3 Country Songs From 1995 That Should Have Been Bigger Hits

The year 1995 was a crazy one for country music, especially because many artists were starting to chase after a more commercial, pop-influenced sound at the time. The downside of this is that a lot of more traditional hidden gems got swept under the rug. But that doesn’t mean we can’t give them their flowers today. From Joe Diffie to Jeff Carson, here are some country songs from 1995 that should have been bigger hits.

Videos by American Songwriter

“Ships That Don’t Come In” by Joe Diffie

Joe Diffie made his mark on country music in the early to mid-90s with hits like “Pickup Man” and “Third Rock From The Sun”. Each showcased his unique “Bubba” style sound. However, I think this song serves as a nice contrast to his more lighthearted tunes, especially given the emotional depth of the story. “Ships That Don’t Come In” not only demonstrates how talented a singer Diffie really is but proves to listeners that he’s a lot more than just the “Pickup Man” deep down.

“I Let Her Lie” by Daryle Singletary

“I Let Her Lie” was originally released as the second single from Singletary’s debut album. At the time, country singers were desperately trying to remain relevant against the pop-leaning Shania Twains of the world. The song also paints the male country singer in a more vulnerable light, telling the story of a man who knows his partner is cheating on him but doesn’t want to say anything. Singletary’s vocals on this song are straight-up country. No wonder George Jones was such a big fan of the guy.

“Not On Your Love” by Jeff Carson

Carson, much like Singletary and Diffie, was a demo singer before he ever got on the radio. When he did, this song that gave him his moment. “Not On Your Love” earned him a No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart. However, it was knocked out by singers like Tim McGraw, who would later achieve mega success with songs like “I Like It, I Love It” that summer. “Not On Your Love” deserves more recognition, though, in my opinion, simply because of his vocals and the compelling message.

Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images