Jason Isbell arguably established the modern-day template for an Americana star with major mainstream country appeal.
Without him, it’s hard to picture what country fans’ relationship with artists such as Zach Bryan and Tyler Childers would look like. He established the groundwork for what it means to be today’s superstar who exists outside of the mainstream merry-go-round of country fame; a Grammys and critical darling with minimal impact on radio and all the usual Nashville industry event checkpoints.
But is status in country music is only the second most influential thing about Isbell.
He’s also one of the best songwriters of the past 25 years, full stop. Isbell’s songs are often devastating, always immersive and regularly paint a sharp, self-reflective picture of life in the South. Just call him the soul-searcher’s guide to Southern identity.
Who is Jason Isbell?
Isbell hails from the music-rich Muscle Shoals, Ala., area, and debuted at the Grand Ole Opry with his songwriter friend Chris Tompkins when he was just 16 years old. He got a publishing deal at Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals when he was 21.
The next year, Isbell started performing with the Drive-By Truckers, and would be a member of the band until 2007. He recorded several projects with the group, including one of the songs on our list of his Top 10, with the Truckers.
Isbell left the band and released his first solo album, Sirens of the Ditch, in 2007. But his true breakout into superstardom came in 2013 with his seminal album Southeastern, a project that captured awards, critical acclaim and attention from luminaries such as Bruce Springsteen and John Prine. Southeastern catapulted Isbell into the status he still maintains today as one of country’s very top alternative artists.
Who Are The 400 Unit?
One of the hallmarks of Isbell’s career is his band, the 400 Unit, which is widely recognized as one of the best backing bands in country music.
Named after a psychiatric unit of a hospital in Florence, Ala., the 400 Unit has featured on Isbell’s albums since 2009. Over the years, the lineup has featured musicians like guitarist Sadler Vaden (current member), also of Drivin’ N Cryin’, and singer-fiddle player Amanda Shires, to whom Isbell was married from 2013 to 2023.
Jason Isbell’s Best Songs
Isbell’s influence is readily apparent in songs like “Cover Me Up,” which inspired a hit Morgan Wallen cover.
Some of Isbell’s songs are so powerfully sad that they’re tough to listen to: Notably “Elephant,” a gripping portrait of a friend’s decline during a cancer battle. “If We Were Vampires,” a song about mortality and impermanence, is less overtly bleak but still poignant.
Other songs like “Speed Trap Town” and “Alabama Pines” tell a story of Southern life that goes beyond the truck beds and bonfires that often dominate country radio. Isbell threads a needle between love of home and desperation to get out in many of his lyrics about growing up in the small-town South.
Isbell’s lasting impact in country music earns him the No. 20 spot on Taste of Country’s countdown of Country Music’s Most Important Modern Artists. Keep scrolling for our list of his best songs.
Criteria: This list of the 25 Most Important Modern Country Artists was curated by Taste of Country staff, who considered hard data (charts, streaming numbers, ticket sales etc. …), perceived influence, awards and recognition and (most important) recent releases. We zoomed in on who is shaping country music with popular releases today.
Artists who’ve not released an album or notched a hit song on airplay or streaming charts in the last three years need to show their influence in other ways. An example is Carrie Underwood, who’s not released a new album in four years but is the most influential voice on America’s most popular singing reality show.
No: 25 Riley Green’s Top Songs | No. 24 Kelsea Ballerini’s Top Songs | No. 23 Tim McGraw’s Top Songs | No. 22 Blake Shelton’s Top Songs | No. 21 Eric Church’s Top Songs | No. 20 Jason Isbell’s Top Songs | No. 19 June 19 | No. 18 June 20 | No. 17 June 21 | No. 16 June 22 | No. 15 June 23 | No. 14 June 24 | No. 13 June 25 | No. 12 June 26 | No. 11 June 27 | No. 10 June 28 | No. 9 June 29 | No. 8 June 30 | No. 7 July 1 | No. 6 July 2 | No. 5 July 3 | No. 4 July 4 | No. 3 July 5 | No. 2 July 6 | No. 1 July 7
Top 10 Jason Isbell Songs That Show His Songwriting Impact
Jason Isbell is one of the best contemporary songwriters out there, full stop. He also laid the modern-day groundwork for what it means to be an alt-country star with broad mainstream appeal.
Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak
