The best country music often comes from the most unlikely places. A host of perennial “best songs” contenders appear on this list, but much of 2010′s most compelling country music was produced by unknown or little-known artists whose releases went largely unnoticed by listeners and media alike. Dean Brody and Peter Cooper (who land songs at #2 and #1 on this list) released their albums to little fanfare, but both contained a wealth of thoughtfully written, passionately performed country music that deserves a second look.
In a way, Brody and Cooper couldn’t be more different as artists. Cooper is a highly literate, cerebral songwriter from East Nashvile whose music is laced with folk sensibilities. Brody, also a deft wordsmith, appears firmly within the scope of modern mainstream country music.
The differences between these two artists bring to light my favorite characteristic about country music: its diversity. Almost everyone has an opinion about what country music is or should be, but there is no absolute definition of the phrase. This list contains songs from chart mainstays like Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney and Blake Shelton, and those songs runs side-by-side with the likes of singer/songwriter Darrell Scott and bluegrass band The SteelDrivers. Perhaps none of these artists fit the traditionalist’s view of “country music,” but together they paint a portrait of what country music is today; acoustic and glossy, traditional and poppy, mainstream and left of center. Then again, isn’t that what country music has always been?
You’ll also find a couple of artists on this list whose names you wouldn’t normally expect to see mentioned in a discussion about country music. Shawn Mullins and Brandon Flowers didn’t release country albums this year, but if you listen to the songs that appear on this list I think you’ll agree that they deserve to be here.
In our countdown of the year’s 10 best country albums, I wrote that 2010 was one of the worst years for country music in a very long time. If this list proves anything, it’s that country music has a great deal to offer even in its lean times.
#50: “Who Are You When I’m Not Looking” by Blake Shelton
#49: “Mean” by Taylor Swift
#48: “Like My Dog” by Billy Currington
#47: “Family Man” by Craig Campbell
#46: “Somewhere With You” by Kenny Chesney
#45: “In The Garden By The Fountain” by Rhonda Vincent ft. Dolly Parton
#44: “Bad Angel” by Dierks Bentley, with Miranda Lambert and Jamey Johnson
#43: “Playing The Part” by Jamey Johnson
#42: “Never Grow Up” by Taylor Swift
#41: “A Crooked Road” by Darrell Scott
#40: “Rye Whiskey” by Punch Brothers
#39: “Sweet Emmylou” by Catherine Britt
#38: “Draggin’ The River” by Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert
#37: “Dumb Luck” by Peter Cooper
#36: “Waiting On The Pain” by Rodney Hayden
#35: “A Little More Country Than That” by Easton Corbin
#34: “Bring Back My Heart” by Kasey Chambers
#33: “Mama’s Funeral” by Elizabeth Cook
#32: “Speak Now” by Taylor Swift
#31: “This Beggar’s Heart” by Darrell Scott
#30: “Route 5 Box 109” by Joe Diffie
#29: “Curse The Bed” by Laura Bell Bundy
#28: “Ten” by Jewel
#27: “Good Corn Liquor” by The SteelDrivers
#26: “Notes To The Coroner” by Chely Wright
#25: “Lover, Lover” by Jerrod Neimann
#24: “From A Table Away” by Sunny Sweeney
#23: “The Clock Was Tickin’” by Brandon Flowers
#22: “Four Walls Of Raiford” by Jamey Johnson
#21: “Ain’t No Grave” by Johnny Cash
#20: “No Regrets” by Gary Allan
#19: “Ain’t No Son” by Court Yard Hounds
#18: “Colder Weather” by Zac Brown Band
#17: “Can’t Cash My Checks” by Jamey Johnson
#16: “Catoosa County” by Shawn Mullins
#15: “As She’s Walking Away” by Zac Brown Band ft. Alan Jackson
#14: “Devil On Your Back” by Kasey Chambers
#13: “El Camino” by Elizabeth Cook
#12: “The Day Before Thanksgiving” by Darrell Scott
#11: “Little White Church” by Little Big Town
#10: “Kiss Me When I’m Down” by Gary Allan
#09: “God Help My Man” by Joey + Rory
#08: “Heroin Addict Sister” by Elizabeth Cook
#07: “Where Rainbows Never Die” by The SteelDrivers
#06: “Shut Up Train” by Little Big Town
#05: “Dear John” by Taylor Swift
#04: “Lonely At The Top” by Jamey Johnson
#03: “Hangman” by Marty Stuart
#02: “The Porch” by Dean Brody
#01: “Elmer The Dancer” by Peter Cooper
Also read:
Top 10 Country Music Albums of 2010 [American Twang]
10 Worst Country Albums of 2010 [American Twang]
The Best Country Music of 2010 [PopMatters]
The Best Country Songs of 2010 [The 9513]
Top 10 Bluegrass Albums of 2010 [The 9513]
The 10 Best Country Singles of 2010 [Country Universe]
20 Hidden Treasures of 2010 [My Kind of Country]
Dogs and Duds: The Worst Singles of 2010 [My Kind of Country]
Bucky Covington’s Top 10 Resolutions for 2011 [Farce The Music]
Top Country Songs of 2010 [The Boot]
Top Country Albums of 2010 [The Boot]
Can’t argue with the majority of this. This is a pretty solid listing much in line with my personal favorites this past year.
A few areas I would differ is rating “Colder Weather” ahead of “As She’s Walking Away” for one among the Zac Brown Band offerings. I’d actually place “Colder Weather” around number five or six, in fact.
Secondly, I’d consider “Ain’t No Grave” a Top Three entry.
