Every #1 Country Song of the 2000s: 2007

2007

January 6: "She's Everything" by Brad Paisley

So how did Brad Paisley follow up a cheesy yet boring list song? With another cheesy and even more boring list song. This one is just a list of random objects that represent the woman in his life, and while it's played more seriously than "The World," it still feels like too much of a carbon copy. It's not helped at all by some absolutely drab production and vocals, which are shackled to a very static melody. A couple of the lines actually do work, such as the slight chuckle on "stealer of the covers" and the mention of an "unborn children's mother," and a sudden spark of emotion at "she's the one I'd lay down my own life for" (as over-the-top as that sentiment may be). But these brief moments are mere speckles of color in an otherwise total sea of gray. As frustratingly hit-and-miss as Brad may be, at least most of his songs manage not to be boring. But this is one of the first I actually would describe as boring. C-

January 27: "Watching You" by Rodney Atkins

There's some intangible cutesy-ness to the melody that makes me think "diaper commercial" more than I would like, but other than that, this is far less cloying than I expected. I actually heard a station play this song before it was a single, and I thought it had potential. By this point, Rodney had settled into a gravelly tone that made his songs instantly less slick, and it works in this one's favor. I like that the examples set by the father to his son are both bad (swearing) and good (praying), and that the father has a sense of remorse over the former. It's a bit more nuanced than these father-son narratives usually get. I'm not a parent and I don't ever plan to be, but I can understand where this guy's coming from and the narrative feels like something that could have actually happened. B+

February 24: "It Just Comes Natural" by George Strait

It's almost like George and longtime producer Tony Brown knew they had a light-hearted list song, so they went a little extra on the production. There's a slight reverb/processing effect on George's vocal here, and even if he clearly fluffs the note on "tumbleweeds roll," it's otherwise a bit of a different take that adds a little more grit. The production and chord progression also have a gently insistent groove that remains a little left of center for King George. Again, this is a very lightweight song -- just listing off random things as "natural" as his love for his woman -- but the charismatic delivery, deliberate word choice, and most importantly the production all make it considerably weightier and less infantile than, say, "I Just Want to Dance with You." B

March 10: "Ladies Love Country Boys" by Trace Adkins

How was this the song that finally got him back to the top a full decade after the fantastic "(This Ain't) No Thinkin' Thing"? I admit, "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk" never got under my skin, because any song with a lyric like "got it goin' on like Donkey Kong" is clearly too silly to be lecherous. This one isn't nearly as cringe as predecessor "Swing" nor as reeking of toxic masculinity as "I Got My Game On," but at its best, it's still a weak rehash of "Trashy Women" without that song's obvious tongue-in-cheek tone. The narrative of "upscale city woman falls for a country boy" has been done to death, and this brings nothing new to the table other than him trying too hard to bend "subdivision" to rhyme with "chicken" (presumably she came from a "mansion somewhere in Wiscansin"?) and an annoying, clashing chorus of "na na na"s. It's just messy and boring at the same time. Skip this and go straight to "I Wanna Feel Something." D+

March 24: "Beer in Mexico" by Kenny Chesney

Silly observation of the day: I love that the Wikipedia article on this song has to be at "Beer in Mexico (song)" because the title "Beer in Mexico" is used for the history of, well, beer in Mexico. Because to me, that's far more interesting than the song. While Kenny's forte is usually that sense of introspection, he kind of failed to stick the landing on The Road and the Radio. This is just a warmed-over rehash of "Living in Fast Forward" only with some barely-audible mariachi horns in the chorus and a much weaker hook. (I think the main problem is him trying to match that inward looking lyric with a way too loud production style. He'd gotten the balance right before, and he'd get it right again.) It's a shame that by far the two good songs off this album didn't get to #1. On the plus side, this is just a momentary dip before some damn good cuts later in the decade. B-

April 14: "Last Dollar (Fly Away)" by Tim McGraw

I'm embarrassed to admit I love this one. It's loud, gaudy, and over the top in a way that screams "yep, Big Kenny wrote it," but that's why I dig it so much. This dude's just infectiously happy despite all the things going on in his life, but he never feels like a Pollyanna. Hard times are there; they just aren't cutting him down. "If I ain't got nothin', I got nothin' to hold me back" is a brilliant way of expressing this. But what really sends this one over the top for me is how much fun Tim and producer Bryon Gallimore seemed to be having in the studio. There's a cheerfulness to his delivery, enhanced by the blasting guitars, the "ha ha ha ha"s, flanger effect, and even his kids singing along. Like so many of his other #1 hits from this era, I'm baffled as to why this one seemingly had zero staying power. We need more unabashed happiness like this in music. A

