Top 10 Country Songs of the 2000s

The 2000s were a good decade for country music, with lots of smash hits and superstar singers crossing over into pop music. A number of country songs managed to break free of the formulaic Nashville sound and give us something fresh.

Here's one opinion of the Top 10 country songs of the 2000s, with links to video clips of each (note that some of the videos are not official.)

Top 10 country songs of the 2000s:

10 I Wanna Talk About Me, Toby Keith, 2001

I'll be honest, I find Toby Keith pompous and overbearing, and I feel the same way about much of his music (any song that reduces the complexities of war to "we'll put a boot in your ass" is a complete joke.) But this track is a fun guilty pleasure - a humorous country-rap song in which Keith calls out his lover for being selfish. "I love talking about you you you you usually, but occasionally, I wanna talk about me!"

9 Somebody Like You, Keith Urban, 2002

The most successful Aussie artist of the 2000s, Keith Urban scored a major hit with this up-tempo number. The song is unique for its use of banjo as a lead instrument, although by the second chorus Urban breaks out the electric guitar and adds extra power to the track. The sexy music video helped propel Urban into the country music stratosphere.

8 Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift, 2006

This one was a head-scratcher the first time it appeared on the charts. A song called "Tim McGraw"? By some unknown 16-year-old teenage girl? But that girl turned out to be one of country music's most shining stars in the latter part of the 2000s (even if Kanye West didn't think so), and this, her debut single, was a sweet ode to a former boyfriend, with the refrain, "When you think Tim McGraw, I hope you think of me." The most impressive fact is that young Swift wrote the song herself - many of the genre's superstars don't even write their own material.

7 You're Gonna Miss This, Trace Adkins, 2008

Best known (at least to me) as a finalist on Celebrity Apprentice, Trace Adkins had two Top 40 hits on The Billboard 100: "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk," which was fun but devoid of substance, and this song, which urges the listener to slow down and enjoy the moment. That's a timeless theme in popular music, and Adkins is convincing as the wise messenger.

6 My Next Thirty Years, Tim McGraw, 2000

As one of the decade's most prolific hitmakers, Tim McGraw could have a half dozen songs on this list. "My Next Thirty Years" is one of those songs everyone can relate to - after turning 30, the singer examines his life and resolves to make changes, ranging from "eat a few more salads and not stay up so late" to "spend precious moments with the ones that I hold dear." The track was penned by Phil Vassar, one of country music's best lyricists.

5 Cowboy Take Me Away, Dixie Chicks, 2000

This one barely makes the cut - its album, Fly, came out in 1999, but the single itself charted in early 2000. My favorite part is the last minute, an exquisite instrumental section where Martie Seidel's violin takes over. I used to get furious when I'd hear this song on the radio and they'd cut off the last minute. It's one of the most beautiful minutes in country music history!

4 I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow, Soggy Bottom Boys, 2001

Bluegrass music made a welcome comeback in the form of the Grammy-winning O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack. This traditional folk song, nearly 100 years old, was performed for the movie by members of Alison Krauss's band Union Station and the Nashville Bluegrass Band, under the name Soggy Bottom Boys. Its old-time charm helped it win "Single of the Year" at the Country Music Association Awards.

3 Miss Being Mrs., Loretta Lynn, 2004

The top country songs of the 2000s were those that moved beyond the usual trite, clichéd Nashville lyrics and conveyed real emotion. Few songs did that as powerfully as Lynn's "Miss Being Mrs.," a stark ballad in which Lynn sings about the anguish of being a widow. Just try to keep your heart from aching when she sings, "I took off my wedding band and put it on my right hand/ I miss being Mrs. tonight."

2 I Hope You Dance, Lee Ann Womack featuring Sons of the Desert, 2000

A song about enjoying the simpler things and making the most of your time on earth. Life is short, so get off your butt and dance! "May you never take one single breath for granted," Womack advises. A great life lesson, and a great performance from one of the top female vocalists of the 2000s. Be sure to seek out the country version of this song, as the pop version removes the background vocals from Sons of the Desert.

1 Hurt, Johnny Cash, 2003

Incredibly, at age 71, Johnny Cash recorded one of the finest songs of his 50-year career. Cash and producer Rick Rubin took a Nine Inch Nails song about drugs and made it one of the most haunting songs of all-time, a stirring examination of one's mortality. The emotional music video, directed by Mark Romanek, is widely considered to be the best video of the decade in any genre.

Sources:
http://www.markromanek.com/press/neumu.html
http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/233081
www.youtube.com