• Top 10 Country Songs For People Who Don’t Like Country

  

  Written by Zeromage 38 Comments
  Last Updated:: July 16, 2009

  This isn’t your grandfather’s best of country list, this isn’t even your father’s best of country list, unless your father was cool. This list is Old-Wizard’s best of country list, which means it’s a list of opinions masquerading as objective fact. You probably haven’t heard of most of these songs, but they are the best country songs of all time regardless. The focus of this list was more on a genre that was innovative with country music rather than traditional country music that was satisfied in it’s traditional and literal meanings that spoke to only the most obvious listeners. The term for this genre (we are focusing on) is often cited as “(alt)ernative-country”, but that tag is inaccurate for many of the songs on this list. Hopefully there will be more of an appreciation of the country genre after people take a listen to these songs and realize that country need not be limited to Garth Brooks and that other Australian waffle with the dyed blonde hair.

  10. The Jayhawks – Blue

  The modern ballad of country music belongs to The Jayhawks in Blue. This is country that went pop without sacrificing quality. The loose acoustic delivery was augmented by Mark Olson and Gary Louris’s pop country vocal delivery that relied heavily on both traditions. The chorus flys on this song which everyone knows who has heard it. The piano is charmingly country in it’s ragtime delivery (the piano delivery that country music always borrowed from ragtime music) and the lyrical sentiment is simple. Blue is a simple song. The Jayhawk’s in general are a simple band but they’re always pleasurable to listen to proving that simplicity still has it’s place in music and songwriting regardless of how much it’s been used to create regurgitated modern music. Blue epitomizes this quality for simple song craft and a heart-on-sleeve sincere delivery.

  9. Drive By Truckers – Never Gonna Change

  The Drive by Truckers took country music and made it the most rock it had ever been. This is shown nowhere more clearly than “Never Gonna Change”. The music and lyrical theme stayed within traditional country but the overdrive was pushed to toughen up the sound that it never experienced before. Hard driving guitars replaced light sounding slide guitars and soft heartbreaking vocal deliveries. The Drive by Truckers were a band let on the loose of their creative desires to modernize country into something much more rock and consistent with it’s context. Traditional country could actually retain it’s original sentiment in the Drive by Truckers without sounding antiquated by their insistence on raw power in their live sound that was never sacrificed on record.

  8. Neko Case- Deep Red Bells

  It wasn’t until “Blacklisted” did we hear the power of Neko Case’s voice and soul.  This second track has a depth unknown to whatever is called “real country”.  The vocal is as expansive as a country voice has ever been when the chorus hits.  The haunted backup vocals bring in an element to the country medium that it was once afraid to touch because it didn’t like touching anything that was haunting and not limited to to usual country tropes.  Neko Case’s entire output can be seen as an expansion of country music with a grit and determination that tradition contry music thought it owned.  Take one listen to “Deep Red Bells” though and the listener will realize where the real balls are are in country music.  In this case, it took a women.

  7. Wilco- I Must be High

  Little known fact about Wilco. They made a straight up country album in their first album A.M. Coming from his previous band Uncle Tupelo, Jeff Tweedy took the some of the “down-south” out of the alt-country Uncle Tupelo was making and infused it with the best aspects of pop/rock music. With the help of the recently deceased Jay Bennett, Wilco created a classic example of alternative country for the 90’s that everyone forgot about when their subsequent album “Being There” was released. The country slowly faded into more rock and then eventually into experimental and folk with Wilco. While this music was arguably Wilco’s best, their first album with this first track still remains as classic sounding as the first listen. The song is loose, Tweedy’s gritty voice favors the style of country more than his former band mate Jay Farrar who’s more traditional country voice couldn’t cut through a mix like Tweedy’s could. This song is perfect example of relaxed country music doing what it does best; making the listener loose.

  6. Old 97’s – Won’t be Home

  A strange progression for the Old 97’s. Starting off as cow punk, then becoming straight up pop (with only the most subtle hints of country) and then finally arriving at the alt-country they were always tagged with their album Drag It Up. The glossy production (for it’s credit that created some great singles on Fight Songs and Satellite Rides) was gone for a live produced album that started off with this blistering country anthem. Country Shuffle and Rhett Millers effusive delivery were kept in check for an honesty owned by country music. Maybe it was Miller’s vain attempt at going solo (that financially failed) that made him realize that quick success was diametrically opposite to the honesty that makes memorable music, or maybe it was just the band hitting their musical apex that created this intense delivery, whatever it was, it was Old 97’s finest moment.