April 21: "Wasted" by Carrie Underwood

When I bought her first album, this was the track to me that was just begging to be released as a single. Both sides of my family are alcoholics, and I've long feared becoming one of them -- so a narrative where someone kicks the habit is always compelling to me. I like how this shows two separate people struggling with their addictions, implying their stories may even intertwine in some way. There's no judgment or moralizing; just two people who've hit rock bottom and are looking for a way back up. I also love the image of the moon and sun floating side by side, implying the days are blending together. I also like how "wasted" refers not just to intoxication, but also by the time and resources lost to a bad habit. The timbales in the production add some nice sonic flourishes, and Carrie's all-in vocal delivery is perfectly matched to the performance. By nailing a tough topic, this one is easily among her best. A+

May 12: "Stand" by Rascal Flatts

This song has so many interesting similes: a candle in a hurricane, a picture with a broken frame, and so on. Unfortunately, for all the somewhat inspired imagery, it never does anything with them. What do all these images mean when placed next to each other? Also, it kind of derails on the chorus with "When push comes to shove, you taste what you're made of." You taste what you made of? Where did that come from? They all build up to an image of dusting yourself off and standing back up -- an inspired and necessary message, sure, but none of the surrounding verses have anything to do with it. (And what does "life's like a novel with the end ripped out" even mean?) The slick over-production and strident vocals -- again, thankfully not as bombastic as they'd get later in the game -- recall the bland, interchangeable CCM my boss listens to at work. If you did get something out of this, then I won't take it away from you. But to me, it's just Motivational Song Mad Libs. C-

May 19: "Settlin'" by Sugarland

This one starts off strong with an interesting organ riff and doesn't let up. Jennifer's vocal is on fire, and Kristian carries a bit more of the song than usual for a reminder that yes, this is a duo. Lyrically, it's a bit of a rehash of "Something More" and "Just Might (Make Me Believe)" with its whole yearning for a better life (to the point that it even reuses the former's reference to red wine), but if you're going to revisit themes, those are far from bad songs to draw inspiration from. The title lyric "I ain't settlin' for anything less than everything" says more, and more emphatically, in eight words than the entirety of "Stand" did. And in some interesting inside baseball, this song got the #1 position over "Stand" due to the only ever tie on the Billboard country charts, with "Settlin'" getting the position because it gained in airplay while "Stand" decreased. I guess they weren't "settlin'" after all. B+

May 26: "Good Directions" by Billy Currington

I'm still trying to figure out the logistics of how turning right at the fork in the road will bring her back around to him. Maybe they're on a circular road? Whatever, this song's too charming for me to let that bring it down. Billy's delivery is charming and laid-back, sounding just like the kind of country boy who'd be asked for directions -- and then chew himself out for not even getting the name of the pretty lady who stopped in the first place. It sounds like the kind of small town where strangers really would offer directions and sweet tea to lost passers-by, and the way the punch line (and title) is held off until the very end is genuinely clever. I also like that the contrast between the city girl and country boy is never played for any sense of superiority or cultural clash -- they just are who they are. Even a novelty song can have layers, and this one is all the better for it. A

June 16: "Moments" by Emerson Drive

The "homeless man offers advice" trope is so well-worn, but this is probably the best take on it. The narrator is planning to commit suicide by jumping off a bridge when he is stopped by said homeless man, who tells a bit of his own life story. Of course, the narrator shares his own too, and it's that realization -- that level of detail -- that immediately makes this song a million times better than its setup would have you think. At no point do those first two verses feel trite; in fact, it's subtle commentary on the situation of homeless veterans and on those of us with inferiority complexes. (I've never felt suicidal myself, but I can relate to someone who still does positives, like this man's giving up alcohol, yet still feels like it wasn't enough.) They both walk away with newfound re-contextualizations of the big and small things in life. But to me, the best part is that the song continues to characterize the homeless man in the third verse, painting him as a real human being and not just a dispenser of advice. Brad Mates' vocals are a lot warmer and more relaxed than usual, and the overall melancholic yet subtly uplifting vibe recalls some of the high points in Sawyer Brown's career (e.g., "Cafe on the Corner," "All These Years"). This was easily their best song, and I'm glad they got recognition for it. A+

June 23: "Find Out Who Your Friends Are" by Tracy Lawrence feat. Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney

When you're stuck in an unfavorable situation, such as a car wreck or a moment of homelessness that requires you to couch-surf, those are the times when you find the people most willing to help you. The friends sung about here are the selfless, generous, charitable kind the world can use more of. It's a positive, relatable, charming message. And the way it's told here, at least lyrically, is on point without ever sounding trite or preachy. If you listen to the remix that has Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney chiming in, there's a sense of chemistry that underscores the message (and works on a meta level, because those two singers -- actual friends of Tracy's -- are the reason this song got to #1.) Even the production is delightfully chill. As with most Casey Beathard co-writes, literally the only mark against it is the rigid, uninspired melody -- those same so-mi-so-mi-so-mi-so runs that I can hear in well over half his body of work. As a music theory nerd, I can't ever not notice stuff like that,but I don't think the average listener would care too much. A- (McGraw/Chesney version) / B (solo version)

