Discussion: Country Universe Giveaway/Darius Rucker, Learn to Live

While a number of artists from different musical genres entered into the country rodeo this past year, no Nashville newcomer was more successful than Hootie & the Blowfish frontman, Darius Rucker. His debut country disc, Learn to Live, topped the country album charts in its first week of release, in large part due to its lead single, the #1 smash, “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It.”

Country Universe is offering a free copy of Learn to Live to our loyal readers. To be considered, leave a comment and tell us your favorite #1 country song of 2008.

Billboard #1 country songs in 2008:

Taylor Swift – “Our Song”
Brad Paisley – “Letter To Me”
Rodney Atkins – “Cleaning This Gun (Come On In Boy)”
Carrie Underwood – “All-American Girl”
Alan Jackson – “Small Town Southern Man”
Trace Adkins – “You’re Gonna Miss This”
George Strait – “I Saw God Today”
James Otto – “Just Got Started Loving You”
Brad Paisley – “I’m Still A Guy”
Carrie Underwood – “Last Name”
Kenny Chesney – “Better As A Memory”
Montgomery Gentry – “Back When I Knew It All”
Blake Shelton – “Home”
Alan Jackson – “Good Time”
Sugarland – “All I Want To Do”
Taylor Swift – “Should’ve Said No”
Keith Urban – “You Look Good In My Shirt”
Jimmy Wayne – “Do You Believe Me Now?”
Brad Paisley – “Waitin’ On A Woman”
Jimmy Wayne – “Do You Believe Me Now?”
Darius Rucker – “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It”
Kenny Chesney – “Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven”
Toby Keith – “She Never Cried In Front Of Me”
Carrie Underwood – “Just A Dream”
Taylor Swift – “Love Story”

Entries will be considered until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 23. Best of luck!

38 Comments

  1. I’m not eligible for this contest, so I’ll just list the only five that I actually listen to regularly:

    Brad Paisley, “Letter to Me” and “Waitin’ on a Woman”
    Alan Jackson, “Small Town Southern Man”
    George Strait, “I Saw God Today”
    Carrie Underwood, “Just a Dream”

    Absolute favorite of the five? Probably Underwood’s.

  2. I have three favorite #1’s of this year, one is Darius’s because I believe he is moe worthy of country stardom tan most of the newcomers with much less experience. I also love “Just A Dream” and “You Look Good In My Shirt”. Awsome songs.

    I agree with Jordan on his comment concerning James Otto’s single, not my favortie of the year though but congrats to James.

  3. Letter to Me – Brad Paisley

    I always sing along to this song when it’s on. It was nice after Online and before I’m just a guy to have a song that was serious and even a bit sentimental. It did get overplayed on radio though, but of the ones listed, this was my favorite.

  4. Kevin you and I must have the same taste, cause I could just cut and paste your post to be my own. Although I might add Trace Atkins “Your Gonna Miss This”.

  5. Carrie’s “Just A Dream” and Brad’s “Waitin’ on a Woman.” I also love “You Look Good in my Shirt” by Mr. Keith Urban. Great songs…I’m always singin at the top of my lungs (when I’m alone in my car of course) when they come on!

  6. I am going to make a list of favorite songs of the year at Rougshtock (and I’m not wanting to enter) but I think “Small Town Southern Man” is one of the best of the year.

  7. It’s a better list of songs than I might have imagined. I think these six stand out:

    Brad Paisley – “Letter To Me”
    Rodney Atkins – “Cleaning This Gun (Come On In Boy)”
    Carrie Underwood – “All-American Girl”
    Alan Jackson – “Small Town Southern Man”
    Trace Adkins – “You’re Gonna Miss This”
    Brad Paisley – “Waitin’ On A Woman”

    with “Waitin’ On A Woman” being my absolute favorite of the bunch. I’ve been married for 33 years and it seems that half that time has been spent …

  8. “Just Got Started Lovin’ You”
    “Small Town Southern Man”
    “Cleanin’ This Gun”

    My favorite is the Otto song.

