to express appreciation to those you care about most because without them holidays would not be the same, it would be “like a present without a bow”. The joy and cheer of the holidays spent with those you love, not material things, is what makes the season special as the song gracefully explains.

 

“Candy Cane Christmas”
by Darius Rucker

“Candy Cane Christmas” is a sweet song detailing a Christmas Eve and morning that so many know all too well, like it is a story right out of your own living room. “Angels sittin’ high upon a tree/Watchin’ over presents patiently/Milk and cookies on a plate/Santa Clause is on his way/The kids should be fast asleep”. The familiar scene can provide nostalgia of Christmas’ past to some and a reminder of something to look forward to for others.

 

Check out these tracks along with a bunch of our other favorite country Christmas songs on the playlist below and make sure to give the playlist a follow as we update with new tunes throughout the holiday season!

 

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Jimmie Allen Joins TODAY for ‘Guys Tell All’ Segment & Performance

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Jimmie Allen on Today Show

Photo Credit: todayshow.com

Hoda and Kathie Lee on ABC’s TODAY, invited rising country star, Jimmie Allen back to the show for another segment entitled ‘Guys Tell All,” as well as a special performance. The singer-songwriter, who recently dropped his debut album Mercury Lane, and currently has the number 1 song with “Best Shot”, has previously appeared on TODAY both as a co-host and a performer.

Allen sat on the all male panel with reality star, Ben Higgins, comedian, Chuck Nice, and celebrity gym trainer, Don Saldino. The segment is geared towards the idea of getting an inside look into a man’s head. The segment is all about women getting their relationship questions answered from a man’s perspective. Hoda introduced the men stating, “We’ve wrangled a few of our favorite men to figure out what was really going on in their heads- in a segment we like to call ‘Guys Tell All’.”

During the short panel session, the always humble and down to earth, Allen, shared his feelings on continuing to follow an ex on Instagram, as well as, if someone should date a man in between jobs. The singer shared a quick anecdote in regards to his question, “I dated this girl. She unfollowed me like the day we broke up, right. I”m glad I didn’t know- I found out after we broke up, that her guy best friend, they’re dating now. Dude even stayed at my house. Don’t get me into that.” It was one of those real moments that the entertainer often delivers, which makes fans, other artists, and people in general connect with him. Check out the video here.

Immediately following the ‘Guys Tell All’ segment, Hoda and Kathie Lee introduced Allen’s musical performance to the audience, as part of the Citi Concert Series. “He spent years in the country music scene trying to get his name and voice heard,” stated Lee, “and after giving it his ‘Best Shot’ Jimmie Allen soared to the top of the charts. This week Jimmie celebrated two weeks in a row as the Number 1 most played song on country radio, and he’s back to serenade us with his new song ‘Like You Do.’”

Right before playing the track off his debut album, Allen shared how he feels about his recent success with the ladies, “You know, it’s one of those things where you dream of something for so long, and I’m so thankful. I’m mostly happy because I get to honestly look my son in his eyes and say if you work hard enough and are good to people, eventually you’ll get your opportunity to make your dreams happen.”

Check out Allen’s impressive vocals and fun dance moves in the clip below.

 

Allen, who was named a 2018 NYCountry Swag Artist to Watch and also featured during one of our Live Swag Sessions, will head hit the road on Scotty McCreery’s ‘Seasons Change Tour,’ beginning in Dallas, Texas this week. New York Country Music Fans can catch the show this January in Long Island. Allen will also serve as support on select dates of Kane Brown’s 2019 ‘Live Forever Tour.’ Head to jimmieallenmusic.com for tickets and more information.

 

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New York Country Music Fans, Don’t Miss Houston Bernard Band December 8th

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Houston Bernard Band

 

New York country fans do not have to travel far for their taste of country music this month with several different shows popping up all over the area. One standout show is slated for Saturday, December 8th, where Houston Bernard Band will take the stage in the Bronx at Rambling House. The Rambling House is one of New York’s premier bar/restaurants, known as “A lively Irish American pub full of life, music and comfort”.

