There's no denying that country music is hot right now. Some of the genre's biggest stars are having massive crossover hits, while some of the biggest names in pop and hip-hop are also lacing up their boots and humming the tunes. So it's no surprise that there are tons of new country fans looking for new favorite tunes.
Modern country music is a great introduction to the genre, but the music and artists that laid the foundation for today's biggest hits have been around for nearly a century. With that in mind, here are five classic country songs for new fans.
[RELATED: 5 Country Songs That Even Country Haters Can’t Help But (Secretly) Love]
Hank Williams' “So Lonely I Cry”—A Timeless Song from an Early Legend
Country music is full of songs about heartbreak. This classic, written by Hank Williams and released in 1949, has inspired countless sad songs. Plus, it's the signature song of one of the most influential artists in country music history.
With lyrics that describe a sorrow so profound it resonates in the natural world, and Williams' plaintive delivery, there are few songs in the history of the genre that are as sad or beautiful.
Webb Pierce's “There Stands the Glass”—Country classic drinking song
Today's country music is full of songs about drinking. Some are about going out and having fun, some are about one-night stands, and some are about drowning a broken heart with alcohol. “There Stands the Glass” is a classic example of the latter, about a man who knows that alcohol numbs the pain, proving that songs about drinking are nothing new to the genre.
Written by Russ Hull, Mary Jean Schulz and Audrey Grisham, Webb Pierce's “There Stands the Glass” was a number one hit in 1953. It was Pierce's fifth hit and stayed at number one for 12 weeks.
“Act Naturally” by Buck Owens—Enjoy the pain
Few country artists are more entertaining than Buck Owens, and this song is a perfect example of why. “Act Naturally” is about a man whose love has been broken. But he's not sitting around dwelling on his pain, or drinking away his heartache. Instead, he's using that pain to become a huge star.
They're going to put me in a movie. / They're going to make me a big star. / We're going to make a movie about a sad, lonely man. / And all I have to do is act naturally.
Written by Johnny Russell, “Act Naturally” was released by Buck Owens and the Buckluss in 1963. The song became the first of many number one singles for Owens and remains one of his most popular songs.
“You Ask Me To” by Waylon Jennings—A love song from country music's lovable outlaw
Waylon Jennings was one of the artists who spearheaded the outlaw country movement in the 70s, and while the term is still popular today, Jennings' 1972 album is a great example of the subgenre. Honky Tonk Heroes.
“You Ask Me To” proves that outlaw country wasn't just about doing drugs, living the high life, and breaking the law: It's a tender love song in which the narrator promises his lover that he'll do anything she asks to make her happy, even if it means breaking up with her forever.
Co-written by Jennings and fellow Texas outlaw legend Billy Joe Shaver, “You Ask Me To” was a No. 8 hit for Jennings, and more importantly, it was a standout song on an album full of near-perfect country songs.
“Diggin' Up Bones” by Randy Travis—Your favorite country singer's favorite country singer
In the late '70s and early '80s, country music was dominated by pop productions and arrangements, after which a few artists helped bring the genre back to its traditional roots, including Randy Travis.
In this song, the narrator laments the loss of a “dead” relationship while sorting through old mementos in an empty house. Travis' buttery smooth baritone voice speaks to the pain behind the words, making this the perfect country breakup song.
Written by Paul Overstreet, Nat Stuckey and Al Gore, “Diggin' Up Bones” was released by Travis as the third single from his 1986 debut album. Storms of lifeIt became the second number one single from the album.
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