June 30: "Ticks" by Brad Paisley

Not long after this song came out, my house actually was hit with a tick infestation thanks to one of my dogs. So yeah, I'm not a fan of those little suckers. And the thought of checking someone for them, something I actually did have to do multiple times until we finally eradicated them? You're freaking gross, Brad. I get what you're going for with this sleazy, intentionally bad pickup line -- like some sort of modern-day "I'd Lie to You for Your Love" -- but why'd you have to pick that? Brad's voice continues to be much flatter and less charismatic than before, further helping to ensure that his tryhard comedy lands with a resounding thud (shame, since I do like the chicken-pickin' guitar work at the beginning). C-

July 7: "Lucky Man" by Montgomery Gentry

Things aren't going right for this guy: he hates his job and his favorite team lost, and he's stuck in a perpetual loop of the grass always being greener on the other side. But before he spirals into cynicism, he takes stock of the fact that he's got the basics in life -- food, shelter, money, and love. From the chorus onward, the song continues in that more positive vibe, highlighting other minor victories in life (such as his dad surviving a health scare, a line that hits all the harder after Troy Gentry's sudden unexpected death). Record executives would later pan this album for being "too soft," but I think that softness results in some of Montgomery Gentry's most compelling moments and helps the more swaggering ones go down easier. This and "Some People Change" were a hell of a one-two punch in terms of tempering the macho with the meaningful. A+

July 21: "Lost in This Moment" by Big & Rich

One of the most surreal facts in country music history is that this, and not "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)," is Big & Rich's highest chart entry. Granted, Big & Rich were no strangers to ballads, and some of their best works ("8th of November," "Wild West Show") are among their more serious songs. John Rich has a surprisingly nuanced vocal read here, to the point that he manages to channel Hal Ketchum of all artists on the first verse. Big Kenny's crooning bass harmony is as on-point as ever, although there are times when both solo and together, they come dangerously close to cloying. Really, the only downfall of this song is that it's a generic wedding ballad, with none of the spark of their aforementioned best ballads. Of course, it doesn't help that their up-tempos became downright un-listenable ("Loud," "Party Like Cowboyz," "Fake ID"), nor that John dove headfirst into deeply troubling conservativism both on and off the record. (Fun fact: did you know the Twitter account for his Redneck Riviera bar has me blocked?) But on its own, this is just bland, which is not a word one would usually use to describe either their best or worst. C

August 4: "Never Wanted Nothing More" by Kenny Chesney

I told you we'd get back to the good Kenny Chesney songs. This one has a twangy, banjo-driven approach he'd never tried before or since, and he manages to fit it like a glove. The central concept of wanting all manner of things -- a car, a sexual encounter, marriage, and salvation -- flows naturally without ever feeling forced, a tough needle to thread in the "repurpose the chorus three times" formula. (Seriously, in a world where contrived examples like "Don't Take the Girl" and "Keep It Between the Lines" exist, this is one of the best ones.) Kenny also sounds invigorated on the verses, perhaps doing his best to channel a little bit of one of the writers. You know, some guy named Chris Stapleton. That something so spirited and credible is still only the second-best single off the album says a lot, both for this album cycle and for Kenny as a whole. A

September 8: "These Are My People" by Rodney Atkins

I think some of Rodney Atkins' best moments come from being a highly likable everyman. His previous hits didn't reach too high, and told relatable stories that sounded more lived-in thanks to his unpolished voice. This one sounds like it's going to be another paean to small-town life, but he goes out of his way to highlight the foibles. These are college dropouts who smoke and get a reality check when they realize they can't "run this town" and who get into fights during softball games, but at the end of the day, they've got each other's backs regardless. I also like how the melody slides down the scale then back up, almost as if melodically suggesting the line "we fall down and we get up." That's clever. Overall, this song is way more substantial than I remembered. A-

September 15: "More Than a Memory" by Garth Brooks

 I like how dark and moody the verses are -- images of him trying to forget her, deleting her number from his phone, and so on are then ripped away by that powerful chorus. It's easy to believe this guy is desperate to stop thinking about her, yet still finds himself driving by her house. He sounds miserable, angry, and drunk, and the hard-hitting chorus feels like he's screaming out in rage over this maelstrom of emotions. It's moodier, angrier, and heavier-produced than almost anything in Garth's catalog, helped by some strings and a resolution to a dissonant minor-second chord along a nearly whispered "forget." I can hardly think of any songs as raw and angry that were as successful -- to the point this literally debuted at number one. Garth's always been about being larger than life, and both in and out of context, this is one of his biggest. A+

