Grady Smith My quarantine has been taken over by the awesome daily country calendar on your subreddit. It’s really gotten me to think and replay some awesome songs.
I feel like Springsteen by eric church was one of the best of songs of the decade. And Even though I'm leaving by Luke combs. Those songs really helped me after my dad died.
Grady Smith I can get behind most of this list. I’d add Tegan Marie’s Keep it Lit to the list. She was only 14 at the time and her voice was so good. She’s got a bright future.
It’s kinda cheesy but “Falling in Love as she’s walking away” actually convinced my to ask out my girlfriend. We’ve been going out for 4 years now. Thank you early 2010s zac brown with Alan Jackson. You got me the girl.
Brad Paisley had so many good songs this decade: This is Country Music, Remind Me, Old Alabama, Beat This Summer, Southern Comfort Zone, Perfect Storm, Heaven South, Today, Last Time For Everything, Bucked Off, and My Miracle.
All my favorite Brad Paisley songs are from before 2010 except "Today." That song is amazing. That song can lift me out of a bad mood and make me grateful, hopeful, and ready for life's challenges. :)
If I die young makes me cry every time I hear it. The song was played at my 19 year old cousins funeral. He died of an overdose and it shook me and my family to the core. Love ya Tyler.
Gary Allan does NOT get the credit he is due. While most of his hits took place in the 00's, he did release singles and albums in the 10's which were really good. The problem is, they weren't mainstream enough, they weren't what studio execs or radio execs wanted, and he wasn't going to give them what they wanted. He is a highly under-rated singer and songwriter, and he should be a lot more popular than he is. "No Regrets" was a soul crushing autobiography about getting over the death of his wife to suicide. "Every Storm (Runs Out Of Rain)" was a beautiful song of hope and getting through tough times. There is a lot more, but you got to seek it out and hear for yourself.
I feel the same about Josh Thompson! His main success coming in the 00's but also had a few songs come out in the 2010's that really were great pieces of work.
Gary Allan so underrated. The one song of his I think most people missed but is absolutely one of my favorites of all time is “Half of My Mistakes” One of the best written songs of all time
I love Gary as a artist, he came to my hometown for a concert a few years back I got as close to the stage as I could afford. Amazing performance you can feel his pain in his songs over it. But the music was his therapy for his hard time in life.
Samsonator 9977 That song came around when I just started listening to country music. I was only listening to the radio at that time and I was just entranced when that song came on. Considering the radio landscape at the time it was almost magical when it came on because it was so different than everything else and it was so much better. I have Spotify now and have discovered the independent artists of today that make actual country music as well as the artists of old, but Meanwhile Back At Mama’s will always have a spot on my playlist.
But you forgot this lyrical masterpiece: If it's meant to be, it'll be, baby just let it be.If it's meant to be, it'll be, baby just let it be.If it's meant to be, it'll be, baby just let it be.If it's meant to be, it'll be, baby just let it be.If it's meant to be, it'll be, baby just let it be.If it's meant to be, it'll be, baby just let it be.If it's meant to be, it'll be, baby just let it be.If it's meant to be, it'll be, baby just let it be.If it's meant to be, it'll be, baby just let it be.If it's meant to be, it'll be, baby just let it be.If it's meant to be, it'll be, baby just let it be.If it's meant to be, it'll be, baby just let it be.If it's meant to be, it'll be, baby just let it be.
It still makes me sad that the Band Perry made such a drastic change in direction. They had a unique sound to most popular country and some really good songs. I hold out hope that they will come back but it seems like that ship has well and truly sailed 😢
I actually had no idea The Band Perry took such a drastic change in their music! There's probably a reason for that, though. The little I've heard from their more recent stuff, it sounds awful.
In the 1980s, they would be labeled as a rock band in the line of .38 Special, Georgia Sattelites, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, etc. They would hit the top 10 a lot in the 1980s under the pop charts.
man Zac Brown came out with some timeless incredible music in the 2010's, makes me wish he would've kept making that kind of music with stories and harmonies and instruments. seriously the sound of highway 20 ride and colder weather and as she's walking away are so unique and beautiful
So I've been out of the country music loop-what exactly happened to Zac Brown Band? Just for the record, I love "Chicken Fried" and "Highway 20 Ride", probably my fave ZBB songs
One of my absolute favorite songs they did on this album he mentions is ‘Martin’ and it doesn’t get nearly the credit it deserves. I thought being a fan of words that he is it would surely get a mention
I know Kenny Chesney has his own kinda lanes of island-country and rock-country, but with his new album coming out, I feel like he is one of the most consistent country artists of the decade, every album had at least 2 great songs. Might be me but I like how he does his own thing and isn’t super influenced by country radio/popular music, even if he doesn’t do much with the award shows, he just keeps putting out really good music.
Here's my thought of best country songs in 2010s: Dirt - Florida Georgia Line The Breath You Take - George Strait Somethin' bout a Truck - Kip Moore Drink a Beer- Luke Bryan This Is Country Music - Brad Paisley Over You - Miranda Lambert Where I Come From - Montgomery Gentry Ain't Worth the Whiskey - Cole Swindell Drowns the Whiskey - Jason Aldean ft. Miranda Lambert Pontoon - Little Big Town Tornado - Little Big Town Girl Crush - Little Big Town You Lie - The Band Perry A Little Dive Bar in Dahlonega - Ashley McBryde That Ain't County - Aaron Lewis Stripes - Brandy Clark I Wouldn't Be a Man - Josh Turner All American Kid - Garth Brooks Ask Me How I Know - Garth Brooks The Boys of Fall - Kenny Chesney Family Man - Craig Campbell Die a Happy Man - Thomas Rhett Wake Up Lovin' You - Craig Morgan Don't Miss Your Life - Phil Vassar Pretty Good at Drinking Beer - Billy Currington Scream - Katie Armiger Blown Away - Carrie Underwood Cry Pretty - Carrie Underwood Over - Blake Shelton Whiskey Glasses - Morgan Wallen Barefoot Blue Jean Night - Jake Owen God Gave Me You - Blake Shelton Fastest Girl in Town - Miranda Lambert Don't You Wanna Stay - Jason Aldean ft. Kelly Clarkson Without You - Keith Urban 1994 - Jason Aldean ( I just wanted to add that song for a tribute to Joe Diffie ) On My Way to You - Cody Johnson Broken Halo - Chris Stapleton Millionaire - Chris Stapleton Parachute - Chris Stapleton A Little Bit Stronger - Sara Evan's When I'm Gone - Joey + Rory Friends Don't - Maddie + Tae I Wish Grandpas Never Died - Riley Green Smoke a Little Smoke - Eric Church Talladega - Eric Church Solid - Eric Church
Joe Nichols had a couple really good singles this decade. He's definitely underrated in my opinion. Keep up the great content Grady. Your job is not an easy one.
Despite him trending kind of on the pop direction, Chase Rice’s “Three Chords and the Truth” is one of my top favorites from the decade. To me, it was the best song from Lions & Lambs.
His version of This Cowboy's Hat with Ned LeDoux is his best by far. Ned is Chris LeDoux's son. Chris did it originally. That song should have been released after Eyes On You, but they released Lonely If You Are which is bombing on the charts.
That whole album was what i expected from him when he took all those years off and changed record labels. Its the music he said he wanted to release. Kinda sad he is starting to revert back to ignite the night chase rice
Riley Harris Ignite the Night had a couple okayish songs but his newest album kind of disappointed me a little bit. No doubt the guy has some talent in him but his new album went a completely different direction than I expected. Hopefully “The Album Pt. 2” will be a change of that but if Pt. 1 was any indication, I don’t think that’s going to happen.
William Michael Morgan, Mo Pitney, and more of the Texas/Americana/Roots/Canadian artists were left out. Many of the well-named artists of over 10 years are in these categories now. Tanya Tucker appeared on the Texas, Americana, country and roots charts the past year. Terri Clark got so many hits in Canada as well.
