Track data provided by Spotify
Spotify Playlist Notee

Country Megahits

Some of the country classics that any well-versed (pun intended) audiophile should know. Sometimes it's the song that's important, sometimes it's the artist, sometimes it's both. I'm not saying I like all these songs, but they're songs to know. The notes are mostly just my understanding of where these songs fall in musical history. I'm not sure about all the details, feel free to let me know if you find any inaccuracies. They are arranged in rough, but not exact, chronological order.

1
If That's The Way You Feel
If That's The Way You Feel
The Seldom Scene
The New Seldom Scene Album
2
Whiskey Bent And Hell Bound
Whiskey Bent And Hell Bound
Hank Williams, Jr.
Whiskey Bent And Hell Bound
3
The Race Is On
The Race Is On
George Jones
I Get Lonely In A Hurry
4
Take 'Em Away
Take 'Em Away
Old Crow Medicine Show
O.C.M.S.
5
Killin' Time
Killin' Time
Clint Black
Killin' Time
6
Good Hearted Woman
Good Hearted Woman
Waylon Jennings
Good Hearted Woman
Another example of outlaw country from the late 70s or mid 80s.
7
This Kiss
This Kiss
Faith Hill
Faith
8
Lovesick Blues
Lovesick Blues
Emmett Miller
American Epic: The Collection
9
Mama Tried
Mama Tried
Merle Haggard
Mama Tried/ Pride In What I Am
In the 70s and early 80s an 'outlaw' country subgenre emerged. Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, David Allan Coe, were big names. Mama Tried is a pretty representative song in both sound and lyrics.
10
Home On the Range
Home On the Range
Gene Autry
The Essential Gene Autry
Gene Autry was probably one of the first 'Hollywood' country stars. I don't know for sure (believe it or not, I'm not that old) but as I understand it, his image was as important as his music.
11
El Paso
El Paso
Marty Robbins
Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs
El Paso and Marty Robbins, in general, are representative of the cowboy image and 'story songs' that were popular during 50s and 60s. The 'story song' is still a feature in modern country, but these days it's usually less about western-themes and more about 'Americana'.
12
Every Which Way but Loose - 2009 Remaster
Every Which Way but Loose - 2009 Remaster
Eddie Rabbitt
Number One Hits
Now we're getting into some of the earliest country songs I remember hearing on the radio. :) There seemed to be a lot of country-themed movies in the late 70s and 80s; this song came from one of them. Look up 'Right turn, Clyde'.
13
Whiskey River - Live in Las Vegas - 1978
Whiskey River - Live in Las Vegas - 1978
Willie Nelson
Greatest Hits (& Some That Will Be)
Willie is iconic. His career has spanned 6 or 7 decades and he has been famous in all of them. His sound has changed a little from fairly buttoned-up to outlaw country and now it's basically its own genre. In addition to his unique voice and guitar style, he is known for his live shows that (at least used to) go on for hours. He always starts them with Whiskey River. He has so many classic songs that it's hard to pick which ones to include, but this one is about as representative of him as an artist as they get.
14
Crazy
Crazy
Patsy Cline, The Jordanaires
The Definitive Collection
Patsy Cline was one of the first female country superstars and Crazy was one of her biggest hits. Your grandmother Sherry was known around the New River Valley musical circuit for her rendition of this song. A sidenote, this song was written by Willie Nelson.
15
San Antonio Rose
San Antonio Rose
Bob Wills, Texas Playboys
For The Last Time
Texas Swing was one of the early genres of country music. Bob Wills was emblematic of the sound and you can hear his influence in a lot of music that came after him.
16
Family Tradition
Family Tradition
Hank Williams, Jr.
Family Tradition
Oh yeah, Hank Williams' son Hank Williams Jr. was also on the tail end of the outlaw country trend. This song is noteworthy 1) because of the second generation superstar component and 2) because it is sort of biological and therefore sheds a little light on what it was like to be a country singer at time.
17
Foggy Mountain Breakdown
Foggy Mountain Breakdown
Flatt & Scruggs
Town and Country
Bluegrass has been around since the early days of country and every once in a while makes it into the mainstream. I believe it was more common early on, just because it was one of the major roots of mainstream country. Lester Flatts and Earl Scruggs were probably the most popular bluegrass musicians ever, all other things the same. Sidenote, I just learned from Dad that I saw them in concert when I was a toddler.
18
Act Naturally
Act Naturally
Buck Owens
All-Time Greatest Hits, Vol. 1
Buck Owens was hugely popular in the 60s and 70s. He is emblematic of 'Bakersfield' country. (Named after Bakersfield California.) I'm not sure if he was the first person to play that style of music, but he is the person most associated with it. If you listen to Dwight Yoakam (who shows up later on the list), you can definitely hear his Buck's influence.
