Best Country Songs

AP: 5367017b-85e2-4c88-a24f-5cf2d33bb03b
Introduction Sunday marks 50 years of the Academy of Country Music Awards. So that has us asking: what are the best country songs of all time? Click through the gallery for the Top 25. Then check below for the full Top 100. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvj6zdWLUuk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ej9Dqhe5p4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq0fUa0vW_E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-wJNpWgss8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTRMmHEeNyU
(1/26)
AP: 5367017b-85e2-4c88-a24f-5cf2d33bb03b

Top 101 Country Songs of All Time:

101. Taylor Swift – Tim McGraw (2006)

Who knew this debut tribute single would ignite the career of a global country-pop megastar?

100. Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys – “Faded Love” (1950)

Bob Wills’ weeper is a bona fide country standard covered by the likes of Patsy Cline.

99. Little Big Town – “Girl Crush” (2015)

Few artists could flip expectations to make jealousy sound so deliciously heartbreaking.

98. Trace Adkins – “You’re Gonna Miss This” (2008) 

If you’re not misty-eyed by the end of this “smell the roses” journey, you have no soul.

97. Diamond Rio – “Meet in the Middle” (1991)  

With this hit, Diamond Rio became the first country band with a debut single to reach No. 1.

96. Rosanne Cash – “Seven Year Ache” (1981)

The eldest daughter of Johnny Cash proved she had the goods with a slight Stevie Nicks vibe.

95. Lonestar – “Amazed” (1999) 

Boyz II Men passed on it before Lonestar turned it into one of country’s biggest crossover hits.

94. Johnny Paycheck – “Take This Job and Shove It” (1977) 

Written by David Alan Coe, Johnny Paycheck recorded the ultimate “f-off” to your boss.

93. Dierks Bentley – “Long Trip Alone” (2006)

Bentley sings raw from the gut, topping his hits “What Was I Thinking” and “Settle for a Slowdown.”

92. Gretchen Wilson – “Redneck Woman” (2004) 

Related to Nancy & Ann Wilson from Heart, Gretchen struck across country music like a meteor.

91. The Judds – “Mama He’s Crazy” (1984)

Wynonna and Naomi Judd nailed this mother-daughter exchange with unrivaled authenticity.

90. Sammy Kershaw – “She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful” (1993)

Something tells us this piece of ’90s gold will be in heavy rotation as long as country radio exits.

89. Jason Aldean – “Dirt Road Anthem” (2011) 

This pioneer in the “hick-hop” sub genre blended country and rap with a must-sing catchy hook.

88. Joe Diffie – “John Deere Green” (1993)

Aldean paid tribute in “1994” because Diffie ruled country with hits like this watertower paint job.

87. Tennessee Ernie Ford – “Sixteen Tons” (1955) 

At once snappy and droopy, this is the ultimate ode to the overworked and underpaid.

86. Phil Vassar – “Just Another Day in Paradise” vs. Travis Tritt – “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive” (2000)

This pair of 2000 upbeat tunes made us stop and appreciate the small details of the daily grind.

85. Jeannie C. Reilly – “Harper Valley P.T.A.” (1968)

A widowed mother fights back after her daughter brings home a scandalous note about her teacher

84. Keith Urban – “Days Go By” (2004) 

The future “Idol” judge unleashed a fast-paced argument asking us to slow our fast-paced lives.

83. Ernest Tubb – “Walkin’ the Floor Over You” (1941)

This country classic will have you pacing around the room, yearning sleeplessly for your sweetheart.

82. Deana Carter – “Strawberry Wine” (1996)

These caressing lyrics recall the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of losing your virginity at age 17.

81. Doug Stone – “I’d Be Better Off in a Pine Box” (1990)

This heartbreaking tale of lost love builds and builds until its chilling final wail into hell.

80. Hank Thompson – “The Wild Side of Life” (1952) vs. Kitty Wells – “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky-Tonk Angels” (1952) 

These two 1952 hits fueled a dis battle between two ex-lovers referencing each other’s songs.

79. Carrie Underwood – “Before He Cheats” (2006)

If Kitty Wells nailed Hank Thompson for cheating, Carried Underwood took it up another notch.

