Country music has changed a lot through the years, with its popularity waxing and waning over time. Find out about the musical history of country and which songs were popular throughout the decades! Let’s get started learning about the most influential songs and artists that have defined the sound of country music through its various eras.
Best Country Songs Through the Decades
Country music was first invented in the 1920s, and soon the glamorized image of country music in the American South and the West was that of the “singing cowboy.” The genre gained more widespread fame in the 1940s, a few years after the Grand Ole Opry started broadcasting the music across the whole country, which had never been done before.
Located in Nashville, Tennessee, the Grand Ole Opry’s broadcasts solidified Nashville as the home of country in the minds of audiences. In the 40s, country music started taking on some qualities of contemporary pop, making it more popular for a wider range of listeners.
Here is where we begin our deep dive journey through the decades, examining how country music has changed. It’s a style of music that, until very recently, has frequently been discounted by a large portion of the population. But, at the same time, many people all over the world also love the sound of country!
You could take a look at country through a more detailed lens, looking at how the amalgamation of all songs in a given time period relates to one another and slowly guide the genre into its next iteration. But, that’s a deep, deep dive into the genre that we just don’t have time for! So, zoom out a little bit; let’s see how, generally, country music has evolved over a few different specific time periods.
How did the music change and what influenced it? How do these small changes add up to bigger ones over time? How did country get from “My Bucket’s Got a Hole in It” by Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys (1949) to “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey (2024)? Let’s find out!
1950s to 1970s
Beginning in the 50s, country started taking on some elements of pop music. This was a natural progression as young artists, raised with both pop and country on the radio, combined their formative musical influences. At the time, pop was leaning more toward rock n’ roll, so country took on a rock-style sound. But that wasn’t the only direction country artists took their music in!
Country music first began as a type of folk music and was first recognized as a genre in the 1920s.
Country, which had very recently been rebranded, previously being known as “hillbilly music,” took some foundations and combined them in other ways with various genres. Rockabilly was another common country music sound at this time, which was essentially contemporary R&B mixed with that hillbilly sound. Bluegrass and honky-tonk were also hugely popular.
Country songs at the time were mostly either about love or heartbreak, with the latter being slightly more popular at times. Interestingly, the culture in the US at the time was known for being rather peaceful and abundant, making the sob songs feel more like indulgences rather than necessary outlets for hard times.
The smooth “Nashville Sound” music production style became the norm, giving a lot of songs from this era a similar vibe.
Later on, the “Bakersfield Sound” also became a standard production style.
Other movements like “countrypolitan,” the precursor for country pop, grew out of these styles meant to blend with contemporary popular music.
Once the 70s kicked in, country music had decidedly changed. The US had gone from being a rather comfortable place to be for the most part to having a population harrowed by the Vietnam War. Country music became an outlet for singers and audiences to vent their grievances and emotions.
“Outlaw” became a counter-culture country genre to break away from the Nashville Sound, leading the way for the country pop, country rock, and neo-country genres in the future.
The Sound of the 1950s in Country Music
Here are some exemplary songs from 1950s country music to give you a better idea of what the decade sounded like. These were the top country songs from 1950 to 1959. While there are, of course, many other great tunes from this era, this is just a sampling.
| Year | Song & Artist |
|---|---|
| 1950 | "I'm Moving On" - Hank Snow |
| 1951 | "Always Late (With Your Kisses)" - Lefty Frizzell |
| 1952 | "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" - Kitty Wells |
| 1953 | "Your Cheatin' Heart" - Hank Williams |
| 1954 | "I Don't Hurt Anymore" - Hank Snow |
| 1955 | "Sixteen Tons" - Tennessee Ernie Ford |
| 1956 | "Heartbreak Hotel" - Elvis Presley |
| 1957 | "Walkin' After Midnight" - Patsy Cline |
| 1958 | "Oh Lonesome Me" - Don Gibson |
| 1959 | "El Paso" - Marty Robbins |
The Sound of the 1960s in Country Music
Many famous old country songs were released in this decade. The Outlaw sound started to become popular at this time, led by artists like Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and Waylon Jennings. The Bakersfield sound and Nashville sound were also both very popular.
