Country music is one of the most popular genres of music, particularly in the US.
Their simple forms, folk lyrics and catchy melodies make them hard not to sing along to.
The typically acoustic, storytelling and emotional elements of this genre often make country songs perfect for karaoke.
Featuring tracks from throughout the decades and from across the world, this is the definitive list of the best country karaoke songs to perform on your karaoke night.
1. “9 to 5” by Dolly Parton
This upbeat tune about the miseries of working a 9-to-5 job was released in 1980, but the relatable lyrics still feel very relevant today.
What better song to sing on stage on a Friday night after the work week is finished? Parton’s Grammy Award-winning single still continues to be a favorite for Karaoke over forty years on.
The song was originally released for a film of the same name, starring Dolly Parton.
2. “Mine” by Taylor Swift
Written for Swift’s third studio album, Speak Now, this song tells the story of a young love as it unfolds, including all the fears and hopes, ups and downs.
The song was released as the lead single for the album on August 3rd, 2010, two weeks earlier than intended due to the song being leaked online.
In the US, the song peaked at No 3 on the Billboard Top 100.
3. “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” by Shania Twain
Twain’s hit song about female empowerment created a storm following its release in March 1999.
The song was well-received for its message, as well as Twain’s vocals.
The single, the eighth from her third studio album, Come on Over, reached the top ten in six countries and was even more successful in the country charts.
4. “Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus
“Achy Breaky Heart” was originally written by Don Von Tress in 1990 and released the following year by the Marcy Brothers.
It was later recorded by Billy Ray Cyrus for his debut album, Some Gave All.
The song became the first single ever to achieve triple platinum in Australia.
It was a crossover hit on both pop and country radio and was the first country single to be certified platinum since “Islands in the Stream”.
5. “Cotton Eye Joe” by Rednex
This upbeat and chaotic song from Swedish novelty group Rednex combines the group’s style with traditional American banjos and fiddles.
It is based on an old country folk song, “Cotton Eyed Joe”.
Music writer Juha Soininen stated that the song ‘broke the euro mould by letting a man sing the refrain while a woman sang the middle part’.
This catchy tune is bound to put everyone in a good mood.
6. “Rhinestone Cowboy” by Glen Campbell
This is a song that immediately transports listeners back to the 70’s.
Written by Larry Weiss and recorded by American country singer Glen Campbell, it was released in 1975 for the singer’s album of the same name.
Weiss originally recorded and released the single the year before, but with little commercial success.
Campbell heard it on the radio and decided to learn it himself.
7. “Before He Cheats” – Carrie Underwood
Underwood’s 2005 hit tells the empowering story of a woman taking revenge for her partner’s infidelity, making it the perfect, powerful song for the karaoke booth.
The song was an enormous pop and country crossover success, topping the Billboard Hot Country Songs list for weeks and becoming a top ten in the Billboard Mainstream Top 40 chart.
8. “Love Story” by Taylor Swift
The release of Swift’s first single for her Fearless album skyrocketed the already successful country singer to worldwide stardom.
Swift is known for the story-telling element of her songwriting and no song captures her imagination and creativity like “Love Story”.
Swift wrote of her own experience of having a lover that was unpopular amongst her friends and family and combined it with the storyline of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
9. “Out In The Middle” by Zac Brown, Blake Shelton
This more recent release, “Out In The Middle”, is the second track from Zac Brown’s seventh studio album, The Comeback.
It features fellow country king Blake Shelton. The song represents the band’s southern roots and country pride.
Shelton was eager to get involved with the track, as it resonated with him and reminded him of where he was raised, ‘out in the middle’.
10. “Breadwinner” by Kacey Musgraves
“Breadwinner” is the fifth track on Musgraves’ recently released fifth studio album.
The album tells the story of Musgraves’ heartbreak and healing throughout her divorce from American singer-songwriter Ruston Kelly.
Like Swift, she takes inspiration from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet play, and cited Bill Withers, Daft Punk, Sade and Eagles as influences on the album.
11. “That Don’t Impress Me Much” by Shania Twain
Another hit from Canadian singer Shania Twain was released in December 1998 as the seventh single for her third studio album, Come On Over.
It remains one of Twain’s biggest and most iconic hits. It was named ‘Foreign Hit of the Year’ at the 2000 Danish Grammy Awards.
The comedic element of this song makes it the perfect lighthearted tune for karaoke.
12. “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver
This early 70’s single was released by John Denver and written by Denver, Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert about their love for West Virginia.
It peaked at No 2 on Billboard’s US Hot 100 Singles. It was certified Gold by the RIAA in 1971 and Platinum decades later, in 2017.
