Country fans agree these 32 songs are some of the biggest hits
Country music is something that seems to be a divided issue because people either love it or can’t stand it. Throughout country music history, there have been numerous songs that have stood the test of time due to insightful lyrics, powerful voices, and toe-tapping instrumentals.
If you can’t get enough of authentic country music, you’ll want to tune into these songs that will never go out of style. Did your favorite make the list?
“On The Road Again” – Willie Nelson
Although the 1980 hit “On The Road Again” is a song about touring, it wasn’t necessarily written as a result of Willie Nelson’s reflections on his career up to that point. Instead, it was commissioned as the theme song of the first movie he starred in, Honeysuckle Rose.
While on an airplane, the film’s director approached him to write a song about life on the road, as Nelson’s character was also a touring musician. Apparently, he quickly wrote “On The Road Again” on a sick bag.
“Luckenbach, Texas” – Waylon Jennings
Although it would work as a metaphor for how Waylon Jennings pioneered shedding the overproduced trappings of the dominant Nashville sound to pioneer the punkier outlaw country movement, “Luckenbach, Texas” apparently doesn’t have that subtext. Instead, it’s just about a wealthy but increasingly estranged couple moving to the titular town to get back to the basics of love.
The song would become one of Jennings’s biggest hits, and he recognized its potential at the time. That said, the success of the song never changed his opinion on it. As he wrote in his autobiography, “I knew it was a hit song, even though I didn’t like it, and still don’t.”
“Crazy” – Patsy Cline
“Crazy” was actually written for Billy Walker, but it was done as a demo by Willie Nelson. Patsy Cline’s husband, Charlie Dick, heard the song and knew it was perfect for her.
While hesitant to record, she ended up nailing it on the first take. The song went on to become part of the Great American Songbook and was Cline’s signature tune.
“Take Me Home, Country Roads” – John Denver
Country has often been a nostalgic, reflective, and homesick genre, and all of these warm sentiments are encapsulated by John Denver’s beloved classic, “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” Whether they can relate to the feeling of longing for an old home or simply like the tune, love for one of Denver’s signature songs has passionately endured even 30 years after his passing.
Although it’s apparently one of four official state anthems for West Virginia, it was hardly a surprise that the soaring chorus that name-checks the Mountain State would become dear enough to earn the song that honor in March of 2014.
“Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys” – Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson
Although “Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys” was originally written and recorded by Ed Bruce, it grew even more famous when outlaw country titans Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson decided to cover it for their 1978 collaborative album, Waylon & Willie.
Although the hard life of a cowboy was a credible subject matter for the gritty outlaw country movement, the warning inherent in the strong strikes a remorseful tone that expresses the soul of the movement. Indeed, outlaw country was intended to be more relatable to the working class lives of both its artists (at least at first) and its fans than the traditionally polished and heavily produced Nashville sound.
“Copperhead Road” – Steve Earle
Although Steve Earle was a relative latecomer to the outlaw country movement, the raucous country-rock of “Copperhead Road” did a great deal to revive both the energy and the ethos of what made it great.
It’s a spirited and enthralling story song about moonshiners operating in Johnson County, Tennessee before a fateful encounter and a fiery car crash on the titular road changes their family forever. After serving two tours in Vietnam, the main character named John Lee Pettimore III applies the tactics he observed the Viet Cong using to grow marijuana where his father and grandfather once stilled their moonshine. Despite the criminal activity at the center of the song, “Copperhead Road” was nonetheless made the 11th official state song of Tennessee on April 20 (yes, really), 2023.
“Stand By Your Man” – Tammy Wynette
Even though singer Tammy Wynette got divorced four times, her biggest single was “Stand By Your Man.” One of the reasons why this song can stand the test of time is for Wynette’s vocals alone.
“Stand By Your Man” came out in 1968, which was a time when the women’s liberation movement was just starting to emerge. Her song was considered a critical reaction to this.
“Settin’ The Woods On Fire” – Hank Williams
While Hank Williams’ other singles (“I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” and “Your Cheatin’ Heart”) get more attention, his stronger song is “Settin’ the Woods on Fire.”
The song is goofy with a ‘ready for the weekend’ kind of vibe and has inspired current country artists such as Brantley Gilbert and Florida Georgia Line.
“Wichita Lineman” – Glen Campbell
In order to please Capitol Records, songwriter Jimmy Webb knew he needed to create a smash hit for Glen Campbell.
