The Best Country Music of 1990

Join us as we take a look back at the best country music of 1990. From powerhouse ballads to heart-wrenching story songs, this was a decade that had it all.

Introduction

The year 1990 was an excellent one for country music. So many great artists released hit songs that it’s hard to narrow down the best of the best. But that’s exactly what we’ve attempted to do with this list of the top 10 country songs of 1990.

From Garth Brooks to George Strait, there were plenty of country superstars having a huge impact on the genre in 1990. Brooks released two of his biggest hits, “Friends in Low Places” and “The Thunder Rolls,” while Strait topped the charts with “Check Yes or No.”

Other artists who made our list include Randy Travis, Alan Jackson, Dwight Yoakam, and Vince Gill. There’s also a bit of controversy on our list, as we’ve included a song by pop star Madonna that was definitely influenced by country music.

So if you’re a fan of ’90s country music, or just want to take a trip down memory lane, check out our list of the top 10 country songs of 1990.

George Strait

George Strait was born in 1952 in Poteet, Texas, and by the early 1970s, he had moved to Nashville to begin his musical career. His debut album, Strait Country, was released in 1981 to critical acclaim. The album produced three hit singles, and Strait quickly became a leading figure in the country music world. He released a string of successful albums throughout the 1980s and 1990s, cementing his status as one of the most popular country music artists of all time. In 1990, he released his album Beyond the Blue Neon, which featured the hit singles “You Know Me Better Than That” and “I’ve Come to Expect It from You.” The album was a critical and commercial success, cementing Strait’s place as one of the biggest names in country music.

Alan Jackson

Alan Jackson’s 1990 album, “Too Much Love”, is widely considered to be one of the best country music albums of all time. The album’s lead single, “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow”, was a huge hit, spending six weeks at #1 on the Billboard Country charts. Other popular singles from the album include “I’d Love You All Over Again” and “Don’t Rock the Jukebox”.

Garth Brooks

If there’s one country artist who transcended genre and radio format in the 1990s, it was Garth Brooks. He was the top-selling solo artist of the decade, and his albums are still some of the best-selling of all time. Brooks’ debut album, “No Fences,” was released in 1990 and immediately shot to the top of the country charts. The album includes some of Brooks’ most famous songs, like “Friends in Low Places” and “The Thunder Rolls.” If you’re looking for the best country music of the 1990s, look no further than Garth Brooks.

Clint Black

Clint Black burst onto the country music scene in 1990 with his debut album, Killin’ Time. The album produced five No. 1 singles on the Billboard country charts, including the title track, “A Better Man,” “Nobody’s Home,” and “Walkin’ Away.” Black’s traditional country style and catchy songwriting made him one of the most successful artists of the 1990s. He went on to release a string of successful albums throughout the decade, including The Hard Way (1991), Put Yourself in My Shoes (1993), One More Payment (1996), and D’lectrified (1999).

Travis Tritt

Travis Tritt was one of the most successful country artists of 1990. He released his debut album, Country Club, in 1989, and it quickly became a hit. His follow-up album, It’s All About to Change, was even more successful, selling more than four million copies. Tritt’s third album, T-R-O-U-B-L-E, was released in 1992 and was another huge success. He continued to release successful albums throughout the 1990s and 2000s.

Wynonna Judd

Wynonna Judd is an American country music singer. Active since the early 1980s, she has released seven studio albums, of which the first five have been certified platinum or higher by the RIAA. Wynonna’s sixth album, 1992’s Wynonna, is her most successful album to date, selling over four million copies. Her 1990 eponymous debut album included her first number-one single, “Mama He’s Crazy.”

Conclusion

In conclusion, the best country music of 1990 was a mix of new and old artists, with some surprising hits from countries other than the United States. The top three songs of the year were all released by country artists, with two of them being crossover hits. George Strait’s “Ode to Billie Joe” was a tribute to Bobbie Gentry’s 1967 pop-hit and it reached number one on both the country and pop charts. Vince Gill’s “Go Rest High on That Mountain” was a beautiful ballad about loss that also topped the country charts and won both Song and Single of the Year at the Country Music Association awards. Lastly, Garth Brooks continued his dominance in the genre with “The Thunder Rolls”, a song about domestic abuse that also became a massive crossover hit.