September 22: "Take Me There" by Rascal Flatts

I'm amazed that this song took only ten weeks to hit #1 and spent three weeks there, because it had zero staying power -- it's not even certified gold, which is almost unheard of for a song with that strong of a chart showing. And it's not hard to see why. With an un-memorable droning guitar riff so badly mixed that it clips, the song goes nowhere and spends a lot of time doing it. Even the melody isn't that memorable, which is unusual for a Neil Thrasher co-write. The idea of being "taken" to his lover's favorite hangouts and places of memories is somewhat admirable, but both lyrically and production-wise, it just never gets off the ground. Literally the only thing that stands out is Gary's voice cracking on the line "tell me what yout story is." So yeah, it's not hard to see why this one fell off almost immediately. Fortunately, this album gave us the much more likable "Winner at a Losing Game"; unfortunately, it also gave us the train wreck that was "Bob That Head." C-

October 13: "Online" by Brad Paisley

I've been a lifelong victim of bullying, I am on the autism spectrum, and until my early 30s I still lived with my mom and worked fast food. So on a more cynical day, I might complain that this song cuts too close to home for me. On the other hand, as someone who turned to the furry fandom in high school, I can relate to the concept of being an unpopular sort who finds comfort in pretending to be someone or something else through the magic of the Internet. Also, Brad's laid-back delivery makes the song's tone not feel nasty or mean-spirited, and it's helped by some clever production tricks (such as the organ intro, which evokes 8-bit video games or dialup modems, and the auditory punchline of a marching band at the end). Plus, Brad just doesn't seem like the kind of guy to say something like "never been to second base" un-ironically, so it doesn't feel like a famous person punching way too far down. (Besides, who's to say the nerd's lines about his unpopularity aren't exaggerations too?) In short, this song is about a self-deprecating loser who finds solace in the escapism of the Internet -- in other words, it's about people like me, and I think it's pretty cool. A

October 20: "Love Me If You Can" by Toby Keith

Remember how I said I initially thought "American Soldier" was written entirely to try and soften the blow from "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue"? It turns out this song was a response. Lines like "I sometimes think that war is necessary / But every night I pray for peace on earth" sound like he's desperately trying to walk back, not apologize or reconcile. He wants to "agree to disagree," which can work when it's pizza toppings or tastes in country songs, but not so much when it's pushing fear-mongering and bigotry. I was an "able soul," yet I still didn't have a real job until I was 27. Would he have given me money, or just screamed "get a job, loser, and stop wasting taxpayers' money" at me? Even in the context of the song, I'm inclined to believe the latter. I'm also not a fan of him putting the title phrase into the mouth of Jesus, which just makes him sound wishy-washy. If you recall the account of Jesus turning over the money changers' tables in the temples, that was not the image of a half-hearted man. I also think it's kind of icky and egotistical for him to project himself onto Jesus. And to think people got mad when Phil Vassar had God say "all I'm asking for is love" in "This Is God"? I dunno, that sounds like a far more accurate and less ego-centric exegesis to me. This is just trying to cover up pandering with more pandering. D

October 27: "Don't Blink" by Kenny Chesney

Sympathetic portrayals of the elderly are a surefire way to get my attention. Here, the narrator hears a news interview with a 102-year-old man. The man's "secret to life" is "Don't blink; just like that, you're six years old and you take a nap / Then you wake up and you're 25..." I still remember some of the early 90s, when things from the 60s and 70s hadn't quite been put away yet -- things that were as far away then as my high school years are from now. I feel like I wasted a lot of my 20s through bad decisions, but nowadays, 37 isn't old. I've still got time to live life. I especially like how the second verse and bridge show the narrator reacting to the man's words and taking stock of his own life, which is exactly what this kind of song should set out to do. Kenny is relaxed but not lethargic, and the production is that calm but electric-driven sound he mastered around this point. Don't blink; you might just miss one of the best songs in a staggeringly strong discography. A+

November 24: "Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go)" 

by Dierks Bentley

The repetition of the title gets a little bit overbearing at times, but other than that, this one is about as "free and easy" as you can get. It's just a carefree ride that never feels laconic or lazy, and I love that banjo. Plus, who am I to argue against name-dropping the supremely talented Cross Canadian Ragweed? A good travel song always gets me in the mood, and sometimes it's okay to just have a low-stakes drive. This one has a very likable groove that just feels like the kind of relaxing, unwinding road trip it's singing about, and I think that's pretty neat. Got any room for me in the passenger seat, Dierks? B+

