Your Top 50 Chart: Best Country Songs of All Time

[ant]

If you had to compile a Top 50 chart of the best country songs of all time, what would your chart look like?  Try not to include more than 2 (3 if you absolutely must) songs from the same artist.

I'd like to see what you guys come up with, so that I can see which songs I'm not familiar with and give them a listen.  I've become a pretty big country fan over the last 7-8 years, but I still have a lot to learn as there are a lot of classics that I don't think I've listened to yet.

[jferstler]

1. He Stopped Loving Her Today -George Jones
2. Granddaddy's Gun- Aaron Lewis
3. Dust On The Bottle- David Lee Murphy
4. Fishin In The Dark- Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
5. I Saw The Light- Hank Williams
6. Blue Yodel- Jimmie Rogers
7. The Baby- Blake Shelton
8. Holes In The Floor of Heaven- Steve Wariner
9. Coal Miners Daughter- Loretta Lynn
10.My Maria- Brooks & Dunn
11.Should've Been A Cowboy- Toby Keith
12. My Kind of Music- Ray Scott
13.Don't Ask Me How I Know- Bobby Pinson
14.Family Tradition- Hank JR.
16. The Grand Tour- George Jones
17. Don't Take Her- Tracy Byrd
18. Sunday Morning Coming Down- Kris Kristoferson
19. Galveston- Glenn Campbell
20. Teddy Bear- Red Sovine
21. What Are You Listening To?- Chris Stapleton
22. Meet In The Middle- Diamond Rio
23. Right Where I Need To Be- Garry Allan
24. The Dance- Garth Brooks
25. This Cowboys Hat- Chris Ledoux
26. High Cost Of Living- Jamey Johnson
27. Dirt Road Anthem- Colt Ford/B.Gilbert
28. You've Got To Stand For Something- Aaron Tippin
29. Time Marches On- Tracy Lawrence
30. Deadwood Mountain- Big and Rich
31. How Do You Like Me Now?- Toby Keith
32. The Good Stuff- Kenny Chesney
33. The Road You Leave Behind- David Lee Murphy
34. Mamma Tried- Merle Haggard
35. Are The Good Times Really Over For Good?- Merle Haggard
37. I'm Alright- Jo Dee Messina
38. Islands In The Stream- Kenny/Dolly
39. Red Ragtop- Tim Mcgraw
40. Bubba Shot The Jukebox- Mark Chestnut
41. The Little Girl- John Michael Mongomery
42. Tennessee Whisky- George Jones
43. Carrying Your Love With Me- George Strait
44. That's My Job- Conway Twitty
45. Who I am- Jessica Andrews
46. This Kiss- Faith Hill
47. Kick It In The Sticks- Brantley Gilbert
48. Where Corn Don't Grow- Waylon Jennings
49. Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde- Travis Tritt
50. Church Pew or Bar Stool Kinda Town- Jason Aldean

This was just off the top of my head. I could go on and on. Just personal favorites of mine and not really in any order except for the first few. I could make a top 200 list and it'd be easier.

[Kentucky25]

Taking this as a combination of my favorite songs and the songs universally considered to be the best here I go...

1. He Stopped Loving Her Today - George Jones
2. Don't Close Your Eyes - Keith Whitley
3. The Dance - Garth Brooks
4. Amarillo by Morning - George Strait
5. Highwayman - Highwaymen
6. If the World Had a Front Porch - Tracy Lawrence
7. In Color - Jamey Johnson
8. Diggin' Up Bones - Randy Travis
9. Hurt - Johnny Cash
10. Mama Tried - Merle Haggard
11. My Home's in Alabama - Alabama
12. Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love) - Waylon Jennings
13. That's Why I'm Here - Kenny Chesney
14. Should've Been a Cowboy - Toby Keith
15. Everywhere - Tim McGraw
16. Neon - Chris Young
17. Two Dozen Roses - Shenandoah
18. Whiskey Lullaby - Brad Paisley
19. Chasin' That Neon Rainbow - Alan Jackson
20. Night Train - Jason Aldean
21. Like a Cowboy - Randy Houser
22. People Are Crazy - Billy Currington
23. Good Brown Gravy - Joe Diffie...HA no...A Night to Remember - Joe Diffie
24. I Drive Your Truck - Lee Brice
25. Mood Ring - Wade Bowen
26. Brother Jukebox - Mark Chestnutt
27. Alyssa Lies - Jason Michael Carroll
28. That Ain't My Truck - Rhett Akins
29. Life's a Dance - John Michael Montgomery
30. Fishin' in the Dark - Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
31. Lonely and Gone - Montgomery Gentry
32. Politics, Religion, and Her - Sammy Kershaw (not sure if this was a single)
33. It Ain't Easy Being Me - Chris Knight
34. What're You Listening To? - Chris Stapleton
35. Wish You Were Here - Mark Wills
36. Tequlla Talkin' - Lonestar
37. Old School - John Conlee
38. I'm Gonna Be Somebody Someday - Travis Tritt
39. Bobbie Ann Mason - Rick Trevino
40. Lost in This Moment - Big & Rich
41. Straight Tequilla Night - John Anderson (I'd Really Love to See You Tonight for nostalgia, but I'm pretty sure it's classified as Pop lol...)
42. Neon Moon - Brooks & Dunn
43. Til Summer Comes Around - Keith Urban
44. Austin - Blake Shelton
45. Bop - Dan Seals
46. Another Try - Josh Turner
47. Raymond - Brett Eldredge
48. Chevrolet - Luke Bryan (I KNOW it wasn't released but I love it so much)
49. These Days - Rascal Flatts
50. Need You Now - Lady A (Still really burned out on it, but can't deny it's a good and important song to country music)


