Many fans see the ‘90s as the pinnacle of modern country music. It was a time of neotraditional music sandwiched between the Urban Cowboy pop production of the ‘80s and the evolution of bro-country in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Many of the songs that were hits in the ‘90s are still mainstays on country radio—if you’re listening to the right station—and fans’ playlists decades later.
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So, break out your Brushpopper shirts, dust off line dancing skills, and get ready to take a trip back to the ‘90s with five of the most enduring songs from the decade.
“Friends in Low Places” by Garth Brooks—The Best-Selling Country Artist of the ‘90s
Few artists exemplify why fans love ‘90s country like Garth Brooks. He was the best-selling artist of the decade and songs like “Friends in Low Places” helped him get there.
“Friends in Low Places” helped to codify the sound of the era with its blend of traditional country music and rock. At the same time, the down-home swagger and attitude of the lyrics make it a fan favorite-more than 30 years after its initial release.
“Neon Moon” by Brooks & Dunn—So Iconic It Made a TikTok Comeback
Brooks & Dunn are still favorites among country fans but in the ‘90s, they were a force to be reckoned with. Every single from their 1990 debut album Brand New Man went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart including “Neon Moon.”
“Neon Moon” was more than a chart success. It was—and still is—a mainstay on country radio. Additionally, it was inescapable in bars across the United States. More recently, a remix of the song became the soundtrack to a TikTok trend in 2021, gaining more than a billion plays on the app.
“Fancy” by Reba McEntire—An Unforgettable Song from the ‘90s Country Icon
Reba McEntire is still going strong. She’s releasing music, performing live, and she’s on multiple TV shows. However, her current success stems from her domination of the country music world in the ’90s. Songs like “Fancy” helped to make the Oklahoma native a household name.
All of the other songs on this list were No. 1 country hits for at least one week. “Fancy,” on the other hand, peaked at No. 8. This just goes to show that sometimes chart success isn’t a measure of quality or longevity. This remains a favorite among country fans and one of McEntire’s signature songs.
“This Kiss” by Faith Hill—We’re All Still Singing Along to This One
The ‘90s introduced fans to several great female country artists. Faith Hill, Reba, The Chicks, Shania Twain, and many more dominated the airwaves throughout the decade. Songs like “This Kiss” helped to make Hill one of the most prominent ladies of the genre at the time.
“This Kiss” was a massive hit for Hill in 1998. It topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and was a top 10 hit on both the Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary charts. It also brought Hill a pair of Grammy nods. More importantly, it’s one of those songs that nearly every country fan will sing along to every time it comes on whether they want to admit it or not.
“Chattahoochee” by Alan Jackson—‘90s Country at Its Finest
No discussion of enduring ‘90s country songs would be complete without mentioning Alan Jackson. He was among a handful of artists who worked hard to get traditional country music back on the radio at the time. If we’re all being honest with ourselves this list could have been five cuts from Jackson’s discography and it would still be 100% accurate.
However, there are few songs by Jackson—or any other artist, for that matter—that embody ‘90s country like “Chattahoochee.” It’s a fun song but the lyrics have meaning. Sonically, it walks the tightrope between traditional and modern. And, most importantly, it remains a favorite among fans.
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