Two albums not mentioned here that are worth revisiting: The Bluegrass Album by Alan Jackson. Solid Ground by Wade Bowen. I'm honestly baffled at the fact that it didn't receive more attention at its release. It's his best album.
If "Quarantine Town" by Grady Smith was released in 2019, it would be on this list. I thought "Burning House" by Cam was a ray of sunshine during the bro country era. Chris Young before he sold out deserves to be on this list. A.M. and Neon were on repeat for me for half of the 2010's.
Same Trailer, Different Park by Kacey Musgraves is the album that got me hooked on country. Each of her albums are a masterpiece. I love Same Trailer for nostalgia, but damn Golden Hour is equally as good. What I believe makes Golden Hour so unique it it being a pop country album done right. Rather than copy the sounds of radio pop sounds, she take many of the pop indie sounds and infuses them wither her usual twangy, witty, and sassy sound. I believe what Traveler did for country music, Golden Hour did the same which is why people of all genre tastes enjoy. Though I find award shows to reward the most popular, Golden Hour's win for best album was well earned!!
Wow. What a great list - you absolutely nailed it. The Chris Stapleton - Adele comparison is so dead on and one of the smartest and most interesting commentaries I have ever read. Love both artists, never ever thought of it that way, but it is absolutely true.
Love Kacey’s second album. There’s just so much more range shown than in her newest album. Don’t get me wrong, Golden Hour is amazing but the songwriting on Pageant Material feels more personal. She gets goofy with songs like Biscuits and Family is Family but then knocks it out of the park with ballads like Somebody to Love.
@@yeehoe2461 Completely true. The songwriting on Pageant Material is CLEVER. Didn't get any of that (the stuff that helped me realize what country actually is!) on her third album!
Flatland Cavalry’s E.P. “Come May” got me into the red dirt/Texas scene that I have gotten to dive so far into, and that E.P. will always be one of my favorites
The Weight of These Wings by Miranda Lambert - definitely one of the best country albums of the decade + Pistol Annies' last record. Stuff by Margo Price, Ashley Monroe, Ashley McBryde, Brandy Carlile. All Too Well by Taylor Swift. Something in the Water by Carrie Underwood.
I feel like he completely missed one of the biggest guy of all, quite literally. I haven’t watched many of the videos, but I feel like Luke Comb’s album - This Ones For You Too, definitely should have made this list
Hey Grady. I know that I'm not one to tell you what content to put out, but I think it would be really cool do have some sort of series where you did like a deep dive on an artist and their music.
Just read an article posted on the subreddit that listed Humble and Kind as one of the worst songs of the decade. And I lost it. That is one of Tim McGraw’s best. I listen to it every Thanksgiving (yes, thanksgiving music exists and yes, this song is one of the most popular Thanksgiving songs) It’s so simple and so well done.
Being introduced to Turnpike Troubadours was the fastest I have ever fallen in love with a group. The sound, the writing, the emotion, definitely one of the best finds of the decade.
When you say “standard country music star” I’m assuming you mean based off of the artists we have today because Stapleton is literally what country music used to be with guys like Jennings, Williams jr, Nelson, Rogers, Daniels, etc. Those guys are the real standard country music stars
Turnpike Troubadours were definitely my favourite of the decade, they were my most played of the decade on Spotify too. Now if only they would tour closer to Canada!
I personally had a hard love for Eric Church’s album “The Outsiders” it had so many amazing songs like Talladega, Like A Wrecking Ball and Cold One just to name a few, this album truly changed me and it felt great.
Fun fact. Chris Stapleton's ancestral lineage as well as the lineage of Patty Loveless, Chrystal Gayle and Loretta Lynn all have roots in Scott County Virginia the small mountainous county where Sarah, AP and Maybelle Carter came from.
Seeing 'Southeastern' on your "best of" list in 2013 for EW is what sent me down a rabbit hole of independent country/Americana artists, so thanks for that, Grady. Great video!