So that's a 19 year old's perspective. I tried to be objective, but guy's I grew up loving like Aldean and Young are higher than they probably ever will be. Still a good mix of old and new.

[gonecountry]

May 9, 2014 14:15:16 GMT -5 jferstler said:

This was just off the top of my head. I could go on and on. Just personal favorites of mine and not really in any order except for the first few. I could make a top 200 list and it'd be easier.

Agree completely - pulling together 50 was hard, particularly limiting it to 1 or 2 songs per artist. I did pretty well except for Brad Paisley (given his duets), I had to go w/ three of his.

1. You Had To Be There – Tim McGraw
2. Every Mile A Memory – Dierks Bentley
3. Right Where I Need To Be- Gary Allan
4. When I Get Where I'm Going - Brad Paisley & Dolly Parton
5. How Do You Like Me Now?- Toby Keith
6. Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)- Alan Jackson
7. Til The Last Shot’s Fired – Trace Adkins
8. Picking Wildflowers – Keith Anderson
9. It Just Comes Natural – George Strait
10. This is Country Music – Brad Paisley
11. Keep On – Eric Church
12. Fly Over States- Jason Aldean
13. Guilty As Can Be – Cody Johnson
14. Saturday Night – Wade Bowen
15. My Texas – Josh Abbott Band and Pat Green
16. Hard Candy Christmas – Dolly Parton
17. No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem - Kenny Chesney
18. These Days- Glenn Campbell
19. Life Ain't Always Beautiful – Gary Allan
20. Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off – Joe Nichols
21. Playboys of the Southwestern World – Blake Shelton
22. Where the Stars and Stripes and Eagles Fly – Aaron Tippin
23. Suspicious Minds - Elvis Presley
24. Everywhere Man- Johnny Cash
25. I Like It, I Love It – Tim McGraw
26. Should've Been A Cowboy- Toby Keith
27. If You’re Going Through Hell – Rodney Atkins
28. The Little Girl- John Michael Montgomery
29. Living for the Night- George Strait
30. Family Tradition- Hank JR.
31. I Just Came Back From A War – Darryl Worley
32. Too Country – Brad Paisley and Buck Owen
33. Getting You Home – Chris Young
34. South Carolina Low Country – Josh Turner
35. 5150 – Dierks Bentley
36. I’ll Sing About Mine – Josh Abbott Band
37. Find Out Who Your Friends Are - Tracy Lawrence, Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw
38. Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace- Big and Rich
39. You're Still The One- Shania Twain
40. Crazy – Patsy Cline
41. All of Me – Willie Nelson
42. Forever And Ever, Amen - Randy Travis
43. She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful – Sammy Kershaw
44. Crazy – Kenny Rogers
45. The Dollar- Jamey Johnson
46. I Love A Rainy Night – Eddie Rabbit
47. Granddaddy's Gun- Aaron Lewis
48. My Town - Montgomery Gentry
49. The House That Built Me-Miranda Lambert
50. The Devil Went Down To Georgia – Charlie Daniels Band

[someguy]

I'll cap this at two per artist. Otherwise, certain artists would be dominating my list. Also, this list will skew very heavy on songs 1990-now, but that's the country music that I'm really the most familiar with.