  5.Ryan Adams- To be Young

  The first song in Ryan Adams rollercoaster ride of a solo carrier, this established Ryan Adams has the figure mark of a form of country that was always straying from it’s roots much in the vein of what Gram Parsons was doing in the 60’s. The themes were simply never “good” but the taboo notions that were raised to the forefront much from the rock star life style that these country influenced songwriters were living. This attitude is displayed perfectly on this rambunctious opener by Ryan Adams. Not only was the style in the lyrics, but it was in the production as a whole. Ryan Adams vocal was loaded with a noticeable delay that made the music sound bigger than country ever sounded before. It simply sounded like the wild ride that Ryan Adams was about to embark on; a ride that hasn’t stopped and has had as many twists and turns than one person could possibly handle.

  4. The Byrds- You ain’t going nowhere

  The Byrd’s went from the most noticeable psychedelic pop band in the late 60’s to a band immensely inspired by the country music of the south-western style exposed by Gram Parson’s and co. His accent was mimicked in this song. It must be said that this song was originally written by Bob Dylan, but the Byrd’s took it and made it into something completely different; a form of country that was smooth and relaxed without sounding lazy. The rhythm section was undoubtedly influenced by classic country with a slight hint of folk. Like The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Byrd’s (specifically on this song and album) paved the way for a new country that was more representative of it’s original intensity than it’s more popular offshoots that repeated the same themes with the same style from the late 50’s and early 60’s. There’s a sense of purity in this song not heard by anything in the modern country era.

  3. The Flying Burrito Brothers – Devil in Disguise

  If there was any song that so defined what would become of creative country in the future, it would be this classic by the Flying Burrito Brothers vocally delivered by alt-country’s favorite and most tragic son, Gram Parsons. His country voice wasn’t low and rumbling without inflexion. It had hints of psychedelic pop to it that gave the genre of country a new flexibility unknown to it until the emergence of The Flying Burrito Brothers. Not only was the vocal inflection different, but the style was more creative and lyrics covered more details on what made the female the ‘Devil in Deisguise’, rather than just generalities that everyone experienced, these were personal experiences in this song. This creative leap by the FBB’s created a space for country music to evolve into something that more than just country fans could listen to.

  2. Uncle Tupelo – Slate

  By far Jay Farrar’s best song ever written, the nostalgia of this song and “Anodyne” in general proved to be consistent with the fact that this was their last album. Slate was folk and country without ever sounded exactly like either genre. Jeff Tweedy’s back up vocals sat perfectly with Farrar’s big country bellow. No percussion (except for tambourine); just a driving acoustic and a fiddle, with Farrar lyrically at his best and most reflective. Slate is one of the few songs that uses the fiddle in a folk style that accomplishes not sounding overly sentimental. The song just moves forward reflectively without having anything for looking back. The nostalgia on this album and this song isn’t one that brings-people-together, but feels a way without necessarily wanting to….or not wanting to. This is what makes Slate one of the few nostalgic songs that can be listened to, because it’s wasn’t it’s intent to be that way.

  1. Beachwood Sparks- Silver Morning After

  That no one knows about the Beachwood Sparks is a crime. Do they care? Probably not, and this is why this band can create such great music. Obviously inspired by the innovative country that was being made in the late 60’s spearheaded by the Byrds, The Beachwood Sparks took this innovation and put it into clean production with unparalleled musicianship. This song is mysterious, distant, and somewhat confused (in lyrical substance, not in it’s musicality). “Alternative Country” is an inappropriate tag to place on this song and band. “Post-Structural psychedelic country pop” may work better if the tag wasn’t so long which is to the credit of the band. Regardless of the individuality of the band’s sound, there was something very country about it and heard best in this song. There was a slide guitar, but it was everywhere. There were slide guitars being layered over other slide guitars and soaked in delays along with a vocal delivery from somewhere in purgatory. This is the best country has done for itself in it’s new version started in the early 90’s. This band is the band to follow. There is no other that is bending the ideas of country while still retaining it’s best pop instincts from the past.

38 Comments

1. #1 Gary says:
   November 20th, 2009 at 3:32 am

   Are you kidding me? The Top 10 BEST COUNTRY SONGS OF ALL TIME and no “I love This Bar”? No “Friends in Low Places”? What a dumb list.
2. #2 Delta says:
   November 20th, 2009 at 6:14 am

   You’re right. The Byrds are the only ones I’ve HEARD of, and I never heard their song. Never heard of any of those songs or any of the other bands/performers.

