Delaware native Jimmie Allen hit the country music scene with his debut album in 2018 and never looked back. Just a few years into his career, he was named New Artist of the Year at the CMA Awards, only the second Black artist to bring home that honor after Darius Rucker. He's at the cutting edge of country music -- a skilled songwriter who manages to keep his songs modern and fresh while still channeling the artists who came before him. With only two albums released so far, we're only getting started with Jimmie Allen's career.
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Here are the 10 best Jimmie Allen songs, so far.
10. "Forever"
Allen teamed up with R&B legend Babyface on "Forever," an ode to a lifelong commitment.
9. "All Tractors Ain't Green"
A stellar track from Allen's debut album Mercury Lane, "All Tractors Ain't Green" celebrates the beauty of individuality and living authentically.
"All guitars don't sound the same/ Can't judge whiskey by the bottle/ Might go against the grain of that country boy motto," Allen sings. "Sometimes what you get ain't always what you see/ All fields ain't corn and all tractors ain't green."
8. "Drunk & I Miss You" with Mickey Guyton
What's not to love about this gorgeous collaboration with Mickey Guyton? Their voices were a perfect blend for this country song, which Allen co-wrote.
7. "Boy Gets a Truck" with Keith Urban
Technically this is a Keith Urban song, but Allen recorded it for Mercury Lane. The best version, though, was released on Bettie James Gold Edition and features a collaboration with Urban. Best of both worlds!
In the original music video, Allen featured his eldest child, son Aadyn, and it was incredibly sweet.
6. "Best Shot"
The debut single from his debut album Mercury Lane gave Allen his first No. 1 hit. The concept of giving it your 'best shot' came from the country singer's grandmother, which led to this inspiring hit about being a better person for your loved ones. The music video is simple, but serves the song perfectly, featuring Allen performing on a stool with various featured photos from his childhood surrounding him.
Read More: Jimmie Allen's 'Why Things Happen' is a Powerful and Moving Collaboration Among Three Generations
5. "Big in a Small Town"
?Allen's 2021 song "Big in a Small Town" also serves as the theme for the Netflix series Titletown High. The country star not only recorded the theme for the reality series, which follows a Georgia football team, but he also served as the executive music producer.
"I grew up in a small town. Whether it's football, a dream you have... everything you do in a small town is a big thing," Allen said in a press release of the song's and series' compatible natures. "Everything is the end of the world, or the start of a world. That's what I feel like people connect to - the realness of it."
4. "Why Things Happen" with Darius Rucker and Charley Pride
Easily one of the best songs from Bettie James, "Why Things Happen" brings together three of the biggest Black artists of their generations into one song. It was a historic moment and a treasure for country fans since country legend Charley Pride passed away not long after the recording. Allen co-wrote the song following the death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant while simultaneously coping with the loss of his father and grandmother.
"You start to look at life and you start to question things and a lot of times you don't get answers you're seeking. But there's some sort of peace in asking the question and internal processing. When you're searching for clarity in something you find a lot of clarity in yourself," Allen explained to Taste of Country.
3. "Make Me Want To"
?Allen's second single and second No. 1 hit was certified platinum by the RIAA. It's a fun love song that's easy to sing along to so it's no wonder it was one of the most requested songs on country radio. Allen decided to add a little bit of magic into the music video, which also made it memorable.
"I'm a huge fan of Disney, Harry Potter and The Notebook. I wanted to create a video that showcased my love for all three," Allen shared with CMT. "I feel like authenticity is celebrated today more than ever so with this video I really wanted to highlight my quirky side."
2. "This Is Us" with Noah Cyrus
As the daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus, it was only a matter of time before Noah Cyrus experimented with country music. Though she typically gravitates towards pop, she co-wrote "This is Us" with Florida Georgia Line's Tyler Hubbard, Jordan Schmidt, Ilsey Juber and Dernst "D'Mile" Emile II. Apparently, Allen's manager got the two singers together by connecting with Cyrus's music label. Allen's unique mix of country, pop and R&B had the perfect ring to it.
One of Allen's many incredible pairings, alongside the Noah Schnacky collaboration "Don't You Wanna Know" and Nelly team-up "Good Times Roll," "This is Us" showcased a match made in heaven.
"I looked at it, not just a relationship, but friendships and stuff I've had," Allen told Taste of Country. "That lyric, 'You were just you and I was just me ...' We were kids and we might have gotten in arguments or fights, but we were trying to figure out who we were. Through all that we remained friends."
1. "Freedom Was a Highway" with Brad Paisley
This duet was number one on the Billboard chart for a reason. "Freedom Was a Highway" is one of the many amazing collabs included on Allen's second album, Bettie James. He apparently came up with the idea for the song after hanging out with Paisley, Darius Rucker and Tim McGraw, all of whom are included on the album. Allen even co-directed the official music video, which also stars Paisley and his killer guitar solo.