When he saw a lonely guy working on the top of a telephone pole in rural Oklahoma, he had the idea to write “Wichita Lineman.” The instrumentals of smooth violins with elaborate chord changes pulled it over the edge.
“Coal Miner’s Daughter” – Loretta Lynn
For Loretta Lynn, writing “Coal Miner’s Daughter” was an autobiographical experience. It tells the story of how she started from nothing and had to work her way out to gain success.
The song was originally going to be six minutes and had eight verses, but music producer Owen Bradley was able to fine tune it into what it is today.
“Strawberry Wine” – Deana Carter
One of the most beloved and heartwarming country songs of the ’90s, Deana Carter’s “Strawberry Wine” tells the story of a fleeting love she shared over the titular beverage right at the cusp of becoming a woman.
The song’s warm but sharply-written lyrical details vividly express not only the feelings that now make her nostalgic, but how quickly she and her young lover drifted apart once they both grew up. Naturally, that makes the summer they shared all the more bittersweet.
“Forever and Ever, Amen” – Randy Travis
Written by Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz, “Forever and Ever, Amen” became the third of Randy Travis’s number-one country singles and has since blossomed into one of the most beloved songs in his long, respectable catalog.
Inspired by an adorable declaration of love Schlitz’s son said to his mother during his nightly prayers, the song tells the wholesome story of a man with a wild, womanizing reputation finding the love that compels him to finally settle down.
“Goodbye Earl” – The Chicks
Released back when they were known as The Dixie Chicks, “Goodbye Earl” was a murder ballad that perfectly expressed the outspoken, empowering spirit that made the talented and daring band so beloved among female country fans.
Blending its crowd-pleasing hooks with dark comedy that turned an abusive husband into a “missing person that nobody missed,” “Goodbye Earl” became an immensely popular yet controversial song for The Chicks. While its violent themes made radio stations reticent to play it, the genuinely important conversation it sparked about domestic violence led stations to the compromise of including phone numbers to domestic violence hotlines after each time “Goodbye Earl” was played.
“Before He Cheats” – Carrie Underwood
While the story told in “Before He Cheats” was completely fabricated, Carrie Underwood knew how to bring the rage with her strong vocals.
“The rhythm of it, the metric of the lyrics, the chord changes, the play on words and unconventional patters, the way she says ‘Shania karaoke’ – it’s genius,” said singer/songwriter Kathleen Edwards, via Rolling Stone.
“I Hope You Dance” – Lee Ann Womack
Lee Ann Womack knew she had a hit with “I Hope You Dance” when it landed at Number One on both the country and adult contemporary Billboard charts.
The song also won “Best Country Song” at the Grammy Awards and “Song of the Year” at the CMAs, ACMs, and ASCAP Awards.
“He Stopped Loving Her Today” – George Jones
After recording “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” George Jones told his music producer Billy Sherrill that no one was going to buy it.
Luckily, that ended up not being the case and it became his first Number One hit in six years. The song took 18 months to finish and is able to mix tones of both humor and despair.
“Standing On The Corner (Blue Yodel #9)” – Jimmie Rodgers
Jimmie Rodgers was one of the pioneers of country music after releasing “Standing on the Corner (Blue Yodel #9)” in 1930. He was able to fuse both country and jazz with the help of Louis Armstrong.
During this time, Rodgers had just stopped working on the railroad and was stricken by tuberculosis.
“You Don’t Know Me” – Ray Charles
Ray Charles had over 250 songs to choose from when making his Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music album. “You Don’t Know Me” triumphed over the rest.
The emotional chorus and momentous strings helped set the tone of Charles singing about heartache. Singers such as Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, and Willie Nelson went on to cover this song.
“Mama Tried” – Merle Haggard
Merle Haggard was asked to write a song for a B-movie called Killers Three, which turned into the 1968 hit “Mama Tried.”
The song was autobiographical with lyrics describing his time in prison. The Grateful Dead ended up taking the song to Woodstock and would play it at almost all of their concerts thereafter.
“Man Of Constant Sorrow” – Stanley Brothers
Before the Stanley Brothers released their version of “Man of Constant Sorrow” in 1951, it was believed to have been a 19th century Baptist hymn.
Ralph Stanley heard his father singing it one day and he and his brother Carter added their own words to transform it into their own. The song was covered by Joan Baez, Judy Collins, and was featured in the Coen Brothers’ O Brother, Where Art Thou?.