The free show will feature the talented Houston Bernard Band who have shared bills with Luke Bryan, Old Dominion, Montgomery Gentry, Marshall Tucker Band and Clint Black, and are a current nominee for country act of the year, the second year in a row for the Boston Music Awards!

The band recently released the music video for their latest single “We Made Out”, which can be seen on The Country Network and The Heartland Network.  Check it out below and enjoy more music from Houston Bernard Band here.

 

Houston Bernard Band are best known for their lively stage performance, heartfelt lyrics and contagious sound. Gather your friends and get ready to stomp your boots for what is sure to be a fun night out!

RSVP to the Free Show here and be sure to keep up with Houston Bernard Band on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook.

 

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Chris Young Lyrics To Use For Instagram Captions

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Chris Young

Photo credit Jeff Johnson

As we await a new project from recording artist Chris Young, we thought it would be fun to look back at some of the singer’s greatest hits that are comprised of lyrics that would make perfect Instagram captions for your pictures from the show.

Check out some of our favorite lyrics below:

1. “The love of a lifetime is worth at least a million tries”- Goodbye

2. “Runnin’ every red light, to Hell with the closure… save it for another time”- I’m Comin’ Over

3. “Aw naw, somebody just bought a shot of Patron, hang on… I might have to stay”- Aw, Naw

4. “Those lonely eyes don’t have to be alone tonight”- Lonely Eyes

5. “Fall into me, let me breathe the air you breathe, I can take you anywhere you want to be”- Losing Sleep

6. “Yeah I’m hangin’ on, hangin’ on to every word you say”- Hangin’ On

7. “Same old bar, same burned out lights, same people, and all the same faces… so why in the hell does it feel like a different place”- Think Of You (feat. Cassadee Pope)

8. “Uh honey there sure ain’t nothing, like you loving me all night long, and all I can think about is getting you home”- Gettin’ You Home (The Black Dress Song)

9. “We’re like fire and gasoline, I’m no good for you, you’re no good for me”- Tomorrow

10. “I thought I knew what love was, but I didn’t have a clue… I never found anything that makes me feel like I do about you”- You

11. “I gotta say, missing you comes in waves/ And tonight I’m drowning” – Drowning

12. “Your friends and mine/ Run into each other all the time/ Seems like there ain’t no place to run/ This town ain’t big enough for both of us” – Town Ain’t Big Enough ft. Lauren Alaina

13. “My upbringing sounds like George Strait singing/ And I gotta give props to the radio/ ‘Cause if you know me, I was raised on country” – Raised on Country

154. “Fall into me/ Let me breathe the air you breathe” – Losing Sleep

15. “Holler and swaller y’all/ Support your local wildlife/ Do your part around here/ Save water and drink beer” – Save Water, Drink Beer

 

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The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.

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Tucker Beathard Releases Music Video for “Leave Me Alone”

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Tucker Beathard, Nobody's Everything

Photo courtesy of The Greenroom PR

Tucker Beathard first entered the country music scene back in 2016, when he had mainstream success with his debut single, “Rock On”.  Currently, the singer-songwriter decided to hone his creative freedom, as an independent artist.  Beathard will be dropping his debut full-length album, Nobody’s Everything, on November 30th.  The artist gave fans a preview of one of the tracks on the album, releasing a music video for his song “Leave Me Alone.”

Beathard shared with Rolling Stone his inspiration for the song and his state of mind, after relinquishing a working relationship with his former label, stating, “I was kind of in a funk, seeing people you thought had your back leave and lose faith in you, and feeling like you had this pressure. I was pushed to the emotional limit, but that song broadened my horizons as a songwriter, in terms of just melodically yelling something and tapping into a whole new thing.”

