While all musicians try and relay a story that their listeners can latch on to, no one does relatability like country artists. Something about the genre hits your heart in a way no other does. Naturally, love is a familiar face in country songs —what’s more relatable than that?
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While country music has been dealing with matters of the heart since its inception, the ’90s were a special time for the genre. At that time, country music received mainstream attention like never before and artists like Shania Twain and Garth Brooks became stars the world over.
[RELATED: 9 Quintessential ’90s Songs You Should Be Listening to Again Right Now]
Today, we’ve combined those two ideas to give you a round-up of the best country love songs of the ’90s. From waltzing ballads to punchy anthems, revisit these swooning hits below.
10. “She’s In Love With The Boy” (Trisha Yearwood)
While many of the songs on this list are first-hand recounts of endearing love stories, Trisha Yearwood stuck to the classic country storytelling knack with “She’s In Love With The Boy.”
You know what they say, ‘You can’t help who you love.’ At least that’s the lesson Yearwood relays in “She’s In Love With The Boy.” Her two main characters, Katie and Tommy, lead opposite lives but love each other nonetheless – much to Katie’s father’s dismay. In the end, love conquers all, and the pair ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after. After all, What’s meant to be will always find a way.
9. “You’re Still The One” (Shania Twain)
Shania Twain bagged one of the biggest love songs of all time with “You’re Still The One” in 1997. Though the ballad is simple, it sums up the mark of lasting intimacy quite succinctly: After all this time
you’re still the one I love.
8. “She’s Got It All” (Kenny Chesney)
Kenny Chesney details his perfect woman in “She’s Got It All.” She’s got every quality / From A all the way to Z / It’s easy to see she’s the perfect girl, he sings in the opening line. Later on, he turns the phrase on its head, switching from talking about her attributes to the undying devotion he intends to give her: All of my life I’ve spent a hoping I could give someone such devotion / Every sweet memory I can recall / She got it all.
7. “Carrying Your Love With Me” (George Strait)
One of George Strait’s biggest hits “Carrying Your Love With Me” is still an oft-referenced love song in 2023. Strait sings But don’t you worry ’bout the way I pack / All I care about is gettin’ back real soon / A goodbye kiss is all I need from you over top a smooth guitar-led melody.
6. “If I Didn’t Have You” (Randy Travis)
If you listened to this round-up like a playlist, Randy Travis’ “If I Didn’t Have You” would wake you up from the lulled state you’d find yourself in after listening to the songs that come before it. While “If I Didn’t Have You” certainly finds Travis in a loved-up state, he swaps slow piano ballads or guitar-led anthems for a slightly off-kilter staccato rhythm.
5. “I’d Love You All Over Again” (Alan Jackson)
Heading back to the very beginning of the decade, Alan Jackson set the tone for love songs of the ’90s with “I’d Love You All Over Again.” For some relationships, time can be a killer, but that couldn’t be further from the truth in the relationship Jackson sings about in this track. 10 years on, Jackson still loves her like it’s day one.
4. “This Kiss” (Faith Hill)
“This Kiss” is a hit in any space. Faith Hill earned massive cross-over success with this 1998 bop, earning the No. 3 spot on Billboard‘s Adult Contemporary chart. Few love songs bottle up the blissful, floating feeling of infatuation better than “This Kiss.” It’s the sonic equivalent of blushed cheeks, shaky hands, and racing hearts.
3. “I Swear” (John Michael Montgomery)
“I Swear” became a hit for John Michael Montgomery in 1993. The chorus is the blueprint for a ’90s ballad, complete with waltzing rhythm and soulful vocals. “I Swear” became a hit for the R&B group All-4-One a year later, proving the idea that a good song is a good song in any light.
2. “It’s Your Love” (Faith Hill and Tim McGraw)
Faith Hill is getting another mention on this list with “It’s Your Love.” Hill teamed up with her husband Tim McGraw for this duet in 1997. Given their real-life relationship (still in its early days at the time), the lyrics of “It’s Your Love” hit all the harder: I can’t get enough, and if you wonder about the spell I’m under / Oh it’s your love.
1. “Amazed” (Lonestar)
Lonestar’s “Amazed” is the perfect mixture of ’90s schmaltz, tight harmonies, and country sensibilities (courtesy of warping pedal steel). Though “Amazed” is technically categorized as a country song, it leans more toward adult contemporary, making Lonestar one of many country acts in the ’90s to earn mainstream success.
“Amazed” is a karaoke song if there ever was one. Though country music serves a variety of purposes, no one can deny its crowd-pleasing, community-building power. Many country artists have made their name with songs created specifically for people to sing along to a neon-lit dive bar somewhere. This is Lonestar’s.
Photo by David McClister / Ebie Media
