3 Country Songs That Were Almost No. 1 Hits but Didn’t Quite Make It

To us listeners, it feels like all our favorite songs should get a No. 1 spot. Shockingly though, some of the most iconic songs of all time never earned that title. However, there’s a few No. 2 hits that you probably like even more than their top competitor. Here are some country songs that you probably thought went No. 1 but actually didn’t.

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“Burning House” by Cam

“Burning House” was easily one of the defining country songs of 2015. Truthfully, it probably would have made it to No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay Chart had it had that extra push. After Bobby Bones played it on his show, so many people added it on iTunes that it shot to the Top 20 on the platform in a single day. Cam recalled writing the song, saying that it was inspired by a dream she had before running into an ex. “There’s not like a Disney movie explaining what you do when you really love someone, but they’re just not for you,” she explained. Although this song didn’t technically reach No. 1, it did get the top spot on the Mediabase country radio chart.

“Crazy” by Patsy Cline

“Crazy” is one of the most referenced songs in country music history. Personally, it was shocking even for me to learn that this hit never went to No. 1. However, it does have an equally cool accolade to its name. It’s the top played song in all of jukebox history! Fun fact, this No. 2 hit was actually recorded in one take by Patsy Cline, who was still recovering from a deadly car crash she’d had a few months prior. It was also a crossover hit, bringing jazz and country together in a way that hadn’t been done before.

“Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” by Shania Twain

This is one of those songs that definitely feels like it should’ve been a No. 1, and it was in New Zealand, but not in the U.S., where it peaked at No. 4. It did, however, win Twain a Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal Performance, and it’s considered one of the best karaoke songs of all time. “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” definitely helped solidify Twain as the ultimate pop-country songstress, but it was not, in fact, a No. 1 hit.

Photo by: Beth Gwinn/Redferns