   I was expecting this to be a list of Country songs that were popular enough to do well on the Pop charts, so I was expecting Shania Twain(or however the Hell her name’s spelled) and other songs and artists that the average person has actually heard of and didn’t grow-up in the south.
3. #3 Wild Bill says:
   November 20th, 2009 at 11:54 am

   Great list. I liked all these choices, and I’m really glad to see you guys didn’t just pick the most popular “sing-a-long” songs from country radio. To the above commenters:

   Read the title of the list. Its country songs for people who don’t like country.
4. #4 bgeek says:
   November 20th, 2009 at 1:13 pm

   What, no Oasis?
5. #5 Ken says:
   November 20th, 2009 at 3:17 pm

   Can you guys please go back to video game coverage?
6. #6 Ken says:
   November 20th, 2009 at 3:18 pm

   Seriously, no one here gives a shit about this list. Just look at how many comments you have.
7. #7 Delta says:
   November 20th, 2009 at 6:05 pm

   Yes Bill, I can and have read the title of the list. When I think of country songs for people who don’t like country, I think of the country songs that crossover to the Pop charts.
8. #8 Sage says:
   November 20th, 2009 at 2:11 pm

   @Ken

   Nope we write what we want when we want and how we want. Nobody said this was a video games site. Despite the theme…

   @Gary

   You’re and idiot.

   @Delta

   You may write more on this website that I do. Want a job that doesn’t pay?
9. #9 Delta says:
   November 20th, 2009 at 2:14 pm

   lol I thought according to Willie I was already working for the site. I haven’t figure out though if I work for the site, am you or am Zeromage. Willie never did make-up his mind.
10. #10 Ken says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 3:07 pm

    @Sage: Do you realize that no one seems to give a shit about any of your music articles? Word of advice, the main reason people come to this site is because there are really no other good retro-oriented video game sites out there. You guys constantly make fun of Rolling Stone Magazine for talking about politics, so explain how is this any different? And despite the fact that you claim that this isn’t a “gaming site” how come a few months ago the only lists you guys ever made were video game lists?
11. #11 Sage says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 10:46 pm

    @Ken

    What don’t you get? We do what we want, when we want, and how we want. It’s our website. We aren’t Rolling Stone, they are a music magazine. We are a blog-azine (… i might have just made that up) there is no comparison. A few months ago we felt like writing about video games. In a few more months we may want to do that again or we may start writing about the wild grasses of the plains regions of Argentina and Chile. We have never and will never allow our readers to dictate our content if you don’t like it don’t come back.
12. #12 President Steve says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 2:07 am

    lol. I can’t wait to read your top 10 wild grasses of the plains regions of Argentina and chile list!
13. #13 andrewb says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 4:27 am

    who the hell are these bands? honestly
14. #14 UP2IP2 says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 5:29 am

    *sigh* zeromage fails again
15. #15 BERSERKR says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 1:16 am

    I’m glad to see Neko case on here, she is amazing.
16. #16 BERSERKR says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 1:17 am

    And Delta, Country songs that were popular enough to do well on the Pop charts are for people who DO like country:P
17. #17 Delta says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 1:52 pm

    But BERSERKR, people who don’t like Country, who do you think they’re more likely to hear, know and dare I say like? Someone like Shania Twain or one of these? I don’t like Country, but I know who Shania Twain, Faith Hill and LeAnn Rhymes are. And I’ve actually heard songs from them. The Byrds are the only group I’ve heard of, and I only know them by name. Never heard a song from them.
18. #18 zenbutcher says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 12:29 am

    Yo tools whining about Garth Brooks songs, etc. This is alt country or whatever you want to call it. Real country not the pop jingle garbage on the radio. Seek these bands – Riptones, Bad Livers, Red Star Belgrade,…hell just seek out the Bloodshot Records label or Yep Roc it will be worth the trip.
19. #19 Delta says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 3:33 pm

    Zenbutcher, the article is about Country songs for people who don’t like Country. I think of Pop-Country about that. Most people not from the South have heard little Country that hasn’t crossed-over to the Pop charts, nor care about the genre.

    I’m not a Country fan for example, but I do know who Garth Brooks, Faith Hill, Shania Twain and LeAnn Rimes are, and have heard some songs from most of them if not each one. I doubt most people who aren’t Country fans, or aren’t from the South, have even heard about most of those performers you mentioned, let alone heard their songs.
20. #20 zenbutcher says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 6:10 pm

    Delta,

    Country is a wide ranging genre of music just like rock. Bloodshot Records is a label in Chicago. Some of the bands on this list are on that label. The bands I am talking about are labeled alternative country which means you will never hear them on the radio as they are not Top-40. But they are country no doubt about it. Most people who seek these types of bands like them as they hear elements of things they are familiar with – blues, rock, punk, hillbilly, etc. Its appeal is national and not regional fewer people have probably heard it in the South than nationally unless they listen to college radio.
21. #21 Sammy says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 6:25 am