| Year | Song & Artist |
|---|---|
| 1960 | "El Paso" - Marty Robbins |
| 1961 | "Walk on By" - Leroy Van Dyke |
| 1962 | "Wolverton Mountain" - Claude King |
| 1963 | "Still" - Bill Anderson |
| 1964 | "Once a Day" - Connie Smith |
| 1965 | "King of the Road" - Roger Miller |
| 1966 | "Almost Persuaded" - David Houston |
| 1967 | "My Elusive Dreams" - David Houston and Tammy Wynette |
| 1968 | "Harper Valley P.T.A." - Jeannie C. Riley |
| 1969 | "Okie from Muskogee" - Merle Haggard |
The Sound of the 1970s in Country Music
In the 70s, country pop and country rock started to pick up in popularity, giving us many of the tunes people today still consider to be classic country songs. The blending and changing genres gave many country artists the ability to become crossover artists with hit countrypolitan tracks. Country music began to pick up a little more in popularity nationwide, even attracting a small international audience.
| Year | Song & Artist |
|---|---|
| 1970 | "For the Good Times" - Ray Price |
| 1971 | "Easy Loving" - Freddie Hart |
| 1972 | "The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A." - Donna Fargo |
| 1973 | "Behind Closed Doors" - Charlie Rich |
| 1974 | "I Will Always Love You" - Dolly Parton |
| 1975 | "Rhinestone Cowboy" - Glen Campbell |
| 1976 | "Good Hearted Woman" - Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson |
| 1977 | "Lucille" - Kenny Rogers |
| 1978 | "Take This Job and Shove It" - Johnny Paycheck |
| 1979 | "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" - The Charlie Daniels Band |
1980s to 1990s
In the 80s, country music’s popularity exploded thanks to MTV’s creation of CMT (Country Music Television) and the debut of The Nashville Network in 1983. Additionally, country music was added to FM radio; previously, it had only been available on AM stations.
Suddenly, people from all walks could learn about the lifestyle and news coming out of rural areas, making country song themes more relatable than ever. Popular country songs easily crossed over into pop music territory, causing country music and the lifestyle to become a point of interest in pop culture.
Movies like Urban Cowboy showed just how much folks from all over were interested in learning more about what it means to be “country,” in addition to listening to the music. Line dancing also became really popular!
As a result, another movement began in the music, known as “neo-traditionalism,” or “neocountry” where some artists backed off from the pop and rock influences, preferring instead to go back to the roots.
In the 90s, country had a transformative period where the songs started sounding like what we recognize today as early country pop and country rock. Famous country songs from this time are typically included in lists like “best pop songs from the 90s,” because so many of them were so firmly in the pop culture sphere that they became icons of the decade even for non-country fans.
For example, one of the most pop-y country songs, “Man! I Feel Like a Woman” by Shania Twain is a cultural staple for anyone who was around in the 90s. The mainstream success of country music at this point laid the groundwork for the new millennium.
The Sound of the 1980s in Country Music
This era of country music saw dozens of high-profile artists, making it impossible to list them all! Here are just a few of the best songs from this time period, showing what the music scene was like at the time. You can definitely hear the difference between country at this point versus country in the 50s!
| Year | Song & Artist |
|---|---|
| 1980 | "He Stopped Loving Her Today" - George Jones |
| 1981 | "9 to 5" - Dolly Parton |
| 1982 | "Always on My Mind" - Willie Nelson |
| 1983 | "Islands in the Stream" - Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton |
| 1984 | "Mama He's Crazy" - The Judds |
| 1985 | "Have Mercy" - The Judds |
| 1986 | "Why Not Me" - The Judds |
| 1987 | "Forever and Ever, Amen" - Randy Travis |
| 1988 | "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses" - Kathy Mattea |
| 1989 | "If Tomorrow Never Comes" - Garth Brooks |
The Sound of the 1990s in Country Music
Like everything else in the world in the 80s and 90s, country music was moving fast. This resulted in more changes over a 20-year period than had been seen previously. New technology, faster ways to share music and opinions globally, and faster turnaround time meant that country artists came up with bold new ideas in large quantities. Country rock became particularly popular.
