The Best of Country Music in 2014

The best of country music in 2014 brought us some great new artists and a few comebacks from legends. Here’s a look at the best of the best from this past year.

The Year in Review

The top 5 songs of the year

1. “I Hold On” by Dierks Bentley
2. ” autos-de-fe” by Eric Church
3. “Give Me Back My Hometown” by Eric Church
4. “Riser” by Dierks Bentley
5. “Drunk on a Plane” by Dierks Bentley

The top 5 albums of the year

1. Jason Aldean, Old Boots, New Dirt
2. Eric Church, The Outsiders
3. Florida Georgia Line, Anything Goes
4. Luke Bryan, Crash My Party
5. Blake Shelton, Bringing Back the Sunshine

The top 5 moments of the year

1. Miranda Lambert’s life-changing moment

Miranda Lambert may have had the most life-changing moment of 2014. The country superstar got married to Brendan McLoughlin in a secret ceremony in January, and the two have been inseparable ever since. Lambert even took some time off from touring to spend with her new husband, something she’s rarely done in her career. It’s safe to say that Miranda Lambert is a changed woman, and we’re loving it.

2. Reba McEntire’s return to music

After taking a few years off to focus on her acting career, Reba McEntire made her highly-anticipated return to music with the release of her first album in five years, “Love Somebody.” The record was met with critical acclaim, debuted at No. 1 on the Country charts and even spawned a hit single with the title track. Looks like Reba is back and better than ever.

3. Dolly Parton’s big year

Dolly Parton had quite a year in 2014. In addition to being honored with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, she also released her first album in over a decade, “Blue Smoke.” The record was met with rave reviews, debuted at No. 1 on the Country charts and even spawned a hit single with the title track. Clearly, age ain’t nothing but a number for Miss Dolly.

4. Florida Georgia Line’s surprising collaboration

When it was announced that Florida Georgia Line would be teaming up with rapper Nelly on a new single, “Cruise,” many country fans were skeptical. But the song ended up being a huge crossover hit, spending an impressive 24 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was definitely one of the most unexpected collaborations of the year, but we’re not mad about it.

5 Keith Urban’s emotional moment

Keith Urban had one of the most emotional moments of 2014 when he dedicated his song “Better Life” to his late father at the CMA Awards. Urban choked up as he shared a story about how his dad used to play him George Strait songs when he was growing up, and how those songs inspired him to pursue his own dreams of becoming a country star. It was definitely a moment that brought tears to our eyes.

The Best of the Best

The best song of the year

“I See You” by Luke Bryan was named the best song of the year by Country Music Television. The song was released in March of 2014 and quickly rose to the top of the charts.

The music video for “I See You” was filmed in Nashville, Tennessee and features Luke Bryan singing in front of a large American flag. The video celebrates patriotism and features many images of American landmarks, including the Statue of Liberty and the Golden Gate Bridge.

CMT’s Top 10 Country Songs of 2014:
1. “I See You” by Luke Bryan
2. “Somethin’ Bad” by Miranda Lambert & Carrie Underwood
3. “Automatic” by Miranda Lambert
4. “Drunk on a Plane” by Dierks Bentley
5. “Give Me Back My Hometown” by Eric Church
6. “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” by Jake Owen
7. ” Appalachian Mountain Girl” by Ashley Monroe
8. “Done.” by The Band Perry
9. “Riser” by Dierks Bentley
10.” Daisy” by Florida Georgia Line

The best album of the year

There were many great country albums released in 2014, but one stood out above the rest. The album “The Outsiders” by Eric Church was not only the best country album of the year, but one of the best albums of any genre released in 2014.

“The Outsiders” is a brilliant album that pushes the boundaries of what country music can be. It is a daring and experimental album that is also incredibly catchy and accessible. It is an album that is sure to stand the test of time and become a classic.

If you are a fan of country music, or just want to check out one of the best albums of 2014, then be sure to check out “The Outsiders” by Eric Church.

The best moment of the year

No doubt about it, the best moment of the year happened when Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert announced their divorce. The saddest part is that we’ll never know what could have been had these two country music superstars stayed together. Oh, well. At least we can enjoy their music separately.