December 1: "So Small" by Carrie Underwood

Something about the concept of love making everything else feel so small just rubs me the wrong way. It feels like she's trivializing the troubles of the world -- not in a "don't worry, it'll be okay" manner, more of a "just think rainbows and puppies" manner. It comes dangerously close to an ignorant, Pollyana type of blind happiness. You mean to tell my depression, poverty, and being bullied will all go away with love? What is this, the Care Bears? (No pun intended.) I also think that the production and belting work against the message; why would you make the hook "so small" and then blast it to the rafters? Isn't that the least appropriate way to produce the word "small"? The message seems clumsy and insincere, and the bombastic vocals and delivery feel like they're trying way too hard for style over substance. No thanks. C-

December 22: "Our Song" by Taylor Swift

This was one of the most country sounding songs on her debut, thanks in no small part to that banjo. Although she wrote it at a relatively young age, there's a lot of thought put into it. The concept of tying one's memories to a song is well-worn, and the twist here is brilliant. Instead of naming a specific tune, their "song" is the sound effects of everyday life. Slamming screen doors, tapping on windows late at night, hesitant late-night phone calls; they're all believable images that tie into the theme. I also like the conclusion where she sings "I wrote down our song," putting an even greater meta spin on this whole trope without feeling cutesy or overdone. Her vocal delivery is a little rough (the last "real slow" almost has a valley-girl cadence that comes out of nowhere), but I think the lack of vocal polish just makes the rest of the song feel all the more charming. A 

Every #1 Country Song of the 2000s: 2006

2006

January 14: "She Let Herself Go" by George Strait

I love a song that lets a woman have agency. This woman breaks free from her relationship, and the man thinks she'll be a wreck without him. And sure enough, once it's over, she "let[s] herself go" -- on multiple vacations, a trip to the spa, a blind date, and off to buy a new car. It's not a mere punch line; it's surprisingly feminist in how she's able to regain control so quickly after freeing from an unsavory man. It's the kind of wordplay you'd expect from Dean Dillon, and Strait gives a breezy vibe that's slightly different from the usual for him. As I said in the previous entry, "twisting a formula around is almost always a good move," and this one sticks the landing. Let yourself go listen to this again and again; you won't regret it. A

January 21: "Jesus, Take the Wheel" by Carrie Underwood

I have a term for this early-noughties trend of motivational/inspirational songs: "Chicken Soup for the Soul Country." This one is squarely within those paramters, but other than the odd scansion of the date being both "last Friday" and Christmas Eve, it really does nothing wrong. If you have a near-miss car accident that puts your life in danger, you'd probably take it as a wake-up call too. It's not a terribly original narrative, but the change from a literal wheel to a metaphorical one is far less contrived than it sounds on paper. Sure, she hadn't fully fleshed out her interpretive skills yet (it could've been a little less belt-y), and as her first real bow post-American Idol, a song of this nature can come across as pandering. This is made more for the Hallmark Channel crowd than it is for me, but for what it is, it more than does the job. B

March 4: "When I Get Where I'm Going" by Brad Paisley feat. Dolly Parton

I have no problem with the "what will happen when I get to Heaven" narrative, as George Strait's "You'll Be There" and Trent Tomlinson's "One Wing in the Fire" are among my all-time favorites. Conversely, this one isn't nearly as wrong-headed as Diamond Rio's utterly awful "God Only Cries." I just think it starts off wrong with lines about petting lions and riding drops of rain, which give an almost infantile tone. The chorus and second verse are fine, and it doesn't really stumble again until the generic "and so much work to do" which calls to mind Annie Coghill's "Work, for the Night Is Coming" (probably the most popular hymn I've seen since "In the Garden" that has nothing even remotely Christian to say). And maybe it's the 20 years of church organist speaking, but can we please start referencing hymns other than "Amazing Grace"? From a vocal and production standpoint, everything here is perfectly fine -- it's not bombastic and I like the modulation on the bridge, although I would've had Dolly sing a few lines herself and not just backup. Overall, it's not the worst; it's just the first time since "Little Moments" that one of Brad's ballads did nothing for me. C+

March 11: "Your Man" by Josh Turner

This one got mauled by overplay for me, but in the years since, I've come to find renewed appreciation for it. It's just chill, reserved, and sensual without feeling icky -- not even when he sings "I can't believe how much it turns me on." It helps that Josh Turner's asset is being laid-back and smooth; while it can occasionally spill over into stuffy conservatism ("Everything Is Fine"), that's thankfully not the case here. The gentle shuffle melody and lighthearted production (I hove how piano and steel cut in and out between verses, playing something a little different each time) make this a smooth little treat. While overall it's not really breaking any new ground, it's covering familiar territory in a way that never feels dusty or stodgy. B+

