El Rio is the third studio album by American country music artist Frankie Ballard.

El Rio received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics, with several ranking it on their lists of best albums of 2016.

"[4] Taste of Country lauded Ballard's work, including it on their list of 10 best albums of 2016 list, noting that El Rio was "reminiscent of a great ‘70s live album like Bob Seger's Live Bullet".

[7] The review further states that "Ballard excels as a vocalist and musician in space," with his "50-grit sandpaper voice dominat[ing] the album with previously unheard versatility."

Annie Reuter writing for Sounds Like Nashville was hugely positive, calling El Rio a "standout release" and writing that "Frankie Ballard’s brand of country music borrows just as much from rock and roll as it does country and his latest release El Rio showcases both genres flawlessly," ultimately calling the album "a perfect blend of rock and country.