Thats How You Know Country Song
The 30 best country songs of all time
From Patsy to Johnny, Waylon to (yeah) Taylor, these are country'south greatest recordings.
Land music isn't all pickups, whiskey, fights and American flags. Certain, some of it is, but at its cadre, state's all virtually overcoming hardship, familial pride and heartbreak. Those values span the legacy of the genre, from Hank Williams to Willie Nelson to Dolly Parton and all the way upwards to Lil Nas X'south breakout and Orville Peck's alt land anthems. There's pop country and disco land, traditional country and outlaw country. But at its heart, all country is intertwined.
This list spans the history of the genre, from classic artists similar George Jones to modern-day superstars (Yes, Taylor Swift is here... no, we're non sorry), and we've limited the listing to one song per artist. Y'all'll find songs for true believers and naysayers who merits to hate the genre wholesale. And among the 30 ditties beneath, you're sure to find something to get your toes tapping.
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Top Land Songs of All Time
ane. 'I Walk the Line' past Johnny Cash
Cash's first No. one striking on the Billboard chart managed to keep itself on the radar for 43 weeks. Cash said the song was his 'pledge of devotion' to new wife Vivian Liberto, and, oh, information technology was written backstage in ane dark. NBD.
2. 'Jolene' past Dolly Parton
This Parton hit was her 2d nautical chart-topper and even crossed into mainstream music'due south territory. It's i of her about covered songs, now being sung by artists who weren't even alive when information technology came out in 1973, and she'south revealed in interviews that the real Jolene is a composite of her bank teller and a fan she met at a show.
iii. 'Friends in Low Places' by Garth Brooks
Songwriting duo Dewayne Blackwell and Earl Bud Lee handed this song off to a so-unknown Brooks, who took the tune to a No. i nautical chart spot and wound up making a fairly big name for himself in land.
four. 'Choices' past George Jones
Known in the last decades of his life as the greatest living land music vocaliser, Jones had no shortage of nautical chart-toppers during his musical career. This 1999 comprehend track stands out as ane of Jones's most meaningful vocal performances.
5. 'Concrete Angel' by Martina McBride
Telling the center-wrenching story of a young girl living in a hellish globe of corruption, McBride'due south smooth and loftier-reaching vocals wrap this 2002 song in emotion and ferocity. It took her girl-power anthems to a new level with its sobering message, and it's just a damn skillful song.
6. 'Kiss an Angel Proficient Morning time' by Charley Pride
The late Charley Pride will forever be remembered as the rare performer to interruption country music's undeniably fortified color barrier. Simply simply focusing on his challenges (or, more than accurately, the genre's shortcomings) distracts from the fact that he was one of the land's virtually gifted songwriters, and i need only listen to his biggest striking – the peppy, fiddle-kissed slice of soulful country – to realize he more than earned his place among the greats through impeccable, raw talent.
seven. 'Where Were You' by Alan Jackson
Few Americans don't accept an answer to the question Jackson poses in this vocal: Where were yous on September 11, 2001? Jackson reportedly felt conflicted about profiting from the tragedy merely wrote the vocal in an effort to process his associated emotions – and survivors and listeners thanked him for doing so.
8. 'Alive Like You Were Dying' by Tim McGraw
Despite its inherently somber topic, this feel-good, hip-swaying melody finds McGraw waxing poetic over the ability to truly alive life to the fullest. The rail and video both cleaned upwards at the 2004 CMAs and ACM Awards, and information technology has some solid bucket list advice (just ignore the office almost bull riding, maybe).
9. 'I Hope You Dance' by Lee Ann Womack
Songwriters Marking Sanders and Tia Sillers' heartfelt, emotional ode became the soundtrack to father-daughter dances at weddings across the state. Womack first performed the vocals in 2000 before taking dwelling a Grammy for information technology.
10. 'Sunday Mornin' Comin' Downward' by Kris Kristofferson
One country music's near frequently overlooked troubadours, Kristofferson struck woozy gold with this celebrated slice of life that offers a snapshot of a hungover morning strolling through town. Before long, Kristofferson's hankerings for weed and fried chicken gives style to a sense of regret for lost moments in this ponderous classic. Johnny Cash's embrace might be more well known at this point – much similar Kristofferson'south other masterpiece, 'Me & Bobby McGee,' became a Janis Joplin signature – just the vocalizer's yearning earnestness makes the original a staple of the genre.
11. 'Have Me Home Country Roads' by John Denver
This 1971 ode to West Virginia became Denver's best-known opus and his signature song. Nowadays, it's the perfect Instagram caption for snapshots of whatever old winding route, but in its prime it reached the second spot on Billboard's Hot 100 nautical chart and inspired dozens of covers in homage.
12. 'Walkin' After Midnight' by Patsy Cline
Ironically, Cline wasn't a big fan of this song written by Alan Block and Donn Hecht at first, all the same it went on to become her beginning chart-topping hit in 1956. Cline'due south held-back vocal performance is a poetic complement to the sorta-somber lyrics about a alone woman'due south search for the real deal.
13. 'Fancy' by Reba McEntire
Reba'due south cover of the 1969 Bobbie Gentry classic and the accompanying music video elaborated on the rags-to-riches story of Fancy Rae Baker. It became the redheaded singer's signature encore vocal, complete with a red wearing apparel revealed from beneath a black coat in the song's 2d one-half.
14. 'Breathe' by Faith Hill
A groovy crossover success, 'Breathe' got Colina to the superlative of country music charts in 1999 for the seventh time and the mid-tempo ode to blossoming love and romance sat on the Billboard Hot 100 for over a year.
