Willie Nelson has around 100 studio albums. A lot of people have different opinions about each. I am going to rank the top five Willie Nelson albums from fifth to first.
5.) Red Headed Stranger
Willie Nelson's 1975 album, Red Headed Stranger, was his 18th studio album. It was released after Willie signed a contract with Columbia Records; they gave him full creative control over his work. The album is about an outlaw on the run after killing his wife and lover. It includes covers of older songs such as “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.” The album ranked 183 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. If you are into outlaw country music, the Red Headed Stranger is for you.
4.) And Then I Wrote
Willie Nelson’s first studio album, And Then I Wrote, was released in September of 1962. Due to the success of his songwriting for other artists, Willie Nelson was signed to Liberty Records and started producing his first album. The song “Touch Me” reached number seven on Billboard's Hot Country Singles. This album includes other hits such as “Crazy,” “Hello Walls,” and “Night Life.” This album is a great album if you like slow blues and not as much outlaw country.
3.) Stardust
Willie Nelson released Stardust in April of 1978. Being his 22nd studio album consisting of ten songs, it was controversial among the Columbia executives because it was not an outlaw country album. Stardust peaked at number 1 in Billboard's Top Country Albums and number 30 in the Billboard 200. “Blue Skies” and “All of Me” were at number one and three in Billboard's Hot Country Singles. Because of this album, Willie Nelson won a Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance for the song “Georgia on My Mind.” This is a very good album if you want to mix it up from normal country music.
2.) Shotgun Willie
Shotgun Willie is Willie Nelson’s 16th studio album that was released in June of 1973. The album was recorded at the Atlantic Records studio in New York City in February, 1973. After a few recording sessions, Nelson was still not inspired, but when he wrote “Shotgun Willie,” the gears started turning. He first wrote this song on the back of a napkin. The album included two Bob Wills covers, including “Stay All Night (Stay a Little Longer)” and “Bubbles in my Beer.” Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter were included in this album. When the album was released it received poor sales but it received good reviews. Rolling Stone called the album “flawless,” and I completely agree. Shotgun Willie is the ideal outlaw country album if you are into that.
1.) Good Times
Good Times is Willie Nelson’s eighth studio album that was released in the fall of 1968. The album was not very well received at first. There is not a lot of information out about this album, but because of the included songs, it is the best. Songs such as “Buddy,” “Good Times,” “Pages,” and “A Wonderful Yesterday” all make this album perfect. This album is one of his more bizarre albums, with the cover featuring Nelson dressed in golf clothes with his arm around a pretty girl putting on the green. This made it look like he was very out of touch with his target audience, but that is what makes this album so great. This album is a great change of pace and a great listen.
Willie Nelson has many albums, but these are my personal favorites. If you want something new to listen to, go check them out. You can find these albums on Spotify, Apple Music, or any other music streaming site.