Fans often assume that if a song is a big hit, it’s automatically a No. 1 country song, but that isn’t always the case. The genre is full of country songs that became popular, and remain on an artist’s set list for years as a result, even though it never hit the top of the charts.
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We picked three of our favorite country songs from the last 25 years that should have been No. 1 singles, but were not.
“Troubadour” by George Strait
George Strait released “Troubadour” in 2008, which is the title track of his 25th studio album. The song is one the King of Country Music has been performing in the 17 years since its release, even though it barely cracked the Top 10 on the charts.
Interestingly, the record marks Strait’s only Grammy win, for Best Country Album. Whether or not it hit No. 1 or not is irrelevant for Strait, who remains a fan of the song.
Leslie Satcher and Monty Holmes are the writers behind “Troubadour”. Strait was also nominated for a Grammy for Best Male Country Vocal Performance for “Troubadour,” with Brad Paisley winning instead for “Letter to Me.”
“Boondocks” by Little Big Town
Any country music fan can likely sing along word for word to Little Big Town’s “Boondocks.” The four band members wrote the song, released in 2005, with Wayne Kirkpatrick. The song is on their sophomore The Road to Here record. “Boondocks” so perfectly shows off the group’s stunning harmonies, and remains part of Little Big Town’s concerts, 20 years later.
The song might not have hit No. 1, but it is Little Big Town’s first Top 10 at radio. Unfortunately, the success of the song came at a trying time for Kimberly Schlapman. Her first husband, Steven Roads, unexpectedly passed away just as “Boondocks” was climbing the charts. The way her bandmates rallied around her is what Schlapman believes helped make “Boondocks” a radio hit.
“That took us to another level of bond and things that families share that nobody else really understands or knows about,” she tells People.
“Nobody to Blame” by Chris Stapleton
Chris Stapleton had a multi-platinum hit with “Nobody to Blame,” from his debut Traveller album. Written by Stapleton, along with Barry Bales and Ronnie Bowman, the song is one of several tracks that Stapleton fans know by heart, even though they were not massive hits at radio.
“Nobody to Blame” peaked in the Top 10. Probably no one was more surprised than Stapleton that the song wasn’t a big hit. Especially since he rightfully says it’s something likely every man can relate to in some way.
“It’s a song about a man getting what he deserves for not doing the things that he knows he should and doing things he knows he shouldn’t,” he tells Songfacts. “I’m pretty sure that everybody can relate to that on some level.”
As country songs go, this one sounds like a big, big hit.
Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images
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