Will Groff

Indie twang is so bland

Moroney heads rejoice

without this newsletter, how would I know about the country Justin Bieber cover that is somehow less country than the original

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XsH...

The Karol G/Marco Antonio Solís duet has such a stranglehold on me rn…

And some very smart folks get real about country music x AI

In which I make a case for Muscadine Bloodline's "Way Too High (2010)" as SOTY and reflect on Moroneygate at the CMAs

Such a treat to catch @jonbern.bsky.social discussing his stunning new biography of Justin Townes Earle with the great @johnhendrickson.bsky.social

Ok suds in the bucket next 😍

What is the best song of 2025 and why is it the unlicensed afrobeats cover of The Fate of Ophelia

Bring the war home:

Changing bio to “notoriously fit country critic” asap

Put A Record On: A Country Workout Playlist A workout playlist by an extra special guest!

the first DRTI post of 2026 is for all you resolution-ers - a country workout playlist from friend of the newsletter and notoriously fit country critic @willgroff.bsky.social !!! www.dontrocktheinbox.com/put-a-record...

thanks @natalieweiner.bsky.social for letting me take over for the day 🙂‍↕️ like and subscribe etc!

How Justin Townes Earle Wrote His Biggest Hit and Became a Nashville Legend An excerpt from the highly anticipated authorized biography of Justin Townes Earle shows how he wrote his biggest hit and became a Nashville legend.

On @rollingstone.com, the first excerpt of my biography of Justin Townes Earle.

This one's about the writing and recording of Harlem River Blues (the album AND the song!)
www.rollingstone.com/music/music-...

Put A Record On: A Country Workout Playlist A workout playlist by an extra special guest!

DRTI guest post alert!!!

thanks for reading!

How Nashville's Music Row Went MAGA in 2025 Nashville's mainstream country music industry went all in on Trump and the MAGA movement in 2025.

Wrote about the country music industry going full MAGA in 2025
www.rollingstone.com/music/music-...

How American Nightlife Went Honky-Tonk From New York City to Chicago to Portland, bars are riding a country boom, drawing everyone from outlaw singers to finance bros for ‘countryoke’ and line dancing.

Gift link: www.wsj.com/arts-culture...

My WSJ story on the honky-tonk takeover of American nightlife, now in print

Streets are calling my honky tonk story far beyond any other country trend piece!

will's depth of reporting (and unwillingness to make forced political conclusions from it) on this is so far beyond any other country trend piece - you gotta check it out bsky.app/profile/will...

How American Nightlife Went Honky-Tonk From New York City to Chicago to Portland, bars are riding a country boom, drawing everyone from outlaw singers to finance bros for ‘countryoke’ and line dancing.

Read @willgroff.bsky.social on nightclubs+bars across the nation going country:
www.wsj.com/arts-culture...

How American Nightlife Went Honky-Tonk From New York City to Chicago to Portland, bars are riding a country boom, drawing everyone from outlaw singers to finance bros for ‘countryoke’ and line dancing.

I wrote about honky tonks for The Wall Street Journal

www.wsj.com/arts-culture...

Jake Owen Started Bro Country. His New Album is Anything But – Good Country 'Dreams to Dream,' produced by Shooter Jennings, is a sonic left turn for an artist who epitomizes 2000s mainstream country.

I interviewed Jake Owen about his new album, the wonderful and surprising "Dreams to Dream." He had a LOT to say about authenticity, bro country ("I invented that shit!") and that little dustup he had with Jason Isbell over artists writing their own songs thebluegrasssituation.com/read/jake-ow...

Amanda Shires Tells Her Side of the Story After Divorce From Jason Isbell: “I'm Not Scared” After a marriage in the spotlight ended in brutal divorce, the singer-songwriter-fiddler is telling her story, her way.

Amanda Shires spent an afternoon introducing me to Lubbock and a small portion of those very fun hours is now chronicled in Texas Monthly ahead of her new album :) gift link: www.texasmonthly.com/arts-enterta...

This is sick freak shit to say and it's alright to point that out

Ashley Monroe's Patchwork Quilt: 'Tennessee Lightning' - Good Country “I’m from East Tennessee, so no one can really hear my voice and say that I'm not country.”

Had a real pinch me moment chatting with Ashley Monroe — whose music means as much to me as anyone's — about her new album, Tennessee Lightning. We touched on many things including how she feels about "Americana" (my most burning question). Give it a read!

thebluegrasssituation.com/read/ashley-...

quarterly reminder to subscribe to Don't Rock the Inbox

what if annie up is the best pistol annies album…

I see your Caitlin cannon and raise you an Abbie Callahan 🙂‍↕️