Jordan Davis’ star rose in the country-music landscape at the turn of the 2020s as each successive release revealed a new layer of depth to his songcraft—refreshing and modern yet rooted in tradition. Born in Shreveport, LA, Davis grew up listening to acoustic singer-songwriters like John Prine. After a move to Nashville in 2012, he worked up a formidable catalog and a deft ability with narrative and elaborate rhyme schemes. Paired with contemporary pop-influenced treatments, the sophistication of Davis’ music went down easy on country radio with formative singles like the slick come-ons “Singles You Up” and “Take It From Me.” His 2023 sophomore full-length album, Bluebird Days, showcases a greater range of emotional and musical modes than his early, more party-oriented music—see “Tucson Too Late,” a somber road-trip reminiscence, and “Next Thing You Know,” a masterly rendered overview of a relationship and the growth of a family.