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Background: Americana is a subset of American roots music, best defined as "classic American music" ranging in style from and including elements of folk, country, blues, bluegrass, alternative country, rockabilly, neo traditional and roots rock.

Criteria: These Americana music albums are ranked for best identifying, inspiring and encapsulating the heart of tradition and the American experience. As with all lists, this is a subjective list and makes no claim of an official nature.

Edited By: Rick Varner
Last Updated: 2024-08-01

https://digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best ... ameri.html

1. American Music - The Blasters
2. Rear View Mirror - Townes Van Zandt
3. Honky Tonk Masquerade - Joe Ely
4. The Gilded Palace of Sin - The Flying Burrito Brothers
5. Pieces of The Sky - Emmylou Harris
6. Old #1 - Guy Clark
7. Trace - Son Volt
8. Into The Purple Valley - Ry Cooder
9. John Prine - John Prine
10. Grievous Angel - Gram Parsons
11. Frisco Mabel Joy - Mickey Newberry
12. Delirium Tremolos - Ray Wylie Hubbard
13. Train a Comin' - Steve Earle
14. Car Wheels On a Gravel Road - Lucinda Williams
15. Ashgrove - Dave Alvin
16. More a Legend Than a Band - The Flatlanders
17. Eats Away The Night - Butch Hancock
18. Bring The Family - John Hiatt
19. No Depression - Uncle Tupelo
20. Boomer's Story - Ry Cooder
21. Blackjack David - Dave Alvin
22. El Corazon - Steve Earle
23. King of California - Dave Alvin
24. Stangers Almanac - Whiskeytown
25. Eleven Eleven - Dave Alvin
26. Childish Things - James McMurtry
27. Songbones - Grayson Capps
28. Living With Ghosts - Patty Griffen
29. Anodyne - Uncle Tupelo
30. Full Service, No Waiting - Peter Case
31. Paradise and Lunch - Ry Cooder
32. Ain't Livin' Long Like This - Rodney Crowell
33. Okemah & The Melody of Riot - Son Volt
34. Musta Notta Gotta Lotta - Joe Ely
35. California Bloodlines - John Stewart
36. Aereo Plain - John Hartford
37. Non Fiction - The Blasters
38. Flying Saucer Blues - Peter Case
39. Lord of The Highway - Joe Ely
40. The Fantastic Expedition - Dilliard & Clark
41. Sundown - Rank & File
42. Third Down, 110 To Go - Jesse Winchester
43. Lost In The Ozone - Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen
44. Tangled In The Pines - BR5-49
45. Washington County - Arlo Guthrie
46. Snake Farm - Ray Wylie Hubbard
47. Essence - Lucinda Williams
48. Uncle Charley & His Dog Teddy - The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
49. The Dark - Guy Clark
50. The Road To Ensenada - Lyle Lovett
51. A.M. - Wilco
52. Guitar Town - Steve Earle
53. Up On The Lowdown - Chris Smither
54. Townes Van Zandt - Townes Van Zandt
55. Workingman's Dead - The Grateful Dead
56. Growl - Ray Wylie Hubbard
57. The Last of The True Believers - Nanci Griffith
58. Faithless Street - Whiskeytown
59. Last Chance - Chip Taylor
60. White Light - Gene Clark
61. Hoboes Lullaby - Arlo Guthrie
62. Love and Fever - Tom Russell
63. Somebody Else's Troubles - Steve Goodman
64. Hardline - The Blasters
65. Kerosene Hat - Cracker
66. Saint Mary of The Woods - James McMurtry
67. Mr Bojangles - Jerry Jeff Walker
68. Hollywood Town Hall - The Jayhawks
69. New Riders of The Purple Sage - New Riders of The Purple Sage
70. Fate's Right Hand - Rodney Crowell
71. The Tractors - The Tractors
72. Torn Again - Peter Case
73. Stacked Deck - The Amazing Rhythm Aces
74. Lone Justice - Lone Justice
75. Ancestral Swamp - Michael Hurley
76. Wide Swing Tremelo - Son Volt
77. Slow Turning - John Hiatt
78. Big Backyard Beat Show - BR5-49
79. No Other - Gene Clark
80. Diamonds In The Rough - John Prine
81. Steve Goodman - Steve Goodman
82. Honeysuckle Dog - Chris Smither
83. Bombs Away Dream Babies - John Stewart
84. Burrito Deluxe - The Flying Burrito Brothers
85. Storms - Nanci Griffith
86. Good Times - Charlie Robison
87. Straightaways - Son Volt
88. My Name Is Buddy - Ry Cooder
89. Loco Gringo's Lament - Ray Wylie Hubbard
90. Driftin' Way of Life - Jerry Jeff Walker
91. Healing Bones - Jules Shear
92. Pretty Close To The Truth - Jim Lauderdale
93. Fair & Square - John Prine
94. Nothing But a Breeze - Jesse Winchester
95. I Feel Alright - Steve Earle
96. Sings Like Hell - Peter Case
97. Still Feel Gone - Uncle Tupelo
98. Haymaker - The Gourds
99. Jesse Winchester - Jesse Winchester
100. Safe At Home - The International Submarine Band

