Two songs about '90s country's sustained cultural influence have topped the airplay charts in 2022: Kane Brown's "Like I Love Country Music" and Cole Swindell's "She Had Me at Heads Carolina." Both signal some of the artists and singles that influenced many 20- and 30-somethings' moves to Nashville in the first place, with fan reactions establishing that meme-fueled nostalgia for "Chattahoochee" can impact what's popular now.
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They weren't the first tracks to namedrop a specific artist or set of lyrics, with recent examples dating back 10 years -- giving us a decade's worth of songs from a decade-crazed trend. Nor should they be the last, as there's no reason to think that '90s influence will fade any time soon.
Read on for eight stellar examples of contemporary songs about '90s country.
"1994," Jason Aldean (Night Train, 2012)
Aldean was way ahead of the nostalgia curve, identifying Joe Diffie as a honky-tonk influence nearly 10 years before '90s country fever shook up the charts. Infamously, this Thomas Rhett co-write rhymes "Third Rock" with hip-hop -- a much more obvious piece of the "bro-country" puzzle. Coincidence or not, it's from the same Aldean album that ends with "Water Tower," which sidesteps "Billy Bob Loves Charlene" graffiti humor in favor of a more sincere take on small towns.
Listen here.
"'90s Country,"Walker Hayes (2018)
In the first verse alone, Hayes references decade-specific favorites by Deana Carter, Lonestar, The Chicks, Neal McCoy and Tim McGraw. In his usual jovial tone, the future multimedia megastar goes on to incorporate lyrics by the obvious (George Strait's "Check Yes or No") and the obscure (Ken Mellons' "Jukebox Junkie"). It's a Hayes co-write with Gabby Mooney and his biggest pre-"Fancy Like" booster, Shane McAnally.
The year before, Hayes' "Shut Up Kenny" politely asked one of his '90s favorites, Chesney, to chill with songs that pick at a breakup scab.
Listen to "'90s Country" here.
"Ladies in the '90s," Lauren Alaina (2018)
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Alaina was born in 1994, so her earliest musical memories date back to when Shania Twain ruled the airwaves and sold boatloads of CDs. "Females were unstoppable/ Can't say that's impossible" sings Alaina in her Jesse Frasure and Amy Wadge co-write. Indeed, the highlight of Alaina's ascent to a Grand Ole Opry membership -- and a friendship with fellow Georgian Trisha Yearwood -- reflects childhood memories of a time when women got a fairer shot at country success.
Listen here.
"Raised on Country," Chris Young (2019)
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Young wrote about key figures from his formative listening years with Cary Barlowe and Corey Crowder, naming Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Strait and Diffie as parts of "the soundtrack of my life." The inclusion of Haggard, Nelson and Strait reminds us that all three put out great music in a decade marked by more than the contributions of such fresh talents as Diffie.
Listen here.
"Shuffle," Laci Kaye Booth (2021)
In a less obvious yet very rewarding example, rising artist Booth maps out a timeline of her personal taste, from Dolly Parton and Patsy Cline's classics to Martina McBride and The Chicks' stunners. The lyrics cast their singer and co-writer as a forward-thinking artist whose own vision is informed by glances back at country trailblazers-- spanning from the '50s to the 21st century emergence of fellow American Idol alum Carrie Underwood-- "Before he cheats and ready to run /I'm in love with the boy, but this one's for the girls."
Listen here.
"Like I Love Country Music," Kane Brown (Different Man, 2022)
Brown was born in 1993 and attended the same middle school as Alaina. It's no surprise, then, that he had a comparable connection in the '90s and early aughts to country radio. On this hit from 2022's Different Man, the influence of Brooks & Dunn shifts to the forefront without overshadowing the pop, R&B and modern country elements at the heart of Brown's hard-to-pin-down sound.
For another Brooks & Dunn homage, note the "Brand New Man" hat-tip in Blake Shelton's 2019 chart-topper "God's Country."
Listen to "Like I Love Country Music" here.
"Ones Before Me," Grace Leer (self-titled EP, 2022)
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Another up-and-comer with American Idol experience, Leer time-travels through different stretches of country music fashion in her music video for "Ones Before Me." Though the lyrics reference Conway and Loretta instead of Tim and Faith, a couple of wardrobe choices -- namely a "Man! I Feel Like a Woman" visual cue-- remind viewers that surging interest in the Nashville stars from over 20 years ago has changed not just current radio hits but also retro aesthetic trends.
Listen here.
"She Had Me at Heads Carolina," Cole Swindell (Stereotype, 2022)
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Swindell proudly flew his '90s country fan flag with this platinum-certified single that reached a beyond-respectable No. 16 on the all-genre Billboard 100. The Swindell, Rhett, Frasure, Ashley Gorley, Mark D. Sanders and Tim Nichols co-write extended its singer's run of consecutive chart-toppers to four and reinvigorated the career of its obvious inspiration, Jo Dee Messina. Renewed interest in 1996's "Heads Carolina, Tails California" landed Messina TikTok popularity and a performance alongside Swindell of his hit at the 2022 CMA Awards.
Listen to a remix of the smash 2022 hit featuring Swindell and Messina here.
