The Best Country Music of 1996
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Looking for the best country music of 1996? Look no further than this blog post! We’ve rounded up the top 10 country songs of the year, so you can enjoy the best of what 1996 had to offer.
George Strait – Carrying Your Love with Me
George Strait’s “Carrying Your Love with Me” was released in 1996 as the title track and lead single from his album of the same name. The song was a huge success, spending six weeks at the top of the Billboard Country chart and earning a Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance. “Carrying Your Love with Me” remains one of Strait’s most beloved songs, and is often cited as one of the best country songs of 1996.
Brooks & Dunn – Borderline
“Borderline” is a song co-written and recorded by American country music duo Brooks & Dunn. It was released in August 1996 as the fourth single from their album Borderline. The song reached number 1 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in October 1996, giving Brooks & Dunn their ninth consecutive Number One hit on that chart. “Borderline” was written by Ronnie Dunn and Terry McBride.
In an interview with Songfacts, McBride said: “‘Borderline’ was one of those ideas that just came out of nowhere. We were driving down the road, and I don’t remember who said it, but one of us said, ‘You know, it’s like being borderline crazy.’ And Ronnie said, ‘Hey, that might make a good song title.’ We went back to my house and wrote it that day.”
Alan Jackson – Little Bitty
One of the most successful country artists of the 1990s, Alan Jackson mixed classic honky-tonk and mainstream country and pop, becoming one of the most popular singers in both genres. Jackson had his first number one hit in 1991 with “Here in the Real World” and followed it up with a string of hits throughout the decade, including “Chattahoochee,” “She’s Got the Rhythm (I Got the Blues),” and “I’ll Try.” But 1996 was a special year for Jackson, as he released what is arguably his best album, Everything I Love. The lead single from that album was “Little Bitty,” which Jackson co-wrote with Jimmie Van Zant and John Rich. The song became one of Jackson’s signature hits, reaching number one on the Billboard country charts and becoming one of his most popular songs.
Tim McGraw – It’s Your Love
“It’s Your Love” is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released in May 1997 as the lead single from his album Everywhere. The song reached number one on the Billboard Country Singles & Tracks chart in September 1997. The song was written by George Teren, Mark D. Sanders and Marv Green.
“It’s Your Love” debuted at number 60 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of May 24, 1997.
The song spent six weeks at number one on the Billboard Country Singles & Tracks chart and peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1997, making it McGraw’s first top ten single on that chart. In addition, it also peaked at number two on the RPM Top Country Tracks chart in Canada.
Keith Urban – But for the Grace of God
Keith Urban’s “But for the Grace of God” was one of the top country songs of 1996. The song is about a man who is down on his luck and struggling with addiction. Urban sings about how close he came to losing everything, but ultimately he was saved by the grace of God. The song is conveys a message of hope and redemption, and it resonated with many people who were struggling in their own lives.
