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May 24, 2024 · We’re publishing our updated list at a time when a classic Tracy Chapman folk song can become a country Number One, and Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter is shining a light on the legacies of Black ...
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From old masters like Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton to sexy young scamps like Taylor Swift, the best country songs of all time are a diverse bunch. Here are 35 of the all-time best.
- Kelsey Weekman
- 'Cruise' by Florida Georgia Line. - Artist: Florida Georgia Line. - Billboard rank: #1. The duo's 2012 single set an all-time record of 56 weeks on the country charts, tying Taylor Swift's record.
- 'Walk On By' by Leroy Van Dyke. - Artist: Leroy Van Dyke. - Billboard rank: #2. Leroy Van Dyke's most successful song spent 37 weeks on the country chart in 1961, with a record-breaking 19 in the #1 spot.
- 'Wanted' by Hunter Hayes. - Artist: Hunter Hayes. - Billboard rank: #3. Hunter Hayes broke a record held since 1973 as the youngest male artist to reach #1 when "Wanted" topped the Hot Country Songs chart.
- 'Take Your Time' by Sam Hunt. - Artist: Sam Hunt. - Billboard rank: #4. This 2014 recording became Hunt's second consecutive single to reach #1 on the country charts.
- Dolly Parton — "Jolene"
- Tim Mcgraw — “Live Like You Were Dying”
- Tammy Wynette — “Stand by Your Man”
- Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss — “Whiskey Lullaby”
- Alan Jackson — “Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)”
- Patsy Montana — "I Want to Be A Cowboy’s Sweetheart"
- Eric Church — “Springsteen”
- Chris Stapleton — "Tennessee Whiskey"
- Deanna Carter — "Strawberry Wine"
- Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton — “Islands in The Stream”
Evocative and woeful, Parton's marquee recording crosses genre and generations — a once-in-a-world song without boundaries.
McGraw's 2004 ballad reminds listeners to love deeper, speak sweeter and give forgiveness that you've been denying.
Five decades removed from hitting airwaves, and country music faithful still stand tall for Wynette and her booming chorus.
It's known for its layered, mournful instrumentation, but it's the ballad's devastating storytellingand Paisley's ability to softly serenade that makes "Whiskey Lullaby" one of country's best modern cuts.
The country music Class of 1989 returns to the all-time list, this time asking a question in the shadow of a generation-defining event.
In 1935, this jaunty tune became the first country song by a female artist to sell more than 1 million copies. It's since been covered by everyone from Patti Page to Cyndi Lauper and Phish.
Church expertly captures a fleeting feeling chased by all musicians — like the chorus says, “Sometimes a melody sounds like a memory.”
With a rough but welcoming warmth, Stapleton croons a rendition of this country classic that’s worth toasting for years to come.
A commercial and critical success still filling Lower Broadway taverns with a chorus that offers "My first taste of love, oh bittersweet."
One of the biggest pop-country crossovers in history, the beloved duet has lived on through remixes and constant karaoke rotation.
- "I Walk the Line" — Johnny Cash. Talk about a classic country song! Largely regarded as the absolute best country song of all time, "I Walk the Line" by Johnny Cash was not only Cash's first No. 1 hit on the Billboard chart, but it set records when it stayed high on the chart for nearly 43 weeks.
- "Jolene" — Dolly Parton. Though "Jolene" was Parton's second hit song (the first was "Joshua"), this 1973 bop captured the hearts and ears of everyone who listened.
- "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry” — Hank Williams. As any hardcore country music fan knows well, Hank Williams is an absolute staple of the genre. And his original song "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" ranks as such, too.
- "Friends in Low Places" — Garth Brooks. Another undeniable staple of the genre is Garth Brooks. Namely, his diddy "Friends in Low Places," written by Dewayne Blackwell and Earl Bud Lee.
Jun 1, 2012 · Instead of letting legends with dozens of Top 10 hits fill a list of country's biggest tunes, we've chosen only the most memorable, successful and influential cuts from 100 wide-ranging...
Jun 1, 2014 · Some get mad, some get weepy, some just get you down the road. But these are 100 essential songs that map out the story of country music, from Hank Williams howling at the moon to George...
