Honky Tonk Heroes

Amazing country voice. The first song is the best but he doesnt lose the energy even on slow songs for this great quick album

Yeah not bad. Good vocals, not a whole lot of innovation or really anything that sticks out but a couple songs I will be revisiting.

Beautiful writing, excellent mixing and instrumentals, and good vocals. I'm not the biggest fan of Waylon's voice/style, but he does bring a nice gentle tone that makes the song feel like it floats along and utilizes dynamics well. I'd come back to a couple of tracks for some easy listening.

Don't think ill listen to this again

I don't normally listen to a lot of country, but this was really good!

Man, so much new country doesn't utilize stereo sound and are mixed so flat. The mixing felt very nice, so much so that I was a 4 until "Ain't No god in Mexico" 😬. Favorite(s): Old Five and Dimers (Like Me) Least: Low Down Freedom (the percussive harmonica in the verses was really weird) Ain't No God in Mexico 3/5

Fav: Willy the Wandering ***** and Me, We Had it All L: Low Down Freedom 3.5 Who else up honkin they tonks? Overall it was a pleasant listen to, but nothing remarkable. Cover: 2 the font for the title was a strange choice. Name: 1* having just a list of tracks on the front like that maybe wraps around to being deep but I’m not sold on it yet. Minecraft parody: Ain’t no Notch at Microsoft

I listened to this while driving so I didn't hear it super well. It seemed fine. The vocals weren't my favorite. 2.5/5

Country

BOOM. IT'S A COUNTRY ALBUM. I love being able to effortlessly breeze through these genre predictions. There aren't too many 70s countries albums on this list, so I'm always open to hearing some more, and the 70s did mark the point where darker styles and themes began to emerge from country music. Hopefully this album will prove to be interesting, though in all fairness the cover art does make this band look like complete nobodies. Here goes. Yeah, it's alright. Just a perfectly okay, respectable country album for the boihs back home. The vocals are very country, though they're also quite good! The singer has a pleasing, deep intonation that gives these songs a lot of kick, which is especially befitting of the punchy vocal hooks that feature on this album. The instrumentation is no slouch, either. The pleasing, trebly basses, jangling acoustic guitars and soft percussion all slot together nicely, creating a listenable, varied and energetic sound. That's all I have to say about this album, truth be told. Certainly very tried and true, though it sticks to its guns well. Book time. Waylon Jennings was a bassist for Buddy Holly's Crickets band up until Holly's untimely death. Jennings produced this album rather than being its sole contributing artist. "...one of country music's landmark albums." Billy Joe Shaver wrote all but one of the songs on this album, with Jennings providing the vocals. The stripped-down sound of this album influenced a pivot in the sound of country music. Wikipedia verifies that this album is an important release in country music, with it being an influential outlaw country release in addition to briefly reviving honky tonk music. Critics liked it, with the album receiving enduring acclaim in the years following release. It peaked at No. 185 on the US charts, but charted nowhere else. Yeah, I'm favourable to this album being on here. I cosign this inclusion.

What were the chances of another 27-minute country album from the early 1970s coming up right after Dolly's? Short but good country songs, not all hugely distinguishable but with a fantastic voice that exudes rugged, moody cool. I just loved the sound of this guy.

If you think listening to a Dolly Parton album and quite enjoying it has softened me up to hear more traditional country music then think again 1001 generator. I skipped forward on each song having heard a minute or so. Predictable and boring.

This is was great! I find many classic country records are very hit and miss and a little boring but this record, possibly because of its length, was a good listen. Willy the Wandering Gyspy and Me and Omaha were standouts. I bloody love a slide guitar

This was a nice surprise and reminded me how much I liked the K-ROSE country music station in GTA.

Liked it more than I thought I would.

Back when country was good

Alright country. Not too twangy. I could tolerate it being played for awhile

3/5

a short album that delivers on the promise of good ole honky tonk.

I like this honky tonk aound but not that much

I liked this album, it's more sweet and less marbled than Johnny Cash's album, which i like because i am not a big country fan, that being said, there's way more interesting stuff from the 70s

Instantly feels genuine, love Waylon

Pretty decent country record, good collection of Billie Joe Shaver songs on a stripped down outlaw country album

Country in a very not-overwhelmingly-country way, a satisfying collection of soft, rocky country songs, perhaps fit for when your horse is at a notch below a trot. Pleasant, though. The title is the most aggressively-country thing about it

classic 70's country. can't beat it.

The most classic of classic country. Little less of the outlaw than I'd expect from Waylon. Went down real easy.

Que se yo con estos cantris Nota: 2.8

Brilliant

“The devil made me do it the first time, the second time I done it on my own” this is some pure uncut classic country. 5/5

I didn't know this band. I like the music genre. Some good tunes. A good album overall.

Many of the legends of Country Music, names that even non-country music fans recognize, only became famous when they broke free of the Nashville Machine and produced and wrote their own albums. This album was among the first to be released by the “Outlaws” and anyone who claims to produce country music today, or even enjoy it, owes a debt to the likes of Waylon. Plus one to offset what I know will be a lot of ignorance.

Good. Never was my favorite of his ilk, but he’s a legend nevertheless. So be it.

12. avgust 2026. 14.06h opet outlaw country ali opet onestli its not bad best: old five and dimers (like me)

This was a fantastic album from beginning to end. I’ve always loved outlaw country, and Waylon Jennings reminded me why. He has an incredible voice, and the storytelling throughout this album is exactly what I love about great country music. From the title track and traditional country sound of “Old Five and Dimers (Like Me)” to the storytelling of “Ain’t No God in Mexico,” the country-rock edge of “Black Rose,” and the beautiful closing song “We Had It All,” every track delivered. There wasn’t one song that completely blew my mind, but there also wasn’t a single song I didn’t enjoy. Sometimes five stars comes from one or two incredible highs. This one earns five stars by being consistently great from beginning to end. ★★★★★

Not a fan of country but I would take this any day over the Velvet Underground album I had yesterday!

