The second of our master lists for 2017 includes singles. Per usual, we take a fairly nebulous approach to what qualifies as a “single” these days.
First, we consider any track that was given a proper add date for country, AAA, or americana radio formats. Then, we look for tracks that were given music videos– even the dreaded “lyric videos” count, as long as an artist didn’t release a series of those in advance of an album release. Songs that were specifically tagged for promotion in trade magazines or websites, or even songs that artists promoted consistently on the talk-show circuit. If it seems like it should be considered a single and not just an album track, we’ll probably take a hard look at it.
In other words, long gone are the days when country radio dictated what counted as a country single. That ship has sailed far beyond the yonder horizon, never to return.
So, if there’s something we missed, include some supporting evidence of its “singularity” in your comment!
| Artist | Title |
| A Thousand Horses | Preachin’ to the Choir |
| Aaron Watson | Outta Style |
| Adam Craig | Just a Phase |
| Alan Jackson | The Older I Get |
| Alex Williams | Old Tattoo |
| Anderson East | All On My Mind |
| Angaleena Presley | Good Girl Down |
| Ashley McBryde | A Little Dive Bar in Dahlonega |
| Aubrie Sellers | Liar Liar |
| Bailey Bryan | Own It |
| Band Perry | Stay in the Dark |
| Bebe Rexha feat Florida Georgia Line | Meant to Be |
| Big & Rich | California |
| Billy Currington | Do I Make You Wanna |
| Billy Currington | Wake Me Up |
| Billy Ray Cyrus | Achy Breaky Heart 25 |
| Blake Shelton | I’ll Name the Dogs |
| Blake Shelton | Every Time I Hear That Song |
| Brad Paisley | Heaven South |
| Brad Paisley | Last Time for Everything |
| Brandi Carlile | The Joke |
| Brandon Lay | Speakers, Bleachers, & Preachers |
| Brandon Ray | Ends of the Earth |
| Brandy Clark | Three Kids No Husband |
| Brantley Gilbert | The Ones That Like Me |
| Brent Cobb | Solving Problems |
| Brent Cobb | Black Crow |
| Brent Cobb | Ain’t a Road Too Long |
| Brett Eldredge | Something I’m Good At |
| Brett Eldredge | The Long Way |
| Brett Young | In Case You Didn’t Know |
| Brett Young | Like I Loved You |
| Brian Dunne | You Got Me Good |
| Brooke Eden | Act Like You Don’t |
| Brothers Osborne | It Ain’t My Fault |
| Cadillac Three | Dang If We Didn’t |
| Cadillac Three | American Slang |
| Cam | Diane |
| Canaan Smith | Like You That Way |
| Candi Carpenter | Burn the Bed |
| Carly Pearce | Every Little Thing |
| Carly Pearce | Hide the Wine |
| Caroline Jones | Tough Guys |
| Casey Donahew | Kiss Me |
| Charlie Worsham | The Beginning of Things |
| Charlie Worsham | Cut Your Groove |
| Charlie Worsham | Old Time’s Sake |
| Chase Bryant | Hell if I Know |
| Chase Rice | Three Chords & The Truth |
| Chris Janson | Fix a Drink |
| Chris Lane | Fix |
| Chris Lane feat. Tori Kelly | Take Back Home Girl |
| Chris Stapleton | Broken Halos |
| Chris Stapleton | Either Way |
| Chris Stapleton | Midnight Train to Memphis |
| Chris Stapleton | Second One to Know |
| Chris Young | Losing Sleep |
| Cody Johnson | Wild as You |
| Cody Johnson | With You I Am |
| Cole Swindell | Stay Downtown |
| Cole Swindell feat Dierks Bentley | Flatliner |
| Contenders | Line Across the Water |
| Craig Wayne Boyd | Stuck in My Head |
| Dan + Shay | Road Trippin’ |
| Danielle Bradbery | Sway |
| Darius Rucker | For the First Time |
| Darius Rucker | If I Told You |
| David Lee Murphy feat Kenny Chesney | Everything’s Gonna Be Alright |
| Delta Rae | No Peace in Quiet |
| Delta Rae | A Long and Happy Life |
| Devin Dawson | All On Me |
| Dierks Bentley | What the Hell Did I Say |
| Dierks Bentley | Black |
| Dori Freeman | If I Could Make You My Own |
| Drake White | Makin’ Me Look Good Again |
| Drew Baldridge | Rebound (feat. Emily Weisband) |
| Drew Baldridge | Guns & Roses |
| Drive-By Truckers | Perilous Night |
| Dustin Lynch | I’d Be Jealous Too |
| Dustin Lynch | Small Town Boy |
| Dylan Scott | Hooked |
| Dylan Scott | My Girl |
| Easton Corbin | A Girl Like You |
| Eli Young Band | Never Land |
