I’m not a fan, but there’s always one single off of every album they put out that I like. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Kristyn Osborn is one of the best songwriters working today.Ī burst of optimistic love that has more urgency than his earlier work that covered the same thematic ground. The fire of the newly alive, to borrow from an old Rosanne Cash song title, Allan shakes off the somber and melancholy from his brilliant 2005 album and comes back with a rockin’ love song. Should’ve been a #1 hit, but that “all you’re gonna see is asses and elbows” line must’ve kept this raucous single from reaching the top. Hilarious and honest, Atkins realizes that when you’re a parent, you’re setting an example whether you want to or not. She’s aging like a fine wine.Ĭlever and catchy, as always, but with a more organic production that skimps on the bells and whistles and just lets their harmonies shine.
She sounds so restrained and thoughtful that it’s hard to believe she was once known for showboat vocal performances. In a genre that can get way too family-friendly, it’s a relief to be cheering on Church and his new flame as they wish for a negative pregnancy test. One of the best moments of their collaborative album. Well-written and impeccably performed.Ī clever conceit: an older couple looks back at photographs and reminisces about their journey together. His ballads rarely fail to connect, and this is his best one in a long time.įor once, Bentley is the one left watching as his woman drives away. With sweeping strings and a smooth, buttery vocal, this is as close to the Nashville Sound as Keith is likely to get. This touching and powerful Vietnam tale shows the depth of this duo’s ability as both writers and performers.īright and jangly, Hill’s tale of metro life on a tight budget was one of the most charming records on the radio this year. Thile lets loose on a White Stripes cover, with his virtuoso mandolin work on center stage. This lead single from his latest album chronicles how things he sees on the road remind him of the love he has left behind. With three traveling songs on this list – more entries than any other artist, I might add – Bentley has fashioned himself into a modern-day troubadour. It’s a “Wide Open Spaces” retread, but it works because of Underwood’s sympathetic delivery. She still doesn’t have the interpretive skills to knock a great song out of the ballpark, but her handlers sure do give her fantastic material to work with. Yes, it’s an upbeat spin on “All the Good Ones Are Gone”, but it works well, with Rimes now old enough to tell a story like this convincingly. It’s never too early to jot down some history, and this single collects some of the biggest events of the last ten years, by a man who may have the most familiar male country voice now that Johnny Cash is passed on. It makes me want to hear the rest of the album. The song is solid and her voice is haunting. It’s a country-gospel rave-up that makes the rafters ring.Ī city girl falls for country boy tale that doesn’t romanticize or demonize either character’s background, which is a rarity for the song type. Ketchum didn’t catch a comeback with this single, but he should have. Swift’s debut single got early press for its name-dropping title, but it’s a clear-eyed account of first love that is thankfully devoid of regret over lost innocence. Pickler’s debut has been stuck in my head since I heard it, so she’ll anchor this year’s list. Sure, I ragged on this song as being the second coming of Mindy McCready, but let’s be honest: McCready had some damn catchy songs. And while 2006 may not have been my favorite year for country music, I must say that the top three songs rank among my favorite recordings of all-time. Some were hits, some weren’t, but these were all in heavy rotation on my iPod, regardless of what radio did with them. It wasn’t a banner year for the genre like 2005 was, but there were still a lot of good singles sent to radio and retail this year.