Thirdly, there are several songs I disagree with regarding being deserving of making the list. “A Little More Country Than That” may be superior to most list songs, and Corbin’s vocals may stand out in that debut offering of his, but it’s nonetheless not good enough to be rewarded with a Top 50 placing given how lazy the songwriting is. I also am at odds with Jewel’s “Ten”, Craig Campbell’s “Family Man” and, despite being strongly in agreement with you regarding Taylor Swift’s latest release, nonetheless consider “Mean” one of the album’s low points in that, while I appreciate it sounds more twangy compared to the rest of the album, lyrically it comes across as overly defensive and not in as much an artistic way as “Dear John” (which the latter, along with “Speak Now”, deserve their appearances). I’m also not sure about “Never Grow Up” being good ENOUGH to make the Top 50, and consider her current single superior to that along with “Innocent”. I also consider the title track on Chesney’s latest superior to his present single, though I do agree it’s strong on its own merit.
To fill those five gaps, I would probably go with “Somewhere South of Memphis” by Randy Houser (“Lead Me Home” would also make a worthy candidate), “Good Thing’s Gone Bad” by James Otto, “Leavin’ a Lonely Town” by Easton Corbin and, even though I’m aware her record was released in the United Kingdom last year and thus probably wouldn’t count on technicality, I’d include Caitlin Rose’s “Shanghai Cigarettes” and “Coming Up” both on here since she’s pretty much oblivious to the American country music scene still.
I’d give honorable mentions to Alan Jackson’s “True Love Is A Golden Ring”, Darius Rucker’s “Might Get Lucky” and Jason Aldean’s “Church Pew or Barstool” and “If She Could See Me Now”.
By the way, I didn’t even realize Brandon Flowers (of The Killers fame for those of you who are unfamiliar with him) had realized something that dabbled in country influences, so you’ve given me something to check out! =)
Some of your list is great, but there are some major problems IMO. Naturally you left Carrie Underwood off the list despite the fact that she had 3 number 1′s in 2010. Taylor Swift’s songs are bubble gum pop rubbish, and about as country as Snoop Dog. Why you are so obssessed with her is beyond me, when otherwise, you seem to favor more traditional or roots country, which I respect. How can you call Taylor’s offkey warblings and tween bubble gum pop remotely “country” or remotely “good?” She remains, the most over-rated, over-exposed artist in music history.
Alleycat;
I suppose I could have outlined the criteria for this list in the post, but it seemed obvious to me that I was only including songs from albums released in 2010. This isn’t a list of singles, but of songs. So, I’m not really concerned with when the singles were released.
Taylor Swift’s songs are bubble gum pop rubbish, and about as country as Snoop Dog.
It’s crazy to me that a Carrie Underwood fan is criticizing another artist’s music for being too poppy. Hey pot–you’re black!
I love the Joey+Rory song “God Help My Man”! That song is one of the best modern re-creations of a classic Loretta Lynn style sassy song I’ve heard in ages.
Its also great to see Sunny Sweeney make the list! “From a Table Away” is currently # 19 on the Mediabase 24/7 chart and still slowly clawing its way up the charts.
Wasn’t Miss Leslie’s latest album released this year? If so I would have included “Druck Dialer” for the steel guitar playing alone.
As a tip fo the hat to Canadian Twang I’d recommend the inclusion of “Don’t Turn Around” from the August release of “How The Marriage Ended” by The Rizdales. Just a plain old hauntingly beautiful and touching song from my favorite Canadian husband and wife country act.
Carrie Underwood wouldn’t be eligible for the 2010 edition because “Play On” was released on November 3, 2009. And if we were talking “The Top 50 Best SINGLES of 2010″, honestly even then I don’t feel any of the releases thus far this era from her are Top 50-quality. I liked “Temporary Home” to an extent but also could think of 50 or more other songs that, by my own personal taste, resonated to me more. And I never felt “Undo It” or “Mama’s Song” from the beginning. I thought she sounded strained and overproduced on the former, while lyrically trite on the latter.
If she were to release “Someday When I Stop Loving You” as a fifth single this year, I can say there’s certainly a more than fair chance it would make a strong candidate for my 50 Best Country SINGLES of 2011″ list.
@Rick: I totally agree with you on the J+R song. And thanks for the Rizdales; I’ll be checking that out.
@Noah: “Temorary Home” wouldn’t have made my Top 500 list.
A few of the Taylor Swift songs surprised. Not because they’re Taylor Swift songs, but because I feel that there were better options. It still amazes me that people actually listen to Speak Now (the song) unironically. I’ve tried and tried to see the appeal in it, but I can’t seem to find it anything other than…well, embarrassing. And while I’m a sucker for bluegrass, Mean’s abysmal lyrics prevent me from taking it seriously. Never Grow Up and Dear John are spot on, but (in my opinion, of course) Back to December, Enchanted, and Last Kiss easily top the other two in quality.
One thing I was pleasantly surprised by was the inclusion of Brandon Flowers. There were a few songs on The Killer’s album Sam’s Town that I thought were just as country as anything being played on the radio, so it does make sense to me.
I like the song “Speak Now” because of the manner of storytelling, and the attention given to detail, though Taylor did seem to attempt a few vocal nuances that didn’t do her any favors. I like “Mean” because of the country arrangement, but I do think the lyrics could have been more mature and focused.
The majority of the list is spot on. However, you’re missing Carrie Underwood’s material that she released, but then again, that really wouldn’t matter since Malec is notorious for hating Carrie Underwood and everything that she’s ever released, so I don’t expect professionalism or true journalistic qualities from any of his posts because of his blatantly awful bias.