It's not my usual thing, but it does it's thing well. Top tracks: "Willy the Wandering Gypsy and Me," "You Ask Me To"

Honestly, you had me at 10 songs, 27 minutes. OUTLAW COUNTRY!

--Honky Tonk Heroes...outlaw country! takes a minute to get going but it's a bop --Old Five and Dimers Like Me...pleasant lazy river tune --Willy the Wandering Gypsy and Me...very nice. shades of John Prine --Low Down Freedom...fun country bass walk --Omaha...never been. not sure if he's saying I should go. good tune --You Ask Me To...songs are a bit samey but it's a great vibe --Ride Me Down Easy...I think I know who Sturgill Simpson was most influenced by --Ain't No God in Mexico...unfortunate title. surprisingly funky --Black Rose...toe tappin' and knee slappin'. this rips --We Had It All...a bit sappy but still nice --Slow Rollin' Low*...too much harmonica *bonus track

So good. Was on a road trip and been listening to jpop kpop and britpop and loads of pop. When I came back to the list and came across this album. It was fantastic. Liked we had it all. An amazing album!

old school country album - i dig the sound and authenticity of it. can't say ill go back to Jennings a ton, but all in all it was a fine listen

Some good old fashioned country music that isn’t poppy or obnoxious. Easy four stars.

Gotta love that classic country western sound! Bonus star for it being a short and sweet album.

Waylon's the fucking man dude. There's a reason all these new fake Nashville pop country cosplay Cowboys want to namedrop him. All of them have less talent than his pinky finger. 9/10

not a huge country fun, but it wasn't that bad.

En ole country-musiikin ylin ystävä mutta tämän levyn kuunteli ilman ongelmia. Waylonin lauluääni on melko hyvä.

I never want to listen to an album with "Honky Tonk" in its title ever again.

Pretty cool country.

A solid performance on this album from Waylon. Does some classics and originals. Good smooth singing delivery.

Blues folk qui m'a pas marquée puisque je l'ai écouté dans ma liste d'attente sans me rendre compte qu'il était passé. Y'a 1000 albums comme ça flemme

Très bien pour ce que j’avais à faire

J'aime vraiment pas la country c'est pas mon truc

Yeah you guys fucking thought I was gonna listen to The Black Keys. THIS is more like it. I only know "Don't Think Hank Done It This Way" and that song fucking rules so I'm a little excited for this one. Ok actually it's a little boring I can't lie, but this is my 2nd album of the day so I'll come back. You Ask Me To rules. THIS ALBUM IS ONLY 27 MINUTES LONG??? WHY!!! I'm actually... a little disappointed? It's mostly slow/crooning-esque songs, which for The Byrds WORKED because the instrumentals matched it perfectly. The tempo works here, but it's just so painfully sparse (except some strings at the end that I don't care for) that I feel like I'm not missing out by not listening as intently as I should. Lucky for me it's 27 minutes long so we can fit another listen in. All of these songs pretty much end as soon as they get good (looking at you Old Five and Dimers). First song rules, especially after it picks up. Omaha is good, the last few tracks were a little slow and forgettable. You Ask Me To is also a fun, pleasant track. Good love song with a quality solo. It just failed to catch my attention the way I would've liked it to unfortunately. Ain't No God In Mexico is great and then it just ends... Black Rose does the exact same thing... I'm gonna give it a 3 but I'm probably just not going to revisit it. I'd rather listen to The Byrds again Favorite: Omaha Least: We Had It All Shoutout: Old Five and Dimers (Like Me)

A really fun album with good classic country music that is easy to listen to. The album just flew by as I was enjoying it. Its not a genre I listen to a lot but this list have made me think I should seek it out more. At least look at the "classic" albums.

3.5

Liked: 1,2,3,4,5,6,8,9,10,11 Disliked: 7 Total Songs: 11 Ratio: 10/11 Converted Score: 4.55/5 Top 3 1. Omaha 2. Black Rose 3. Honky Tonk Heroes

Not a old country fan

Great 70’s country

Country sucks.

I did not like country going into this, and I still don't.

Some solid songwriting by Billy Joe Shaver and solid performing by Waylon. Nothing really soars here as it's mostly a collection of mid-tempo country waltzes but impact on the Outlaw Country genre is undeniable. For the reason alone it's worth a listen.

Short. Sweet too, but really short.

# Album Name: Honky Tonk Heroes # Artist: Waylon Jennings # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Seemed like a generic dangly country album to me. # Top Tunes: # Would I listen to it again? No

This is a very short album and I feel that makes it hard to review. I wish it were longer so I could get a feel for it more. It's got a nice feel to it and I would say, overall , it's an enjoyable listen. I think the opening track really catches your attention.It's got a great groove to it , and it just gets you moving. I think it feels a little bit weaker in the middle part of the album, but I wouldn't say it bothers me too much as the album is so short, it doesn't really linger. I like when they do the growls in the vocals. It adds a nice bit of texture to it as well. Fav Track: Honky Tonk Heroes

It’s alright. Better than any new country for sure.

Nothing overly complicated, just some damn good country

Waylon is one of the greats. Great story telling. Simple yet effective acoustic playing. Good pacing and timing. This is here is how it is done!

Þetta er óþægilega miðaldra take, en ég fíla þessa plötu. Fyrsta rennsli stefndi í tvist og öll lög voru hrikalega einföld, fannst eins og gæti meira að segja verið trommuleikarinn í bandinu, en svo urðu rennsli fjögur og ég svona ánægður með þetta. Ekki fullt hús en glettilega fínt.

