The essential women of '90s country playlist

Appearing on her 1994 sophomore solo album, "Girls With Guitars" is a hard-driving Wynonna anthem that's all about female independence, girls going their own way, and making their own music. 

In 1991, Trisha Yearwood ruled the airwaves with "She's In Love With A Boy." And it's easy to see why: it's an endlessly catchy, totally charming love song that earned Yearwood her first #1 country single. 

Martina McBride tackles the seriously heavy subject of domestic violence on "Independence Day," a soaring ballad that's since become one of her signature songs. It earned McBride multiple Grammy nods, and a CMA Award for Song of the Year in 1994. 

There's no song that better exemplifies the pop-country sound of the 1990s than Faith Hill's "This Kiss." A boppy, upbeat anthem, it was a major crossover success for Hill, who notched her first top-10 hit on the all-genre Billboard 200 with the song, which was also a #1 on the country charts. 

Reba McEntire's cover of this Bobbie Gentry song has since become one of her most iconic, thanks in large part to its totally cinematic music video. And however you feel about those slightly saucy lyrics, there's no denying just how catchy Reba's take on "Fancy" really is. 

Brad Pitt, rocket scientists, and a guy with a really great car? NBD for Shania Twain on this 1998 hit. A country-pop crossover success, "That Don't Impress Me Much" was an international hit for Twain, selling millions of copies in the UK and Australia. 

In 1990, The Judds were on the brink of retirement as Naomi Judd battled Hepatitis C. The title track of the mother-daughter duo's final album, "Love Can Build A Bridge" is perhaps the best showcase of both Wynonna and Naomi's beautiful harmonies, and their deep connection as mother and daughter. 

Pam Tillis's powerhouse vocals make "Maybe It Was Memphis" a killer '90s country ballad, one that shot to #3 on the country charts after its release in 1991. It remains a favorite among Tillis' most devoted fans. 

This colorful ballad was the title track of Lorrie Morgan's second full-length album, and though it wasn't quite a top-10 hit — "Something In Red" peaked at #14 on the country charts — it remains one of her most memorable singles. 

After beginning her career in 1972 at the age of 13, Tanya Tucker experienced a real renaissance in the 1990s. "Two Sparrows In A Hurricane" appears on her twentieth studio album, and earned both commercial success and rave reviews from critics. 

This sassy little love song earned Mary Chapin Carpenter her first #1 country single, along with the 1995 Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. 

Originally recorded and released by Nanci Griffith in 1988, Suzy Bogguss scored her own success with "Outbound Plane" in 1991, when it appeared on her sophomore album "Aces." 

In addition to being one of Patty Loveless's biggest chart successes, "Blame It On Your Heart" also has the distinction of being one of the last songs performed by River Phoenix in the 1993 film "The Thing Called Love." 

Originally recorded by the late, great Keith Whitley, Alison Krauss's cover of "When You Say Nothing At All" was an incredible success. Originally recorded for a Whitley tribute album, the song was a surprise smash, earning a spot on the all-genre Billboard 100. 

It's hard to believe that LeAnn Rimes was just 13 years old when she recorded "Blue," the smoldering heartbreak song originally written for country legend Patsy Cline. Since its release, the song has been certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. 

Deana Carter's classic ode to teen love is peak '90s country, a beloved favorite for anyone who has nostalgia for their teenage years — whether or not they involved any fleeting summer romances. 

Jo Dee Messina's "Heads Carolina, Tails California" may have been released more than two decades ago, but the fact that country artist Cole Swindell just released his own version of the song in 2022 proves that it's still totally relevant. 

Terri Clark's not heartbroken in this 1995 song, she's just busy — and maybe a little bit in denial. "I could wash my car in the rain, change my new guitar strings, mow the yard just the same as I did yesterday," she sings. "I don't need to waste my time cryin' over you, I've got better things to do." 

A major crossover success for The Chicks — and a #1 country hit — "Cowboy Take Me Away" is a song that's all about escape. It's also still a staple of The Chicks's live shows all these years later. 

One of the most iconic duos in all of country music history, Linda Davis is the "other woman" to Reba McEntire's "scorned wife" in this deeply dramatic ballad that boasts an equally over-the-top video to match.