(Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images)

2011 has really been an incredible year for country music and also for country music artists reaching more genres in which we call “cross-over” songs.  I have heard more people say this year that, “I don’t listen to country, but I really like [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Lady A[/lastfm], [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Rascal Flatts[/lastfm], [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Taylor Swift[/lastfm]…”  So, those people really DO like [some] country music!

This truly is the year for country music. Here are the albums dropping today.

“Chief”, [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Eric Church[/lastfm] (–He titled the album after a childhood nickname given to him by his grandfather. The disc includes the single, “Homeboy”.)

“Randy Montana”, [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Randy Montana [/lastfm](His self-titled debut album features guest vocals from [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Emmylou Harris[/lastfm] on the song “Last Horse”. It also includes his current single “1,000 Faces”

“Roots & Wings”, [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Terri Clark[/lastfm] (Terri co-wrote several of the songs with [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Kristen Hall[/lastfm], whom you may recall was a founding member of [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Sugarland[/lastfm]. There’s also a guest performance from [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Alison Krauss[/lastfm]. This is a digital release only, but you can get a physical disc on September 13th.)

“Numbers”, [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Jason Michael Carroll[/lastfm] (Available EXCLUSIVELY at Cracker Barrel. It includes the title track, plus Jason’s 2006 hit “Alyssa Lies”.)