This really starts above your average country album, the first 2 or 3 songs on here are really good. But the longer it goes on, the more similar it sounds to the rest of the genre. And it's a good version of what country is, but it's still kinda generic country. But I liked it more than I expected, to be sure. Favorites: Honky Tonk Heroes, Old Five and Dimers (Like Me), Omaha

Pretty good for a country album! Some really fun songs! Would listen again, but won't go out of my way to.

Не знаю що сказати. Не найгірше хонкі-тонк кантрі, але повертатись до цього альбому я точно не буду. 2.5

Zzzzzzzz

Enjoyed more than I expected - Ride Me down Easy, We had it all were enjoyable. Could be edging towards 4

Good old down and out and plain and simple, roadworn, lovelorn, country and western.

Never really listened a ton to Waylon compared to other classic country stars and I really enjoyed this. I like how low key it is

loved it as a whole and was great to listen to start to finish. Probably won't revisit many of the individual tracks but overall had real fun old america vibes and I enjoyed it all. Felt a lil older than 73' 8.1 Favourite Tracks: - Low Down Freedom - We Had it All - Omaha

This western album was alright, but it didn't grab me. Not my preferred music style, and of those that have grabbed my attention, this isn't one.

EPIC! Jennings is such a commanding storyteller and performer. Some of the arrangements are a little dated, but his voice and charisma keep me hanging on every word. *This* is Country Music. What came after should have built on this solid frame, which was itself bolted to a solid foundation of great storytelling and music made by Hank Williams and others. Unfortunately, Country Music pursued the “glamor” and money of Rock and Roll. Wish that it had followed and elaborated on the blueprint provided by Merle, Willie, Kris, Dollie, John and vanishingly few others. A 4.

Para empezar, fue mi primer acercamiento a la música country, por lo que no sabía con qué iba a encontrarme al escucharlo. Venía con prejuicios vinculados al género, pero debo admitir que me sorprendió. El álbum tiene un sonido fresco y sencillo. El bajo es el mayor protagonista en el álbum. Todos los instrumentos ayudan a crear una atmósfera tranquila, como una brisa suave en una tarde de verano. Algunas canciones me transportaban a la bossa nova, con sonidos minimalistas y simples. La verdad, las letras en sí no me interpelaron mucho. Celebré más el ritmo y cómo sonaba. Fue un álbum bastante dinámico. Si bien las canciones eran parecidas, cada una tenía algo diferencial y todas contaban con elementos dinámicos a lo largo del track. Más allá del sonido, lo que vengo a destacar es el subgénero del country al que pertenece, el outlaw. Yo estaba familiarizada con un estereotipo del country vinculado con granjeros, cerveza y nacionalismos. Este género viene a romper con esa idea y le otorga una libertad creativa al country no antes vista. Valoro la rebeldía y celebro que este álbum haya influenciado en este movimiento. Finalmente, en mi experiencia, fue un álbum que salió de lo conocido para mí y me sorprendió para bien. No fue un álbum que me haya comprometido mucho emocionalmente, pero sin dudas creó una atmósfera cálida y agradable. Lo escucharía perfectamente de fondo en una tarde de verano y, en lo personal, es esa vibra la que define al álbum. Sin dudas de las cosas que más rescato es haber logrado sacarme los prejuicios que tenía establecidos y encontré muchas cosas que me terminaron gustando, como los sonidos y la simpleza en ellos.

Country is not exactly my home turf... but this one disappeared more than other similar albums in the background noise. Not much more to say. Decent country, but very ordinary such to my ears.

Decent country album. Pretty short with very good vocals that reminded me of Sturgill Simpson. I enjoyed it and it was fun hearing Waylon Jennings by himself as I only knew him for his contribution to Highwaymen. No song really made me think this warrants a 4 star so settling on a strong 3.

Half an hour of exactly what I'd expect from an album called honky tonk heroes. Hard to believe this was an important milestone in developing a mix between honky tonk and rock and roll, not sure I picked up on the rock elements of this. Standard music, standard themes. Mercifully short though.

I'm a big fan of The Highwaymen, the supergroup formed by Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson (from Blade), old Willie Nelson, and Johnny Cash. Their most famous song, Highwayman, is a cover, but it suits them tremendously - 4 verses about different versions of a person through time, ending with Johnny Cash being an astronaut. Waylon Jennings takes the second-to-last verse, about being a dam builder. I think that's a decent metaphor for him, as a pioneer of outlaw country, he built the genre (which I later learned just meant, "outside of Nashville") and remained relevant until his death. The album is solid country fare. Lovely voice, simple guitars, and Low Down Freedom is probably the best track, or You Asked Me To. Can't give it more than a 3 though, the honky-tonk stuff gets a bit old, even at a brisk 33 minutes. More Highwaymen please.

Well, at least I learnt from Luke's review that Waylon Jennings was in the Highwaymen, and he is correct, that is a great song...... Almost completely irrelevant here though. Probably what I would have expected from an album called honky tonk heroes, maybe even on the more disappointing side to be honest 2

Gear: ZMF Bokeh Closed Artwork: 🤠🤠🤠 Production: 👂🩺🧈 Music: 🐮🎸🛀 Rating: 🦸🦸‍♂️(🦸‍♀️)/5

I didn't hate it, but it didn't blow me away either. Good Country music.

4/5. Really chill easy listening. Enjoyed it a lot.

MVP goes the bassist. You held it down. You drove the melody. You were the hero. Also didn’t know how similar Waylon and Roy Orbison’s voices are.

😴

A slow burn of country ballads. Worth a relisten.

I loveeee this kind of country music. It gets right into my bones and melts my stress.

1. honk - 2 2. dimerz - 2 3. gypzy - 1 4. louu - 2 5. omaha - 1 6. azk -2 7. ride - 2 8. mezico - 1 9. roze - 1 10. had - 1 11. louu - 2

good playing with nice vibes but nothing made me feel much, it was just fine

This made me want to be wandering an open field in the afternoon half drunk in the summer so bad.