It is one of Denver’s most popular songs, known and loved by many.
13. “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Starting with an instantly recognisable guitar opening, this iconic release from Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd was written in response to Neil Young’s “Southern Man”, which they felt blamed the entire South for American slavery.
It reached No 8 on the US charts and is still the band’s highest charting song.
14. “Tiny Dancer” by Elton John
“Tiny Dancer” was written by Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin and released for John’s 1971 Madman Across The Water album.
It was certified 3x Platinum in April 2018. The song features a piano accompaniment and pedal steel guitar.
The song is a long one, running at 6:12 minutes, so is one for the more stamina-strong karaoke singers.
In May 2017, an official music video for the song was released at the Cannes Film Festival.
15. “Fire and Rain” by James Taylor
“Fire and Rain” was written and performed by Taylor and released in 1970.
The song captures Taylor’s reaction to the suicide of one of his childhood friends, Suzanne Schnerr, who died while he was recording his first album.
It also references his experiences with drug addiction. The track reached No 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
16. “Wide Open Spaces” by The Chicks
This single from the Chicks, previously known as ‘The Dixie Chicks’, is about a daughter’s desire for freedom and space as she reaches maturity.
The song was originally written by Susan Gibson about her experience of leaving home for university but was later picked up by the Chicks.
The Chicks caused controversy in 2003, when they openly criticised Bush and the US invasion of Iraq, triggering a large backlash among their largely right-wing country audience.
17. “Picture to Burn” by Taylor Swift
Featuring a more country accent than in her more recent pop hits, Swift’s “Picture to Burn” was released in 2004 as her debut studio album.
The original single included the line, ‘That’s fine, I’ll tell mine you’re gay’ which was later modified to a more politically correct, ‘That’s fine, you won’t mind if I say’ on the radio edit.
18. “Ring of Fire” by Johnny Cash
“Ring of Fire” was written by June Carter Cash, Johnny’s second wife, and Merle Kilgore.
It was recorded in 1963 and became one of the biggest hits of Cash’s career.
It was certified Gold on January 21, 2010 by the RIAA and has sold over 1.2 million digital downloads.
The term ‘ring of fire’ refers to falling in love, reflecting June’s feelings for Johnny at the time.
19. “Tennessee Whisky” by Chris Stapleton
“Tennessee Whiskey” is a country song originally written by Dean Dillon and Linda Hargrove.
It was recorded by country music artist David Allan Coe and his version peaked on the Billboard charts at No 77 in 1981.
The song was then re-popularised by Chris Stapleton, famous in the country world, and has since been certified as Diamond by the RIAA.
20. “Can’t Fight The Moonlight” by LeAnn Rimes
“Can’t Fight The Moonlight” is the theme song from popular musical comedy-drama film Coyote Ugly.
Written by Diane Warren and performed by LeAnn Rimes, the song was released as a single in 2000 and peaked at No 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2002.
A music video was released in 2000, featuring Rimes performing and interspersed with clips from the film.
21. “I Will Always Love You” by Dolly Parton
“I Will Always Love You” was written by and originally recorded by Dolly Parton, the queen of country music, in 1973.
It was written as a farewell to business partner Porter Wagoner. It has since been famously covered by Whitney Houston as a soul ballad for The Bodyguard (1992).
Houston’s cover skyrocketed the single to new fame, hitting No 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and staying there for a record-breaking 14 weeks.
22. “I Want My Mullet Back” by Billy Ray Cyrus
“I Want My Mullet Back” is the second track on Cyrus’s ninth studio album, Wanna Be Your Joe.
The song was released in 2006 following Cyrus’s newfound exposure on Hannah Montana, in which he acted alongside his daughter, Miley.
The album features a song in collaboration with his daughter, “Stand”.
23. “Because of You” by Kelly Clarkson
Despite her status as a pop singer, Clarkson occasionally dabbled in the country scene, as seen here in “Because of You”.
Clarkson wrote the song when she was sixteen as a means of coping with her parent’s divorce.
Her record label had rejected the song from her debut album, but it was included in her second album, Breakaway. It peaked at No 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.
24. “Something Like That” by Tim McGraw
“Something Like That’ was released by McGraw in June 1999.
It reached No 1 on the Billboard Country chart and hit No 28 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was supposedly the top-played radio song from any genre in the 2000s.
The song is about the narrator reminiscing about falling in love when he was seventeen.
25. “Gunpowder & Lead” by Miranda Lambert
This single from country powerhouse Miranda Lambert was her first Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs.
Released in 2008, the single garnered over 1 million digital downloads. It was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2003.
The song, which is about a story of female empowerment and overcoming abuse, was apparently inspired by some of the abuse victims that Lambert’s parents took into their home when she was a child.