19
He Stopped Loving Her Today
He Stopped Loving Her Today
George Jones
Super Hits
George Jones was a late 70s, early 80s country chart topper. I remember hearing this song on the radio all the time. It was one of my grandmother Estelle's favorites. Around this time in country you hear the story song making a comeback and the themes tend to be relationship based.
20
Write This Down
Write This Down
George Strait
Always Never The Same
George Strait is the king of modern country. He was popular in the 80s and 90s and has the most number one country hits of any artist. 44. I looked it up. This is one of my favorites.
21
Coat of Many Colors
Coat of Many Colors
Dolly Parton
Coat Of Many Colors
Dolly Parton is the female equivalent of Willie. She's been around forever and has massive staying power. She's probably only a little less famous now then she was at the height of her popularity in the 80s. This isn't her most popular song, but that's why I included it.
22
Coal Miner's Daughter
Coal Miner's Daughter
Loretta Lynn
Honky Tonk Girl: The Loretta Lynn Collection
Loretta Lynn, and this song in particular, is representative of an Appalachian-influenced country style (outside of bluegrass).
23
Diggin' Up Bones
Diggin' Up Bones
Randy Travis
Storms of Life
Another Randy Travis megahit that was hard to escape in the 80s.
24
Killin' Time
Killin' Time
Clint Black
Killin' Time
Clint Black was pretty popular around the time your grandmother's band was playing often so I heard a lot of his music. His career was pretty short, if I remember correctly, but he was very popular for a while.
25
Folsom Prison Blues
Folsom Prison Blues
Johnny Cash
I Walk the Line
The live recording of this song at Folsom Prison hit #1 and cemented Johnny Cash's 'Man in Black' persona. Some additional details on the performance, if you're interested: https://folsomcasharttrail.com/the-trail/blog/the-real-story-behind-johnny-cash-folsom-prison-blues
26
When I Call Your Name
When I Call Your Name
Vince Gill
80s Country
Vince Gill wasn't a superstar, but he was a bluegrass performer who had some crossover success in mainstream country. This was another song that your grandmother's band did.
27
Wide Open Spaces
Wide Open Spaces
The Chicks
Wide Open Spaces
Initially known as The Dixie Chicks, they dropped the 'Dixie' to distance themselves from the negative connections with that term. They were very popular in the late 90s and early 2000s.
28
Boot Scootin' Boogie
Boot Scootin' Boogie
Brooks & Dunn
#1s ... and then some
This song could give Achy Breaky heart a run for it's money in a contest to determine the song that started the 90s line dancing craze. Brooks and Dunn had a string of hits in the 90s, but this is the one that most entered the collective consciousness.
29
Breathe
Breathe
Faith Hill
Breathe
Both Shania and Faith had a good bit of popular crossover success. I think it's pretty fair to say they paved the way for TS.
30
Thank God I'm a Country Boy
Thank God I'm a Country Boy
John Denver
Back Home Again
I included this as a sample of the overlap between country and folk. A lot of that overlap happened in the 60s, and this is later than that, but it's still a good example of what it sounded like.
31
Don't Come Home A-Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind)
Don't Come Home A-Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind)
Loretta Lynn
Don't Come Home A Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind)
Loretta Lynn was a pioneer in a lot of ways. A lot of her songs represented a weird sort of empowerment, where the female characters were in a bad situation, but standing up for themselves.
32
The Ride
The Ride
David Allan Coe
Castles in the Sand
A classic story song. David Allan Coe was a pretty popular outlaw country singer in the 70s and 80s, but unfortunately a lot of his music didn't age well. He was a little too close to the redneck/deep south side of things. I'm not sure if he's had a redemption arc or not.
33
Take This Job and Shove It
Take This Job and Shove It
Johnny Paycheck
Take This Job And Shove It
Another one of the earliest songs I remember hearing. At some point I was running around my grandmother Estelle's living room singing or listening to it, and that's the memory I associate with it. It is a song reference to know.
34
The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia
The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia
Reba McEntire
For My Broken Heart
From a musical success standpoint, Reba McEntire I would say Reba McEntire would be in a close race with Dolly for 'Queen of Modern Country'. Obviously, Dolly had more success outside of music. Reba was one of the first country singers (along with Dolly) to be well known enough to only need to go by one name. Everyone knew who you meant when you said 'Reba'.
35
Here's a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)
Here's a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)
Travis Tritt
90s Country Essentials
At this point, I honestly don't remember whether "Here's a quarter, call someone who cares" was a common phrase before this song or not, but this song made this a household phrase.
