Country Music Songs to Get a Country Hater to Like Country

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Come Walk This World with Me (by George Jones)

such a gorgeous one. someone who cannot appreciate George Jones probably just doesn’t like music and is a lost cause anyway.

+1 but hoping they'll listen! It's beautiful!!(pp here)

[Anonymous]

Some Zac Brown? Colder Weather, their Free/Into the Mystic medley?

[Anonymous]

Country Yossi

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what are some good country songs that I can play for someone who refuses to like country. Needs to be upbeat/fun. Some songs that I plan to play are below so maybe use these as a baseline...
5 O'Clock Somewhere
Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)
Wagon Wheel
Cruise
When the Sun Goes Down
Boondocks
Pontoon
Chicken Fried

Some of these are not my faves (I’m the PP with the earlier litany of songs by women) but others that are in the same category…
Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off - Joe Nichols
Lots of Toby Keith - Wanna Talk About Me, Stays in Mexico, Should’ve Been a Cowboy. Red Solo Cup too but it’s terrible
Lots of Brad Paisley - Alcohol, American Saturday Night, I’m Still a Guy, Ticks (Whiskey Lullaby is amazing but a huge downer)
19 Something - Mark Wills
My Next Thirty Years - Tim McGraw

Toby Keith is like the manifestation of the things people don't like about Country

Yeah just a guess, but someone who professes to "hate" country is not going to be into a song entitled "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what are some good country songs that I can play for someone who refuses to like country. Needs to be upbeat/fun. Some songs that I plan to play are below so maybe use these as a baseline...
5 O'Clock Somewhere
Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)
Wagon Wheel
Cruise
When the Sun Goes Down
Boondocks
Pontoon
Chicken Fried

Some of these are not my faves (I’m the PP with the earlier litany of songs by women) but others that are in the same category…
Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off - Joe Nichols
Lots of Toby Keith - Wanna Talk About Me, Stays in Mexico, Should’ve Been a Cowboy. Red Solo Cup too but it’s terrible
Lots of Brad Paisley - Alcohol, American Saturday Night, I’m Still a Guy, Ticks (Whiskey Lullaby is amazing but a huge downer)
19 Something - Mark Wills
My Next Thirty Years - Tim McGraw

Toby Keith is like the manifestation of the things people don't like about Country

But he’s really similar to OP’s original list, which was my point.

[Anonymous]

I like Little Big Town

https://youtu.be/ph9NQ8ASmX4

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thats a fun list!

Blue jean barefoot night
Days Go By
Body like a back road
My Church
Friends in Low Places
Stuck Like Glue

There are a lot of bad suggestions on this thread. As a non listener of country music, this was the only list that was decent. Most of the the other suggestions, I stopped before the song was over.

I would like to add Amazed by Lonestar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what are some good country songs that I can play for someone who refuses to like country. Needs to be upbeat/fun. Some songs that I plan to play are below so maybe use these as a baseline...
5 O'Clock Somewhere
Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)
Wagon Wheel
Cruise
When the Sun Goes Down
Boondocks
Pontoon
Chicken Fried

Some of these are not my faves (I’m the PP with the earlier litany of songs by women) but others that are in the same category…
Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off - Joe Nichols
Lots of Toby Keith - Wanna Talk About Me, Stays in Mexico, Should’ve Been a Cowboy. Red Solo Cup too but it’s terrible
Lots of Brad Paisley - Alcohol, American Saturday Night, I’m Still a Guy, Ticks (Whiskey Lullaby is amazing but a huge downer)
19 Something - Mark Wills
My Next Thirty Years - Tim McGraw

Toby Keith is like the manifestation of the things people don't like about Country

But he’s really similar to OP’s original list, which was my point.

Right, but as a few different posters have pointed out, OP's original list is just a list of country songs. Not country songs that may appeal to a non-country fan.

The few fans that have posted songs that cross over more to singer/songwriter are probably better bets. Like the Into the Mystic suggeston. If the friend is into classic rock type of music, that's a good way to introduce them to Zac Brown.

Or, if they are more into guitar driven rock, try Midnight Train to Memphis.

But Floribama type bro-country Toby Keith wooooo-girl songs is just gonna make the other person roll their eyes

[Anonymous]

Can OP say what type of music this other person listens to?

Bc that might help guide the conversation since there are (obviously) many sub-genres within Country.

[Anonymous]

The Highwomen - it's a supergroup composed of Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby, Maren Morris, and Amanda Shires. Great songs, great sound. A couple of favorites:


Highwomen - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D-6nklMMbM

Redesigning Women - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aSRpbLOfo0

Crowded Table - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPfI8zBWub4

The Chain (Fleetwood Mac cover) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z74_Ffe2ts

[Anonymous]

People who say they hate country typically don't like anything with a twang or about the stereotypical country bro topics like trucks and beer.

