AllMusic's Favorite Country Albums of 2011

Some years, country is dominated by acts with a pop bent. 2011 was one of those years, with Taylor Swift and Lady Antebellum providing the hits that defined country radio but it wasn’t all about singles: Eric Church’s muscular Chief was the rare breakthrough that sold on its strength as an album. Then, acts like Brad Paisley and Miranda Lambert—both on her own and with the Pistol Annies—showed that mainstream country could still be adventurous, while veterans like Alison Krauss, Vince Gill and George Strait all delivered strong records.


 
Jason Aldean - My Kinda Party
Glen Campbell - Ghost on the Canvas
Eric Church - Chief
Terri Clark - Roots & Wings
The Dirt Drifters - This Is My Blood
Vince Gill - Guitar Slinger
Merle Haggard - Working in Tennessee
Emmylou Harris - Hard Bargain
Eilen Jewell - Queen of the Minor Key
Toby Keith - Clancy's Tavern
Alison Krauss & Union Station - Paper Airplane
Miranda Lambert - Four the Record
Nikki Lane - Walk of Shame
Martina McBride - Eleven
Joe Nichols - It's All Good
Brad Paisley - This Is Country Music
Dolly Parton - Better Day
Pistol Annies - Hell on Heels
Ashton Shepherd - Where Country Grows
George Strait - Here for a Good Time
Chris Young - Neon
Various Artists - The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams