Oh What A Beautiful World

This album has been added to 2 public lists:

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  Best, Favorite, & Most Interesting Albums Of 2025

  Mark

  • Genre: Country / Traditional Country / Americana.
  • Influenced by: Hank Williams, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings.
  • Similar artists: Kris Kristofferson, John Prine, Tom Waits, Lucinda Williams, Margo Price
  • Similar artists: Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, George Strait, Charley Crockett, Cody Jinks.
  • About this album: At 92 years old, Nelson teamed up with producer Buddy Cannon to record a collection of songs written or co-written by Rodney Crowell. A deeply reverent and lovingly curated celebration of classic country music, the record showcases Nelson’s weathered voice, gentle phrasing, and masterful phrasing across a mix of traditional country standards and heartfelt interpretations. It's worth nothing that the album arrives the same year as another Willie cover album, "Willie Sings Merle" (Metacritic Sore: 84, universal acclaim). It's worthy of placement on the list as well, so I'll include it here as a "tie." While "Willie Sings Merle" leans more directly into homage, the Grammy-nominated "Oh What a Beautiful World" stands out for its broad affection and reflective mood, drawing from and expanding upon Willie's status as a cultural icon. Willie isn't getting any younger, but he keeps belting out albums year after year and most, like these, remain standouts.
  • Metacritic Score: 84 (universal acclaim).
  • Awards / Nominations: "Oh What a Beautiful World" — 2026 Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Country Album. He's nominated in the same category as his son, Lukas.
  • Song To Sample: “Forever Begs the Question” — a standout track that pairs Nelson’s conversational vocal delivery with tender melodic phrasing and nostalgic lyricism.
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