I would try stuff with more of a singer songwriter, folk or bluegrass vibe:

Emmylou Harris (If I Needed You, Boulder to Birmingham, Red Dirt Girl) (or her duet "This is Us" with Mark Knopfler") (or the tribute song by First Aid Kit, "My Emmylou")

Alison Krauss (Forget About It, Ghost in this House, When You Say Nothing at All, Lucky One) (or her duet album Raising Sand with Robert Plant with songs like "Please Read the Letter")

Lyle Lovett (Step Inside this House, Rolling By, Bears, If I Had a Boat)

Marc Cohn (Walking in Memphis, Ghost Train, The Things We've Handed Down)

Linda Ronstadt (When WIll I Be Loved, That'll be the Day, Blue Bayou, Poor Pitiful Me), or her duet "Don't Know Much" with Aaron Neville

Also agree with others about softer country acts like Taylor Swift (her earlier country stuff), Lady A ("I Need You Now") or Band Perry (If I Die Young")

Also, for reasons that are as obvious as they are difficult to explain, Johnny Cash often appeals to people who don't like country, including old stuff like "I Walk the Line" and "Ring of Fire" as well as new covers like "Hurt" and "God's Gonna Cut You Down." Part of why he's in both the Rock and Roll and Country Hall of Fame.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People who say they hate country typically don't like anything with a twang or about the stereotypical country bro topics like trucks and beer.

I would try stuff with more of a singer songwriter, folk or bluegrass vibe:

Emmylou Harris (If I Needed You, Boulder to Birmingham, Red Dirt Girl) (or her duet "This is Us" with Mark Knopfler") (or the tribute song by First Aid Kit, "My Emmylou")

Alison Krauss (Forget About It, Ghost in this House, When You Say Nothing at All, Lucky One) (or her duet album Raising Sand with Robert Plant with songs like "Please Read the Letter")

Lyle Lovett (Step Inside this House, Rolling By, Bears, If I Had a Boat)

Marc Cohn (Walking in Memphis, Ghost Train, The Things We've Handed Down)

Linda Ronstadt (When WIll I Be Loved, That'll be the Day, Blue Bayou, Poor Pitiful Me), or her duet "Don't Know Much" with Aaron Neville

Also agree with others about softer country acts like Taylor Swift (her earlier country stuff), Lady A ("I Need You Now") or Band Perry (If I Die Young")

Also, for reasons that are as obvious as they are difficult to explain, Johnny Cash often appeals to people who don't like country, including old stuff like "I Walk the Line" and "Ring of Fire" as well as new covers like "Hurt" and "God's Gonna Cut You Down." Part of why he's in both the Rock and Roll and Country Hall of Fame.

Great list!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what are some good country songs that I can play for someone who refuses to like country. Needs to be upbeat/fun. Some songs that I plan to play are below so maybe use these as a baseline...
5 O'Clock Somewhere
Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)
Wagon Wheel
Cruise
When the Sun Goes Down
Boondocks
Pontoon
Chicken Fried

Some of these are not my faves (I’m the PP with the earlier litany of songs by women) but others that are in the same category…
Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off - Joe Nichols
Lots of Toby Keith - Wanna Talk About Me, Stays in Mexico, Should’ve Been a Cowboy. Red Solo Cup too but it’s terrible
Lots of Brad Paisley - Alcohol, American Saturday Night, I’m Still a Guy, Ticks (Whiskey Lullaby is amazing but a huge downer)
19 Something - Mark Wills
My Next Thirty Years - Tim McGraw

Toby Keith is like the manifestation of the things people don't like about Country

Yeah just a guess, but someone who professes to "hate" country is not going to be into a song entitled "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off."

Seriously! And if a country music hater is turned by Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (The Angry American) they've got more problems than hating country music

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People who say they hate country typically don't like anything with a twang or about the stereotypical country bro topics like trucks and beer.

I would try stuff with more of a singer songwriter, folk or bluegrass vibe:

Emmylou Harris (If I Needed You, Boulder to Birmingham, Red Dirt Girl) (or her duet "This is Us" with Mark Knopfler") (or the tribute song by First Aid Kit, "My Emmylou")

Alison Krauss (Forget About It, Ghost in this House, When You Say Nothing at All, Lucky One) (or her duet album Raising Sand with Robert Plant with songs like "Please Read the Letter")

Lyle Lovett (Step Inside this House, Rolling By, Bears, If I Had a Boat)

Marc Cohn (Walking in Memphis, Ghost Train, The Things We've Handed Down)

Linda Ronstadt (When WIll I Be Loved, That'll be the Day, Blue Bayou, Poor Pitiful Me), or her duet "Don't Know Much" with Aaron Neville

Also agree with others about softer country acts like Taylor Swift (her earlier country stuff), Lady A ("I Need You Now") or Band Perry (If I Die Young")

Also, for reasons that are as obvious as they are difficult to explain, Johnny Cash often appeals to people who don't like country, including old stuff like "I Walk the Line" and "Ring of Fire" as well as new covers like "Hurt" and "God's Gonna Cut You Down." Part of why he's in both the Rock and Roll and Country Hall of Fame.

Great list!

I agree. After a few weeks with this playlist, you can slip in some Merle Haggard and Willie and you have a convert.

[Anonymous]

OP Here. Thanks everyone. The guy is my buddy and he's not an flag waving anti-country person, so I was probably wrong to say that he "refuses" to like country. Just a bit stubborn. We are doing on a road trip and I want to make a playlist of some songs that I think he might like. I am not going to go with Hank Williams Sr., Willie Nelson, or stuff like that. I'm looking for upbeat/fun/party type songs that, if I like, I think he'll like. There are some fantastic suggestions on this thread and I added about 5 of them to my list so far, but I haven't got through them yet. There's a lot to listen to. I typically don't like Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Blake Shelton, and this group of people but I did find one or two that were suggested with potential. Like I said in an earlier post...I am not a country fan but I listen a bit when others are playing it. Some songs are "catchy". So I'm not looking for amazing, heartfelt lyrics. I'm looking for upbeat, road trip music that is considered country so I can show my buddy that some country songs are pretty good. Appreciate all the suggestions.