78. Eddy Arnold – “Make the World Go Away” (1965)

Originally recorded by Ray Price, Eddy Arnold’s grief can bring a tear to your eye.

77. Shania Twain – “You’re Still the One” (1998)

Few country artists crossed into the mainstream like Shania Twain.

76. Lee Greenwood – “God Bless the USA” (1984)

Arriving in the age of Reagan, this uber-patriotic tune fit its time like a red, white and blue glove.

75. Mary Chapin Carpenter – “Passionate Kisses” (1993)

This gem demands basic needs by repeatedly asking “Is it too much?” and “Shouldn’t I have this?”

74. John Michael Montgomery – “I Swear” (1994)

Playing out like a wedding vow, this slow dance favorite became a crossover R&B hit for All 4 One.

73. Ricky Skaggs – “Country Boy” (1985)

The defining song of the 14-time Grammy winner’s career came as CMA Entertainer of the Year.

72. Emmylou Harris – “Two More Bottles of Wine” (1978)

This chart-topper finds Harris moving in with her lover 1,600 miles from home, only for him to leave.

71. Zac Brown Band – “Colder Weather” (2010) 

“Chicken Fried” is their feel-good anthem, but “Colder Weather” is visual storytelling at its best.

70. Roy Rogers & The Sons of the Pioneers – “Tumbling Tumbleweed” (1946)

Before giving us a fast-food chain, Roy Rogers was a singing cowboy on screen and on the airwaves.

69. Miranda Lambert – “The House That Built Me” (2010)

This award-winning yarn tracks the heartache of returning home years later searching for answers.

68. Brooks & Dunn – “My Maria” (1996)

After pioneering the line dance with “Boot Scootin Boogie, this duo delivered its signature hit.

67. Keith Whitley & Alison Krauss – “When You Say Nothing at All” (1988, 2002)

Alison Krauss covered it like a champ, but there’s something raw about Whitley’s original.

66. Trisha Yearwood – “She’s in Love with the Boy” (1991)

What a joyous salute to young love in a small town — despite what the parents think.

65. The Statler Brothers – “Flowers on the Wall” (1965)

This jam traps us in a room playin’ solitaire, smokin’ cigarettes and watchin’ Captain Kangaroo.

64. Clint Black – “Like the Rain” (1996)

Garth Brooks sang “The Thunder Rolls,” but his biggest rival Clint Black nailed “Like the Rain.”

63. Faith Hill – “Breathe” (1999)

One of country’s biggest stars gave us one of the biggest crossover hits that country ever produced.

62. Jim Reeves – “He’ll Have to Go” (1959)

This piece of crooner country paints a most unique portrait of jealousy.

61. Kenny Chesney – “The Good Stuff” (2000)

He built a career on nostalgic summer anthems, but this contemplative song is perfection.

60. The Band Perry – “If I Die Young” (2010)

This instant classic tragically lays out bittersweet instructions for “the sharp knife of a short life.”

59. Johnny Lee – “Lookin’ for Love” (1980)

It’s got a simple message, but it’s the type of song that if you hear it once, you’ll never forget it.

58. Rascal Flatts – “What Hurts the Most” (2003)

If you had just one song to encapsulate the Rascal Flatts sound, it’s this devastating breakup song.

57. Eddie Rabbit – “Drivin’ My Life Away” (1980)

The ultimate driving song will have your windshield wipers slapping out a tempo.

56. LeAnn Rimes – “How Do I Live” (1997)

With a voice sent from God, Rimes set a record with 69 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

55. Sawyer Brown – “The Race is On” (1989) 

This galloping George Jones cover creates a genius horse-racing analogy for heartbreak.

54. Dolly Parton – “Jolene” (1973)

She begged Jolene not to take her man, and we couldn’t get the hook out of our heads.

53. David Allan Coe – “You Never Even Called Me By My Name” (1975)

Dubbing itself the “perfect country-western song,” it’s hard to argue with this crowd pleaser.

52. Marty Robbins – “El Paso” (1959)

This Tex-Mex tale tells of a border romance sung by the ever smooth voice of Marty Robbins.