7/10

a real country bummer. Its fine, just sad and kind of drawn out. Just a lot of "we're past our prime and the world changes but we dont" type of stuff. Its the country music people made fun of in the 90's.

Sad songs by a bunch of fucking country losers. It was pretty good

i'm a sucker for smooth deep voices over some handpicking on the guitar... what can i say... i loved this album and most of the songs have been added to my music library already

Knew the name but not the music. I think it's alright, I'm not that qualified to talk deep about country music but it never overstayed its welcome.

Honky tonk indeed. I liked this for what it was but it still felt underwhelming. Songs felt like they were too short, like they could have been longer and more interesting but the moonshine and sadness only lets us jam for so long.

Enjoyable honky tonk country album. 3 stars.

After Lonesome, On'ry and Mean, Outlaw country was in full swing thanks to Willie Nelson, so naturally Waylon Jennings rode that wave into Honky Tonk Heroes. But Honky Tonk Heroes is far from an empty chart placement. This one is a great batch of songs unified with a post-hangover melancholic feel. Although Jennings didn't write the songs, they sure feel like he did, and he sings them in accordance. It's firmly country, but I think it's also worth mentioning how it has a rocking sound at moments, evident in the electric guitar in the first song and on Slow Rollin' Low, a bonus track. It also has a tinge of singer-songwriter to it.

So boring im not even gonna finish ts 😭✌️

I like short albums and this one is very quick. Has some very nice honky tonk songs 😁 there’s some real good lyrics in Old Five and Dimers and We Had It All

Y'know, I wasn't really too energized going into this one, and I came out of it pleasantly surprised. Maybe this honky likes honky tonk? The last song especially hit me, but overall a pleasant listen.

7.16.26 okay really liked this -- lived up to its honky tonky promises. really fantastic country, and its just what you want going into a country album. great slower songs and fantastic plucky upbeat works. and by god it moves fast. Favorite Song: Low Down Freedom Rating: 4/5

I have no idea if this is honky tonk, but I like it.

I love Waylon but haven't heard this album so I am excited to listen. I don't think I recognize any of these song but I love them all. Just some classic outlaw country, great album!

Listenable but nothing worth being on here.

When the Honky Tonk kicks in mid-way through the 1st track...amazing

It's rare when you get the perfect combination of a prototypical sounding country album that is also the perfect album to put on for those country haters in your life. Waylon nails it here with fantastic songwriting, musical arrangements, and recording quality, getting in and getting out efficiently, pulling us into his world for a satisfying start-to-finish album that many of us likely thought, at one point in our lives, it'd be a cold day in hell before you'd catch us spinning one like this.

Review - fuck me this is a rough listen. I'm not a country hater, not even a Waylon Jennings hater, but this is shit. Ramblin' Man much better. Score - 2.5/10 Need to listen? NO

0/5... arrrrggghhhhh 1/5 Wow, for God's sake, more country music?!?!?! Damn, no way! I'd rather die than have to listen to this (˶˃𐃷˂˶)

Good album, not my first choice of genre but I enjoyed it

Good Dukes music

Quite good.

Didn't expect to enjoy this but I actually really loved it? Made me feel like I was sitting in an old school bar with everyone having a singsong and a good time. I love music that takes me out of reality for a short while.

Yee haw 🤠

Chill cowboy vibes

Really cool sound some songs were amazing. 8.9/10

fine но не моё это ккороче вайбовый кантри!

nice enough

I really enjoyed this one despite not having any of the big hits. Just good old fashioned outlaw country.

Learning a lot about myself while doing this project. Going to go partially off track here, so stay with me now. Most forms of Jazz are not my thing. I find them mostly boring, but still at the bare minimum they’re easy to listen to unless it’s a Freeform quartet, in which case it’s usually torturous. That being said, I usually give them a 3. There have been good Jazz albums that have surprised me. But Country music?? It’s all trash across the entire board. It’s not fun to listen to, it’s not easy to listen to, and I just certifiably do not enjoy it in any form that isn’t just Johnny Cash, the exception to the rule. From the second I hear that familiar guitar sound, and the hillbilly voice, I’m instantly in agony, longing for any other album. Honky Tonk may be one of the worst sub genres to exist. This just sounds like every single other Country album I’ve listened to on this site, which is to say it’s getting a 2 star review. The first song was not terrible, besides his voice. There were moments of enjoyment, notably when he wasn’t singing. The rest of this album though?? I’m glad it was only 27 minutes long, because man was it tough to get through. Just couldn’t get through it a second time. Got about 80% of the way through so I could see if it scrapes out a 3, but it’s just so terrible, I couldn’t manage it. “Honky Tonk Heroes” is my favorite, I guess. But I still don’t really even like that. Less than a week ago I rolled another Country album that I had to give a 1. I do not give many 1’s. This album wasn’t half as miserable as that one was, but I still personally believe this was more bad than good. Going to give it a 2.7 and call it a day. If there’s one thing I’m happy about it’s that the site is just knocking out all the terrible Honky Tonk early so I can get back to enjoying the actual music. Not much more I can stretch out this review with. At the moment, before I click vote, here’s a quick rundown of my Bottom 3 sub genres. If you think I’m not qualified to review this properly, I would agree. I openly hate Country music. In third place at the bottom is Jazz, at 2.86/5. In second place, we’ve got Foll, sitting at 2.83/5. Drumroll please, and keep in mind this is before I give this the 2 it rightfully deserves, Country is at the very bottom, at a staggering 2.33/5. Does good Country music exist?? Or is it just Johnny Cash, who I gave a 4. I’m truly starting to believe that it’s all just actual garbage. Only time will tell, but I’m dreading the day when I roll more. Not a fan. Ok, that’s enough of that. Boring album, not a fan of the voice, and the instrumentation was simple and boring as well. Moving on.