    What about Hank3, or the Shooter Jennings band? They are alternative country, and as far as I know have never been played on the radio. Which for the most part that seems to be what this list is about. Atleast they’re worth listening too. Anyway once again just my opinion, which no matter how hard people try cannot be debated. Opinions are unique to each person and I don’t know about anyone else but I’m not going to waiver in mine just because someone else has a different one.
22. #22 zenbutcher says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 11:46 am

    Sammy those are 2 excellent examples as well. I would strongly encourage anyone who can’t stand mainstream country to check them out also as you won’t be disappointed.
23. #23 JD says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 11:01 pm

    Are these lists serious? If so, I’m gonna vomit.
24. #24 Guy From Texas says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 6:57 pm

    I stumbled upon this list almost by accident but was thrilled to see such a great list of music. Even though the title is a bit misleading, the list is a fantastic intro to a type of music I have been listening to for years. I have seen 5 of them perform. I am surprised that the people that have commented consider them obscure bands – especially Wilco. Open your minds and give this music a listen. I would add a few groups to the list: Son Volt, Cross Canadian Ragweed and Whiskeytown.
25. #25 Delta says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 7:43 pm

    Guy From Texas…..

    Considering it’s a list of Country songs for people who don’t like Country, how could they not be obscure to people who don’t listen to Country?

    Like I said before, LeAnn Rimes, Shania Twain, Faith Hill and Garth Brooks, as well as the Dixie Chicks, are Country artists I and most people who aren’t Country fans have heard of. Most non-Country fans have even heard some music from most, if not all, of them. So how are these bands not obscure to non-Country fans?
26. #26 Brant says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 5:23 pm

    I found this article through a google search and it was exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for the informative recommendations! I’ve been listening to Ryan Adams, Wilco, and Old 97’s for years. I guess maybe I’ve been a country fan all this time and not even realized it…

    @Delta – I understand your argument. But people who assume they don’t like country are ALREADY familiar with the country artists that have crossed over to the pop charts (Garth, Shania, etc). They have already dismissed the whole country music genre based on their opinion of these few pop-country artists. In order to expose people to country songs they might like IN SPITE of pop-country, you have to expand the breadth of the genre into indie and roots-rock territory.
27. #27 Delta says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 3:18 am

    Brant…..

    I’ve heard some Country songs that definitely aren’t Pop-Country, and prefer Pop-Country by quite a bit. And I’m not a fan of Pop-Country.
28. #28 Delta says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 3:20 am

    gah Forgot this point.

    But the whole last argument I had made was GuyFromTexas saying he can’t believe people say these bands are obscure. But it seems to be a list for those who are only familiar with Pop-Country, so how are these bands not obscure? Expanding your horizons on the genre has nothing to do with these bands being obscure to non-Country fans.
29. #29 speck135les says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 3:21 am

    thank you made this list for my music-brilliant sweetheart, can’t wait to amaze him all of these are inense and beautiful in the right light which is music.
30. #30 avi says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 3:10 pm

    where’s the 30th comment?
31. #31 Delta says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 3:31 pm

    You are Avi. One of the comments was probably whatever that thing was Zeromage told me they automatically delete, but the counter still counts them.
32. #32 avi says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 3:38 pm

    i meaant before i made it which was it, i knew i was, i didn’t know the counter counted deleted comments.
33. #33 Delta says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 3:39 pm

    Basically the deleted comments are from bots, I think it was.
34. #34 SL says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 11:35 pm

    I found this article through a google search and it was exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for the informative recommendations! I’ve been listening to Ryan Adams, Wilco, and Old 97’s for years. I guess maybe I’ve been a country fan all this time and not even realized it…

    @Delta – I understand your argument. But people who assume they don’t like country are ALREADY familiar with the country artists that have crossed over to the pop charts (Garth, Shania, etc). They have already dismissed the whole country music genre based on their opinion of these few pop-country artists. In order to expose people to country songs they might like IN SPITE of pop-country, you have to expand the breadth of the genre into indie and roots-rock territory.
35. #35 Sada;flal;f;alfkda; says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 10:45 pm

    Wilco? FUCK YES!
    God I love that band
36. #36 Delta says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 12:29 am

    Actually SL, I like Pop-Country way more than the other types of Country I’ve heard. I’ve heard a decent number of non-Pop-Country songs, and I enjoy it vastly more than other forms. And I don’t even like Pop-Country much. I tolerate it mostly.

    So if I mostly tolerate Pop-Country, and I enjoy it vastly more than anything else from the wider genre than I’ve heard, what does that tell you?
37. #37 Zach says:
    November 20th, 2009 at 9:04 am

    Delta, why do you comment on music articles? You obviously have no fucking clue.
    Also: Flying Burrito Brothers FTW!