It has been an exciting year for country music. We learned an alternate meaning for "motorboating," while relearning some pop classics as country duets. A few newbies wowed us with their debut albums, while seasoned entertainers proved they still have what it takes.

Most of all, the genre continued to open its doors even wider this year, making for a refreshing 12 months of music. Click the button to see the best country albums of 2012.

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