Buen disco de country. Temas que se sienten super campiranos y alegres, y uno que otro por ahí triste y llegador. Padre la música de Waylon Jennings.

We Had It All

Short and quality. Not any bangers, but they’re all good.

Mid level country album.

Yee and indeed haw. Tbf for all its modern day cowboy tropes it is more sophisticated than that. The songs are tender tales of loss, booze and love. Jennings voice is gruff but sensitive and he gives the songs life. Sadly l, musically it’s a bit dull and despite some nice guitar playing didn’t grab me as much as the vocals

People seem to be giving this high praise simply for not sucking while being country. This is strictly middle of the road.

Good old style country, but Waylon Jennings seem to have a lot more rock influences than you'd expect.

Not really my kind of music, but ok in the background

It’s giving America 250 Playlist add: "Low Down Freedom"

yeehaw! Overraskende stor 3'er

Lyder ret godt for genren ig

🥱🤠🤷‍♂️

Not really my thing but still cool

HONKY TONK

Charming, good, and fine. Shout out for being 27 minutes.

3.5

2.0

I ended up liking this one more than I initially expected. There's quite a bit of range of different kinds of styles of songs on here which are all obviously still country. I was surprised how much and how hard of a "kick" there was from the drums when played on somewhat decent speakers Standouts Low Down Freedom You Ask Me To We Had It All 4/5

I had a Waylon album on the Another 1001 albums list put together on Reddit. I preferred that one to this one. Long fadeouts made the songs feel incomplete and the stories didn't connect with me as did that album. 2.5/5

70s outlaw country, blending honky tonk with rock and roll. I enjoyed this one well enough and you can't argue with a 27-minute listen. Couple of my favorite lyrics off this one: - "If my feet could fit a railroad track I guess I'd been a train." ("Ain't No God in Mexico") - "Well, the devil made me do it the first time / The second time I done it on my own." ("Black Rose").

this is what made country music unpopular 3/5

This guy looks like Ryan dinger

fine.

Basta de Country no pienso escucharlo.

Listenable but not really my thing

70’s country music is very different than today’s, and for the worse…

This album made me a provisional fan, like now I want to listen to more Jennings.

Took me a few listens to get beyond my own pretensions, both croony balladeers from this period and country music in general. Great songwriting full of classic-sounding heartache. Gordon Lightfoot with more twang. My only real beef is that most songs are under three minutes, and they accomplish this by fading out during the hooks, typically having only heard them 1-2 times previously. Don't be a tease! Vinyl had more room than that.

We Had It All, until we listened to this one.

Nice listen. Curious if there will be any Cash comps in our reviews. Another blind spot for me but have friends that reference him a good deal. Favorite was probably Omaha.

Waylon is able to get a shocking amount of musical variety out of a seemingly limited set of tones. The outlaw persona makes the soulful moments hit harder. Also rips the guitar and harmonica in a way that lifts this out of saccharine country hokum. I can’t explain why I like this and hate Johnny cash but I guess it comes down to a better backing band and Waylon not being a fraudulent bitch.

Generic country, why is this here?!

Country. Background music

Meh, country is really not my thing.

I actually really enjoyed this but I don’t know when I would revisit this if ever

Loving this album is so much easier being in a time in my life where I'm super open to damn good country. But given the quality here, I'd probably love this even back when I was ignorant to the genre. The lyrics and Jennings' booming voice are just perfect accompaniment to some creative playing.

I'm not a Country fan, but this was better than any modern country, still not really my thing though. This album could lean into Southern Rock at times and those were my favorite moments of the album. Not bad, but not my genre. Favorite Track - Black Rose Least Favorite Track - Old Five and Dimers (Like Me) ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Started strong

for some pleasant and nostalgic country tune, this is a good choice. It’s rather specific old country classic and likely a niche audience. i still enjoy it.

Love Country (unless its Dixie Chicks), even more do I love Country Rock/Folk. This is classic Country and although I had high hopes, while it was nice to listen to it had no wow factor.

I'd drink a beer in a beat down skuzzy bar to this album

Kantreinta kantria mitä oon kuullu. Ihan kiva siivoilla tän tahtiin.

The first track is my favorite and there are some boring tracks thrown in there. It was fun to listen to.

I didn’t think I would like this but I kinda did. The title track is great and any of the other tracks with that energy are fun to listen to. The slower, more melodic stuff I can do without, but with the proper speed this can be great to listen to.

Noooo

Country isn't really my thing. But every now and then, you find some gems in that genre that I really enjoy. That's how I felt about this album. I probably won't listen to it again, but it was fun for this one time. 3/5

Bailed on this one. Not my thing even a little bit. That's all I have to say.

I like the simplicity. There is some good guitar work. Unfortunately some of the songs are a bit too snoozy/wander into lounge territory. I’m not a big country fan but this wasn’t bad.

One of my favourite country records ever. I just love the sound of this one.

3/5

Æ høre altfor lite på gammel country, for æ elske det så himla høyt. Hjerte.

i usually like old country music but this was just not hitting for me 5/10 Favourite: Honky Tonk Heroes Least Favourite: Ain't No God In Mexico

How can you be mad with Waylon Jennings (I guess if you count creating Shooter Jennings, but he also created Mason Jennings). I love this era of country and the one that came before it so you know what this is going to mean. 5 Stars.

Listened Before? N Good album. I'm in overtime on this list now, so I'm running out of words. I signed up for 1001 and I'm sitting at 1041/1001 or something. Waylon is great, awesome voice. At least it's not another britpop album. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Honky Tonk Heroes

Not really not country, but this was okay.

classic. honky tonk. a whole vibe.

Huh. This wasn’t terrible. I don’t generally like country music (understatement), but I made it through this without complaining. I should probably go to the hospital and get scanned.

