The Top 150 Country Songs of All-Time

Upon request, I'm posting this revised list of my favorite 150 country songs in the genre's history. The original list was 100 songs long, but I felt a list of 150 was necessary to do justice to the best of the best, while still excluding some of the only marginally great songs as a "top 200" list would do.

Now my list of greatest songs ever will look absolutely nothing like anybody else's on the planet as I apply my own unique set of criteria to the list's configuration. I cannot clearly define which songs capture me, but I have deep respect for songs whose lyrics and sound hold up over time. Many songs on my list defined the sound of their era in very clearcut ways. Others were way ahead of their time and paved the way for future artists to follow in their footsteps. Some were defined by dazzling vocal performances. Some had stories that would bring any warm-blooded listener to tears. Some told profound stories about life with very simple lyrical strokes. Others simply had a fantastic and original beat/melody. Still others merely connected with me personally due to the place and time where I was at in time when they were released. Several of the songs on my list were not significant hits on the charts, but all were released as singles to national radio.

A final rule of thumb for this list is that there are no remakes or covers. There have been some fantastic remakes over the years of older country songs or of rock songs (Lonestar's "Walking in Memphis," Billy Dean's "We Just Disagree", and Suzy Bogguss' "Someday Soon" are some great examples), but unless the interpretation of the remake is vastly superior to the original (as was the case with my #16 entry), I don't consider redoing somebody else's material as being worthy of the "best songs of all-time".

Without any further adieu, here's the list, counting down from #150 to #1....

