Before, I wasn’t a huge fan of Country music and thought that all they did was use guitars and banjos. I was wrong. After my sister made me listen to some of her favorite country songs I quickly learned that there are various ranges of Country music, from classic country to country-pop. The next thing I knew, I was hooked and playing the song over and over again.
If you are in your room and feel the need to chill out, or are even interested in listening to another genre, try listening to Country music. Here are 10 Country songs that I think you should check out.
1. “Tequila” by Dan + Shay
If I had to create a list of country singers that I love, for sure, Dan + Shay would be on the top of that list.
One of my favorite songs from Dan + Shay is “Tequila” which was released in 2018, and was part of their third album. What I love about this song is the soothing melody from the piano as well as the lyric, “when I taste tequila, baby, I still see you.” Whenever I hear this line, it emphasizes how much he misses her, and how he is still in love with her. For me, this is a song that can pull your heartstrings.
With this song, According to Rolling Stone, Dan + Shay won their first Grammy award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance and was even nominated for Best Country Song. On top of this, “Tequila” was part of the Top 40 single on the Hot 100 and the most-streamed country song in 2018.
2. “Everybody’s Got Somebody But Me” by Hunter Hayes (feat. Jason Mraz)
When I first listened to this song, what caught my attention was the catchy guitar and drum introduction. Suddenly, I found myself swaying to it and putting it on repeat. By the time I replayed it, that was when I realized that the song is about how someone is unable to find love, yet everyone around him is with somebody.
When you hear this country-pop song, you will be amazed by how both Hayes and Mraz’s complement each other, and their ability to make a sad love song upbeat and cheerful. Once you finish listening to this song the tune will be stuck in your head, and you may catch yourself humming to the tune.
For sure, this is one of my favorite country-pop songs that always puts me in a good mood after listening to it.
3. “Bless The Broken Road” by Rascal Flatts
If you know or are familiar with Rascal Flatts’s song “Life is a Highway,” another song of theirs that you should listen to is “Bless The Broken Road.”
Compared to “Life is a Highway,” Rascal Flatts utilize more of the acoustic sounds from the guitars that are supplemented by the piano and drums. From time to time you might hear the electric guitar burst into a high-pitched yet cool melody, which creates these subtle and interesting nuances to the song. In a way, this is a fusion of pop and country, that still tries to keep that classic country charm.
Besides the beautiful melodies, this song is a tale about how every path or journey he went on always led to this one person. For that, he was happy that she was always there, even when the path he took was rough. It’s a sweet country song that will touch your hearts, especially for those who are romantics like me.
If this song sounds familiar to you, that’s because a snippet of it was sung on the Disney original movie Hannah Montana: The Movie.
4. “Six Feet Apart” by Luke Combs
If you are feeling blue because you are not able to see family or friends, you are not alone.
“Six Feet Apart” was released just this year, 2020. In the song, Luke Combs writes about the difficulties he has encountered due to the pandemic, such as the inability to be near our loved ones, as well as what he misses about the life he led beforehand. However, emphasizes to the audience that “there is light after dark,” and that one day we’ll be together once more.
When I heard this song, it made me miss all the places and people I couldn’t visit. What I love about this song is that it reminds us that we just have to wait longer, but that’s okay. In the end, it will be worth the wait.
So, if you are feeling down listen to this song and hopefully it will lift your spirits up during this unpredictable time.
5. “Blue Tacoma” by Russell Dickerson
“Blue Tacoma, California, white Magnolia in your hair,” is the line that sticks to my ear whenever I play this song on a loop.
What I love most about this song is the balance between pop and country. In the beginning, you hear this calming guitar melody that can put you at ease, but as the song continues there is this excitement coming from the drums that just boosts up your energy. Whenever I listen to this song it makes me feel like jamming.
What also might make you fall in love with this song is the sweet lyrics. Throughout the song, Russell Dickerson writes about a road trip he is taking with a girl he is in love with, and during this trip, he constantly sings about how this trip made him fall even more head over heels for her. On top of that, he provides clear imagery that we can visualize. With this combination, it can find yourself going, “Aww.”
6. “Take Back Home Girl” by Chris Lane (feat. Tori Kelly)
When I first listened to the song, the first thing that my ear picked up on was the gorgeous melodies created by Tori Kelly and Chris Lane. I loved how both their voices didn’t overpower one another and found that their different voice textures gave more depth to the song.
What I also enjoyed about this song was the storyline. From my interpretation, the song is about a boy wanting, and being excited, to take this girl back to his home to meet his parents. When I heard this, I thought it was so cute that he wanted to take her to meet his parents, which shows that he finds her special.
If you are a romantic like me, this is definitely a duet worth listening to!
7. “God Gave Me You” by Blake Shelton
If I had to name a classic country artist that everyone would know, it would be The Voice USA coach, Blake Shelton.
The song utilizes instruments like drums, acoustic and electric guitars to help give this rustic charm, which is one of my favorite aspects of the song. I feel that due to the melody, and the charm that this song has, it makes the lyrics even more effective. After listening to it, I sometimes find myself feeling giddy.
Apart from that, I loved how open-ended this song is, how it can be applied to any situation since it allows the listeners to connect with the song. In the end, the song is a love letter, it’s thanking the person that you are in your life, and telling them how much you mean to them. That you are so lucky to have them by your side no matter what happens.
8. “Earth Stood Still” by Lee DeWyze
When my sister introduced me to this song, I first thought, “this song sounds familiar,” though I couldn’t remember where or when I had heard it. Until now, I still don’t know where I heard it from but either way, I love this song.
“Earth Stood Still” was released in 2010 and part of Lee DeWyze’s Live It Up album. Like most of these songs on the list, it is a romantic song that talks about a girl he kissed and is in love with. Whenever he is with her he feels like “the earth stood still,” which helps to emphasize that she might be the one.
Besides this, I also enjoy how calm the music is due to the use of the piano and guitars. When I hear it, I feel that the melody just takes me in and from there I become entranced. By the time I finish, I feel good about myself and sometimes even replay it again.
9. “Meant to Be” by Bebe Rexha (feat. Florida Georgia Line)
“If it’s meant to be, it will be, it will be,” is the line from this song that I love most. I feel that I can sing this over and over again, and I do whenever I am jamming to it with my sister. No matter how many times I play this song on a loop, I never get tired of this lyric.
What I love about this song is the message. When Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line are singing, they remind the audience that it is okay if a relationship doesn’t work out. We just have to be patient, and that one day we’ll find the person we are meant to be with.
Due to this message, this song gives a lot of hope and optimism, especially to those who are heartbroken, single, or even in a bad relationship. So if you are interested in listening to an upbeat song, with an inspiring message, I recommend you listen to this song.
10. “Home” by Philipp Philips
Unfortunately, not all of us are loved ones during this time and can make this difficult for us. However, even if we are far apart it is always important to remember that we will always have a piece of home within ourselves.
A song that can remind you of this is “Home” by Philipp Philipps. When I listen to this song, you will easily catch on to the lyrics where Philipps tells us that no matter what happens there is always a way to feel like we are home. That there are people in our lives that can help us through that time, and try to simulate that sense of comfort we get when we are with our loved ones. Here, Philipps gives a sense of hope and reminds us that we just have to keep moving forward, that everything will be alright.
If you need a little pick me up, listen to this song, and hopefully, it will remind you that you are never alone.