March 18: "Living in Fast Forward" by Kenny Chesney

Kenny Chesney spent most of this decade in high gear, so I can believe the narrative of a hectic life from which he wants to escape -- even if it's a well he went back to a few too many times. But as one of his first takes on that formula, this one's more than likable enough. It's got a good hook and some great guitar work. (Is the line about treating the body like a honky-tonk and not a temple an homage to Confederate Railroad, or was that already a joke before then?) While I doubt that Kenny Chensey was partaking of "greasy cheeseburgers and cheap cigarettes," I'll allow the artistic license. And then I'll get distracted halfway through the review and realize how un-memorable this song ultimately is, and wonder why I'm not reviewing the infinitely superior "Who You'd Be Today" instead. You almost had me there, Kenny. B-

April 8: "What Hurts the Most" by Rascal Flatts

First I hated this song. Then I liked it. Then I hated it again. Now it's probably my favorite of theirs. I think the different production style threw me -- it's definitely harder than most of their songs prior had been. "I can take the rain on the roof of this empty house / That don't bother me" is a great opening line. This man is vulnerable but, despite his brave front, he can't deal with a lost love that slipped through his hands. It's a surprisingly nuanced and emotional lyric, a very different style for Jeffrey Steele to be sure. Literally everything works on this song for me; I think I just had to peel back some of the layers first. And it probably also helps that hindsight has shown that compared to some of their more bloated efforts in later years, this is practically Nickel Creek by comparison. Either way, it's dramatic, deep, and unique in a lot of small intangible ways, and I think that is ultimately its greatest asset. A+

May 6: "Who Says You Can't Go Home" by Bon Jovi feat. Jennifer Nettles

I hate to ding the first verse twice in the couplet "Like a blind dog without a bone / I was a gypsy lost in the Twilight Zone" for not only the mixed metaphor, but also the slur. (To be fair, not everyone knows that, and I think even fewer people did in 2006.) Literally everything else on this song works: it's bright and sunny but has some grit, Bon Jovi and Jennifer Nettles have amazing chemistry (arguably, even more than she has ever had with Kristian Bush on almost any Sugarland song), and the theme of finding what you need by going back home is an interesting twist on common wanderlust tropes. There's certainly more than enough here to recover the fumble early on, and I love that something so off-kilter managed to connect. B+

May 20: "Wherever You Are" by Jack Ingram

Jack Ingram is one of many Texas country artists who spent years building up a cult following with tough, gritty songs before finally breaking through with his only major hit. While fellow Texan Pat Green managed to break through with a song that didn't sacrifice the grit ("Wave on Wave"), Jack Ingram instead leaned into the generic. Against a guitar riff that sounds like someone needed a royalty-free rewrite of Radney Foster's "Nobody Wins," Ingram gives an admittedly textured read of an uninspired "find the one I love" narrative. There are no emotional stakes; just a bunch of "I'm missing you and want to find you" vagueness without anything to make it stand out. And yet it's still less infuriatingly bland and derivative than "Maybe She'll Get Lonely." I wonder what would have happened had he gone with "Love You" as the first single to a fully studio album, instead of stapling two tracks -- that much better song and this generic radio-bait -- onto an existing live album. Maybe he could've found a more convincing way to balance artistry and success, and we could've been spared the desperation of covering "Lips of an Angel" while we were at it. C

May 27: "Why" by Jason Aldean

I wish I didn't have to talk about Aldean at all, but I will begrudgingly admit there was a time when he didn't suck, as a musician or a human being. I once heard someone say this song sounds like an abuser spewing out half-hearted apologies to regain trust in a woman before abusing her all over again (probably not helped by Shannon Brown's pronoun-flipped version, where "abuse victim" is a legitimate read). But even with Aldean's later scumminess in mind, I can't get there myself. To me, this is a guy who knows he keeps making mistakes in his relationship, and is throwing out rhetorical questions about why he can't fix his own stupidity. That's a level of self-awareness this kind of narrative usually lacks, and it's all the better for it. Aldean always had kind of a weird singing voice and he never sounded great in concert, but this is legitimately one of his best vocal reads to date. I have to wonder what his career arc would be like if he had more songs like this and "Amarillo Sky," and fewer like "Try That in a Small Town." B+

June 3: "Settle for a Slowdown" by Dierks Bentley

I like the narrative here. Not unlike "Nothin' but the Taillights," he's stuck outside, watching her car drive off. He doesn't want her to turn around and come back to him; he just wants her to stop for a moment and think about it. It's a clever punch line, and the verses mesasure up. I like how he admits he looks stupid standing out in the rain, and how he reveals she wanted to leave him for Hollywood. I also like how the last chorus changes the words to show that she's further away now. While the melody is a bit repetitive at times, the gritty delivery, spaghetti Western-tinged guitar hook, and resolution to minor key at the end of each line all make up for any other shortcomings in sound design. I'm not settling for anything here; this is a damn good song. A