The music video features Beathard pouring his heart out, playing guitar, in an empty venue, with clips mixed in of the singer releasing his emotions as he breaks items in a small room. Both the music video and the song evoke a different type of message, as the lyrics are a plea to an ex-lover to let go of the relationship, so that he can move on and grieve the emotional turmoil. The fresh new sound is sure to resonate with country music fans. The entertainer co-wrote the song, along with the 8 other tracks, slated to be on ‘Part 1’ of the record. Check out the music video below.

The singer-songwriter dedicated his record and the release of the “Leave Me Alone” music video to his “day ones, who’ve stuck with [him],” his loyal fans, via his Twitter. Follow his journey on tuckerbeathard.com, and don’t forget to check back for our first impression review of his debut album out this Friday.

 

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Tips & Tricks for Scoring Tickets to Your Favorite Shows

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Everyone knows the feeling of finding out that one of your all-time favorite artists are going on tour and coming to a venue near you. First, you experience the overwhelming excitement and “I have to go” feeling. Then, the eventual realization that seems like everyone else also wants to go, hits you. Even if the show is sure to sell out here are some tips and tricks to score tickets to the big show.

  1. Artist E-Newsletters – Subscribing to artist e-newsletters is a great way to find out about tour information. These e-mails usually include show information and pre-sale codes to all subscribers, not just fan club members. Other, unique and exclusive options are also generally announced via e-newsletter. Additionally, if more shows are added to a tour or tickets are added to a specific show you’ll be sure to find out first through these special e-mails.
  2. Venue E-Newsletters – Venues send out their own newsletters and sometimes include venue specific pre-sale dates and codes; plus venues occasionally announce show dates before a whole tour schedule is announced.
  3. Credit Card Pre-sales – Some credit cards partner with ticket sellers to offer pre-sales or exclusive packages to cardmembers before they go on sale to the general public. These offers might be announced last minute and in limited quantities, so be sure to check frequently
  4. Be Prepared – If all else fails, be prepared on the day and time that tickets go on sale. Before the on-sale time create an account or log-in to your account on the ticket seller website, before the on-sale time. Have your credit card information ready and be on the page for the specific tour date you would like to attend, so that when tickets go on-sale all you need to do is refresh the page.
  5. Check Back Later –Worst case, if you fail to get tickets when they go on-sale check verified ticket resellers frequently to see if anything becomes available. Tickets can usually be purchased up to the day of the show, so you might have some last minute luck!

Which tour are you most looking forward to catching in the new year? Check out our complete list of upcoming country music tours for 2019. and make sure you are subscribed to our Weekly Round-Up which includes tour announcements, upcoming events, ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests and more.

 

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Country Music Proves It’s One Big Family By Supporting Each Other

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One of the many reasons why we love country music is the camaraderie and love that all of the artists and people who work in the industry have for each other.  Yes, of course, there is competition between labels, artists and songwriters to get the best song to the top of the charts but for the most part, country music is a big family.  So many artists support one another on their big milestones, they use social media to shout out to new artists getting a break or when a song goes to number one.  We love to see the way these artists and their teams react to each other and when something good happens for one artist, it is a celebration amongst the genre.

Most recently, one of our 2018 Artists to Watch and Swag Session Alums Jimmie Allen took over the top spot on the charts with his debut single “Best Shot” from high highly anticipated album Mercury Lane.  Artists like Jake Owen, Kane Brown, Chris Young and many more used their social media platforms to inform their followers about his achievement, possibly turning on an entire group of people who were not aware of Allen’s powerful song to go ahead and take a listen.  With so many artists on the rise and so many ways to hear their music, it is refreshing to see artists on different labels and different management teams take time out of their day to support such a genuine person on their big week.
Take a look below at some of the artists’ posts and the heartfelt captions they wrote…

 

Congratulations on your very first NUMBER ONE Song, Jimmie!
From your friends at NYCountry Swag

 

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Country Music Well Represented in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

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The show must go on; despite the freezing cold weather that took over New York City during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The cold winds and record-breaking low temperatures did not stop the crowds from coming out to watch the time-honored American tradition.