| Elliott BROOD | Til the Sun Comes Up Again |
| Eric Church | Round Here Buzz |
| Eric Heatherly | One O’ You |
| Florida Georgia Line | Smooth |
| Florida Georgia Line | God, Your Mama, & Me (feat BSB) |
| Frankie Ballard | You’ll Accomp’ny Me |
| Garth Brooks | Ask Me How I Know |
| Gary Allan | Mess Me Up |
| Granger Smith | Happens Like That |
| Gregg Allman | My Only True Friend |
| Gretchen Wilson | Rowdy |
| High Valley | She’s With Me |
| Humming House | Companion |
| Humming House | Takin’ Over |
| Infamous Stringdusters | Gravity |
| Jackie Lee | Getting Over You |
| Jackson Michelson | Rollin |
| Jacob Davis | What I Wanna Be |
| Jake Owen | Good Company |
| James Barker Band | Chills |
| Jana Kramer | I’ve Done Love |
| Jason Aldean | Any Ol’ Barstool |
| Jason Aldean | They Don’t Know |
| Jason Eady | Drive |
| Jason Heath & The Greedy Souls | In Love With My Gun |
| Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit | Hope the High Road |
| Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit | If We Were Vampires |
| JD McPherson | Lucky Penny |
| Jerrod Niemann | I Got This |
| Jerrod Niemann | God Made a Woman |
| Jessica Lea Mayfield | Offa My Hands |
| Jessica Lea Mayfield | Sorry Is Gone |
| Joe Nichols | Never Gets Old |
| Joe Nichols | Baby Got Back |
| John Mayer | In the Blood |
| John Mellencamp w Carlene Carter | Grand View (feat Martina McBride) |
| John Moreland | It Don’t Suit Me (Like Before) |
| John Paul White | Hate the Way You Love Me |
| Jon Pardi | She Ain’t in It |
| Jon Pardi | Heartache on the Dance Floor |
| Jordan Davis | Singles You Up |
| Jordan Rager | Now That I Know Your Name |
| Josh Abbott Band | Texas Women, Tennessee Whiskey |
| Josh Gracin | Nothin’ Like Us |
| Josh Ritter | Showboat |
| Josh Turner | All About You |
| Justin Moore | Kinda Don’t Care |
| Justin Moore | Somebody Else Will |
| Justin Townes Earle | Maybe a Moment |
| Kane Brown | Heaven |
| Kane Brown feat Lauren Alaina | What Ifs |
| Kasey Chambers | Ain’t No Little Girl |
| Kasey Chambers | Satellite |
| Kasey Chambers | Hey (feat Paul Kelly) |
| Keith Urban | The Fighter (feat. Carrie Underwood) |
| Keith Urban | Female |
| Kellie Pickler | If It Wasn’t For a Woman |
| Kelsea Ballerini | Legends |
| Kelsea Ballerini | Yeah Boy |
| Kenny Chesney | All the Pretty Girls |
| Kenny Chesney | Bar at the End of the World |
| Kid Rock | Tennessee Mountain Top |
| Kip Moore | More Girls LIke You |
| Kip Moore | Last Shot |
| Kristian Bush | Sing Along |
| Lady Antebellum | You Look Good |
| Lady Antebellum | Heart Break |
| LANco | Greatest Love Story |
| Laura Bell Bundy | You Can’t Pray the Gay Away |
| Lauren Alaina | Doin’ Fine |
| Lauren Jenkins | Give Up the Ghost |
| Lee Ann Womack | All the Trouble |
| Lee Brice | Boy |
| Levon | Ms. Marianne |
| Lindi Ortega | Til the Goin’ Gets Gone |
| Lindsay Ell | Criminal |
| Lindsay Ell | Waiting on You |
| Little Big Town | When Someone Stops Loving You |
| Little Big Town | Happy People |
| LoCash | Ring on Every Finger |
| Lone Bellow | Time’s Always Leaving |
| Luke Bryan | Fast |
| Luke Bryan | Light It Up |
| Luke Combs | Hurricane |
| Luke Combs | When It Rains It Pours |
| Lumineers | Sleep on the Floor |
| Maren Morris | I Could Use a Love Song |
| Maren Morris feat Vince Gill | Dear Hate |
| Margo Price | Weakness |
| Margo Price | A Little Pain |
| Mark Chesnutt | Hot |
| Marlon Williams | Vampire Again |
| Marty Stuart & The Fabulous Superlatives | Time Don’t Wait |
| Matt Gary | Back |
| Melissa Plett | Handle of Whisky |
| Michael Ray | Get to You |
| Michael Tyler | They Can’t See |
| Michael Tyler | Hey Mama |
| Mickey Guyton | Nice Things |
| Midland | Drinkin’ Problem |
| Midland | Make a Little |
| Miranda Lambert | We Should Be Friends |
| Miranda Lambert | Tin Man |
| Mo Pitney | Everywhere |
| Montgomery Gentry | Better Me |
| Morgan Evans | Kiss Somebody |
| Morgan Wallen | The Way I Talk |
| Morgan Wallen feat Florida Georgia Line | Up Down |
| Nikki Lane | Jackpot |
| Nikki Lane | Send the Sun |
| Old 97s | Good With God (feat. Brandi Carlile) |
| Old 97s | All Who Wander |
| Old Dominion | Written in the Sand |
