Year in Review: My Top 100 Country Music Songs of 2016

It’s that time of year again where I like to take a look back at my favorite country music songs of the year. We’re into the home stretch so now is as good a time as any, right?

Now, let me preface this list as I always do.

I’m not a professional music reviewer.
I don’t get paid to promote artists.
I don’t go by Billboard or radio airplay charts.

Got it? Good. Let’s get going. My list consists of the top 100 songs that I loved over the past year (or so). The songs that I wanted to come on my radio while driving to and from work, on a road trip, or when I was just sitting at home.

Now you might notice that a lot of mainstream, radio hits by major artists are not included. No reason except for the fact that my list is not based on how famous you are. Simple as that. I listen to the radio all day long, but a lot of the songs that are played just get played too often. I get burned out. Or, I hear them so often that I change the station. For that reason, those songs may or may not be on my list.

Frankly, it’s my personal list which includes the songs that I love and want to hear (but please feel free to sway me in your direction if I left a song off or ranked a song too high/low). I must also put in the caveat that my kids did have some influence on the Top 100. They don’t listen to as much music as I do, but they certainly know the songs they like and hearing them over and over and over again helped push a few underdogs up the list.

You probably heard a lot of these songs every hour (on the hour) on your local station. Others may not have been played much (if at all) when they should have been, in my own, personal opinion. You’ll note quite a few songs on the list that haven’t even been played on the radio. If you see those…be sure to take a listen!

Also, while some of these songs may have come out in late 2015, they were ones that were predominantly played (if they made the radio) in the 2016 calendar year. Others may be primed for success later next year so, like I’ve said before, keep your ears open!

Either way, I’m sure that I’m going to leave quite a few songs off this list that could have easily made it. I know this going in and expect each and every one of you to say “hey, what about this song…or that song.” Please do.

Fight for the music and artists that YOU love!!!!

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to go through each entry and provide detailed background on the song, reasons for it’s placement, etc…But, feel free to leave a comment and I’d be happy to respond.

Now, without further ado, let’s get this party started with a three-way tie at #100:

(T) 100. “California Grown“, Tyler Rich

(T) 100. “Paradice“, Michael Beck

(T) 100. “Find a Way“, Lucie Silvas

99. “Monterey“, Dean Brody

98. “Let’s Ride“, Interstate 10

97. “Ice Cold Summer“, Trailer Choir

96. “The Dogs“, Justin Wells

95. “One Less Fool in Amarillo“, Marcus Lindsey

94. “Crazy Last Night“, Michael Tyler

93. “June“, Runaway Angel

92: “California“, Carolina Gold

91. “Fishing Alone“, Erik Dylan

90. “Rebound“, Drew Baldridge

89. “Think a Little Less“, Michael Ray

88. “Hometown Girl“, Josh Turner

87. “Angels in This Town“, Eric Paslay

86. “Room to Breathe“, Chase Bryant

85. “Are You With Me“, Easton Corbin

84. “Leaving Nashville“, Charles Kelley

83. “Leave the Light On“, Jackie Lee

82. “Drunk People“, Ryan Hurd

81. “There’s a Girl“, Trent Harmon

80. “Everywhere“, Mo Pitney

79. “With You I Am“, Cody Johnson

78. “A Few More Cowboys“, Toby Keith

77. “Better Than Today“, Kari Lynch Band

76. “I’m Not the Devil“, Cody Jinks

75. “Wrong Side of the Dream“, Austin Lucas featuring Lydia Loveless

74. “Shake it Like a Hillbilly“, Hillbilly Vegas

73. “New Hometown“, Mike Ryan

72. “Drinking with Dolly“, Stephanie Quayle

71. “One Wave at a Time“, Cash Creek

70. “Damn Drunk“, Ronnie Dunn

69. “Love Can Go to Hell“, Brandy Clark

68. “Lipstick“, Runaway June

67. “Dirty Laundry“, Carrie Underwood

66. “Hurtin’ on the Bottle“, Margo Price

65. “Roots“, Parmalee

64. “Running for You“, Kip Moore

63. “Cigarette“, Frankie Ballard

62. “Woke Up in Nashville“, Seth Ennis

61. “Better in Boots“, Tyler Farr

60. “Backwood Bump“, Waterloo Revival

59. “Middle of Nowh ere“, McKenzies Mill

58. “Make You Mine“, High Valley

57. “If the Boot Fits“, Granger Smith

56. “If I Told You“, Darius Rucker

55. “Wasn’t That Drunk“, Josh Abbott Band w/ Carly Pearce

54. “Put a Label on It“, Ryan Follese

53. “American Country Love Song“, Jake Owen

52. “Setting the World on Fire“, Kenny Chesney featuring Pink

51. “Today“, Brad Paisley

50. “Suitcase“, Steve Moakler

49. “Sooner Than Later“, Jacob Davis

48. “Livin’ the Dream“, Drake White

47. “Someone to Take Your Place“, Tara Thompson

46. “Getting Over You“, Jackie Lee

45. “Bluebonnets“, Aaron Watson

44. “Different for Girls“, Dierks Bentley

43. “Fix“, Chris Lane

42.”Rock On“, Tucker Beathard

41. “Break Up in a Small Town“, Sam Hunt

40. “American Love Story,” LANco

39. “Mayday“, Cam

38. “I Met a Girl“, William Michael Morgan

37. “Hurricane“, Luke Combs

36. “It All Started with a Beer“, Frankie Ballard

35. “Think of You“, Chris Young w/ Cassadee Pope

34. “Forever Country“, Various Artists

33. “Outskirts of Heaven“, Craig Campbell

32. “American Outlaw“, Halfway to Hazard

31. “Peter Pan“, Kelsea Ballerini

30. “Record Year“, Eric Church

29. “Drink by Drink“, Tony Jackson

28. “Snapback“, Old Dominion

27. “80’s Mercedes“, Maren Morris

26. “Long Live Tonight“, LANco

25. “You Should Be Here“, Cole Swindell

24. “Humble and Kind“, Tim McGraw

23. “I Know Somebody“, LOCASH

22. “Girl Next Door“, Brandy Clark

21. “Sleep Without You“, Brett Young

20. “Vacation“, Thomas Rhett

19. “H.O.L.Y.“, Florida Georgia Line

18. “She Got Me“, Cash Creek

17. “21 Summer“, Brothers Osborne

16. “Southernality“, A Thousand Horses

15. “From the Ground Up“, Dan & Shay

14. “Dirt on my Boots“, John Pardi

13. “Parachute“, Chris Stapleton

12. “Backroad Song“, Granger Smith

11. “M r. Misunderstood“, Eric Church

10. “Dance With Ya“, Drew Baldridge

9. “Beautiful Drug“, Zac Brown Band

8. “It Don’t Hurt Like it Used To“, Billy Currington

7. “Better Man“, Little Big Town

6. “Song for Another Time“, Old Dominion

5. “Head Over Boots“, Jon Pardi

4. “Saltwater Gospel“, Eli Young Band

3. “May We All“, Florida Georgia Line featuring Tim McGraw

2. “My Church“, Maren Morris

1. “Die a Happy Man“, Thomas Rhett

Well that’s it. My Top 100 of 2016!

Where did I hit the nail on the head? Where did the arrow miss the mark?

I want to hear from you!

Let me know in the comments below!

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