I guess this is more of a “beginning of 2024” list rather than an “end of 2023” list, but I’m already excited for the new music we have coming very soon.
From a new Hixtape Vol. 3 from Hardy, to hopefully new projects from Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson and obviously plenty more, there’s some buzzy albums already on the horizon.
And as a country music fan, there’s nothing I love more than when two of my favorite artists pair up and produce a song that is truly great. I especially love it when two people I wouldn’t typically put together team up and put out a banger, kind of like Lainey Wilson and Lukas Nelson did with “More Than Friends” earlier this year (which rightfully went to #1 on the Americana radio charts).
In 2023, we did get some cool collabs, like the Lainey/Lukas song, a great duet from Kacey Musgraves and Zach Bryan that became a #1 hit and GRAMMY nominated song in “I Remember Everything,” and tons of good pairings from Dolly Parton with the release of her Rockstar record, especially her cover of “Night Moves” with Chris Stapleton.
But of course, with all of us now looking ahead to a new year, I can’t help but think about some of the collabs I would love to get in 2024, and what some of my dream pairings would be if I had a say in some of my favorite artists working together.
A lot of them seem so obvious that I can’t believe most of these aritsts haven’t already worked together on an official song in the studio, but without further ado, here are some duos that I think could produce some absolute hits…
Lainey Wilson and Kacey Musgraves
Kacey Musgraves is one of my all-time favorite songwriters, and while she and Lainey might be a somewhat unlikely pair, I think it could really work.
Kacey has such a perfectly angelic voice, while Lainey has a heavy dose of her signature Louisiana twang in her vocals, and I think it would be such a cool mixture of two of country’s most badass ladies.
From their unique perspective in their writing, to their distinctive sound and take on country music, to the way they’re both so unapologetically themselves, out of all the dream collaborations on this list, this one remains at the top of mine.
They both recently performed on the Christmas at Graceland special too, where Lainey opened with a rousing rendition of “Santa Claus Is Back In Town,” and Kacey closed it out with a stunning performance of “Can’t Help Falling In Love.”
Chris Stapleton and Tyler Childers
Two of Kentucky’s finest, it’s shocking that Chris Stapleton and Tyler Childers haven’t already put out a song together.
We have seen them take the stage to perform as a duo, most recently at the Kentucky Rising the benefit concert in 2022, but they have never formally cut anything in the studio.
With two once-in-a-lifetime, instantly recognizable voices and the fact that they’re both extremely talented songwriters from Appalachia with a knack for gritty storytelling and unrivaled talent, we need to get them in the writer’s room ASAP.
Hardy and Koe Wetzel
I feel like this one is super obvious, and actually not that crazy of an idea. They both tend to really lean into different aspects the rock and roll sound, have that “I don’t give a shit attitude,” and it would make so much sense for them to do something together.
HARDY is gearing up to put out his aforementioned Hixtape Vol. 3, and truth be told, I wouldn’t be shocked if Koe is a featured artist on the tracklist (no, I don’t have any insider information, just a hunch).
They’ve toured together in the past, and obviously both bring a very unique, sharp edge to country music that I personally love, and would really be a match in terms of the way they write and the kind of music they enjoy making the most.
Miranda Lambert and Ashley McBryde
Both Ashley McBryde and Miranda Lambert have produced incredible duets in the past, with Ashley scoring a #1 hit with her friend Carly Pearce for their heartbreaking tune “Never Wanted To Be That Girl” in 2022, and Miranda with Elle King on “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home).”
They’re already great friends, that both sang on Miranda’s all-girl rendition of “Fooled Around and Fell In Love,” but I can’t believe they haven’t done more together.
Ashley and Miranda both have a ton of sass, and are definitely not afraid to tell it like it is and call it how they say it, and I can only imagine what they could come up with as a duo. Ashley has said previously that she and Miranda have written a song together, and we need to hear it.
Post Malone and Sturgill Simpson
Obviously.
Rumor has it that Posty is currently working on his own original country album, in addition to already being featured on Hardy’s aforementioned Hixtape Vol. 3.
He previously covered the hell outta Sturgill Simpson’s “You Can Have The Crown,” and Simpson has noted in the past that he would love to produce for Post, so I don’t think it’s totally out of the realm of possibility.
While Stu has taken a step back from making his own music, he was featured on “Use Me (Brutal Hearts)” alongside Dove Cameron for Diplo’s Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley: Chapter 2 – Swamp Savant project earlier this year, and is one of Post Malone’s all-time favorite artists.
And maybe (hopefully) something’s already in the works, with Post seemingly about to fully jump into country, because they would make magic together.
This one is more of a NEED than a want, honestly. It might be one of the greatest country collabs to ever exist if it actually happened one day…
Here’s to hoping I’m right about at least one of these pairings over the next 12 months or so… who do you want to see work together next year?