| Old Dominion | No Such Thing as a Broken Heart |
| Parmalee | Sunday Morning |
| Pokey LaFarge | Riot in the Streets |
| RaeLynn | Lonely Call |
| RaeLynn | Love Triangle |
| Randy Rogers Band | Meet Me Tonight |
| Rascal Flatts | Yours If You Want It |
| Rascal Flatts | Back to Us |
| Reba McEntire | Back to God |
| Reba McEntire | God & My Girlfriends |
| Rhiannon Giddens | Better Get it Right the First Time |
| Rhiannon Giddens | Julie |
| Robert Randolph & The Family Band | Love Do What It Do (feat. Darius Rucker) |
| Rodney Crowell | It Ain’t Over Yet (feat. Rosanne Cash & John Paul White) |
| Ronnie Dunn | That’s Why They Make Jack Daniels |
| Ronnie Dunn | I Worship the Woman You Walked On |
| Runaway June | Wild West |
| Russell Dickerson | Yours |
| Ryan Adams | Do You Still Love Me |
| Ryan Adams | To Be Without You |
| Ryan Follese | Put a Label on It |
| Ryan Hurd | Love in a Bar |
| Sam Outlaw | Trouble |
| Sara Evans | Marquee Sign |
| Sarah Jaffe | No Worries |
| Sarah Jaffe | Bad Baby |
| Scott H Biram | Still Around |
| Scotty McCreery | Five More Minutes |
| Secret Sisters | He’s Fine |
| Seth Ennis | Look at You |
| Seth Ennis | Woke Up in Nashville |
| Shania Twain | We Got Something They Don’t |
| Shania Twain | Life’s About to Get Good |
| Shelby Lynne & Allison Moorer | Not Dark Yet |
| Shelly Fairchild | Mississippi Turnpike |
| Shenandoah | Noise |
| Smokin’ Armadillos | The Other California |
| Son Volt | Back Against the Wall |
| Steve Earle & The Dukes | Lookin’ for a Woman |
| Sturgill Simpson | Keep It Between the Lines |
| Sunny Sweeney | Better Bad Idea |
| Sunny Sweeney | Bottle By My Bed |
| Tanya Tucker | Forever Loving You |
| Taylor Swift | New Year’s Day |
| Terry McBride | Hotels and Highways |
| The Lumineers | Angela |
| The Mavericks | Brand New Day |
| The Railers | 11:59 Central Standard Time |
| The Scott Brothers | My House (feat. Eric Paslay attempting to rap) |
| The Swon Brothers | Don’t Call Me |
| Thomas Rhett | Unforgettable |
| Thomas Rhett | Marry Me |
| Tift Merritt | Dusty Old Man |
| Tift Merritt | Heartache Is an Uphill Climb |
| Tim McGraw & Faith Hill | The Rest of Our Life |
| Tim McGraw & Faith Hill | Speak to a Girl |
| Toby Keith | Waccy Tobaccy |
| Todd O’Neil | Love Again |
| Trace Adkins | Still a Soldier |
| Trace Adkins | Watered Down |
| Tracy Lawrence feat Brad Arnold & Big & Rich | Good Ole Days |
| Trent Tomlinson | That’s What’s Working Right Now |
| Turnpike Troubadours | The Housefire |
| Tyler Farr | I Should Go to Church Sometime |
| Tyminski | Bloodline |
| Valerie June | Shakedown |
| Walker Hayes | You Broke Up With Me |
| Walker McGuire | Til Tomorrow |
| Waterloo Revival | What Guy Wouldn’t |
| Wheeler Bryson | Pour Me Out of This Towm |
| Wheeler Walker Jr. | Summers in Kentucky |
| Wilco | Someone to Lose |
| Wiliam Michael Morgan | Vinyl |
| Will Hoge | Young As We Will Ever Be |
| William Michael Morgan | Missing |
| Zac Brown Band | Roots |
| Zac Brown Band | My Old Man |
Check back tomorrow for our look at some of the year’s most notable reissues.
I like seeing Tift Merritt, who is my favorite female singer of this century, get her two songs in, alongside with the two by Margo Price, and Lindi Ortega’s “Til The Goin’ Gets Gone”. While they may not have much chance of actual radio airplay it’s still good to hear female artists who do what they want in basic defiance of Keith Hill’s “Tomatogate” screed.
When my wife and I saw her at the Bluebird in Feb of this year, Kree Harrison mentioned that her next single would be “Drinking for Two”. I couldn’t find any evidence that the song was ever released as a single. I guess it never happened. Still love her debut album, “This Old Thing”.
My Top 10:
1. Broken Halos (Chris Stapleton)
2. Bottle By My Bed (Sunny Sweeney)
3. In the Blood (John Mayer)
4. The Older I Get (Alan Jackson)
5. Speak to a Girl (Tim McGraw & Faith Hill)
6. Drinkin’ Problem (Midland)
7. Good With God (Old 97’s & Brandi Carlile)
8. If We Were Vampires (Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit)
9. Happy People (Little Big Town)
10. My Old Man (Zac Brown Band)