Once Nashville guitarist and production guru Chet Atkins opted not to produce this album it took on the character of a rebellious black sheep in the country canon. Waylon does have a certain Johnny Cash in his voice and there is a familiarity in the sound but not the lyrics of these songs. The album is short and sweet but hits the spot throughout leading the way to the formation of the Highwaymen with Cash, Nelson, Kristofferson and Haggard. I found this a refreshing listen, full of tunes and those three chords with the truth.......

Good: well written and performed. Not my scene but I see how a lot of stuff I’ve heard comes from this.

06/06 Boring

When an album contains its own genre or style in the title, 99% of the time it's a sign that it's going to be the most generic and uninteresting thing you've ever heard, and this album here is absolutely no exception. It sure it honky tonk, and the album just reaaalllyyyy wants you to know that. I always do my best to give every album I listen to on here as much of an in depth and insightful review as I can, but sometimes when you get one that's this boring, it's made very hard to do that.

Good ol' boy country done right, with a God-given voice and a penchant for songs about outcasts and losers. I've never been a huge fan of the genre but Waylon and his great band made me a convert. Much credit goes to Billy Joe Shaver who wrote most of these songs.

Hell yeah. Here, you'll hear Waylon help liberate country music from cold, conservative, sterile, Nashville hell, with songs about losers, bums, drifters, and nogoodniks. Glad sturgill Simpson is carrying this torch today. To paraphrase Tony Soprano, in this house, Waylon Jennings is a hero, end of story

Not really my thing but not bad

I’m developing a quick and easy dislike for country music

Enjoyable album. Not one I’d heard of before, but I do enjoy some Country music from time to time. Not something I’ll listen to again, but I can appreciate its cultural significance

yea it's alright

Generic country music, another one that makes no sense being on this list.

Para ser country se la bancó bastante. Medio ranchera la cosa, suena a estar en un rodeo en Nueva Mexico. 4/10

Yeehaw.

3.5

I got married today so I was hoping for a really good album. Initially, I was a little disappointed when I opened the site and saw this, as I’m not normally a big country music guy, but boy was this a surprise! I genuinely liked several songs on this and I’m struggling to figure out which one to add to my 1001 playlist. Given the occasion, I’m thinking “You Ask Me To”

Nice

Awful, I really hate this. Stand-outs - Black Rose - We Had It All

very croony, but ok

The title track is surprisingly awesome. The rest of this one is the same sappy bullshit I’ve come to expect from most country albums on this list.

5.5/10

I don't mind a little honky tonk every now and then.

This genre of country is so fun and campy. Much preferred over the 'check out my truck and beer and hot sister' version of country today. Although both are still a little... ya know... Not in a bad way, its just... Take old country. These guys arent actual cowboys, right? They have so many songs about being a cowboy as if they were living in an old western. But like... they werent... Im just saying its pretty 'theater kid' to get really obsessed with basically a period piece type of content in a way that it becomes your whole personality. Dont get me wrong, its great music. New country is worse. Bunch of dudes living in the suburbs pretending they have hard lives because they just want to drink beer play with their lil trucks and wear their cute lil cowboy boots. Just kiss each other already geez. Anyway... Waylon + Willie 4 life <3

Sarmadi

Good enough stock-standard country. For some reason I zero'd in on the bass on this one and it was incredibly uninspired even by country music standards, but Jennings has a nice enough voice and lyrically it's pretty alright. Fav tracks: Black Rose

k-rose vibes. what country is all about

Nice songwriting parts here, albeit a little boring at times but I liked enough songs here

I liked this one. 4 stars

This is a great album. I really enjoyed this.

not bad, not really my style tho. kinda reminds me of something arthur morgan would bop to

I gotta give them credit, it was much better than I expected.

A nice listen with a glass of whiskey and a cigarette.

Great short country album

Not essential

#138/1001 🇺🇸 Well the country albums are coming thick and fast at the moment. 4 out of the last 8 to be precise. Jennings has a really rich baritone voice and i've really enjoyed hearing this. Best tracks: Omaha,

I wondered when I'd get some Waylon. Billy Jo Shaver was so on with his song-writing.

Blind album and artist. Cornerstone of outlaw country? Southern Rock? Never thought I would enjoy this, but i very much do. Not my favorite by far but its got me nodding along to the heavy beats and feel.

I've never been a fan of country, but never listened to enough to write it off and this was really pretty good. The songs have a bit of steel and clarity to them, and Jennings had a strong voice and a fine band to drive things along. The last song, the one billed as the big single on the cover, had some syrupy Nashville strings - which reminded me of what I was glad to be missing in the rest.

3+

As degenerate as modern country is, it's almost comforting to hear country that lives and dies by the old stereotypes. This is brokedown truck and old dead dog country. It's amazing how that can go from a snarky dismissal of the genre, and then the genre can get to a place where you start to miss all that. The first thing I really notice is that Waylon keeps shifting his voice across the first few tracks. All of them are dated, but it's sorta interesting that he keeps making those choices. And yet, the songs aren't all that different. They're just… they're there. It's fine music, but this is music that you listen to because it's on and it's inoffensive. Outlaw country would be upset realizing how inoffensive this is. Most of this is a step away from grandma music… a little more modern, but a solid clip less iconic. It doesn't deserve under a 3*, but it only barely deserves that. No one needs to hear this before they die. They've already heard a hundred identical songs and forgotten them all

Equal parts bravado, humility, tenderness and, let’s call it a narrow world view with plenty of experience. The last track feels like it was a lot people’s wedding song, if you were from Texas in the 70s.

Country from the old but not oldest days. Definitely not what my wife calls bootlicking country. Kinda rock, ballads are good but I don't love country ballads unless they're great (John Prine). Worth a listen, questionable as a "must".

fine ppoo i hated it its should die in a deep deep dark hole because it was so fuckinb bad please erase this from my memory

This thoroughly enjoyable album is the pinnacle of the outlaw country movement featuring its best representative and singer in Waylon Jennings and its greatest songwriter in Billy Joe Shaver, who harassed Jennings until he agreed to record his songs.

