Canada’s Country: Best of 2024

Country music isn’t just a Nashville thing. In fact, Canada plays host to some of the liveliest country music communities around—just ask Canadian country singer-songwriter Owen Riegling. In a few short years, the Ontario-born artist has gone from hustling for tips while performing at local bars to headlining shows, and winning a pair of CCMA Award trophies along the way. Riegling’s latest release is this year’s Bruce County (From the Beginning), a full-length project that shows the many sides of Riegling’s brand of country music, which blends contemporary country sounds with Southern rock, folk, and even a little indie pop for a sound all his own. Highlights on the LP include the rootsy and brooding “Old Dirt Roads” and the playful party tune “Bud Light the Way.”