1. And Still - Reba McEntire
2. The Long Way Around - Dixie Chicks
3. The Song Remembers When - Trisha Yearwood
4. Stealing Kisses - Faith Hill
5. Is There Life Out There - Reba McEntire
6. Not Ready To Make Nice - Dixie Chicks
7. She's In Love With The Boy - Trisha Yearwood
8. No One Needs To Know - Shania Twain
9. Wrong Again - Martina McBride
10. Let Me Let Go - Faith Hill
11. Any Man Of Mine - Shania Twain
12. Whatever You Say - Martina McBride
13. I Go Back - Kenny Chesney
14. My Next Thirty Years - Tim McGraw
15. The House That Built Me - Miranda Lambert
16. Flies On The Butter - Wynonna
17. Stay - Sugarland
18. He Thinks He'll Keep Her - Mary Chapin Carpenter
19. Unanswered Prayers - Garth Brooks
20. Here You Come Again - Dolly Parton
21. Beer In Mexico - Kenny Chesney
22. I'm Alright - Jo Dee Messina
23. Mama's Broken Heart - Miranda Lambert
24. I Saw The Light - Wynonna
25. Where The Green Grass Grows - Tim McGraw
26. In Between Dances - Pam Tillis
27. I Will Always Love You - Dolly Parton
28. Stand By Your Man - Tammy Wynette
29. Callin' Baton Rouge - Garth Brooks
30. Baby Girl - Sugarland
31. Maybe It Was Memphis - Pam Tillis
32. Before He Cheats - Carrie Underwood
33. I Take My Chances - Mary Chapin Carpenter
34. Ain't Nothin' Bout You - Brooks & Dunn
35. Remember When - Alan Jackson
36. I Keep Looking - Sara Evans
37. Rockin' With The Rhythm Of The Rain - The Judds
38. My Maria - Brooks & Dunn
39. Bye Bye - Jo Dee Messina
40. Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning - Alan Jackson
41. I Didn't Know My Own Strength - Lorrie Morgan
42. Hey Cinderella - Suzy Bogguss
43. Mama He's Crazy - The Judds
44. How Do You Like Me Now - Toby Keith
45. What I Cannot Change - LeAnn Rimes
46. Dirt Road Anthem - Jason Aldean
47. You Look Good In My Shirt - Keith Urban
48. We Danced Anyway - Deana Carter
49. Two Black Cadillacs - Carrie Underwood
50. Should've Been A Cowboy - Toby Keith

[tim]

This wasn't easy, but in the end I decided to more or less divide it up as seen below. This more or less represents country music from my perspective. I'm very, very reluctant to include anything within' the past 10, 20, or even 30 years but there are some songs that I feel will earn their place in the history books of country music.

Father of Country Music:
"Blue Yodel #1 (T for Texas)" - Jimmie Rodgers

Mother of Country Music:
"Coal Miner's Daughter" - Loretta Lynn (she laid the ground work for the female vocalists of country music)

The King of Country:
"He Stopped Loving Her Today" - George Jones

The Queen of Country:
"It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" - Kitty Wells

Godfathers of Country Music:
"I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" - Hank Williams
"You're Cheatin' Heart" - Hank Williams
"Blue Moon of Kentucky" - Bill Monroe
"Back In the Saddle Again" - Gene Autry
"Make The World Go Away" - Eddy Arnold
"Faded Love" - Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys

Grandfathers of Country Music:
"El Paso" - Marty Robbins
"King of the Road" - Roger Miller
"I Walk the Line" - Johnny Cash
"Mama Tried - "Merle Haggard"
"Always On My Mind" - Willie Nelson
"Behind Closed Doors" - Charlie Rich
"Amarillo By Morning" - George Strait

Godmothers of Country Music:
"Crazy" - Patsy Cline
"I Fall To Pieces" - Patsy Cline
"Stand By Your Man" - Tammy Wynette

Grandmothers of Country Music:
"Jolene" - Dolly Parton
"I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool" - Barbara Mandrell
"Whoever's In new England" - Reba McEntire (she has impacted so many current female vocalists she falls into this category I think)

The Rebels:
"Folsom Prison Blues" - Johnny Cash
"Workin' Man Blues" Merle Haggard
"Pancho and Lefty" - Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard
"Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys" - Waylon and Willie
"Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way?" - Waylon Jennings
"Delta Dawn" - Tanya Tucker
"Mountain Music" - Alabama
"Guitars, Cadillacs.." - Dwight Yoakam
"Springsteen" - Eric Church

The Gentleman:
"Gentle on My Mind" - Glen Campbell
"Hello Darlin'" - Conway Twitty
"The Gambler" - Kenny Rogers
"Some Broken Hearts Never Mend" - Don Williams
"On the Other Hand" - Randy Travis
"I'm No Stranger to the Rain" - Keith Whitley
"Brother Jukebox" - Mark Chesnutt
"Here In the Real World" - Alan Jackson
"I Still Believe In You" - Vince Gill
"The Dance" - Garth Brooks

The Ladies:
"Seven Year Ache" - Roseanne Cash
"80's Ladies" - K. T. Oslin
"Mama's He's Crazy" - The Judds
"Fancy" - Reba
"Eighteen Wheels and A Dozen Roses" - Kathy Mattea
"Wide Open Spaces" - Dixie Chicks
"Strawberry Wine" - Deana Carter
"When You Say Nothing At All" - Alison Krauss

[Andy]

From an objective/historical standpoint of iconic singles, tim's list above is amazing.

