I loved 1990s country music. As a child, I grew up on music like—children’s bible songs and those stupid Kidsongs videos that aired on PBS during the early 1990s. My mother was a puritan (small p) who didn’t want my brain infected with any filth whatsoever. She didn’t even want me to know what certain body parts were before my 18th birthday (She passed away at 14). I found my way though.
That all changed when I fell in love with a song on the radio. This song was George Strait‘s, “One Night At A Time.” My mother decided it was clean enough. She purchased me the ‘Carrying Your Love With Me’ album. It remains as one of my favorite albums and one of numerous reasons that Strait is on my Mt. Rushmore.
It just so happens that nothing has ever peaked my interest more than 1990s country music. I’m certain that I’d have been more fond of 1980s country music had I grown up during it. The 2000s were solid. No thanks to the 2010s. The 2020s have been a resurgence.
Why Am I Posting A List of 1990s Country Music Songs?
The idea for this piece came from SoBros Network. Back on October 7, 2021, SoBros Network (a high school friend) posted their Top 50 country songs. It’s far different than mine. Many of the same artists but different songs.
After publishing a quick list on the comments section, I spent about two months perfecting my personal playlist. It’ll probably change in the future. But it’s pretty damn close to how I feel as of May 1, 2022.
I must post more content. Seeing that 1990s country music was among one of my few life interests, let me treat you to possibly the worst Top 50 favorites list in history. Okay, it’s not that bad. Be warned though: there are songs that you would never see in any other list of 1990s country songs. The Top 14 are my absolute favorites.
Let me have it in the comments. Tell me if there’s a song you think that I’d like. I didn’t start listening to country radio until 1997. So my knowledge of earlier 1990s years isn’t up to par with the latter years.
UPDATED: November 2023
1990s Country Music Mt. Rushmore
George Strait
Garth Brooks
John Michael Montgomery
Bob Kingsley (or, if an artist, Collin Raye)
Extended Honorable Mentions (40)
- Aaron Tippin – You’ve Got to Stand for Something
- Alan Jackson – Livin’ on Love
- Alison Krauss – When You Say Nothing At All
- Andy Griggs – You Won’t Ever Be Lonely
- Billy Dean – Billy the Kid
- Bryan White – Sittin’ On Go
- Chely Wright – Single White Female
- Clay Walker – Live, Laugh, Love
- Dan Seals – Love on Arrival
- David Ball – Thinkin’ Problem
(continued) - David Kersh – Goodnight Sweetheart
- David Lee Murphy – Dust on the Bottle
- Doug Supernaw – I Don’t Call Him Daddy
- Dwight Yoakam – Crazy Little Thing Called Love
- Faith Hill – It Matters to Me
- Gary Allan – Her Man
- Hal Ketchum – Hearts Are Gonna Roll
- Jeff Carson – Not On Your Love
- Joe Diffie – Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox (If I Die)
- John Anderson – Straight Tequila Night
- Lee Ann Rimes – How Do I Live Without You
(continued) - Lee Ann Womack – I’ll Think of a Reason Later
- Lee Roy Parnell – What Kind of Fool Do You Think I Am
- Lorrie Morgan – Five Minutes
- Mark Chestnutt – I Just Wanted You to Know
- Mary Chapin Carpenter – Shut Up and Kiss Me
- Mindy McCready – Ten Thousand Angels
- Montgomery Gentry – Lonely and Gone
- Neal McCoy – Wink
- Pam Tillis – Maybe It Was Memphis
- Randy Travis – If I Didn’t Have You
- Rick Trevino – I Only Get This Way with You
- Ricky Van Shelton – I’ve Cried My Last Tear For You
- Ricochet – Daddy’s Money
- Sammy Kershaw – Love of My Life
- Shane Minor – Ordinary Love
- Shenandoah – Next To You, Next to Me
- SheDAISY – Little Good-Byes
- Sons of the Desert – Whatever Comes First
- Trisha Yearwood – She’s in Love With the Boy
Top Honorable Mentions (10)
- Michael Peterson – Drink, Swear, Steal & Lie (No. 51)
- Clint Black – Something That We Do
- Martina McBride – Independence Day
- Paul Overstreet – Daddy’s Come Around
- Reba McEntire – I’d Rather Ride Around With You
- Sawyer Brown (1) – All These Years
- Toby Keith – Wish I Didn’t Know Now
- Tracy Byrd – Keeper of the Stars
- Ty England – Should’ve Asked Her Faster
- Ty Herndon – Living in a Moment
List of 1990s Country Music Songs: 50-1
C-Tier
50 Little Texas (1)- What Might Have Been
49 Wynonna Judd (1) – I Saw The Light
48 Vince Gil (1) – Tryin’ to Get Over You
47 Carlene Carter (1) – Every Little Thing
46 Brooks & Dunn (1)- Boot Scootin’ Boogie
45 Deana Carter (1) – Count Me In
44 Lonestar (1) – Come Cryin’ To Me
43 Wade Hayes (1)- On a Good Night
42 George Strait (1/5)- If I Know Me
41 Mike Reid (1) – Walk on Faith
40 Tracy Lawrence (1) – Texas Tornado
39 Travis Tritt (1) – Anymore
38 Daryle Singletary – Too Much Fun
37 Rhett Akins (1) – That Ain’t My Truck
36 Garth Brooks (1/4) – Standing Outside the Fire
35 Kenny Chesney (1) – That’s Why I’m Here
34 Shania Twain (1) – You’re Still the One
33 Mark Wills (1) – Wish You Were Here
32 George Strait (2/5) – Check Yes or No
31 Diamond Rio (1) – You’re Gone
30 The Chicks (1) – You Were Mine
B-Tier
29 Tim McGraw (1) – Something Like That
28 Steve Wariner (1/2) – Holes in the Floor of Heaven
27 Jo Dee Messina (1) – Bye, Bye
26 BlackHawk (1) – Like There Ain’t No Yesterday
25 McBride And The Ride (1) – Sacred Ground
24 Billy Ray Cyrus (1) – Busy Man
23 Garth Brooks (2/4) – The River
22 John Michael Montgomery (1/2) – Life’s a Dance
21 Alabama (1) – Angels Among Us
20 Kevin Sharp (1) – Nobody Knows
19 James Bonamy (1) – I Don’t Think I Will
18 George Strait (3/5) – Today My World Slipped Away
17 Brad Paisley (1) – He Didn’t Have to Be
16 Chad Brock (1) – Ordinary Life
15 Doug Stone (1) – In a Different Light
A-Tier
- 14 Trace Adkins (1) – Every Light in the House
13 Patty Loveless (1) – Blame it on Your Heart - 12 Radney Foster (1) – Nobody Wins
- 11 John Michael Montgomery (2/2) – I Swear
- 10 Lionel Cartwright (1) – Leap of Faith
- 09 Terri Clark (1) – Now That I Found You
- 08 George Strait (4/5) – Love Without End, Amen
- 07 Michael Peterson (1) – From Here to Eternity
- 06 Anita Cochran (1) & Steve Wariner (2/2) – What if I Said
S-Tier
- 05 Garth Brooks (3/4) – Unanswered Prayers
- 04 George Strait (5/5) – One Night at a Time
- 03 Collin Raye (1) – Love, Me
- 02 Garth Brooks (4/4) – The Dance
- 01 John Berry (1) – She’s Taken a Shine
