Hello all of the wonderful peoples in my world!
Last days to sneak it in, so…here’s a very positive and cheerful verbal toast to a very HAPPY NEW YEAR, an excellent entrance into 2026 and a blank page to an amazing new chapter in all of our lives! Here’s to writing an even better, memorable and phenomenal addition to “our books” during these next 12 months!
Hope each of you, your families, your friends and loved ones have all enjoyed an amazingly enjoyable holiday season and are getting refreshed as we getting rolling here in January.
As in prior years, my annual review of the past year in music has allowed for the discovery of some absolute nuggets of greatness that I wanted to share with all of you fantastic folks in my world. I’ve compiled below a “12-Pack” of likable listens from a variety of different artists, who have so many talents on so many levels.
Truth be told, as you’ll see, it’s actually a list of 14 total brilliant efforts since, traditionally, I don’t include live or cover albums on my annual list, but honestly t’was impossible to leave out the awe-inspiring compilations from both Billy Strings/Bryan Sutton and Willie Nelson here.
Nonetheless, as with every year, I sincerely hope you are able to stumble upon some bits of audio pleasure, new surprises and maybe rediscoveries from artists you wouldn’t have expected.
With all this being said, from my beloved Sir Arthur Golden Retriever Pup and I here in Dripping Springs, Texas to you and your loved ones around the world, wherever this may find you, we wish you a next year filled with great health and well-being, much happiness and solitude, incredible experiences and travel, endless laughter, love and true appreciation for this life we’ve been given. May each of you find peace, unity, safety, and many better days ahead!
LIVE A GREAT STORY, y’all!
Cheers and all my best from The “Unofficial Mayor of Austin!”
Randall Metting
12-Pack (14) of My Top Albums of 2025
1a) Tyler Childers – “Snipe Hunter”
1b) Billy Strings & Bryan Sutton – “Live At The Legion”
2) Waylon Jennings – “Songbird”
3) West Texas Exiles – “8000 Days”
4) Alison Brown & Steve Martin – “Safe, Sensible and Sane”
5) Eric Church – “Evangeline vs. The Machine”
6) Molly Tuttle – “So Long Little Miss Sunshine”
7) Turnpike Troubadours – “The Price of Admission”
8) Treaty Oak Revival – “West Texas Degenerate”
9) The Avett Brothers/Mike Patton – “AVTT/PTTN”
10a) Neko Case – “Midnight Green”
10b) Willie Nelson – “Workin’ Man’s Blues: Willie Sings Merle”
11) Mumford & Sons – “Rushmere”
12) Brandi Carlile – “Returning To Me”
THE END
Randall Metting 
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