Country Music Songs to Get a Country Hater to Like Country

[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.

Huh these are not country

[Anonymous]

Fun road trip songs:
Beer Can in a Truck Bed by Old Dominion (although I'd also argue you can't go wrong with any Old Dominion)
Southbound by Carrie Underwood
Beer Can't Fix by Thomas Rhett and Jon Pardi
Take it From Me by Jordan Davis
Shotgun Rider by Tim McGraw
Mama's Broken Heart by Miranda Lambert
Roll With Me by Montgomery Gentry
You Can't Stop Me by Brett Eldredge
Out of Sight by Midland

[Anonymous]

Will the circle be unbroken. Johnny Cash

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

Keith Urban is not for everyone (biggest complaint is that he's not country enough) but as a musician and a songwriter (and I'd add performer, but that's subjective), he's lightyears ahead of "bro-country" hit-maker acts like Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton and the worst offender, Jason Aldean.

[Anonymous]

The Dance by Garth Brooks, of course. Really anything by him.

[Anonymous]

For the vibe you’re going for, check out Drunk on a Plane by Dierks Bentley

[Anonymous]

The perfect country and western song

[Anonymous]

The best country actually has very clever wordplay and great storytelling.

There are also subgenres of country. "Classic country" is twangier, "pop country" or "new country" is faster and has more hooks. Most of the songs OP mentioned would be considered "new country." In my hometown, there are radio stations for the different types of country and people take sides like it's a religious crusade, lol

[Anonymous]

I'm new to country myself. Was in Nashville a while ago and went to a few shows. I surprised myself by really liking it. Country doesn't mess around. It goes for the emotional jugular. My car radio is now tuned to country instead of NPR, which is weird and unusual for me.

For popular contemporary country music - I mean this is top forty kind of music - I like:

Whisky and Rain by Michael Ray. Old school melancholia. Got me listening to some 90s stuff like Dwight Yoakam.

Knowing You by Kenny Chesney. A little cheesy but whatever. You'll be thinking about the exes

A lot of Luke Combs. That dude has a voice. Saw him in concert in Vegas. Terrific

Jason Isbell. Just a really authentic person. Like all his music, but particularly like the older stuff when he was with the Drive-by Truckers. More of a southern country rock vibe. But genuinely think Decoration Day is one of the best albums ever - Heathens, My Sweet Annette, Hell no, I ain't happy - so many good songs

For older stuff, love Bonnie Raitt. Angel from Montgomery with John Prine. Rainy day mood

[Anonymous]

Rainbow- Kacey Musgraves

[Anonymous]

Harper Valley PTA
[/youtube]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aOZPBUu7Fro[youtube]

9 to 5
[/youtube]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UbxUSsFXYo4[youtube]

Why Don’t We Just Dance
[/youtube]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IH1Z9DEDqpk[youtube]

Would You Go With Me
[/youtube]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uFz61X2PQTw[youtube]

The Devil Went Down to Georgia
[/youtube]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uFz61X2PQTw[youtube]

The Mississippi Squirrel Revival
[/youtube]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K16fG1sDagU[youtube]

Chatahoochie
[/youtube]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JW5UEW2kYvc[youtube]

Also:
Jambalaya (On the Bayou)
Boot Scoot Boogie
One Piece at a Time
A Boy Named Sue

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

Are you mixing them with genres/songs he likes? I am not a country fan, but about 10% of my playlists would be considered country. I can't stand one after another of country though, it's better when it's mixed in with my rock and top 40 pop songs. Sometimes I nicely ask my husband if he's heard enough country, can I change the playlist or siriusxm channel lol.

[Anonymous]

fun lyrics "And I ain't gotta see my ex-future-mother-in-law anymore . . . "

Luke Combs is a talented songwriter but as a singer/performer, his stuff all sort of blends together too much. "When It Rains It Pours" and "Hurricane" are fun and catchy. I liked "Beautiful Crazy" too. But nothing else seemed to distinguish itself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rainbow- Kacey Musgraves

so many misses on the "upbeat/fun" request from OP

[Anonymous]

Not sure what you're looking for exactly, but...here's a mini list of my road trip country tunes for long travels.

I find that mixing it up with country and some pop thrown in make it more palatable for the non-country folks.


Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd

Life Is a Highway – Rascal Flatts

Run- George Strait

Speed- Montgomery Gentry

Bless the Broken Road – Rascal Flatts

On the Road Again- Willie Nelson

I've Been Everywhere- Johnny Cash

Good Vibrations- The Beach Boys

Willow -Taylor Swift-

John Deere Green- Joe Diffy

Check Yes or No- George Strait