51. Hank Williams Jr. – “A Country Boy Can Survive” (1992)

This backwoods anthem skins bucks and runs trot lines with an unapologetic survivalist attitude.

50. George Strait – “The Chair” (1985)

Only George Strait could make a song about a chair — with no chorus — into an all-time classic.

49. Patsy Cline – “I Fall to Pieces” (1961)

The first four words alone are proof that no one could hit notes the way Patsy Cline did.

48. Dwight Yoakam – “Guitars, Cadillacs” (1986)

With one of music’s most unique voices, this song is one of the catchiest ever done.

47. Gene Autry – “Back in the Saddle” (1939)

Like Roy Rogers, Gene Autry was a singing cowboy whose timeless tunes will be around forever.

46. John Denver – “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” (1974)

Played at the 7th-inning stretch at Baltimore Orioles games where Denver gave one of his last shows.

45. Lynn Anderson – “Rose Garden” (1970)

This catchy classic reminds us that love is not always sunshine and rainbows.

44. Alabama – “Mountain Music” (1982)

Taking pride in rural roots, this is backwoods music “like grandma and grandpa used to play.”

43. Brad Paisley – “Welcome to the Future” (2009)

Paisley is a profile in courage for penning this song of racial healing after the historic 2008 election.

42. Charley Pride – “Kiss an Angel Good Morning” (1971)

The Jackie Robinson of country music scored a groundbreaking gem for the ages.

41. Tim McGraw – “Live Like You Were Dying” (2004)

Tim McGraw capped a legendary run of hits with this end-of-life lesson on bucket-list living.

40. Vince Gill – “Go Rest High on That Mountain” (1995)

With piano keys and angelic voice, this funeral standard has made more people cry than any other.

39. Charlie Daniels Band – “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” (1979)

This rapid-fire masterpiece tells of a hot fiddle player who beats the devil at his own game.

38. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band – “Fishin’ in the Dark” (1987)

From the very opening chords, this song revs up a crowd for a classic sing-along chorus.

37. Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs – “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” (1949)

These legendary pickers brought a legendary backdrop to the “Bonnie and Clyde” soundtrack.

36. Buck Owens – “Act Naturally” (1963)

This sarcastic classic turned a case of heartache into a tale of Hollywood ambition.

35. Lady Antebellum – “Need You Now” (2010)

With an opening piano like falling tear drops, the hook is a powerhouse of late-night loneliness.

34. Hank Williams Jr. – “Family Tradition” (1979)

All his rowdy friends recite the song’s unwritten call-and-response lyrics whenever it’s played.

33. Waylon Jennings – “Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys” (1978)

Waylon & Willy were rebel rousers with the guts to look in the mirror for this self-depricating gem.

32. Lee Ann Womack – “I Hope You Dance” (2000)

Many songs have tried to match its sage advice, but none will ever match its endless wisdom.

31. Toby Keith – “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” (1993)

Before his troop salutes and bar songs, Toby Keith inspired us to “go west, young man.”

30. Hank Williams – “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (1949) 

The father of country wails with twangy heartache in one of the most influential songs of any genre.

29. Martina McBride – “Independence Day” (1994)

It seems like a patriotic anthem, but it’s really about an abused girl getting her fiery revenge.

28. Merle Haggard – “Okie from Muskogee” (1969)

Merle Haggard bucked hippie culture by insisting that being a square can be a ball. If you say so.

27. Bill Monroe & His Bluegrass Boys – “Blue Moon of Kentucky” (1946)

Let’s face it. Much of what we know of country music was built on the back of Bill Monroe.

26. Johnny Cash – “Ring of Fire” (1963)

The Man in Black introduced a brass horn section into this instantly recognizable country gem.

25. Reba McEntire – “Fancy” (1991)

Reba’s gutsy career song told a powerful tale of a mother prostituting her daughter toward fame.

24. Kenny Rogers – “The Gambler” (1978)

This haunting poker metaphor for life reminds us that you’ve got to know when to hold and fold ’em.

