Post by lovedxc on Jan 3, 2011 5:54:26 GMT -8
Posted on American Twang.com:
The 50 Best Country Songs of 2010
We loaded every 2010 release into a giant playlist, listened to all of the songs and created this list of the 50 best.
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
The 50 Best Country Songs of 2010
We loaded every 2010 release into a giant playlist, listened to all of the songs and created this list of the 50 best.
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