15. 'Before He Cheats' by Carrie Underwood
Underwood's foolproof solution to cheating chop-chop became an anthem for the brokenhearted (and perchance the slightly overdramatic). Equally she detailed her revenge, the hit hoisted her away from American Idol and into land superstardom.
sixteen. 'Blue Optics Crying in the Rain' past Willie Nelson
The at present-legendary country-folk musician enjoyed a lot of attention when he recorded this track after previously gaining ground as a songwriter for other artists. The acclaimed song well-nigh a hard goodbye has been covered several times, though Willie Nelson's rails remains one of his nearly loved.
17. 'Follow Your Pointer' by Kacey Musgraves
This empowering tune finds Musgraves encouraging her female listeners to resist internalizing the patriarchal letters they encounter throughout life, and famously includes a pro-gay line that was censored at the Country Music Association Awards: 'osculation lots of girls, if that's what y'all're into.'
18. 'Coal Miner's Daughter' by Loretta Lynn
Lynn didn't take to get far for inspiration for this 1969 melody, which would ultimately become her signature song. It's an autobiographical account of the vocalizer'due south struggles and dearest-filled Kentucky upbringing, and information technology spawned an anthology, book and characteristic motion-picture show of the aforementioned name.
19. 'Somebody Like You' by Keith Urban
Australian country rocker Urban sings about wanting to fall in love in this single released off the 2002 album Golden Road, and it gained a wider audience subsequently being remixed for the next year'south cheesy rom-com How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. Skip the movie simply heed to the song.
20. 'Devil Went Down to Georgia' by Charlie Daniels Ring
The almost-spoken-word vocals, as well written by the band who first recorded it, is known for its breakneck tempo and presence on the soundtrack to Urban Cowboy. The ultimate tale of making a deal with the devil, it's the story of Johnny and his dabble and their run-in with the soul-thirsty Satan.
21. 'You'll Never Know' by Mindy McCready
This vocal was originally written by Ohio singer-songwriter Kim Richey and Angelo Petraglia in 1995. A tragic peaen to one woman's lingering lifelong heartbreak, Mindy McCready'southward 1997 embrace adds a glittery pop sheen to the original's iconic dusky yearning.
22. 'Whiskey Lullaby' by Brad Paisley
Famously recorded as a duet with singer Alison Krauss, Paisley's tragic opus about a heartbroken homo'south final resort and the deplorable conclusion to a erstwhile love story was certified twice Platinum by the RIAA – a four-time accomplishment for the country superstar.
23. 'Highwayman' The Highwaymen
Different the Traveling Wilburys, this dusty, battle-scarred outlaw-country supergroup delivers on the promise of its parts. A veritable Mount Rushmore of country legends – Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Johnny Greenbacks – trade verses about their fourth dimension traveling the world. Ultimately, it's Johnny who ends up on a starship blasting through the universe. Funny… we e'er causeless Willie would make that trip first.
24. 'I'chiliad So Lonesome I Could Weep' by Hank Williams
Though it went on to inspire quite a few covers, the version originally written and recorded past Williams remains a classic, though he'd first intended it exist spoken instead of sung. The lyrics tell of Williams' rocky matrimony, and Elvis famously called it 'probably the saddest song I've ever heard.'
25. 'All My Ex's Live in Texas' by George Strait
Heavy-hitting country legend Strait counts down his list of sometime flames in this vocal about why a human would alive in Tennessee rather than the haunted state of Texas. It's made appearances in multiple movies and videos, and Drake fifty-fifty calls information technology out in 'HYFR.' That's how y'all know you've made it, right?
26. 'The Gambler' by Kenny Rogers
Though the lyrics written by Don Schlitz were recorded a few times, Rogers' rendition outlasts them all. The singer's smooth vocals are a fine fit for the thoughtful lyrics nearly a chance meeting on a train and how meaningful moments are shared in the smallest and nigh insignificant of places.
27. 'Farewell Earl' by The Dixie Chicks
Mary Ann and Wanda are two women with a long history together and a future threatened by the latter's abusive hubby, whom the duo deem has to exist 'taken care of.' The cheeky, sassy music video for this song unfolds each verse with a cast that includes a young Jane Krakowski and Dennis Franz.
28. 'Love Story' past Taylor Swift
Does Swift know that Romeo and Juliet doesn't end happily? (Spoiler warning.) Despite her questionable interpretation of the Shakespeare classic, this sweet love song was a massive success off the young, so-country singer'south 2008 sophomore anthology. It bankrupt genre barriers, surpassed country hits and took over popular charts as well. The song got a fresh new take from adult Taylor in 2021, but the original remains perfect due to its mix of teenage naivete and beyond-her-years songwriting.
29. 'It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels' by Kitty Wells
It's virtually unbelievable that a song of this nature was written and recorded in 1952, simply Wells' recording of J.D. Miller's lyrics asserted that unfaithful women were the result of the handling past their unfaithful men. It was a response to Hank Thompson'southward 'The Wild Side of Life' and it was a game changer for female country singers.
30. 'Homo! I Feel Similar a Woman' by Shania Twain
Shania'southward reign over the '90s was so pervasive, information technology'southward easy to forget the whiplash she caused. Here was a young, vivacious Canadian with a golden voice rankling the land world with her PG-13 sexuality and glam presence while simultaneously invading boy band-heavy MTV with her fiddles and country twang. The vocaliser all the same sparks animosity among the old guard, making her an unlikely icon among country's well-nigh spur-rankling outsiders. And 'Man, I Experience Similar A Woman' is her magnum opus: A sexually charged celebration of womanhood exterior state'southward prescribed box of victimhood. It remains every bit unabashedly unrestrained every bit it is controversial.
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Source: https://www.timeout.com/music/best-country-songs-of-all-time
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