    This is not an entry, of course.

    Please remember to indicate if you are not interested in the give away, by the way.

  9. As always, some of the greater songs failed to reached the top or the top 10 for that matter. Nonetheless, I would have to say that Alan Jackson’s “Good Time” and “Small Town Southern Man” are a tie for the best #1 Country song of 2008.

  10. “Just A Dream”…my favorite CU song to date.
    “You Look Good In My Shirt”…have always loved this song since hearing it on Golden Road
    “Home”…Blake did a great job on this song.
    “I Saw God Today”….I just love George.
    “Good Time”…have to include Alan because I’m from Georgia!

  11. Not interested in the giveaway…

    a lot of great songs this year. I’d have to pick “You’re Gonna Miss this” With “Small Town Southern Man”, and “All-American Girl” very closely behind. I like just about every song on the “nominee” list.

  12. In a statement that will no doubt draw ire from the other members of this site.. I have to pick Sugarland’s “All I Want to Do”. None of the other artists even come close to a regular spot on any of my playlists. Some I don’t like, and others I just don’t “get”.

    I think I might even listen to Hootie & the Blowfish’s classic “Cracked Rear View” more than most of these artist’s albums. :)

  13. I can’t say it’s my favorite song of the year, but it was definitely the most catchy and fun song of the year: All I Wanna Do by Sugarland. I would state this one just cuz it really rocketed Sugarland into Super stardom. they are huge right now and this song (plus the previous single Stay) put these guys on top. And now they’re arguably one of countries biggest stars.

  14. I would have to say –

    Letter to Me and Just got Started Loving You —

    but this list makes me realize how much I really do not like much of Top 40 music anymore —

  15. Brad Paisley – Letter To Me
    George Strait – I Saw God Today
    Darius Rucker – Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It

    … and the Rucker song is probably my favorite as it’s the one I play the most.

  16. Hmm, that’s a tough one. There are quite a few I thought were worthy #1s. If I had to pick my top 3 I’d say You Look Good in My Shirt, Better as a Memory, and Letter to Me.

    I’ll go with YLGIMS as my favorite. It was a catchy song, Keith’s first return to #1 in quite a while, and cool to see a song from a few albums ago be released and make it to #1.

  17. Not sure how to edit my previous comment so sorry for posting again, but yes, I am interested in the contest. I didn’t pick up Darius’ CD yet but would love a copy :)

  18. I’m going to have to go with “Letter to Me”, “Our Song” and “Cleaning this Gun”.

    Letter to Me is so emotional, i think, and relatable.

    Our Song is so dang catchy.

    Cleaning This Gun is humorous and my favorite Rodney song since I heard it.

  19. Kenny Chesney – “Better As A Memory”

    Might get killed for this, but who knows. For the fairly limited range Chesney has, I think he really nails this song. People can say what they wish about Kenny the artist, but one thing that cannot be said is that he isn’t real. His last two albums have been music that he wants to make, and it comes real from his heart. I sure know I can relate to this song.

  20. There are two that grabbed me this year, at least what I can remember right off the bat…

    “She Never Cried in Front of Me.” Toby Keith. Reminds me of…well, someone in my life.

    “She Wouldn’t be Gone” by Blake Shelton. That one snuck up on me and next thing I knew I couldn’t get the melody out of my head. Still can’t.

  21. “All American Girl” Perfect match of song and singer
    “Letter to Me” So relatable for many of us
    “Don’t Blink” My favorite Kenny song

  22. I don’t like the way Taylor sings but most of her songs are pretty infectious and catchy (which is probably why she’s so popular).

    I love “Love Story.” It’s so darn catchy and I like the way she modernized Romeo and Juliet in the lyrics. The video’s pretty cool too.

  23. I liked plenty of songs on the radio this year, but I guess most missed number one because this list as a whole leaves me a little underwhelmed. The best of the bunch in my opinion is probably “Letter to Me.”

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