The ’90s were a great time for country music.
Obviously ’90s country has had a resurgence in recent years, thanks not only to the continued popularity of songs like “Chattahoochee” and “John Deere Green” but also thanks to artists like Zach Top, Randall King, Mae Estes, Jake Worthington, and many others who are resurrecting the sound of the music we all know and love.
Of course everybody’s still listening to songs like “Check Yes Or No,” “Should’ve Been A Cowboy,” “Neon Moon,” and “Friends In Low Places.” (Ok, maybe they’re not listening to that one as much because Garth Brooks refuses to put his songs on streaming). But there are so many underrated ’90s country songs that don’t get near the attention they deserve. So I figured I’d give you a few of my favorites in case you want to add them to your playlist too:
“The Day That She Left Tulsa (In A Chevy)” – Wade Hayes
Wade Hayes had his biggest hit and only #1 with his debut single “Old Enough to Know Better,” but I’d argue that his best single is this one from 1997 about a man finding out his girlfriend is pregnant – with another man’s baby – as she leaves despite the fact that he would have loved her anyway.
“Dancy’s Dream” – Restless Heart
One of the things that made ’90s country so great was the songwriting, and a perfect example of that is incredible songwriting is this 1990 single from Restless Heart that paints a vivid picture of a married churchgoer with a deep, dark secret that he left behind in New Orleans.
“Sacred Ground” – McBride & the Ride
An emotional ballad that features a husband begging a man with whom his wife is having an affair to leave her alone, this one was originally written and recorded by Kix Brooks in the pre-Brooks & Dunn days, but became a hit in 1992 for McBride & the Ride.
“A Thousand Times A Day” – Patty Loveless
Honestly, I could have included any Patty Loveless song on here because I firmly believe she’s one of the most underrated artists of all time. But this one about getting over a heartbreak and trying to convince yourself that you’ve moved on deserves way more love than it gets. The song was originally recorded by George Jones for his 1993 album High-Tech Redneck, but became a hit for Patty Loveless in 1996.
“I Threw the Rest Away” – Tracy Lawrence
Tracy Lawrence still gets a lot of well-deserved love for being one of the biggest artists of the ’90s, but he had so many hits that there are some that slipped through the cracks and don’t get the attention they deserve.
“Reno” – Doug Supernaw
This song is everything that made 90’s country music great: Heartbreak and a healthy dose of steel guitar. The lyrics are a masterful comparison of a love interest to the ruthless casinos of Reno – but “either one I choose, lady or Reno, either way I lose.”
“Learning As You Go” – Rick Trevino
Another severely underrated artist from the ’90s is Texas native Rick Trevino. While he had several hits with songs like “Bobbie Ann Mason” and “Running Out of Reasons,” the emotion in “Learning As You Go” has always made it a standout to me and one that should be a staple on any ’90s country playlist.
“I Let Her Lie” – Daryle Singletary
Another example of the incredible lyricism of the ’90s, paired with one of the greatest voices of all time. “I Let Her Lie” features some top-tier wordplay as the narrator painfully tries to overlook his partner’s cheating, before eventually leaving her as she slept in their bed.
“Maybe He’ll Notice Her Now” – Mindy McCready
Mindy McCready had a turbulent life that was tragically cut short in 2013. And while she didn’t write that song, the emotion and pain comes through as she sings of a woman who is forced to leave in hopes of finally getting a man to give her the attention she deserves.
“Even the Man In the Moon Is Crying” – Mark Collie
These days Mark Collie is starring as Sheriff Walt Joeberg in the Taylor Sheridan hit Landman, but back in 1992 he released this single about a man who’s turning to the universe for help getting over a heartbreak that would eventually become his biggest hit.
“Bill’s Laundromat, Bar & Grill” – Confederate Railroad
If you want a heater, this rockin’ song from Confederate Railroad should be on your playlist. With Danny Shirley’s distinctive voice and a driving melody about pulling up to what sounds like the best dive bar in the world and hopping on stage, I haven’t been able to stop listening to this one since I first heard it in 1995, though it never became a major hit.
“Shake the Sugar Tree” – Pam Tillis
My favorite part of this one is that it sounds like such a light, happy love song – but when you listen to the lyrics, you realize it’s a woman begging her man to give her the love she needs in their relationship.
“Love, Me” – Collin Raye
Songs like this that can tell a story and take you through such a range of emotions in 3 minutes are what makes country so much better than other genres.
“Jacob’s Ladder” – Mark Wills
This debut single from Mark Wills about a young boy climbing into the window of his lover is still one of my favorite ’90s country songs, though it seems like it gets overshadowed by some of his later hits like “19 Something” or his ballads like “I Do (Cherish You).”
“455 Rocket” – Kathy Mattea
Before we had a million songs from dudes singing about their jacked up pickup trucks, we got this heater from Kathy Mattea about a souped up muscle car.
“Ol’ Country” – Mark Chesnutt
Of course Mark Chesnutt has a ton of hits, and everybody still loves songs like “Bubba Shot the Jukebox” and “Too Cold At Home,” but I’d put “Ol’ Country” up against almost any song of the ’90s – and it’s unfortunately one that’s too often overlooked.
