The devastation this has brought to record company bottom lines was probably unavoidable anyway, given the realities of post-Napster society. But technology has its perks. Now you can buy the songs on this list with a click of the mouse!

And what a list it is: 201 singles that run the gamut, from genuine hits that topped the charts to songs spun only by renegade DJs working the night shift. Here’s how we compiled it: four Country Universe writers ranked their personal favorite 100 singles, with an inverted point system applied (#1 on a list meant 100 points, while #100 on the list meant 1 point.) The songs were then ranked by number of total points, greatest to least. Ties were broken by the number of lists the song appeared on, then by highest individual ranking.

There was more consensus than usual for CU, and we all agreed on one thing: this list was a heck of a lot of fun to compile. We hope you enjoy it, too!

The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 1: #201-#181

#201
“I Run To You”
Lady Antebellum
2009
Peak: #1

There’s a palpable intensity to this song that grips me every time I listen to it. Love isn’t always characterized by peacefulness, and the song’s pulsing production perfectly conveys the urgency, desperation and passion that often accompanies it. – Tara Seetharam

#200
“The Last Thing on My Mind”
Patty Loveless
2001
Peak: #20

Given her allegiance to country music’s history and personal association with both Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton, you might think this was a cover of that duo’s first top ten hit. Instead, it’s a very modern-sounding song with a modern-day woman who never thinks about the guy she’s left behind until right before she goes to sleep, when “something in my broken heart rewinds” as she lies in an “empty bed as big as Arkansas.”  – Kevin Coyne

#199
“She’s Everything”
Brad Paisley
2006
Peak: #1

It’s the sweetest tribute to all the parts that make the whole of Paisley’s love for his wife. Some are small (“she’s ‘I want a piece of chocolate’”), and some are large (“she’s the hand that I’m holding when I’m on my knees and praying”) – but each is as endearing as the next. – TS

#198
“Drinkin’ Me Lonely”
Chris Young
2006
Peak: #42

“Drinkin’ Me Lonely” is a great drinking song with killer falsetto that helps to contribute to the narrator’s dreary mood. – Leeann Ward

#197
“Fifteen”
Taylor Swift
2009
Peak: #7 (still charting)

Swift speaks directly to the fragile emotional core underlying her own boy-centric outlook. It’s her most explicitly youth-oriented song yet, yet it’s also her most mature. – Dan Milliken

#196
“On the Rocks”
The Wrights
2005
Peak: Did not chart

The Wrights are a more sassy husband-wife duo than the beloved Joey + Rory, but they are charming nonetheless. The catchy and bluesy “On the Rocks” is a biting assessment of a relationship gone bad, but there seems to be a hint of love underneath the exchanged derision. – LW

#195
“A Feelin’ Like That”
Gary Allan
2006
Peak: #12

A rocking blast of adrenaline, as Allan realizes that no thrill in the world – be it skydiving, running with bulls, speeding at night with closed eyes – is intense enough to displace the memory of his past love. He’s supercharged with righteous lust for that memory, and leaves you thinking there’s nothing he won’t do to make it real again. – DM

#194
“I’m Just Talkin’  About Tonight”
Toby Keith
2001
Peak: #1

Keith does his best to negotiate a rendezvous with charming bravado and hilarious results. – KC

#193
“Nothin’ to Lose”
Josh Gracin
2005
Peak: #1

This tongue-in-cheek, mile-a-minute toe-tapper is cleverly written and infectiously performed – reminiscent of the bouncy country songs from the 90′s that I’ve so missed. – TS

#192
“Out of the Rain”
The Duhks
2006
Peak: Did not chart

About that moment of clarity when you realize that the only way to progress is to get yourself out of the destructive situation you’re in. The song doesn’t advocate avoiding problems entirely, but acknowledges that some are impossible to solve as long as you remain in the emotional thick of them.  – DM

#191
“He Gets That From Me”
Reba McEntire
2004
Peak: #7

The heartbreak queen at her heartbreaking best, mourning a lost husband while celebrating his presence living on in their child. – KC

#190
“Tennessee”
Marcel
2003
Peak: Did not chart

He’s an acquired taste, as few like their country balladeers to be so relentlessly earnest. But this one gets me every time. – KC

#189
“So Small”
Carrie Underwood
2007
Peak: #1

Underwood’s most underrated single and my personal favorite, “So Small” is an earnest ode to what matters most in life, wrapped in a beautiful, swelling melody. The gospel undertones add an element of soul to the song, and suggest a deeper ‘love’ than the lyrics spell out. – TS

#188
“Perfect”
Sara Evans
2003
Peak: #2

Funny how a song about how you don’t have to be perfect is close enough to perfect itself.  – KC

#187
“What a Beautiful Day”
Chris Cagle
2003
Peak: #4

This upbeat chronicle of the life of a relationship is both clever and entertaining. The underlying piano riff is addictive as well. – LW