June 17: "Summertime" by Kenny Chesney

This was the first Kenny Chesney song since "I Will Stand" that really missed for me. And that was before I read a Country Weekly article where he said he asked the writers to remove a line about snow cones because he didn't know what they are. While it's the only song I can think of that name-drops Yoo-Hoo, it's about as appetizing as a warm bottle of Yoo-Hoo that's been sitting on the floorboards. The melody is a static so-mi-so-mi-so pattern on the chorus, only to reach painfully out of his register on the chorus (seriously, it hurts my ears to listen to), and the guitar textures are equally harsh. Plus, the hook is just a dull thud: "It's a smile, it's a kiss / It's a sip of wine, it's summertime." Almost no thought feels like it went into writing this, and very little went into the production or arrangement either. Seriously, one of his worst. D+

July 22: "The World" by Brad Paisley

After the great Mud on the Tires, this was around the time where Brad hit a rough patch for me. While this album cycle started off strong with the genuinely clever "Alcohol" (a comedy song that name-drops Ernest Hemingway is clearly going way smarter than songs like that usually do), this one is just an endless barrage of "To X, you're Y" lines with no real punch lines. And of course it builds up to a lame, predictable girl/world rhyme. I don't think a single joke lands in the entire song, and it's not helped by how much plainer Brad's voice was already getting by this point. While I'm also hit-and-miss on his guitar work, that's one of the few points in this song's favor -- 32 tracks, if I recall correctly, layer in a lot of interesting textures that make this a cut above sonically. It's just a shame the rest of the song couldn't measure up. C

August 12: "If You're Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows)" by Rodney Atkins

A motivational song with actual tempo and some degree of a narrative? Be still my heart. This one brims with energy from the get-go in a way this kind of song usually lacks. Every line runs into the other in some of the most creative wordplay I've ever heard ("You step off the straight and narrow and you don't know where you are / Use the needle of your compass to sew up your broken heart/ Ask directions from a genie in a bottle of Jim Beam and she lies to you"), leading to that killer of a chorus. This song is just plain fun to listen to, and it hits even harder if you know about Rodney's back story -- he was allegedly born through date rape and subject to a number of health issues in his youth, and his early recording career was plagued with production and management issues (two words: Curb Records). This one is as sympathetic as it is fun to listen to, and it's all the better for it. The "I Hope You Dance" crowd would be better served with songs like this. A

September 9: "Leave the Pieces" by the Wreckers

Michelle Branch going country feels like a no-brainer. She had that folksy kind of approach with just enough polish, and adding Jessica Harp for some extra texture only made things even better. This was good for the Sheryl Crow/Jewel crowd, but the fiddle and banjo recall the Chicks as well. It's a breakup song, as you'd expect, but the hook is the real killer here. "There's nothing you can do or say / You're gonna break my heart anyway / So just leave the pieces when you go." I also love how confident she is in telling him to just get on with it, because she can bounce back. This song is sturdy, feminist, folksy, and meaningful in ways that weren't in vogue at the time, and I have to wonder if the decline of the Chicks played a factor in them not sticking around longer. Because from this song alone, they were too damn good to have only one album. A+

September 23: "Brand New Girlfriend" by Steve Holy

This song walks a fine line between funny and obnoxious. We start off with a diminished-chord intro where he lays out that she needs some time to herself. I like how there's a little "um" between "I did what any gentleman would do" and the more cheery "I got a brand new girlfriend." Lines like "kissy kissy smoochy smoochy" may wear on you after the 20th listen or so, but for the first few listens it's kind of funny. Maybe I'm a bit biased because I haven't heard it in years by now, but it did get a chuckle after a re-visit. The only real letdown here is that this was the song that got him back to the top, and not the stunning "Go Home" or "Put Your Best Dress On." But at the same time, at least it wasn't nearly as loud and obnoxious as "Men Buy the Drinks (Girls Call the Shots)." B

September 30: "Give It Away" by George Strait

We've seen George Strait broaden his horizons considerably in this stretch, and here's another example of him doing just that. The bluesy guitar tone recalls "Gone as a Girl Can Get" (one of the few George Strait songs where he was backed by the Ace in the Hole band). His talk-singing is delightfully laid-back but never muted,  laying out the divorce narrative. She doesn't even want his things, and tells him to just "give it away" because they're too tired from fighting. And after a few more failed attempts with other women, he's got a broken heart that he can't even give away. It's clever as hell, and the spoken-word narrative reminds you that yes, Whispering Bill did co-write this (although if I recall correctly, it was actually one of the other writers who suggested that). I especially love the little "hmm"s, as if he's trying to sort out the story himself. This was the song that claimed Strait's record for the most #1 hits, and I think it was a fantastic, inspired song worthy of that honor. A