26. “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X, Billy Ray Cyrus
“Old Town Road” was the debut single of American rapper Lil Nas X, which was then recorded as a remix with country singer Billy Ray Cyrus.
It was largely been labelled ‘country rap’, a crossover hit that broke with country traditions. The song gained popularity through popular video app, TikTok, where it became a trending sound.
27. “Hurt” by Johnny Cash
“Hurt” was originally written by American rock band Nine Inch Nails as a promotional single for their second album, The Downward Spiral (1994).
It was then covered by Johnny Cash in 2002 with his own interpretation of the song.
Some listeners argue that the song can be interpreted as being the suicide note of the narrator, refencing self-harm and addiction.
28. “Nothing Breaks Like a Heart” by Miley Cyrus, Mark Ronson
“Nothing Breaks Like a Heart” is a song created by Mark Ronson and Miley Cyrus in 2018.
It peaked at No 2 on the UK Singles Chart and No 43 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It was nominated for Song of the Year at the 2020 Brit Awards.
The song was first performed on The Graham Norton Show in December of 2018.
29. “Need You Now” by Lady A
Known at the time as ‘Lady Antebellum’, Lady A released this song in August 2009.
The band co-wrote the song with Josh Kear and was their debut single in the UK and Europe. It won four Grammy Awards in 2011, including Song of the Year and Record of the Year.
It was a crossover success, becoming a top five hit in Canada, Ireland and New Zealand.
30. “When You Say Nothing At All” by Keith Whitley
“When You Say Nothing At All” has been performed by various artists, but was originally written by Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz.
Whitley’s recording of the song reached the number one spot in the Hot Country Singles chart in 1988.
It was the second of five chart-topping singles from Whitley, who sadly passed away from alcohol poisoning in 1989 and did not live to see the last two.
31. “You’re Still The One” by Shania Twain
Twain’s songs are always perfect for karaoke, with simple and catchy melodies and heartfelt lyrics.
It was written for her third studio album, Come On Over, peaking at No 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
It is recognised as Twain’s most successful crossover into mainstream music. The track won Best Country Song and Best Female Country Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards in 1999.
32. “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” by Toby Keith
“Should’ve Been a Cowboy” reached No 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs list and has received more than three million spins on country radio, making it the most played country song of the 90’s.
The lyrics tell the story of someone romanticizing the cowboy lifestyle, wishing they had been one in another life.
33. “Feels Like Home” by Chantal Kreviazuk
This emotional and touching song from Kreviazuk has the perfect heartfelt touch to make a great karaoke song.
The song was originally written by Randy Newman for the musical Randy Newman’s Faust. Kreviazuk’s version was the most successful, released as a single for the 1999 soundtrack Songs from Dawson’s Creek.
The song was also popularly featured in How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days.
34. “Jolene” by Dolly Parton
Parton’s iconic country hit was inspired, according to Parton, by a red-headed bank clerk who flirted with her husband.
In the song, Parton pleads ‘Jolene’ not to ‘take her man’. The storytelling element of this song makes it perfect for a karaoke song.
The track became Parton’s second number-one single on the country charts.
35. “Breathless” by The Corrs
“Breathless” is a song from Irish group The Corrs.
With a distinctive early 2000s, upbeat feel, the song was co-written and produced by Robert John Lange, who also produced for Shania Twain, Bryan Adams and Def Leppard.
“Breathless” became the group’s only UK chart-topper. The song features in the opening to popular 2000s rom-com, The Wedding Date.
36. “Cowboy Take Me Away” by The Chicks
The title of this hit track was taken from a famous slogan used in adverts for Calgon bath and beauty products.
The song is known as one the group’s signature songs, released in 1999 for their fifth album, Fly.
37. “Wild Hearts” by Keith Urban
“Wild Hearts” is a song from New Zealand-Australian Keith Urban, released as the lead single for his upcoming twelfth album.
The song alludes to some memories from his childhood, such as seeing Johnny Cash live in concert with his father.
The song’s lyrics evoke a sense of community amongst the people that like to live life on the edge, ‘the drifters’ and ‘dreamers’ as Urban describes them.
38. “I Like It, I Love It” by Tim McGraw
This song from one of the kings of the American country scene, Tim McGraw, was released as the first single from his album All I Want.
It became his third No 1 single in the country charts. The music video features clips from McGraw’s tour, directed and produced by Sherman Halsey.
The repetitive lyrics make it perfect for karaoke.
39. “Girl Crush” by Little Big Town
“Girl Crush” was recorded by American country group Little Big Town and released in December of 2014 as the second single for their sixth studio album.