150. She's Crazy for Leaving--Rodney Crowell (1988)
149. The Bluest Eyes in Texas--Restless Heart (1988)
148. Bye, Bye--Jo Dee Messina (1998)
147. Kansas City Lights--Steve Wariner (1982)
146. Waitin' on Joe--Steve Azar (2002)
145. Galveston--Glen Campbell (1969)
144. Riding with Private Malone--David Ball (2002)
143. Texas Plates--Kellie Coffey (2004)
142. Who's Cheatin' Who? --Charly McClain (1981)
141. I've Been Everywhere--Hank Snow (1962)
140. Has Anybody Seen Amy?--John and Audrey Wiggins (1994)
139. Addicted--Dan Seals (1988)
138. Hooked on an 8-Second Ride--Chris LeDoux (1992)
137. Jolene--Dolly Parton (1974)
136. Wichita Lineman--Glen Campbell (1968)
135. In a Different Light--Doug Stone (1991)
134. Dream Walkin'--Toby Keith (1998)
133. Rollin' With the Flow--Charlie Rich (1977)
132. Your Own Little Corner of My Heart--BlackHawk (1999)
131. Dust on the Bottle--David Lee Murphy (1995)
130. Three Wooden Crosses--Randy Travis (2003)
129. Sleeping Single in a Double Bed--Barbara Mandrell (1978)
128. Rainbow Stew--Merle Haggard (1981)
127. He Didn't Have to Be--Brad Paisley (1999)
126. Highway 40 Blues--Ricky Skaggs (1983)
125. Like Nothing Ever Happened--Sylvia (1983)
124. Why They Call it Falling--Lee Ann Womack (2001)
123. Daddy Never was the Cadillac Kind--Confederate Railroad (1994)
122. House of Cards--Mary Chapin Carpenter (1995)
121. Goodbye Earl--Dixie Chicks (2000)
120. Tulsa Time--Don Williams (1978)
119. I Loved 'Em Every One--T.G. Sheppard (1981)
118. Kerosene--Miranda Lambert (2006)
117. Coward of the County--Kenny Rogers (1980)
116. Bayou Boys--Eddy Raven (1989)
115. That's Just About Right--BlackHawk (1995)
114. The Thunder Rolls--Garth Brooks (1992)
113. Walk the Line--Johnny Cash (1956)
112. Holes in the Floor of Heaven--Steve Wariner (1998)
111. The Way We Make a Broken Heart--Rosanne Cash (1987)
110. Please Remember Me--Tim McGraw (1999)
109. Guitar Town--Steve Earle (1986)
108. Letting Go--Suzy Bogguss (1992)
107. Somebody's Knockin'--Terri Gibbs (1981)
106. The Man in Black--Johnny Cash (1971)
105. 80's Ladies--KT Oslin (1987)
104. Pancho and Lefty--Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard (1983)
103. She Don't Love Nobody--Desert Rose Band (1989)
102. Don't Ask Me How I Know--Bobby Pinson (2005)
101. Go Back--Chalee Tennison (2001)
100. Innocent Man--Sherrie Austin (1998)
99. He's a Heartache--Janie Frickie (1983)
98. Tumbleweed--Sylvia (1980)
97. The Devil Went Down to Georgia--Charlie Daniels Band (1979)
96. Mama Knows the Highway--Hal Ketchum (1993)
95. I'm in a Hurry (And Don't Know Why)--Alabama (1992)
94. Now I Know--Lari White (1994)
93. Sink the Bismarck--Johnny Horton (1960)
92. I Wouldn't Have Missed it for the World--Ronnie Milsap (1982)
91. Queen of Hearts--Juice Newton (1981)
90. A Sure Thing--Foster and Lloyd (1987)
89. Just Another Day in Paradise--Phil Vassar (2000)
88. Coat of Many Colors--Dolly Parton (1971)
87. Little Rock--Collin Raye (1994)
86. My Girl Friday--Daron Norwood (1995)
85. Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses--Kathy Mattea (1988)
84. Ring of Fire--Johnny Cash (1963)
83. Like We Never Said Goodbye--Crystal Gayle (1980)
82. Words by Heart--Billy Ray Cyrus (1994)
81. Ol' Red--Blake Shelton (2002)
80. Baby's Got a New Baby Now--SKO (1987)
79. The Cheap Seats--Alabama (1994)
78. Smoke Rings in the Dark--Gary Allan (1999)
77. Lipstick Promises--George Ducas (1995)
76. The Weekend--Steve Wariner (1987)
75. Tempted--Marty Stuart (1991)
74. Drifter--Sylvia (1981)
73. Inside--Ronnie Milsap (1983)
72. She Thinks His Name was John--Reba McEntire (1994)
71. Someplace Far Away--Hal Ketchum (1993)
70. She Can't Love You--Boy Howdy (1995)
69. It's Such a Small World--Rodney Crowell and Rosanne Cash (1988)
68. When You Think of Me--Mark Wills (2003)
67. Shadows in the Moonlight--Anne Murray (1979)
66. Still Losing You--Ronnie Milsap (1984)
65. Maybe it was Memphis--Pam Tillis (1992)
64. Something Like That--Tim McGraw (1999)
63. Living in a Moment--Ty Herndon (1996)
62. Why Have You Left the One You Left Me For?--Crystal Gayle (1978)
61. Past the Point of Rescue--Hal Ketchum (1992)
60. When She Cries--Restless Heart (1992)