Waylon's one of the goats. Wish this was longer.

Country isnt a genre in overly familiar with but I thought this was quite good. Dude has a cool voice and a lot of the songs here are really catchy. The album's only like 26 minutes long too so it's a very easy listen too. I probably wouldn't ever come back to this but I'd say I enjoyed my time with it overall.

So glad to see Waylon on the list. More please!

Billy Joe Shaver writes a great song. The performances are pretty boring but the guitar and harp sound great.

what is this wildwest tavern music

Really good. Definitely gonna have to come back to it, especially given how short it is. Wish it would let loose a bit more like it threatens to do in the first track, though--if it did, that'd easily bump it up another star.

Buen country

I'm afraid I may have rated this a bit lower than it deserves, but I've had three country albums in quick succession and I'm sick of it now. This is where this list reflects its US origins - looking from anywhere else in the world, it makes so sense at all that so many country albums get to be on here but nothing from many other places' traditional music.

I just wanna drive my fish, drink my truck, kiss my beer

Počuvateľný country album.

pleasant

2.7 3x it's honky tonk alright

4/10

Кантрі бляха!!!

Can't go wrong with some Waylon!

Had never listened to this all the way through. Modern country has fallen a long way from this

One of my favorite country albums. Great songwriting and storytelling and delivery to match

De la country tout à fait correcte

This was a fun, good, easy-listening country album. I like it a lot and I will be listening to more of him.

Boomer (but correct) take: This is what country sounds like, not the bullshit that passes nowadays.

Can't say I'm a big country and western guy but I liked this. Some real bangers, all the songs are catchy and punchy. The ballads are a bit dreary but I really liked the upbeat ones

I'm definitely not a country music fan, but I'm trying to give country albums a chance when they pop up in the list. Prior to listening to this, the only Waylon Jennings song I was familiar with was the Dukes of Hazard theme song. So, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this. A bit of research tells me that this is regarded as one of the first "Outlaw Country" albums, and the sparser, rock and roll influenced instrumentation apparently makes country music tolerable to me. Standout tracks were "Honky Tonk Heroes" and"Black Rose." The last song, "We Had It All", didn't really fit the vibe of the album and was a limp piece of syrupy crap that knocked an entire star off of the rating. It was apparently forced upon Jennings by his label, so it isn't his fault.

I dont like country but I liked this.

Not my thing. At all.

Give me a whiskey and a bar stool by the jukebox, thanks. This is what I’m fucking talking about. Waylon has a unique voice and a point of view that’s both bleak and evocative of the good times. It’s a line that’s important to straddle with country music, and he does it. Misery and mirth hand in hand. Unfussy production with just enough going on. I do wish the mix was more generous with this voice.

Legendary country. Acoustic guitar strings, seasoned with Columbian snow flakes and honesty.

That was great, I didn’t expect to like it so much. Really easy listening

While not my favorite genre, a good example of country

easy listening. quite relaxing.

mehhh mid but ok

Fine, I suppose! Nothing really stuck out for me, but it’s less than 30 minutes long. Favourite track: Black Rose

Awesome album, first time listening, every songs was enjoyable. Definitely will listen to it again. 4 out of 5

probably the most stereotypical but also most palatable country music i've ever heard

This album has me smiling from the first notes. I enjoyed it so much, I immediately listened to it again!

Was overdue a country album!! I really tried with this one, quite liked the 1st track, then it all went downhill from there. Decent production on it, that's about all!

7/10 el country no siempre se puede salvar con una armónica. Canción rescatable: Honky Tonk Heroes

Guy’s one of my honky tonk heroes for sure

very swag good and awesome 4 STARS

They all seems the same to me, but yeahhh, welcome to Nashville !!

Definitely a good country album but it didn’t really wow me

some absolute bops on a 30 min record

Could be the soundtrack to Smokey and the Bandit. Not terrible, but bog standard country fare.

I dig most of Waylon’s stuff. This is good too.

This is good for some old school country.

10 good country songs. Nothing mind blowing, but all solid.

This to me is what I think of when you say country album. Probably the music my parents listened to on the Saturday anfternoon country radio programme when I was a kid. And it’s damn good. 45 Star

No notes. Actually Waylon was the prickliest of the great outlaw acts so I love him a bit less than Kris or Willie. Nonetheless he’s great.

I'm loving this run of both kinds of music, in the last few weeks Dimery has provided an eclectic mix across the broad spectrum of this genre. Waylon is an interesting guy at so many levels, born out of rockabilly and the western stream than country. This partnership with Billy Joe Shavers afforded him the opportunity to bring together all those influences to great effect. Billy's songwriting is superb cross this record, it is all there. A fine record and a classic of the two kinds genre.

My initial reaction when I started listening was an unimpressed "yeah, ok". It's alright, you know? Pretty standard honky tonkin' outlaw country. But by the time I was through to the second half, I was really digging it. 'Ride Me Down Easy', 'Ain't No God in Mexico' and 'Black Rose' stood out as a terrific run of songs, only spoiled by the syrupy ballad 'We Had It All' that the record company insisted Jennings tack on the end. They should have had more faith in Billy Joe Shaver's songwriting. Shaver seems like the real deal, a true cowboy outlaw -- lost two fingers in a sawmill accident, spiritual adviser to Kinky Friedmann, shot a man in Austin because he wouldn't say "sorry". Jennings -- a bit of a bad-ass himself -- really understood the songs and delivered them well (even if Shaver didn't always agree at the time). Is outlaw country my thing? Not really, but I can appreciate that this is a seminal and enjoyable example of the genre. And there are a couple of songs here I would gladly listen to anytime. Fave track: 'Black Rose'.