October 14: "Would You Go with Me" by Josh Turner

This song is utterly charming in its promise of undying love. I think the narrative is inspired, in how every line forms a question. The lines are whimsical -- fields of clover, edge of the sea, etc. -- but they never feel like they're going to spill into Care Bears territory. That pretty production does a lot to set the scene, with its frequent mandolin and Dobro runs, along with its unexpected resolution into minor key. Josh Turner's voice also gets a hell of a workout, going all the way from basso profondo on the verses to falsetto on the chorus. Rarely since the heyday of Vince Gill has a love song sounded so warm, pretty, and evocative. If I were the woman in this scenario, I'd say "yes" before he even got to the chorus; he's just that damn convincing here. A+

October 28: "I Loved Her First" by Heartland

Who the hell let a bar band onto the charts? This was a baffling success: some nobodies on an indie label zoom up the charts and then immediately disappear. Everything about this record seems like it should have "not ready for prime time" written all over it (looking at you, Perfect Stranger), but it actually does manage to be slightly more than the sum of its parts. I like that it's a waltz, and that the production is actually laid-back; it gives a bit more nuance to a "father giving his daughter away" song. And "I loved her first" is actually a pretty good hook to explain the sentiment. Maybe overall it's a tad generic and lacking in artistic identity. But just enough charm manages to shine through in a way that I think this record would have lacked with more mainstream gloss behind it, and its endurance is proof that it did something right. B

November 4: "Every Mile a Memory" by Dierks Bentley

The melody's a bit clunky, but I like the imagery here: old theater marquee signs (fun fact: there used to be a farm supply store near me in an old small-town theater, and they kept the marquee up), mossy town squares, and red sunsets all paint clear images that evoke that "desert sky" feel I saw in a lot of '90s country (e.g., "Even the Man in the Moon Is Cryin'"). And of course, all these memories of a traveling musician just remind him of the woman who isn't there anymore -- which is summed up in the great line "'Round every bend I only see just how far I haven't come." I almost wonder if the slightly better "Long Trip Alone," where he pleads for someone to be by his side, is a sequel song. Even if it's not, that's still some interesting artistic cohesion showing how far he has come as an artist by the third album. A-

November 11: "Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood

I remember a lot of people laying into this song, thinking she's a petty psychopath who vandalizes property. But if you pay attention to the lyrics, she knows what he's doing because he's done it before. I know the kind who badly sing Shania at karaoke, and who put on "our exquisite replica of Polo Sport" in the Love's bathroom. The kind who get too hands-y when trying to line up a pool shot. And yes, the kind who would totally vandalize their boyfriend's car after catching him cheating. (Is this song really out of place in a universe where Miranda Lambert was kicking ass and taking names in "Kerosene" and "Gunpowder & Lead"?) Plus, this song was Carrie switching from her nice girl persona and offering up her first viewing of her grittier side, and it's just self-aware enough that you can tell Carrie wouldn't actually recommend doing this herself. I'm sure it was cathartic for a lot of women who wanted to seek revenge in a similar fashion. B+

December 16: "My Wish" by Rascal Flatts

Somehow, a blatant retread of "I Hope You Dance" manages to be slightly less irritating than that song. Maybe it's because this kind of slick sentimentality isn't as far off the mark for Rascal Flatts as it was for Lee Ann Womack. It's also not quite as bombastic, even if it is still more than a little bit list-y. (To be fair, I do like that Jeffrey Steele wrote in a nod to Van Zant's "Help Somebody," a great song he also co-wrote.) The melody is rather sing-song-y, and there's really nothing that makes it stand out among other songs of its ilk. But knowing what's to come later on in Rascal Flatts' catalog, this is merely mediocre and derivative -- which is far from the worst a song can be, but still not my cup of tea. C-

December 23: "Want To" by Sugarland

They may have lost a member, but they didn't lose any of their talent. Jennifer Nettles' phrasing is on point, and maybe it's the lack of Kristen Hall, but Kristian Bush is higher in the mix than usual too. The energy of  trying to play it cool while on the brink of love is palpable, thanks to lines like "We could keep things just the same / Leave here the way we came, with nothing to lose / But I don't want to, if you don't want to." It's by little details like how they're out having a picnic on the lakeshore. The acoustic production style is yet another example of a song evoking the heyday of the Chicks; as someone who can actually play one, I am forever in favor of more mandolin in country music. Also, since I'm here, can I ask: why did they lower the pitch for the music video? (No, that's not a Vevo glitch; I rememeber it being that way on CMT too.) A+