59. I Take My Chances--Mary Chapin Carpenter (1994)
58. Me and Emily--Rachel Proctor (2004)
57. The City of New Orleans--Willie Nelson (1984)
56. Austin--Blake Shelton (2001)
55. When Cowboys Didn't Dance--Lonestar (1996)
54. That Ain't My Truck--Rhett Akins (1995)
53. Blue Moon with a Heartache--Rosanne Cash (1982)
52. King of the World--BlackHawk (1996)
51. Hold On--Rosanne Cash (1986)
50. My Baby Loves Me--Martina McBride (1993)
49. Snowbird--Anne Murray (1970)
48. A Dozen Red Roses--Tammy Graham (1997)
47. Meet Me in Montana--Dan Seals and Marie Osmond (1985)
46. Convoy--C.W. McCall (1975)
45. The Sound of Goodbye--Crystal Gayle (1984)
44. Where Do the Nights Go?--Ronnie Milsap (1988)
43. Danny's Song--Anne Murray (1973)
42. Angel of the Morning--Juice Newton (1981)
41. He Thinks He'll Keep Her--Mary Chapin Carpenter (1994)
40. Where've You Been?--Kathy Mattea (1990)
39. The Little Girl--John Michael Montgomery (2000)
38. Never be You--Rosanne Cash (1985)
37. When You Leave That Way You Can Never Go Back--Confederate Railroad (1993)
36. Broken Hearted Me--Anne Murray (1979)
35. The Legend of Wooley Swamp--Charlie Daniels Band (1980)
34. The Gambler--Kenny Rogers (1978)
33. One Solitary Tear--Sherrie Austin (1997)
32. Lord, I Hope This Day is Good--Don Williams (1982)
31. Runaway Train--Rosanne Cash (1988)
30. Reckless--Alabama (1993)
29. Smoky Mountain Rain--Ronnie Milsap (1981)
28. Every Little Thing--Carlene Carter (1993)
27. Old Hippie--Bellamy Brothers (1985)
26. The Battle of New Orleans--Johnny Horton (1959)
25. The Highwaymen--Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings, and Johnny Cash (1985)
24. Dark Horse--Mila Mason (1997)
23. Back to the Heartbreak Kid--Restless Heart (1985)
22. Everything that Glitters Is Not Gold--Dan Seals (1986)
21. A Boy Named Sue--Johnny Cash (1968)
20. Good Old Boys Like Me--Don Williams (1980)
19. Seven Year Ache--Rosanne Cash (1981)
18. He Would be Sixteen--Michelle Wright (1993)
17. Give My Heart to You--Billy Ray Cyrus (1999)
16. Tennessee Flat Top Box--Rosanne Cash (1987)
15. What's It to You?--Clay Walker (1993)
14. Nobody--Sylvia (1982)
13. Miracle Man--Smokin' Armadillos (1996)
12. Bop--Dan Seals (1986)
11. In Love--Ronnie Milsap (1986)
10. Just My Luck--Kim Richey (1995)
9. The River and the Highway--Pam Tillis (1996)
8. Hey Cinderella--Suzy Bogguss (1994)
7. Stranger in My House--Ronnie Milsap (1983)
6. Wild One--Faith Hill (1994)
5. What They're Talking About--Rhett Akins (1994)
4. I Don't Know Why You Don't Want Me--Rosanne Cash (1985)
3. Big Dreams in a Small Town--Restless Heart (1989)
2. Independence Day--Martina McBride (1994)
1. I Hope You Dance--Lee Ann Womack (2000)

So there it is. I'm sure everyone has some personal favorites that were omitted, but I challenge them to compile a list of their own to dispute mine (you wouldn't believe how many people actually have after I laid out that challenge for them). And even I'm struck by how many great artists with great material are absentee from my list. No Charlie Rich! No Eddie Rabbitt! No John Denver! No John Conlee! No Nitty Gritty Dirt Band! No Tracy Lawrence! No Mark Chesnutt! And worst of all, no Tanya Tucker, the artist with perhaps the best resume of near-classic country-pop gems but nothing that quite reached the level of classic for my taste. And, of course, there are several other artists past and present who are considered among the genre's best that I consider overrated. I won't mention names (ahem, George Strait), but there are a pretty substantial number of them.

The reason there aren't very many new songs on the list is that it takes a few years to determine whether a song's sound or lyrics have serious staying power. Furthermore, the songs out today have seemingly endless runs on radio (an average of 5-6 months per single compared to the 3-month run of decades previous) which tends to burn me out on them faster than I otherwise would be. On the other hand, there aren't as many "very old" songs on my list as there likely would be if I was an older guy. I'm sure there were plenty of gems from the 1960's and 1970's that I haven't even heard.

Any feedback, positive or negative, is welcomed.