I've been thinking about my top 50 personal favorites. I've been having trouble narrowing it down, but I'll come up with something.

[Steven]

^ I agree with what Andy said. Your list is phenomenal, countryboi.

[Deleted]

Hurt- Johnny Cash
Coal Miner's Daughter- Loretta Lynn
Little Bitty- Alan Jackson
Lousina Woman, Mississippi Man- Loretta & Conway
Slowhand- Conway Twitty
Jackson- Johnny and June I'm In A Hurry (And I Don't Know Why)- Alabama
I Wanna Be Loved Like That- Shenandoah
Don't Rock The Jukebox- Alan Jackson
Anymore- Travis Tritt
Check Yes Or No- George Strait
Straight Tequila Nights- John Anderson
This Woman And This Man- Clay Walker
Time Marches On- Tracey Lawrence
Crazy- Patsy Cline
It's Your Love- Tim and Faith
This Kiss- Faith Hill
Breathe- Faith Hill
Who's Bed Have Your Boots Been Under- Shania
You're Still The One- Shania
The Dance- Garth
Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)- Garth
Bubba Shot The Jukebox- Mark Chesnut
Whatever You Say- Martina
Independence Day- Martina
She's In Love With The Boy- Trisha Yearwood
I Hope You Dance- LeAnn Womack
How Do I Live- Leann Rimes
Saints And Angels- Sara Evans
Stand By Your Man- Tammy Wynete
The Baby- Blake Shelton
The House That Built Me- Miranda Lambert
Don't Laugh At Me- Mark Wills
Fancy- Reba
The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia- Reba
I'm Movin' On- Rascal Flatts
Letter To Me- Brad Paisley
When I Get Where I'm Going- Brad Paisley and Dolly Parton
Rose Garden- Lynn Anderson
Mountain Music- Alabama
Amarillo By Morning- George Strait
He Stopped Loving Her Today- George Jones
Two Dozen Roses- Shenandoah
Ring Of Fire- Johnny Cash
When You Say Nothing At All- Keith Whitley Always On My Mind- Willie Nelson
Jolene- Dolly Parton
Should've Been A Cowboy- Toby Keith
My Best Friend- Tim McGraw
Carrie Underwood- Jesus, Take The Wheel
Brooks And Dunn- My Maria
Brooks And Dunn- She Ain't The Cheatin' Kind
Alan Jackson- Remember When
Sara Evans- No Place That Far
Vince Gill- When I Call Your Name
John Micheal Montgomery- The Little Girl
Toby Keith- My List
Is There Life Out There- Reba
Wide Open Spaces- Dixie Chicks
Top Of The World- Dixie Chicks

*My list doesn't necessarily reflect personal taste, but i tried to mix in classics with songs that represent Country music as a whole to me*

[tim]

May 10, 2014 16:21:11 GMT -5 Steven said:

^ I agree with what Andy said. Your list is phenomenal, countryboi.

Thanks! I'd probably make a few changes to the list, maybe putting "When I Call Your Name" in for Vince Gill in lieu of "I Still Believe In You." Also, Kitty should probably me the Mother of Country and Loretta the Queen haha.

As for modern country hits that will stand the test of the time, the only recent one I put was "Springsteen" by Eric Church. I was trying to think of other current songs that we'll look back on 10, 20, or 30 years from now, and ones that stood out to me were "Amarillo Sky," "Mama's Broken Heart" (or even "The House That Built Me" if we are going to include a Miranda Lambert song), "You and Tequila," and "She's In Love With the Boy." One artist in particular that for the life of me I just couldn't add a song to the list from was Tim McGraw. For every "Angry All the Time" there is a "Truck Yeah." But, I think his current single "Meanwhile Back At Mama's" might be that one tune out of his long string of hits that we might look back on with such high esteem. I remember when he released "Please Remember Me" it was already being added to everyone's greatest country hits of all time lists...funny how time has proven otherwise. I also was inclined to add "I Hope You Dance" to the list. That is another song that stands out to me that will be added to country's all time great lists 20 and 30 years from now.

Another honorable mention would be placing Reba's "The Night the Lights Went Out In Georgia" over "Fancy," but both will be classics. Oh and Mary Chapin Carpenter but it came down to picking one of her great ballad's or the ever great "I Feel Lucky." I would go with the upbeat IFL.