Best of 2018

A death, a secret, an arrest, a close call and a confession that brought tabloid attention — they all make this list of country music news stories that had us saying O-M-G.

Is Chris Stapleton slipping?

It's a list that is a true mix of veteran and up-and-coming talent.

The best selling songs of 2018 weren't all feel good songs.

It certainly was not all good news.

Collaborations have been all the rage in 2018.

The best country albums of any given year are situational.

There are country hits, and then there are should-have-beens.

Did we get it right? Did we get it all wrong?

In both its high and lows, the year has been a memorable one.

As we survey The Boot's 2018 Artists to Watch list in December, it's a pleasant surprise to see just how many musicians equaled -- if not surpassed -- our expectations.

Congratulations to all of the newly expanded families!