JON PARDI MR. SATURDAY NIGHT
Jon Pardi continues the honky tonk tradition on LP4—but in replacing the dirt on his boots with a fresh shine, Mr. Saturday Night is more refined. Still fronted by a neon vocal buzz, its holler- n-swall’r anthems are often grounded in heartbreak and thinking ahead to the hangover. (Available Sept. 2.)
KANE BROWN DIFFERENT MAN
Kane Brown makes his case as a one- of-a-kind star in Different Man, blowing the doors off Music Row with a frenetic blend of styles. Seventeen songs veer across the expansive country landscape, then to hair metal, trap, and beyond. All the while, a growing family transforms him. (Available Sept. 9.)
NIKKI LANE DENIM & DIAMONDS
Denim & Diamonds is a fitting title for Nikki Lane. The vintage fashionista traces a path from her bargain-bin upbringing to the couture world she’s built for herself, and she accessorizes rootsy, folk- rock grooves with high-end flourishes of indie pop. Gritty rarely sounds this pretty. (Available Sept. 23.)
KELSEA BALLERINI SUBJECT TO CHANGE
After diving deep into her elemental makeup in 2020, country star Kelsea Ballerini comes up for air on Subject to Change, reclaiming her effervescent pop-country crown. The title is a nod to her shape-shifting qualities, and a total inability to pin her spirit down. (Available Sept. 23.)