The annual parade features some of the biggest stars in music today and luckily for country fans, country music was well represented in this year’s lineup. Leading the trek, from the west side of Central Park to Macy’s flagship store on 34th street was none-other than the Turkey itself, making way for all the performers and balloons to follow.

Photo via @sugarland on Instagram

Photo via @sugarland on Instagram

The first country act to make their way down were Grammy Award winners, Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush, of Sugarland. The duo was on the Ocean Spray float, performing their hit single, “Babe,” featuring vocals from singer-songwriter, Taylor Swift. Nettles and Bush performed the song effortlessly with big smiles on their faces the entire time.

Shortly after, rising country star, Carly Pearce took over the Green Giant float, performing her brand new single, “Closer To You.” She was smiling from ear to ear while dancing in place singing her fresh upbeat tune. Performing in the parade gave Pearce one more item to check off her bucket list as she shared later that day on Instagram.

Photo via @carlypearce on Instagram

Photo via @carlypearce on Instagram

Following Pearce, was country’s youngest newcomer, Tegan Marie on the Girl Scouts of the USA’s “Building A Better World” float.  Celebrating girls who build a better world through STEM, Tegan Marie was chosen for the honor for embodying the G.I.R.L (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™ spirit. The Warner Music Nashville recording artist performed her bright and positive single “Keep It Lit,” which was the perfect song to inspire young girls everywhere to raise their voices, have an impact, and make the most of every moment.

Photo Credit: Steve Remich for Girl Scouts of the USA

Photo Credit: Steve Remich for Girl Scouts of the USA

Next up was multi-platinum selling artist, Kane Brown, performing “Good As You,” off his sophomore album Experiment. He took over South Dakota’s Mount Rushmore’s American Pride float, showcasing his rich vocals while dancing to his uptempo tune.

The final country performer of the parade was 4-time CMA Female Vocalist of the Year, Martina McBride, performing on the Balsam Hill float. She was joined by the Young People’s Chorus of New York City, performing her rendition of “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year”. The beautiful tune is also featured on her latest release, It’s The Holiday Season. McBride brought the holiday spirit to the parade, surrounding herself with a talented group of kids.

Photo via @martinamcbride on Instagram

Photo via @martinamcbride on Instagram

Closing out the celebration was Santa Claus, making it officially the Christmas season. The freezing cold temperatures may have left the performers frozen on their floats, but that didn’t stop them from giving their all and performing for the thousands of people braving the cold with them. Once again, making the country community proud and thankful for all they do!

 

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New Music Friday – The Playlist 11/23

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It’s that time of the week again… New Music Friday. Today, we see new tracks including Brett Eldredge’s cover of Queen’s “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”, new Christmas tunes from Hunter Hayes, Devin Dawson and more. Check out our Spotify New Country Music Playlist below and be sure to follow for updates each and every Friday:

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Top 10 Best Entertainment Sites in Country Music

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When it comes to country music, there’s no shortage of information to be found across the Internet. NYCountry Swag was recently honored to be added to this list of the Top 100 Country Music Blogs. We are also in some great company on this list of 24 Must Read Country Music Blogs. This got us to thinking about all of our favorite resources for all things country. Between reviews, breaking news, concert coverage, entertaining content and so much more, we have chosen our top ten favorite entertainment sites in country music.

The Shotgun Seat: The cleverly-named Shotgun Seat features all the country music you love. They sum it up best on their Twitter, writing, “Take a ride in the shotgun seat with your favorite artists & songwriters – we’re just the vehicle through which they share their stories.” The Shotgun Seat features a great mix of country’s biggest names and country’s future superstars, and we always love checking out their interviews and reviews.

 

Nashville Gab: When it comes to Nashville news with an epic mix of sass and gossip, look no further than Nashville Gab. The ladies behind Gab are a clever bunch, mixing serious interviews, news snippets, and the hottest Nashville gossip. If you’re looking for a quality Twitter follow during the next country music broadcast, you can always count on Nashville Gab to bring the sass.