When I was a little younger, I would always cry when I heard colder weather. It was such a powerful song by an amazing group. So sad to see their latest work and I’m really hoping we get the see more of that old Zac Brown Band we all fell in love with.
Aaron Watson is great! The first time I heard "July in Cheyenne" I was wiping the tears from my eyes. If you like traditional country, you need to check him out.
As someone who is a huge Zac Brown Band fan, I loved As She Walking Away because it kinda hits home a little too hard and it ends up stuck in my head pretty often.
How about: Wagon Wheel by Darius Rucker Get Along by Kenny Chesney Gods Country by Blake Shelton People are Crazy by Billy Currington Living by Dierks Bentley Love Ain't by Eli Young Band Springsteen/Some of It by Eric Church Dirt Road Anthem by Jason Aldean What if I Never Get Over You by Lady Antebellum Greatest Love Story by LANCO Most People are Good by Luke Bryan Five More Minutes/In Between/This is It by Scotty Mccreery Her World or Mine by Michael Ray More Hearts than Mine by Ingrid Andress Even Though Im Leaving/Does to Me by Luke Combs Just to name a few...
Girl in a Country Song was the greatest thing to happen to country music, it was refreshing to hear a frank "this genre's motifs are trash, actually" within its genre and not as a parody song.
I don’t know if this is controversial or anything, but one of my favorites of Eric Church’s career is a single from the start of the decade, Creepin’. Also, my dad and I listened to that ZBB album a lot when it debuted.
Gotta include more Luke Combs in there come on now, in my opinion there is no single bad song on the This Ones for You too album, every song on there is a slapper, plus come on now even though I’m leaving, beer never broke my heart, hurricane, one number away, she got the best of me?? Gotta include those on there
My mom has been listening to Jason Isbell's album southwestern on repeat non-stop for the entirety of quarantine. I might die if I have to keep hearing it. Repetition can ruin even the best of albums.😭
Thanks for the shoutout to “Pageant Material”. That was by far my favorite country album and one of my favorites of the decade as well. I specifically remember being late to the game when it comes to it because if it weren’t for a friend of a friend, I would not have known about her or this amazing jewel of an album. And I agree that it is so unapologetically country and it restored my faith in the genre and made me start digging for more gems. I had pretty much given up on country in 2006. That being said, I’m glad you also have a shout out to “The Band Perry”! That particular album was a highlight from the decade for me as well because it just reminded me of ”the good old days” about country, which for me is when I was really introduced to it in 2003. Also, I’d personally give a shout-out to Runaway June’s “Wild West”, however the version that aired on SiriusXM The Highway. Thank goodness I found it on ITunes because they redid it and it sounded more pop. But the “country” version was my favorite song of the decade. Holy cow, it made me fall in love with a girl that doesn’t yet exist in my life 😉 Thanks for the videos Grady!!
Solid list. I cant argue with any of the picks! For me, its: 10) The entirety of Luke Comb's newest album 9) Somewhere In The Middle - Cody Jinks 8) Either Way - Chris Stapleton 7) Heavy Is The Head - Zac Brown 6) The House That Built Me - Miranda Lambert 5) Dads Old Number - Cole Swindell 4) Nose on The Grindstone - Tyler Childers 3) My Kinda Livin - HARDY 2) Living - Dierks Bentley 1) Stone - Whiskey Myers
Thank you for putting If I Die Young on here. Although The Band Perry still has a big fan base. Their new songs are really good and different. I like them especially NITE SWIM.
I really agree with you that "Pageant Material" is the very best Kacey Musgraves album. And there's not only refernces to Glen Campbell and Willie Nelson on that record, she also mentions sleeping in a room with Gram Parsons ghost. And Gram Parsons is for me simply the best and I simply can't understand why he hasn't been inducted to Country Music Hall of Fame. But that's another discussion. You had some really good music in this video and I'm also glad you mentioned Lindi Ortega.
