4 Country Songs From the 1990s That Became Classics Despite Zero Radio Play

The 1990s brought us a pantheon of legendary country artists and a wealth of classic songs. George Strait, Reba McEntire, Garth Brooks, Randy Travis, and others dominated the airwaves throughout the decade, delivering hit country songs that became 1990s classics. However, not every song that enjoyed extensive radio play stood the test of time. On the other hand, some songs have endured the decades without the help of country radio.

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Today, we’re going to look at some top-notch country songs from the 1990s that got little to no radio play and became classics—remaining in heavy rotation among country fans or becoming major hits for other artists in the future.

[RELATED: 4 Modern Country Artists Who Would Have Been Superstars in the 1990s]

1. “Ol’ Red” by George Jones from You Oughta Be Here with Me (1990)

Blake Shelton released his version of “Ol’ Red” in 2002 and had a minor hit with it. It went on to be one of his signature songs and is the name of his chain of bars. However, George Jones recorded the song for his album You Oughta Be Here with Me more than a decade earlier.

While Jones is hailed as a legend today, he had a hard time getting radio play in the ’90s. The industry wanted to promote new, young, fresh artists and the emerging sound. Unfortunately, the man hailed as the greatest country singer in history didn’t fit the bill and few of his songs enjoyed radio play in the ’90s.

Jones didn’t release his version of “Ol’ Red” as a single, but many country fans still prefer it to Shelton’s.

2. “Dublin Blues” by Guy Clark from Dublin Blues (1995)

Guy Clark’s name doesn’t usually come up in the conversation about ’90s country artists. Maybe it is because he had been in the business since the ’70s. Maybe it was because his songs didn’t fit the “’90s country” mold. Either way, it’s a shame that he’s not more prominent in discussions of the era because he was still at the top of his game at the time. The title track from his 1995 album Dublin Blues is proof of that.

The song won’t appear on many ’90s country playlists but it remains a favorite among Clark’s fans. Like most of his work, the songwriting here is otherworldly. Lines like I have seen the David / Seen the Mona Lisa, too / And I have heard Doc Watson play Columbus Stockade Blues showcase Clark’s ability to say so much with just a few words.

3. “In Spite of Ourselves” by John Prine and Iris DeMent from In Spite of Ourselves (1999)

John Prine is another artist whose career started in the ’70s but was still making great music two decades later. His 1999 album In Spite of Ourselves is proof of that. It was his first album after battling throat cancer and featured duets with the likes of Trisha Yearwood, Patty Loveless, Lucinda Williams, and Connie Smith. However, the title track, a duet with Iris DeMent, remains the most popular cut from the record. It was the only song on the album Prine penned.

“In Spite of Ourselves” is exactly what you’d expect from a love song penned by Prine. It’s funny and a little risque while also showcasing a back-and-forth between a loving couple.

4. “Pearl Snaps” by Jason Boland & The Stragglers from Pearl Snaps (1999)

Jason Boland & The Stragglers are a criminally underrated Oklahoma-based country band. They’re largely overlooked outside of the Red Dirt country world. Their 1999 debut album Pearl Snaps is packed with songs that could have been country hits in the ’90s. However, the band still receives little to no radio play.

While fans of mainstream country may still be unaware of the existence of this band, Red Dirt fans still love this record and it’s title track. This proves that good conutry music is like cheap bourbon whiskey and pearl-snap shirts. It never goes out of style.

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