101. Arlo Guthrie - Arlo Guthrie
102. Down On The Drag - Joe Ely
103. Tomorrow The Green Grass - The Jayhawks
104. American Central Dust - Son Volt
105. The Dirty South - Drive By Truckers
106. Walk On - John Hiatt
107. Man With The Blue Post Modern Guitar - Peter Case
108. 1000 Kisses - Patty Griffin
109. My Baby Don't Tolerate - Lyle Lovett
110. The Houston Kid - Rodney Crowell
111. Dangerous Spirits - Ray Wylie Hubbard
112. Sweet Revenge - John Prine
113. Got No Breeding - Jules and The Polar Bears
114. Too Long In The Wasteland - James McMurtry
115. Electric Blue Watermelon - The North Mississippi All-Stars
116. Being There - Wilco
117. Van Go - The Beat Farmers
118. Chicken Skin Music - Ry Cooder
119. Pickin' On Nashville - The Kentucky Headhunters
120. West Texas Waltzes & Dust Blown Tractor Tunes - Butch Hancock
121. Lucinda Williams - Lucinda Williams
122. Weird Tales - Golden Smog
123. It Aint Easy - Chris Smither
124. Stolen Moments - John Hiatt
125. The Grifter's Hymnal - Ray Wylie Hubbard
126. Rodney Crowell - Rodney Crowell
127. Love & Hope & Sex & Dreams - BoDeans
128. Texas Tornados - Texas Tornados
129. Bradley's Barn - The Beau Brummels
130. Hell of a Spell - Doug Sahm
131. Crusades of The Restless Knights - Ray Wylie Hubbard
132. Hell Among The Yearlings - Gillian Welch
133. Train Home - Chris Smither
134. Come On Back - Jimmie Dale Gilmore
135. Sky Blue Sky - Wilco
136. March 16-20, 1992 - Uncle Tupelo
137. The South Coast of Texas - Guy Clark
138. Spinning Round The Sun - Jimmie Dale Gilmore
139. Too Far To Care - Old 97's
140. Dog Days - BR5-49
141. Wail & Ride - Grayson Capps
142. Buddy & Julie - Miller Buddy & Julie Miller
143. Mermaid Avenue - Billy Bragg
144. Hotwalker - Tom Russell
145. Love & Danger - Joe Ely
146. The Doug Sahm Band - Doug Sahm
147. Home - BoDeans
148. Furnace Room Lullaby - Neko Case
149. Kingfish - Kingfish
150. The End Is Not In Sight - Russell Smith
151. Sex and Gasoline - Rodney Crowell
152. Full Western Dress - The Derailers
153. Original Recordings - Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks
154. Borderland - Tom Russell
155. Blue Blvd - Dave Alvin
156. Now Again - The Flatlanders
157. Jacksonville City Nights - Ryan Adams
158. Letter To Laredo - Joe Ely
159. Down By The Old Mainstream - Golden Smog
160. Dirt Farmer - Levon Helm
161. If You Knew My Mind - Grayson Capps
162. Freedom and Weep - The Waco Brothers
163. Alive On Arrival - Steve Forbert
164. Juke Box Music - Doug Sahm
165. Rural Free Delivery - Whiskeytown
166. Boats To Build - Guy Clark
167. Wrecking Ball - Emmylou Harris
168. J.D. Crowe & The New South - J.D. Crowe
169. Shake Hands With Shorty - North Mississippi All-Stars
170. Bottle Rockets - Bottle Rockets
171. Quarter Moon In a Ten Cent Town - Emmylou Harris
172. Sweet Old World - Lucinda Williams
173. Streets of Sin - Joe Ely
174. Zone of Our Own - Texas Tornados
175. The Adventures of Panama Red - New Riders of The Purple Sage
176. Dog Days - Blue Mountain
177. The Notorious Cherry Bombs - Rodney Crowell
178. After Awhile - Jimmie Dale Gilmore
179. Transcendental Blues - Steve Earle
180. Born Again In The U.S.A. - Loose Fur
181. Positive Friction - Donna The Buffalo
182. The Long Way Around - Tom Russell
183. Deeper Well - David Olney
184. Kevin Welch - Kevin Welch
185. Wreck Your Life - Old 97's
186. Cracker - Cracker
187. Flash, Crash and Thunder - Farmer Boys
188. Jackrabbit Slim - Steve Forbert
189. Copperopolis - Grant Lee Buffalo
190. The Desert Rose Band - The Desert Rose Band
191. Y2Kow - Kudzu Kings
192. Amigo - Arlo Guthrie
193. Gentleman's Blues - Cracker
194. Old Friends - Guy Clark
195. Modern Art - Tom Russell
196. Native Sons - The Long Ryders
197. Harlan County - Jim Ford
198. Wacoworld - The Waco Brothers
199. Everything You Thought Was Wrong - Slobberbone
200. Stray Cats - The Stray Cats