#186
“Forgive”
Rebecca Lynn Howard
2002
Peak: #12

I understand the appeal of subtlety, but sometimes you just need to belt it out. This is one of those times. – KC

#185
“Ol’ Red”
Blake Shelton
2002
Peak: #14

Ol’ Red” is one of those cool story songs, complete with a plot twist, that country music is known for. – LW

#184
“Me and Emily”
Rachel Proctor
2004
Peak: #18

One of country music’s great one-hit wonders, although even this one barely broke the Top 20. Proctor’s tale of a mother and daughter fleeing an abusive home brims with warmth and maternal love, even as it acknowledges the tense uncertainty of the duo’s future. – DM

#183
“Shine”
Dolly Parton
2001
Peak: Did not chart

Parton teams up with Nickel Creek to turn Collective Soul’s classic rock song into a timeless acoustic gospel number. She’s rarely sounded so inspired. – DM

#182
“Mine All Mine”
SHeDaisy
2002
Peak: #28

Bittersweet regret and tight family harmonies have always been a killer combination in country music. They work so well here that even the phrase “my bad” doesn’t seem out of place. – KC

#181
“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”
Miranda Lambert
2006
Peak: #50

You don’t want to mess with this self-professed crazy ex-girlfriend. She’ll take you down! – LW

- – -

• The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 1: #201-#181
• The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 2: #180-#161
• The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 3: #160-#141
• The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 4: #140-#121
• The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 5: #121-#101
  
• The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 6: #100-#81
• The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 7: #80-#61
• The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 8: #60-#41
• The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 9: #40-#21
• The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Conclusion: #20-#1

As I wrote in my review of the new Rodney Atkins album, I’m an optimistic guy. So while I do love me some dark and depressing country music, the songs that best match my personal philosophy are those that look at the brighter side of life.

Some of my favorites:

The Carter Family, “Keep on the Sunny Side”

The Grandmama of them all. This was released during The Great Depression, y’all.

Shania Twain, “Up!”

Rodney Atkins sounds about as optimistic as Dwight Yoakam when compared to Shania Twain. This remains one of my favorite songs she’s ever released. Bonus points awarded to this clip because it not only features Alison Krauss & Union Station behind her, but Krauss and Twain discuss deodorant and shaving during the winter seasons.

Travis Tritt, “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive”

Darrell Scott penned this ode to taking joy in the little pleasures of life.

Those are three of my favorites. Share your favorites in the comments!

“Why Not Me” wasn’t a great title. To get a really good record, you’ve gotta write a hell of a song when you’re dealing with a title that average. The only thing I know to do with songs like “Why Not Me” and “Busted” – which I never thought was a good title – is to put the title in there often so that people remember it. The weaker the title, the more you gotta hear it.”

“Why Not Me” earned the Judds the Country Duo/Group Grammy and the CMA award for Single of the Year. “Busted” was hit for both Johnny Cash with the Carter Family in the sixties and John Conlee in the eighties. Both songs feature the titles repeated endlessly.

I think this quote is fascinating because it provides a window into how two songs from different eras were crafted by the same writer. I never noticed the similarities before reading the quote.

I’d also add that the Little Texas hit “My Love” and the Brooks & Dunn hit “That’s What It’s All About” show how the rule can be taken too far, in my opinion, and turn into just an annoying song.

What do you think?

#3

Maybelle and Sara Carter (The Carter Family)

Just over eighty years ago, a family act from Appalachia traveled to Bristol, Tennessee. Behind the wheel was A.P. Carter, and on board were two mountain women he believed were destined for stardom: his sister-in-law, Maybelle Carter, and his wife, young Sara Carter, who was eight months pregnant as they made the trip.

The previous day, A.P. had arrived home and declared, “We’re going to Bristol tomorrow to make a record!” The Carter Family had been performing in churches, living rooms and anywhere else they could get an audience in their Appalachian world, and when A.P. heard that a Victor Records employee was seeking rural talent to record in Bristol, he saw their golden opportunity to make it big.

When they got to the recording studio, which was really just a converted warehouse, they took part in a twelve-day recording session with two dozen other artists, ranging in genre from blues to gospel to folk. But among all the other raw talent, the startling vocals of Maybelle and Sara shone through.

They weren’t the first country women to put their voices on record, but for all intents and purposes, the story of women in country music traces its roots back to Maybelle and Sara Carter, members of what is now referred to as The Original Carter Family. Their seminal records took country music to the masses for the first time, as they emerged from their humble Appalachian roots to become the first female country stars to make an impact.

Maybelle was a direct descendant of William Addington, a soldier in the Revolutionary War who settled his family down in the Clinch Mountains of southwestern Virginia. Maybelle was one of ten children, and she grew up surrounded by music. She played the banjo when she was a young child, but switched to the guitar as a teenager.