23. Dixie Chicks – “Wide Open Spaces” (1998)

The now-vindicated Dixie Chicks created country’s definitive song about moving out on your own.

22. Glen Campbell – “Rhinestone Cowboy” (1975)

Six years after Jon Voight hit Manhattan in “Midnight Cowboy,” Campbell landed this eternal gem.

21. Ronnie Milsap – “Smokey Mountain Rain” (1980)

An authentic hurt cries from Milsap’s voice as the piano and violins cut right to your heart.

20. John Denver – “Take Me Home, Country Roads” (1971)

John Denver’s voice will live on forever as he cries out for the mountains of his West Virginia home.

19. Loretta Lynn – “Coal Miner’s Daughter” (1970)

This blue-collar anthem became the subject of a 1980 film starring Sissy Spacek & Tommy Lee Jones.

18. Alan Jackson – “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)” (2001)

Just a month after 9/11, Alan Jackson penned a song of mourning that captured a nation’s grief.

17. Roger Miller – “King of the Road” (1964)

This snappy hit follows the ultimate drifter who knows every hotel room, train car and padlock.

16. Tanya Tucker – “Delta Dawn” (1972)

Few could belt like Tanya Tucker, and the haunting “Delta Dawn” was her crowning masterpiece.

15. Johnny Cash – “Folsom Prison Blues” (1955)

The Man in Black jammed for a live prison crowd, hollering their approval with each edgy line.

14. Dolly Parton – “I Will Always Love You” (1974)

Whitney Houston’s cover became the definitive version, but Dolly’s original made it all possible.

13. Randy Travis – “Forever and Ever, Amen” (1987)

The most unique voice in country music turned a simple love song into something downright spiritual.

12. Garth Brooks – “The Dance” (1990)

Garth is a rambunctious stage performer, but when he slows it down, he brings absolute chills.

11. Willie Nelson – “Always on My Mind” (1982)

Elvis sang this tale of lost love before Willie Nelson elevated it to Grammy-winning legendary status.

10. David Allan Coe – “The Ride” (1983)

Is there a premise cooler than a hitchhiker getting a ride from the ghost of Hank Williams?

9. Conway Twitty – “Hello Darlin'” (1970)

With one of the genre’s smoothest voices, Conway Twitty created a classic song for parting lovers.

8. Charlie Rich – “Behind Closed Doors” (1973)

The lyrics tell of lovers who don’t flaunt their feelings in public, because they burn it down in private.

7. Tammy Wynette – “Stand by Your Man” (1968)

Gender politics aside, it’s a monumental piece of country history boasting a rafter-shaking voice.

6. George Strait – “Amarillo By Morning” (1983)

The painterly imagery, clever turns of phrases and timeless cowboy themes make this one eternal.

5. Hank Williams – “Your Cheatin’ Heart” (1952)

The father of country music lent his signature twang of pain to the ultimate anti-cheating song.

4. Johnny Cash – “I Walk the Line” (1956)

In a genre of cheating songs, Cash flipped it to pen his steadfast devotion to June Carter Cash.

3. Patsy Cline – “Crazy” (1962)

One of history’s most famous songs, regardless of genre, Patsy’s voice was from another world.

2. George Jones – “He Stopped Loving Her Today” (1980)

Poetic, creative lyrics tell a haunting tale of a man who only stops loving a woman the day he dies.

1. Garth Brooks – “Friends in Low Places” (1990)

This saloon singalong has taken on a life of its own that will outlive Garth Brooks and the rest of us.

VERDICT: If it feels odd placing such a living, touring artist like Garth Brooks atop such legends as Hank Williams and Johnny Cash, consider this: Garth Brooks just passed Elvis Presley as the top-selling solo artist of all-time and trails only The Beatles for the overall top slot. End of story. No further evidence, your honor.

March 28, 2024 | (Jason Fraley)
March 28, 2024 | (Jason Fraley)
Jason Fraley

Hailed by The Washington Post for “his savantlike ability to name every Best Picture winner in history," Jason Fraley began at WTOP as Morning Drive Writer in 2008, film critic in 2011 and Entertainment Editor in 2014, providing daily arts coverage on-air and online.

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up