20 of the best country songs of the 2020s (so far)

The title track of Chris Stapleton's 2020 album, "Starting Over" is a slow burner that really shows off one of country music's most compelling voices. It was co-written by Stapleton, and boasts simple instrumentation that really lets the lyrics (and of course, those vocals) shine. 

In 2020, Texan Parker McCollum made his major-label debut with "Pretty Heart," a seriously catchy ballad that peaked at the top of the Billboard Country Airplay charts while showcasing that McCollum was definitely an artist to watch. 

Rising star Mickey Guyton co-wrote "Black Like Me," a song that illuminates the impacts of racism and inequality in the United States, in 2019. The song was released in 2020, following the killing of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. The song earned Guyton critical acclaim, including a Grammy nod.

The first single from her 2020 sophomore album "Never Will," "One Night Standards" is equally catchy and impactful. McBryde's soulful vocals power the song, which she co-wrote with stalwart Nashville songwriter Shane McAnally. 

Miranda Lambert racked up armfuls of award nominations in 2020 for "Bluebird," a tender little tune that was inspired by a line written by poet Charles Bukowski. Along with the two Grammy nods and CMA Awards, "Bluebird" notched Lambert her first #1 on country radio since 2012. 

In 2023, Kentucky native S.G. Goodman won the Americana Music Association's Emerging Artist of the Year award, and for good reason. Her songwriting chops are evident on tunes like "Space and Time," which many fans heard for the first time via fellow Kentuckian Tyler Childers, who recorded it for his album "Rustin' In The Rain." 

Now one of the most in-demand artists in all of country music, Lainey Wilson stormed onto the national country landscape in 2020 with "Things A Man Oughta Know." Co-written by Wilson, the song earned the artist her first #1 hit. 

This soaring 2021 ballad from Texan Cody Johnson was the sleeper hit of the year, even earning a spot on the all-genre Billboard 100. In 2023, it took home the Grammy Award for Best Country Song. 

In 2021, Morgan Wade made it clear that she was one of the most compelling new voices in country music with the release of "Reckless," her major-label debut album. The album's lead single, "Wilder Days," really exemplifies Wade's sound, which blends elements of rock, pop, and '90s country into one uniquely catchy package. 

Chris Stapleton has firmly staked his place at the top of the country charts since his 2015 debut, and 2021's "You Should Probably Leave" is no exception. In addition to being a chart hit, the song won Stapleton yet another Grammy Award for Best Country Solo Performance. 

Hailing from Russell County, Virginia, 49 Winchester has rapidly emerged as one of country's greatest new groups. "Russell County Line" is a great introduction for anyone not familiar with the band, as it's deeply connected with the band's Appalachian roots. 

There's no denying the stratospheric success of Zach Bryan over the past few years, and songs like "Something In The Orange" are why. Fans really love Bryan's plaintive, relatable songwriting, evidenced by the fact that this song has been streamed more than 700 million times on Spotify alone. 

In 2022, Luke Combs proved that he could do smoldering songs just as well as beer-drinking anthems with "The Kind of Love We Make." Co-written by Combs, the song has moved more than 3 million units, earning it 3x Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. 

Jason Isbell is known for writing seriously sad songs, and "King of Oklahoma" is no exception, with its lyrical themes of addiction and hopelessness. Isbell wrote the song while he was filming Martin Scorsese's "Killers of the Flower Moon" in Oklahoma, where he took inspiration from the state's sparse landscapes and sad stories. 

Nobody expected Tyler Childers to record a gospel album, but that's exactly what fans got with "Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven." And even if the religious themes in "The Way of the Triune God" don't appeal to you, there's no denying that it's one hell of a catchy song that can make even the most secular among us feel a little spiritual. 

After the Turnpike Troubadours went on hiatus in 2019, fans had already gone two years without a new album from one of country music's most beloved bands. Fortunately, the band reunited in 2021, and then came 2023 LP "A Cat In The Rain," on which "Brought Me," a song devoted to Turnpike's deeply devoted fans, appears. 

Tyler Childers stirred a minor controversy in 2023 when he released the music video for "In Your Love," a heart-wrenching love song, because it featured a gay couple. Despite any homophobic kerfluffle, the song earned Childers a ton of new fans, and even a spot on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100. 

The debut single from up-and-comer Megan Moroney, "Tennessee Orange" is a song that still manages to be catchy and easy to love, even though it makes ample use of football metaphors to describe a promising new relationship.  

Both Zach Bryan and Kacey Musgraves earned their first #1 debut with "I Remember Everything," which appears on Bryan's self-titled 2023 album. It's definitely a genre-bender, too, evidenced by the fact that it was nominated for Best Rock Song at the Billboard Music Awards, and Best Country Duo/Group Performance at the Grammys, winning the latter.

Combining the talents of Carly Pearce and Chris Stapleton, "We Don't Fight Anymore" is just further proof that Carly Pearce is quickly becoming one of the new queens of country music. It's a total heartbreaker, and deeply relatable for anyone who's ever been in a relationship that's gone bad.