| Year | Song & Artist |
|---|---|
| 1990 | "Friends in Low Places" - Garth Brooks |
| 1991 | "Don't Rock the Jukebox" - Alan Jackson |
| 1992 | "I Cross My Heart" - George Strait |
| 1993 | "Chattahoochee" - Alan Jackson |
| 1994 | "I Swear" - John Michael Montgomery |
| 1995 | "Any Man of Mine" - Shania Twain |
| 1996 | "Blue" - LeAnn Rimes |
| 1997 | "It's Your Love" - Tim McGraw with Faith Hill |
| 1998 | "This Kiss" - Faith Hill |
| 1999 | "Amazed" - Lonestar |
2000s to 2010s
Country music became even more entwined in the cultural scene at large, leading to even more subgenres like cowpunk or alt-country. While these types of songs didn’t become the “most popular country songs,” they proved that there was such an interest in the genre as a whole that people could afford to have unique and diverse tastes within it.
Also at this time, a hot new music contest show began airing: American Idol (2002). In 2005, in the fourth season, Carrie Underwood was the first country music singer to win the title of Idol.
Before this time, the thought of a country music artist winning such a pop-heavy show would have been just about unthinkable, but because of country’s heightened popularity at the time, she was given a chance and she succeeded! This victory led to country music becoming even more topical.
Even artists from other genres began crossing over to country, rather than the other way around. Sheryl Crow, Kid Rock, Bon Jovi, and Darius Rucker are just a few examples.
Many country artists in this era took steps in the pop and rock directions to a point where old-school country fans felt like a lot of new music was disappointing. Nevertheless, the existence of these songs helped keep interest in country music up.
Some people loved them, and some people hated them, but either way, people were talking about them! Many humorous country songs also lent themselves to sticking in the broad audience’s minds, going along with the often lighthearted and silly mood of the times. That’s why everyone who was around at this time knows what you get when you play a country song backwards and what a “badonkadonk” is.
Country pop ultimately peaked in the mid-2010s, reaching a strange fervor that pushed away longtime fans and didn’t really attract new ones. It seemed that country music in the popular culture scene had reached its limit, and the genre began to get much less popular very quickly.
While it's true that music and pop culture reference each other a lot no matter what era you're looking at, country music from 2000-2010 was especially referential. From processing September 11th, to bringing up hot-button political issues, to encouraging unity despite differences, country music was very involved in pop culture as a whole at this time.
The Sound of the 2000s in Country Music
This era was the heyday for new country songs in the new millennium. Many country superstars emerged, like Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, Brad Paisley, and Taylor Swift. Longtime fans and new fans alike enjoyed the callbacks to the good ol’ days, collaborations with classic artists, and the way new artists were handling country sound.
| Year | Song & Artist |
|---|---|
| 2000 | "Breathe" - Faith Hill |
| 2001 | "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" - Alan Jackson |
| 2002 | "The Good Stuff" - Kenny Chesney |
| 2003 | "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" - Alan Jackson & Jimmy Buffett |
| 2004 | "Live Like You Were Dying" - Tim McGraw |
| 2005 | "Somebody's Hero" - Jamie O'Neal |
| 2006 | "Jesus, Take the Wheel" - Carrie Underwood |
| 2007 | "Our Song" - Taylor Swift |
| 2008 | "Just Got Started Lovin' You" - James Otto |
| 2009 | "People Are Crazy" - Billy Currington |
The Sound of the 2010s in Country Music
Even though there were many country songs in this decade that didn’t fare well in country fan’s opinions, there were also many that lots of people loved!
Other sub-genres started branching off, like bro-country, R&B country, indie country, electro-pop country, and more. It became a huge trend for artists who were well-established in other genres to collab with a country artist and mix their styles together. Many of those songs are considered far too pop to be comfortable in the country lane, but they still contributed to country music as a whole.