There weren’t many guitar players from which to learn, so she developed her own style of guitar picking, one that would permanently change the way the instrument was played. Maybelle would play the melody on the low strings of the guitar, while brushing across the higher strings to create the rhythm. This style would come to be known as “Carter style” or “Carter picking.”

On weekends, her family would gather with the neighbors for song swapping, sharing stories and songs passed down through the generations. Maybelle soon joined A.P. and Sara in local performances, and at one of the shows, she fell in love with A.P.’s brother, Ezra. After four months, they eloped, and Maybelle became a Carter, leading to the act dubbing themselves The Carter Family.

A.P. saw the act as a way out of the rural poverty which gripped everyone in the region. An audition for Brunswick Records was unsuccessful, so the Bristol Recording sessions seemed like their next shot at glory. In addition to the haunting harmonies that the ladies put on record, Maybelle’s unique, driving guitar-picking style gave their recordings on that hot summer day a distinct character. Still, they didn’t think they’d changed their lives much as they headed back home, until they returned to Bristol in November and saw crowds of people surrounding a record player that was spinning their tunes.

Along with Jimmie Rodgers, The Carter Family had created the first country records to achieve national popularity. Maybelle’s revolutionary guitar style moved the instrument from its traditional background role and made it the dominant instrument, a shift that changed the entire sound of popular music. While A.P. provided bass harmonies, much of the Carter Family’s sound was that of Maybelle and Sara harmonizing, and they became the first popular female country singers in history.

Soon, the Carters were raking in royalty checks, with their biggest hit from those first sessions being “Single Girl, Married Girl.” Their popularity having spread nationwide thanks to their successful Victor recordings, the Carter Family toured the country, finding audiences everywhere from Chicago to New Jersey. Even when the Depression crippled most of the music industry, the Carters maintained their popularity, selling records despite the surrounding economic hardship. Such was their professionalism that they were able to record most of their classic performances in just one take, and over the course of fifteen years, they put more than 250 songs on record, and they sold hundreds of thousands of records during their initial run with the original lineup.

As A.P. continued to push the women into touring more than they wanted to, Sara’s resentment built up, especially because A.P. would leave her at home to do all of the manual labor while he searched for songs across the mountains. Going against all conventions of the time, Sara separated from and eventually divorced A.P., though they kept this secret from the public to preserve The Carter Family image.

The original group continued to perform together until the early forties, hosting a successful radio show in Texas. During the 1938-1939 season of the show, Maybelle’s daughter June joined the group. After Sara married A.P.’s cousin and moved to California in 1943, the original group disbanded, but the Carter Family legacy would continue, with Maybelle performing with daughters June, Helen and Anita. Maybelle came to be known as Mother Maybelle Carter, and she carried on the Carter tradition with her daughters for the next two decades.

Now dubbed Mother Maybelle & The Carter Sisters, the act’s popularity remained throughout the forties and fifties, as they were showcased at the Old Dominion Barn Dance, Tennesee Barn Dance and The Ozark Jubilee, before permanently joining the Grand Ole Opry in 1950. While they were overlooked by the industry executives at this time, seen as an oldies act that no longer had any relevance, historians soon begged to differ, especially as the Folk Revival got underway in the 1960′s.

The folk revival renewed interest in the history of the Carter Family, and led to reissues of their classic recordings, introducing them to a new generation of fans. Mother Maybelle appeared at the Newport Folk Festival in 1963, and teamed up with long-retired Sara for their landmark 1967 album An Historic Reunion. Mother Maybelle also released solo albums during the sixties and seventies, and she again revolutionized a musical instrument while touring, bringing the autoharp to the forefront in ways that had never been imagined before.

While the Original Carter Family was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Mother Maybelle & The Carter Sisters toured the country with the Johnny Cash Show an appeared on his network television show as well. In 1976, both Maybelle and Sara made their final concert appearance together at the Carter Family Reunion show. Maybelle fell ill soon after, and she passed away in October 1978, with Sara passing on the following spring.

Maybelle and Sara Carter (The Carter Family)

Essential Singles

• “Single Girl, Married Girl,” 1927
• “Bury Me Under the Weeping Willow,” 1927
• “Will You Miss Me When I’m Gone,” 1928
• “Keep on the Sunny Side,” 1928
• “Wildwood Flower,” 1928
• “Can the Circle Be Unbroken,” 1928
• “Motherless Children,” 1929
• “No Depression in Heaven,” 1936
• “Coal Miner’s Blues,” 1938

Essential Albums

• Mother Maybelle Carter, 1957
• Queen of the Auto-Harp, 1964
• An Historic Reunion, 1966

Industry Awards

• Country Music Hall of Fame, 1970
• Grammy: Lifetime Achievement Award, 2005

==> #2. Loretta Lynn

<== #4. Emmylou Harris

100 Greatest Women: The Complete List