“I’ve Got A Tiger By The Tail” – Buck Owens And The Buckaroos
Both the Beatles and the Byrds were heavily influenced by the righteous guitar sounds in Buck Owens and the Buckaroos’ “I’ve Got a Tiger By the Tail.”
Owens got the idea for the song after seeing the Esso gas slogan “Put a Tiger in Your Tank.” He was then able to improvise a melody on the spot.
“Jolene” – Dolly Parton
A song that will go down in Dolly Parton history has to be “Jolene.” It was inspired by Parton seeing her husband flirt with a bank teller.
Even though Parton is one of the strongest female figures in the entertainment industry, the lyrics in the song are extremely vulnerable and raw.
“It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” – Kitty Wells
Kitty Wells was able to create one of the first country revenge songs in the early 1950s with “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels.”
She scolded the unfaithful men whom she told had themselves to blame for their empty beds. This song was the first Number One country hit for a solo female artist.
“All My Ex’s Live In Texas” – George Strait
George Strait is one of the most famous country stars in the world and his 1987 song “All My Ex’s Live in Texas” still remains his most popular hit.
His loyal fans praise him for not dipping in to the pop genre like other artists who start out in country music.
“Friends In Low Places” – Garth Brooks
Ironically the start of a veritable empire Garth Brooks would forge in the ’90s country scene, “Friends In Low Places” was an ode to being unpretentious and down-home, even at the risk of social embarrassment for others.
That messaging, the clever title, and the relatable attitude to alcohol made the song a number-one country hit for four weeks, and inspired a bevy of letters from high school students telling Brooks that they wanted to use “Friends In Low Places” as their class song.
“Live Like You Were Dying” – Tim McGraw
Tim McGraw was already a massive name in country music by the time he released “Live Like You Were Dying” in 2004, but had a personal reason to share the sentiment of the song’s writers, Tim Nichols and Craig Wiseman, over the course of the year that preceded its release.
The song tells the story of a man pledging to make the most of his life and do all the things he always dreamed of after being diagnosed with a terminal illness. While Nichols and Wiseman were inspired by relatives going through similar chapters in life, McGraw’s own father had recently passed from cancer when he recorded the song.
“Boot Scootin’ Boogie” – Brooks & Dunn
While some country songs attain their legendary status through compelling stories of life or heartfelt expressions of love, some get to the top and remain favorites for generations just by being endlessly fun.
That’s precisely the fuel behind the enduring love for Brooks & Dunn’s “Boot Scootin’ Boogie.” It’s always there when people want to line dance but have long gotten sick of “Achy Breaky Heart.”
“What Do You Say” – Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire can be credibly called one of the queens of country music and the reasons why can’t be encapsulated by any one song. That said, it’s likely still fair to say that “What Do You Say” brought her the most success both within and outside of the country world.
It’s fitting to her charming style and tells the story of parents who either don’t know what to say or choose not to say anything for the benefit of their children. From the father in the first verse changing the subject to football when his son asks about an adult bookstore they pass by to the mother picking her intoxicated daughter up from a party with no questions asked, “What Do You Say” is a sweet portrait of the little moments that make up a loving family life.
“Mean” – Taylor Swift
While Taylor Swift’s songs drift in and out of all sorts of genres, she did start out doing country music. Her song “Mean” made it onto the Billboard country and Hot 100 charts mainly due to her impressive lyrics.
It empowered listeners to stand up to their ferocious bullies and was a great way to fuse both country and pop.
“The Gambler” – Kenny Rogers
Some artists simply know when their songs are going to become massive hits and that’s especially true for Kenny Rogers.
After recording “The Gambler,” he was quoted saying it was going to be a “home run.” Songwriter Don Schlitz almost gave the song to Johnny Cash, but eventually thought it would be a better fit for Rogers.
“Take This Job And Shove It” – Johnny Paycheck
Johnny Paycheck’s “Take This Job and Shove It” was a cry for autonomy. Those working the monotonous 9 to 5 jobs were able to relate to its message.
What makes the song stand out from other anthems is Paycheck’s vocals and the emphasis he puts on the lyrics. The way he hollers “Shove it!” almost seems like he’s smirking.
“I Walk The Line” – Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash wrote “I Walk the Line” while on the road as a love letter to his first wife Vivian Liberto Cash to reassure her he wasn’t doing anything to disappoint her. That turned out not to be the case after he fell in love with June Carter Cash.
Critics loved the song for Cash’s deep baritone voice, catchy rhythms, and romantic lyrics.