Here are some of the songs from this era that convey the atmosphere of the times.
| Year | Song & Artist |
|---|---|
| 2010 | "Need You Now" - Lady A |
| 2011 | "Dirt Road Anthem" - Jason Aldean |
| 2012 | "Springsteen" - Eric Church |
| 2013 | "Cruise" - Florida Georgia Line |
| 2014 | "Burnin' It Down" - Jason Aldean |
| 2015 | "Girl Crush" - Little Big Town |
| 2016 | "H.O.L.Y." - Florida Georgia Line |
| 2017 | "Body Like a Back Road" - Sam Hunt |
| 2018 | "Meant to Be" - Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line |
| 2019 | "Whiskey Glasses" - Morgan Wallen |
Country Music Today (2020s)
All this country music history leads us to where we are today. While it seemed like country music might be dying out in the late 2010s, in a spectacular turnaround, the artists of today have refined the experimental sounds of the past decade and have begun to regrow country’s popularity.
Instead of pushing as far away as possible from country roots, more artists are now embracing traditional sounds and utilizing them to create country song lyrics with modern themes. While many big stars like Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton, and Blake Shelton are still part of the music scene, there are even more promising new and young artists keeping country alive.
Folk country, alt-country, and indie country have increased in popularity. Americana's influence is shining through in many new musical acts, giving country music of the 2020s a unique distinction.
There are still a few years left in the decade for country music in this era to grow!
The Sound of the 2020s in Country Music
So far, there have been many different styles in just a handful of years. But, one common theme they share is bringing back classic and traditional country sounds like honky-tonk, bluegrass, and rockabilly. Adjacent styles like folk and Americana are also finding a comfortable place in contemporary country music.
| Year | Song & Artist |
|---|---|
| 2020 | "I Hope" - Gabby Barrett |
| 2021 | "Fancy Like" - Walker Hayes |
| 2022 | "Something in the Orange" - Zach Bryan |
| 2023 | "Last Night" - Morgan Wallen |
| 2024 | "Back Then Right Now" - Tyler Hubbard |
Best Country Songs of All Time
We’ve explored the overall theme of different eras of country music, but what are the very best of the best country songs from each decade? What about the top country song of all time?
First, let’s look at what audiences and critics considered to be the very best country song in each decade according to Rolling Stone and Yardbarker.
1950s
“I Walk the Line”
Johnny Cash
1960s
“Crazy”
Patsy Cline
1970s
“Jolene”
Dolly Parton
1980s
“He Stopped Loving Her Today”
George Jones
1990s
“Goodbye Earl”
The Chicks (Formerly Dixie Chicks)
2000s
“Drive (For Daddy Gene)”
Alan Jackson
2010s
“Mean”
Taylor Swift
2020s (so far)
“Starting Over”
Chris Stapleton
According to Rolling Stone, “Jolene” by Dolly Parton takes the title as the best country song of all time.
Most Famous Country Music Artists Through the Decades
Beyond title tracks, there are hundreds of well-known country artists. Even though many of them haven’t appeared on our lists simply because of time and space constraints, there are many country music songs by these artists you should know about!
Explore more about country music in each decade by checking out these top artists through the years.
- Alabama
- Blake Shelton
- Brad Paisley
- Brothers Osborne
- Buck Owens
- Charley Pride
- Chris Stapleton
- Clint Black
- Conway Twitty
- Dierks Bentley
- Dwight Yoakam
- Emmylou Harris
- Gene Autry
- Jason Aldean
- Jimmie Rodgers
- John Denver
- Kacey Musgraves
- Keith Urban
- Kris Kristofferson
- Loretta Lynn
- Luke Bryan
- Maren Morris
- Mickey Guyton
- Reba McEntire
- Tanya Tucker
- Taylor Swift
- The Allman Brothers Band
- The Carter Family
- Thomas Rhett
- Trisha Yearwood
- Vince Gill
- Zac Brown Band
Country music has certainly changed through the years, so there is a lot to learn and explore! It’s exciting to think about what county music in the coming years will be like. What’s your favorite era of country music?
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