4 Cringeworthy Country Songs That Somehow Became Hits

Country music contains some of the most moving, relatable, and memorable songs in the history of recorded music. However, those timeless and expertly written songs aren’t the whole of the genre. Country music also features a pile of cringeworthy songs that some will admit are guilty pleasures. Some of those songs went on to be major hits.

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These cringeworthy songs all landed in the top 20 of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart upon their initial release. More than that, they became memorable entries into the discographies of some of the genre’s biggest stars.

[RELATED: 3 Guilty Pleasure Country Songs That We Know You Love To Sing Along To]

1. “Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus

No list of cringeworthy country songs would be complete without this 1992 hit from Hannah Montana’s dad. Penned by Don Von Trees, Billy Ray Cyrus unleashed this engine of cringe upon the world in March 1992. It quickly dominated country radio and climbed the charts. I topped the country chart and peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Cyrus a massive crossover hit. More than that, it became the first Platinum-certified country single since the Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers duet, “Islands in the Stream” in 1983.

One doesn’t have to dig very deep to see why this song landed on this list. Somewhere between the mullets, the line dancing, and the lyrics, this mega-hit became the standard for country cringe.

2. “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy” by Kenny Chesney

Kenny Chesney is one of the biggest names in country music today. Following in the sandy footsteps of Jimmy Buffett, his beach vibes have made countless fans citizens of the No Shoes Nation. However, he went from the beach to the farm for this endlessly cringeworthy hit country song from 1999.

Penned by Jim Collins and Paul Overstreet, “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy” was meant to be a tongue-in-cheek song. Enough listeners got the joke to take the song to No. 11 on the Hot Country Songs chart. It was also a minor crossover hit, peaking at No. 74 on the Hot 100. However, nearly anyone who has professed their love of country music to someone who isn’t a fan of the genre over the past two decades has found their taste in music judged by the quality of this song.

3. “Big Green Tractor” by Jason Aldean

It’s hard to say which is more surprising–that there are two cringeworthy country songs about tractors or that those two farm-themed cringe cannons share a songwriter. Jim Collins co-wrote this one with “Dust on the Bottle” singer David Lee Murphy. Jason Aldean released it in 2009 as a single from his album Wide Open. It went on to spend four consecutive weeks atop the country chart. Even more surprising, it went to No. 18 on the Hot 100, giving Aldean a crossover hit and his third country No. 1.

4. “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” by Trace Adkins

Trace Adkins has one of the best voices in modern country music. His silky bass-baritone is perfect for country music. He’s proved that several times with songs like “Every Light in the House,” “I Left Something Turned on at Home,” and “Arlington.”

Then, the country star released this endlessly cringeworthy song in 2005 as a single from his album Songs About Me. Co-written by Dallas Davidson, Randy Houser, and Jamey Johnson, the ode to shapely honky tonk butts went to No. 2 on the Hot Country Songs chart. It also peaked at No. 30 on the Hot 100.

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