36
That Don't Impress Me Much
That Don't Impress Me Much
Shania Twain
Come On Over
Shania and Faith Hill (the next song) took up the mantle from solo country artists like Reba, but they also represented a different type of artist wherein appearance was almost as important as the music. Not to say the music wasn't good, just that their images were as much about their basically model-level appearances, as the music.
37
Forever and Ever, Amen
Forever and Ever, Amen
Randy Travis
Always & Forever
Randy Travis was THE country superstar of the mid- to late-80s. There had been clever lyrics in country songs since country started, but he was known for songs with that clever lyrical twist. E.g., "As long as old men sit and talk about the weather, as long as old women sit and talk about old men."
38
Friends In Low Places - Live
Friends In Low Places - Live
Garth Brooks
Live in Germany 1995 (live)
Garth Brooks was one of the biggest stars of the 90s in any genre. He had a lot of crossover success and 'Friends in Low Places' was a song everyone knew. Interestingly, his music isn't on Spotify, except for one live album from Germany.
39
Mean
Mean
Taylor Swift
Speak Now
I don't have anything to say about TS that you don't already know, except for some historical context. Taylor was as successful of a crossover artist as anyone before her, but in contrast to artists that just happened to make a song with broader appeal, she intentionally decided to focus more on switching genres (or maybe even just ignoring them).
40
Lovesick Blues - Single Version
Lovesick Blues - Single Version
Hank Williams
40 Greatest Hits
When you talk about popular/mainstream country, not many people would argue with calling Hank Williams Sr. the first country superstar. Lovesick Blues is a famous track that highlights the pseudo-yodel that a lot of people associate with Hank Williams, but interestingly, this is almost an exact cover - down to that yodel - of a song from the 1920s by a guy named Emmitt Miller. You can pull the original up on Spotify.
41
The Gambler
The Gambler
Kenny Rogers
The Gambler
This is possibly one of the most popular story songs ever. It hit in the late 70s and the chorus was part of popular culture for a long time afterward. Almost anyone of my generation (and slightly older) would probably be able to recite the whole chorus.
42
All My Ex's Live In Texas
All My Ex's Live In Texas
George Strait
Ocean Front Property
Another one of George Strait's many hits. I included this one just because the song is classic and one to know.
43
Guitars, Cadillacs
Guitars, Cadillacs
Dwight Yoakam
Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc.
I can't hear or think of this song without thinking about watching my mom's band play it. For some reason it's the song that most defines that aspect of my childhood. Dwight Yoakam was very popular for a while, even starring in a movie or two. As I mentioned previously, he was very influenced by the Bakersfield sound.
44
Achy Breaky Heart
Achy Breaky Heart
Billy Ray Cyrus
Some Gave All
'Don't tell my heart/my achy, breaky heart/I just don't think it'd understand." Billy Ray Cyrus was basically a one hit wonder, but this song was HUGE and inescapable for a while. I've read that the song's video basically started the line dancing craze. In a really interesting example of downstream effects, I would say without this song, you don't have Mylie Cyrus' career.
45
Mama He's Crazy
Mama He's Crazy
The Judds
Wynonna & Naomi
The Judds had a string of hits in the 80s. Again, another song your grandmothers band did. I am sure there is a recording of Grandmother Sherry singing this somewhere.
46
Uncle Pen
Uncle Pen
Ricky Skaggs
Super Hits
Whereas Vince Gill had only had moderate success in bluegrass before he hit it big in mainstream country, Ricky Skaggs was a true crossover star. He was basically a legend in the bluegrass world already and Uncle Pen became a country hit as well. Uncle Pen is an old song written by bluegrass great Bill Monroe. It's one of those songs that lots of artists play.
47
God Bless The U.S.A.
God Bless The U.S.A.
Lee Greenwood
80s Country
This song is culturally significant because you still hear it all the time as almost a second-tier national anthem at certain ceremonies. A bit of dad lore: when I was in the Navy I worked in the building where they would practice for the recruit graduation ceremonies. They would play this song at the graduations so I heard it probably 50 times a day on Thursdays and Fridays.
48
If I Had A Boat
If I Had A Boat
Lyle Lovett
Pontiac
One of the first musical connections mom and I shared was over Lyle Lovett. I wouldn't call him a superstar in terms of popularity, but he has had a lot of staying power and represents a distinct flavor of Austin-style country that is a little bit off the beaten path.
49
Angel from Montgomery
Angel from Montgomery
John Prine
John Prine
This song makes me think of both Grandmother Sherry and Poppy. The former because she used to sing this song on our front porch when I was very young. It is one of my first memories. The latter because John Prine is an artist that I remember Poppy listening to when I was young that I also listened to by choice when I was older. I consider a musical connection between us.
Close