It’s fine as far as country goes

Just really solid for what it is

Wasn’t clicking, I’ll go back to it

Nice chill country album. Would happily drink cheap beer and play pool to this

Country songs about drinking. It's not the worst country as some of these tracks have personality, but it's still country, often jangly. 2/5

Outlaw country.

Der amerikanische Country-Musiker Waylon Jennings nahm dieses Album 1973 in RCA Studio A in Nashville, Tennessee, für RCA Victor auf – erstmals mit vollständiger künstlerischer Kontrolle, die er sich in zähen Vertragsverhandlungen erkämpft hatte. Er brachte seine eigene Begleitband The Waylors ins Studio und wählte nahezu ausschließlich Songs des damals völlig unbekannten texanischen Liederschreibers Billy Joe Shaver. Die einzige Ausnahme bildet „We Had It All", das als erste Single ausgekoppelt wurde und Platz 28 der Billboard Country Singles Charts erreichte. Shaver hatte Jennings beim Dripping Springs Reunion Festival 1972 in Texas von seinem Talent überzeugt – allerdings erst nach monatelangem Klinkenputzen in Nashville, das beinahe körperlich endete. Sein lyrischer Kosmos aus landlosen Cowboys, staubigen Highways und heruntergekommenen Honky Tonks lieferte den perfekten Stoff für Jennings' raues, unfrisiertes Klangkonzept. Neun der zehn Tracks stammen aus Shavers Feder, darunter „Old Five and Dimers Like Me", „Willy the Wandering Gypsy and Me" und das titelgebende „Honky Tonk Heroes (Big Mama's Opus)". Die Co-Produktion mit Tompall Glaser klingt so, als wäre das Album direkt von der Konzertbühne ins Studio gerutscht. „You Asked Me To" erreichte Platz 8 der Charts und bewies, dass Jennings' Mut zur Reduktion auch kommerziell aufging. RCA Victor hatte zunächst gezögert, das Album überhaupt zu veröffentlichen – zu rau, zu eigenwillig, zu weit entfernt vom polierten Nashville Sound der Chet-Atkins-Ära. Dass das Label am Ende nachgab, war ein Glücksfall: Honky Tonk Heroes gilt heute als eines der ersten vollständig ausformulierten Outlaw-Country-Alben und steht zu Recht in Robert Dimerys 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Honky Tonk Heroes ist kein Album, das schmeichelt – es fordert, und genau das ist sein bleibendes Verdienst.

This was sort of decent. I liked it more in the latter half of the record. Favourite Track(s): Honky Tonk Heroes Least Favourite Track(s): Old Five and Dimers (Like Me)

Simply just some good ol' outlaw country. 4.5 bumped down to 4.

It’s a 5. Waylon Jennings is one of the country artists I definitely grew up on; even if I can’t remember a single song the guy has done, the name is famous to me, & his reputation in the world of country music feels monumental. It certainly feels reflected with these tracks; even if he’s not the primary songwriter here (I feel like I need to look up more from one Billy Joe Shaver), Waylon’s voice brings them all to life in a way that probably only a few other country artists of this era could really capture. The band around him does a great job as well (as always, I love that steel guitar), occasionally bringing a loose breakbeat energy to some of these tracks that adds just a touch of Beatles-y flair that spices up the album nicely. It really is just a smartly written album, & the instrumentals behind each track elevate them more, with Waylon’s voice painting all the right strokes. It’s a super tight 27 minutes that touches on everything from reliving faded musical glory, to cheap lifestyles, to the natural high of traveling, the law-filled streets of California, the freeing lawlessness of Mexico, and a couple of love tracks, whether they’re about devoted love or constantly leaving. If I have a nitpick, it’s that I do think it’s not structured quite as tightly as a top to bottom album, with a few fadeouts that feel a little cheap (I would’ve ended on “Black Rose” instead), but it doesn’t matter that much. It’s still a very easy 5 for me, and it’s the type of country album that’s right down my alley. Good fucking stuff, Waylon.

Waylon Jennings? Yes, gimme some. 5 stars.

This project has taught me one thing: If I'm going to listen to any country music, it's going to be from the 70's. This was pretty good, but not as good as Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton albums I've had from the same era. Definitely had moments. Especially enjoyed Omaha and Ain't No God in Mexico.

This was boring

Feelin' like an outlaw after this.

bão demais da conta sô!

Ralph Mooney is the MVP here, I could listen to that man play his steel guitar all day. Big fan of all the fiddle, violin, viola and cello players as well. This is far from my preferred genre but this isn't bad at all. I can see how someone could love this and spend an evening crying into their beer. 3 stars.

So good. Wish it were longer, but I think that’s the idea.

1/5 no me gusta el country jsjssj

I really like this style of country. I don't think this was my favorite album in this style, but it was pretty enjoyable for a single listen Favorite Songs: Honky Tonk Heroes, Ride Me Down Easy

The third time through my ears latched onto “Old Five and Dimers (Like Me)” and I noticed the in-plain-sight rhyme repetition: be/see/me/be/me/be/me/believe be/be/me/be Zen, dude! There’s more depth to plumbing, I’m sure, but I’m not sure the lovely ordinariness of voice and accompaniment is enough to keep me diving. Still, a good time.

I like the sound and style, although none of the songs grabbed me. Cool he played with Buddy Holly though!

Fun lyrics and a rhythm section that just drives the story telling all the way home

Fun romp with a country legend.

Well it’s better than hip hop (c)rap. But only just. 1/5 13/4/26

Didn’t love it

My tolerance for country is low, but this was better than I thought it’d be. I guess there’s a reason I know his name and recognized a few songs.

Songs to listen on your horse Not my tea but if I listened to these songs irl I would tune in Songs I liked: Omaha, black rose, you ask me to

i unfortunately can’t get behind any non-johnny cash country but this was inoffensive at least