 

The Country Scene: Like NYCountry Swag, The Country Scene focuses heavily on the country music happenings in and around New York City. They excel at taking readers up-close and personal with their favorite artists, covering the hottest shows in the tri-state area. Recent reviews include Dierks Bentley at Madison Square Garden, Luke Bryan in Washington D.C., and Kenny Chesney in East Rutherford.

 

Morning Hangover: The Morning Hangover isn’t your typical country music website. It’s a one-stop recap for country music lovers everywhere, covering the biggest events, news, industry goings-on, and so much more. In addition to being a website, Morning Hangover stands out with its daily email newsletter, Today in Country Music, which is a tip sheet of everything you need to know about the genre that day. The emails include sections, such as “Sound-check,” highlighting TV appearances, “Tailgate Watch,” highlighting tour news, and “Cheers,” featuring birthdays and other exciting news.

 

Whiskey Riff: The guys of Whiskey Riff describe their site as “The most entertaining country site ever,” and quite frankly, they’re not lying. With an unrivaled sense of snark and humor, Whiskey Riff doesn’t take itself or country music too seriously. Like yours truly, the site features some pretty awesome merchandise, mixed with reviews, news, and a whole lot of sarcasm. They’re also a must-follow on Twitter, and for God’s sake, can someone please verify them already?

 

Sounds Like Nashville: Sounds Like Nashville describes themselves as “the definitive destination for country music fans everywhere,” and that’s a worthy definition of this uber-informative country site. SLN is one of the premier country music news sites, and we know that we can always visit them for any important country news. We also LOVE their monthly Spotify playlist, 10 Songs You Should Be Listening To, as they point out the latest and the greatest in country music.

 

Nash Country Daily: Nash Country Daily is part of Cumulus Media, which also includes many of our favorite country radio shows, including the morning show, Ty, Kelly, and Chuck and Kick Some Nash. The website serves as the perfect companion to Cumulus’ brand of Nash radio stations, highlighting news and performances heard on the radio shows. The site also features the “Writers Room with Jim Casey” podcast, which includes in-depth conversations with country’s biggest names, including recent broadcasts with Kane Brown, Walker Hayes, Cole Swindell, and Jordan Davis and “Women Want to Hear Women” podcast with Elaina Smith which includes interviews with the biggest female country stars in the business.

 

Taste of Country: Taste of Country brings fans “country music served fresh daily,” and have become a huge success story in the industry, hosting their own music festival, (one of our absolute favorite festivals by the way), in upstate Hunter Mountain, New York. While ToC covers important news, they also feature exclusive interviews with country superstars and unique cover stories, making them stand out from the pack.

 

The Boot: The Boot is straight up country, and straight up news. It’s a no-nonsense site, describing itself as “country music with a kick,” and we love a good play on words. Visit The Boot for the latest country news and a mix of unique and interesting features, such as “These Artists Have Never Won a CMA Award,” “Willie Nelson Through the Years,” and “Vince Gill and Amy Grant’s Sweetest Moments.”

 

and last but not least…

NYCountry Swag: Duh, we couldn’t leave our site off this list! We’ve got reviews of New York’s hottest shows along with exclusive Nashville events, album reviews, country music news, ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, and some of the best swag in country music. In addition to hosting our own LIVE Swag Sessions with rising artists, we also plan and produce several ticketed events a year including Country Night on the Water, Brunch Events and more. We are dedicated to being the ‘go-to’ source for all New York country fans and beyond. Plus, NYCountry Swag has The Hero Collection, which is inspired by the men and women of the Military, Fire & Police Departments and honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice. Additionally, a portion of all sales from this special collection goes to different charities each month that support our heroes. Make sure to follow NYCountry Swag across social media to get inside New York’s hottest country shows and exclusive events.

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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here 
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

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