The Best Country Music of 2016 on YouTube
YouTube has become a go-to destination for the latest and greatest country music. Here are the best country music videos of 2016 that you can watch on YouTube.
Best Country Love Songs
There are so many great country love songs out there, but only a few can make our list of the best of the best. This year, we’ve seen a lot of great country love songs come out, but only a few have truly captured our hearts. Here are our picks for the best country love songs of 2016.
“Die a Happy Man” by Thomas Rhett
Love songs are a dime a dozen, but every once in a while one comes along that truly resonates. Such is the case with Thomas Rhett’s “Die a Happy Man.” The lead single from his sophomore album, Tangled Up, “Die a Happy Man” is a tender ballad filled with images of marital bliss that will tug at your heartstrings no matter what your relationship status may be.
Rhett co-wrote the song with Sean Douglas and Joe Spargur, and its catchy chorus — “I wanna die a happy man / I wanna see my grandkids’ grandkids / And I wanna watch you grow old / And I wanna die holding you” — captures the moment when someone realizes they’ve found the person they want to spend the rest of their life with.
In an interview with Taste of Country, Rhett admitted that he was initially hesitant to release “Die a Happy Man” as his lead single because it’s such a personal song, but he ultimately decided to put it out there in the hopes that it would resonate with fans.
“It really is just me saying everything that I would want to say to my wife on paper,” he said. “Hopefully guys can appreciate it and girls will sing it to their guys and vise versa.”
Mission accomplished. Since its release in September 2015, “Die a Happy Man” has become Rhett’s biggest hit to date, spending six weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart and earning him Grammy, CMA and ACM nominations. It also won Single of the Year at the 2016 CMT Music Awards.
Whether you’re in a relationship or not, “Die a Happy Man” is sure to touch your soul — and maybe even make you shed a tear or two.
“Humble and Kind” by Tim McGraw
One of the sweetest, simplest love songs to ever top the country charts, “Humble and Kind” by Tim McGraw is a must-have for any country music fan’s playlist. The lyrics are all about the little things that make a relationship last, like being there for one another through thick and thin. If you’re looking for a song to pull at your heartstrings, this is it.
“Record Year” by Eric Church
“Record Year” is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Eric Church. It was released to radio on January 18, 2016 as the fourth single from his 2015 album Mr. Misunderstood. The song became Church’s 16th Number One hit on the Billboard Country Airplay chart in June 2016.
“Record Year” was written by Church and Jeff Hynde during the recording sessions for Mr. Misunderstood in Nashville, Tennessee in early 2015. The song is an up-tempo country rocker with an electric guitar-driven sound. The narrator looks back on a past relationship that ended, and recalls all of the songs that he listened to during that time period.
Best Country Party Songs
YouTube has become a go-to spot for the latest and greatest music. If you’re looking for the best country music of 2016, you don’t have to look any further than YouTube. In this article, we’ll share with you the best country party songs of 2016 that you can find on YouTube.
“Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon
“Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon was released in 2014, but it became one of the best country party songs of 2016 thanks to its use in a viral YouTube video. The video, which features a group of friends lip syncing and dancing to the song while on vacation, has been viewed millions of times and helped to propel the song to new levels of popularity.
“Can’t Feel My Face” by The Weeknd
“Can’t Feel My Face” is a song performed by Canadian singer The Weeknd from his second studio album Beauty Behind the Madness (2015). The song was written by Max Martin, Peter Svensson, Ali Payami, Savan Kotecha and Abel Tesfaye, with Payami and Svensson producing. It was released on June 8, 2015 as the lead single from the album. Musically, “Can’t Feel My Face” has been described as an R&B and pop song that contains convertible beat. The refrain refers to plastic surgery and cocaine addiction.
“Can’t Feel My Face” peaked at number one on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and Canadian Hot 100. It became The Weeknd’s first number-one single in both countries; in the former, it topped the chart for three consecutive weeks and was also the site’s 2015 Song of the Summer. “Can’t Feel My Face” received two Grammy Award nominations for Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards; it won the latter. A live performance of “Can’t Feel My Face” at Apple Music Festival in September 2015 helped launch Beats 1—a 24-hour radio station operated by Apple Inc.—and resulted in additional popularity for “The Hills”.
“Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
“Uptown Funk” is a song by British record producer Mark Ronson from his fourth studio album, Uptown Special (2015), featuring American singer and songwriter Bruno Mars. It was released as the album’s lead single on 10 November 2014 in the United States and on 9 November 2014 in the United Kingdom. The song became a worldwide hit, peaking at number one in 20 countries, including the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. It is one of the best-selling singles of all time, with sales of 14.5 million copies worldwide, and won two Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year.
Best Country Sad Songs
If you’re in your feelings and want to cry your eyes out to some good country music, this list is for you. These are the best country sad songs of 2016 that you can find on YouTube.
“My Church” by Maren Morris
Maren Morris’ breakout hit is a bittersweet love letter to country music. “My Church” is a paean to the simple joys of listening to Hank Williams on the radio and singing along at the top of your lungs. It’s a feeling we can all relate to, no matter what our religion might be.
“Vice” by Miranda Lambert
Miranda Lambert’s “Vice” is a haunting ballad about a woman who’s struggling to break free from her addiction. The song, which was co-written by Lambert and Shane McAnally, is one of the standouts from her 2016 album The Weight of These Wings. In the song, Lambert sings about how her addiction has taken over her life and left her feeling hopeless. “I’m so tired of being sick and tired/ I’m so tired of doing time,” she sings. “I’m so tired of living in this vice.” Lambert’s gut-wrenching performance of “Vice” at the CMA Awards was one of the most memorable moments of the night, and it’s easy to see why the song resonated with so many people.
“Different For Girls” by Dierks Bentley ft. Elle King
Dierks Bentley has been known for his party anthems and love songs, but he took a turn for the emotional with his 2016 hit “Different For Girls.” The song is a duet with Elle King, and it’s a heartbreaking ode to a love lost too soon. It’s a different kind of sad song than most country music, but it’s no less effective.