It was well received by music critics, and won five music awards, including two Grammys.
It reached No 1 on the country charts and was later covered by famous pop star Harry Styles.
He performed the song at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on the first leg of his first world tour.
40. “Babe” by Sugarland, Taylor Swift
“Babe” is a song originally written by country-pop star Taylor Swift and Patrick Monahan for her fourth album, Red.
It didn’t make the final cut for the album, so Swift sold the song to country band Sugarland.
Swift, however, still makes an appearance for the backing vocals. Swift re-recorded the song herself and released it as part of her re-release of Red (Taylor’s Version) released in 2021.
41. “Heart of Gold” by Neil Young
Featuring an iconic harmonica melody, this song from Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young was released for his fourth album, Harvest.
It is Young’s only single to reach No 1, reaching the top spot on the Canadian RPM singles charts.
In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked it No 297 on their list of the 500 greatest songs of all time. The song features backing vocals from fellow country-folk legend, John Taylor.
42. “This Kiss” by Faith Hill
“This Kiss” became a country-pop crossover hit following its release in 1998 for Hill’s third album, Faith.
Following a common trope in country music, the lyrics reference a fairytale story of love: ‘Cinderella said to Snow White’, and ‘all I wanted was a white knight’.
The song is catchy and uplifting, the perfect tune for a fun karaoke night.
43. “Check Yes or No” by George Strait
“Check Yes or No” was written by Danny Wells and Dana Hunt Black and recorded by American country star George Strait before being released in 1995.
The lyrics tell the touching story of a school romance: a boy passes a note to his crush, asking her to check ‘yes or no’ to let him know whether she likes him back.
The story follows them into adulthood, reminiscing on the way their relationship started.
44.“I Bet You Think About Me” by Taylor Swift, Chris Stapleton
Another song from Swift, “I Bet You Think About Me” is a country ballad featuring country star Chris Stapleton.
Featuring a classic country harmonica and southern accent, the song didn’t make the original cut for Swift’s Red album but was brought back out of ‘the vault’ for Swift’s 2021 re-release of the album.
The music video was directed by Swift’s American actor friend Blake Lively and stars Hollywood star Miles Teller.
45. “If I Was a Cowboy” by Miranda Lambert
This song was released by Lambert as the lead single for her ninth solo album, Palomino.
The lyrics are inspired by the Wild West, with the narrator imagining the freedom and joy of life as a cowboy.
Producer Casey Young described the song as the country version of Beyonce’s “If I Were a Boy”.
46. “Happy Anywhere” by Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani
“Happy Anywhere” was written and recorded by country star Blake Shelton and features his wife, famous singer-songwriter Gwen Stefani.
It is their fourth collaboration and released directly following their duet “Nobody but You”.
The heartfelt and romantic lyrics speak of the narrator’s willingness to go ‘anywhere’ with their lover and still be happy.
Duets always make for great karaoke songs, and this is no exception.
47. “Country Girl (Shake It For Me) by Luke Bryan
“Country Girl (Shake It For Me)” was co-written and recorded by country singer Luke Bryan in 2011, as the first single for his album Tailgates & Tanlines.
It reached No 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and reached over 3 million sales in the US, becoming the third best-selling song by a male country music solo artist.
The music video features clips of Bryan performing the song in concert, alongside clips of his fans singing along.
48. “Fancy” by Reba McEntire
“Fancy” was recorded and released by McEntire in 1990 for her seventeenth studio album, Rumor Has It, and has become one of her signature songs.
The album peaked at No 2 on the country album charts and No 39 on the Billboard 200, making it her first album to reach the mainstream top 40.
It was certified triple platinum by the RIAA.
49. “Should’ve Said No” by Taylor Swift
Singing about the pain of discovering her high school boyfriend had cheated on her, this powerful and angry song from Swift’s self-titled debut album is perfect for karaoke.
It was released as the album’s fifth and final single in May of 2008. It combines country rock, pop rock, and post-grunge, an early demonstration of Swift’s genre-crossing song-writing abilities.
The song became Swift’s second No 1 on the country charts.
50. “Islands in the Stream” by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers
Last but not least is one of the most popular karaoke songs of all time, “Islands in the Stream” by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers.
It was originally written by the Bee Gees for Diana Ross but was ultimately recorded as a duet by the country artists.
The song reached the No 1 spot in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. It has been double-certified Platinum by the RIAA.
Country Karaoke Songs – Final Thoughts
The secret to a great karaoke night is choosing lovable, catchy songs that everyone can sing along to.
With many of these tunes crossing over from the country world into the more mainstream charts, and the songs ranging from emotional ballads to revenge tunes to catchy bops, there is something for everyone in this list.
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