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Editor’s note
: In an occasional series called Through Lines, we’re taking a look back at records that help tell the evolving story of Nashville music, one decade at a time. Our installment on the 2000s comes to us from former Scene music editor Tracy Moore, who called on a variety of contributing writers to discuss a wide range of releases from the decade. Also see our installments on the 1970s, the 1980s and the 1990s.
Nashville music fans faced an increasingly frustrating problem in the Aughts: deciding which of many exciting local independent acts often as not, very new ones to check out on a given night. By mid-decade, the issue grew more serious, with a slew of top-notch recordings to match those thrilling live shows, and national attention turning our way. Though the era saw many artists wrestle deeply and sometimes publicly with notions of “selling out” remember when that was still a sick burn, kids? the crowded scene meant more competition.