With multiple No. 1 hits and three diamond-selling albums, Shania Twain is one of the most successful artists in music history. But her influence stretches far beyond chart success and album sales. Twain bridged country and pop, bringing country music to a whole new audience. Beyond that, her lyrics spoke to a generation of women raised on the boldness of Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn, who embraced Twain's independence and assertiveness. The women in Shania Twain songs were brazen, empowered and altogether real.
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And let's not forget her music video star power, evidenced by some iconic videos like "That Don't Impress Me Much," "Any Man of Mine" and "Party for Two" with Billy Currington.
After the Canadian singer was sidelined from a battle with Lyme Disease, which caused vocal dysphonia and damaged her vocal cords, the Canada-native came back strong with a batch of great new songs and a Las Vegas residency. She released her fifth studio album Now, featuring "Life's About to Get Good," in 2017 -- her first album of new music in 15 years, proving she's still the reigning country-pop queen we all fell in love with.
On July 26, Not Just a Girl, a new documentary on the life and legacy of Twain, debuts on Netflix. Below, we've rounded up the music superstar's 15 best songs, from assertive anthems to stunning ballads.
20. "Home Ain't Where His Heart Is (Anymore)"
Twain's breakthrough album The Woman in Me may best be remembered for dance floor ready barn-burners like "Any Man of Mine" and "You Win My Love," but album opener "Home Ain't Where His Heart Is (Anymore)," a devastating ballad about a rocky marriage, proved that Twain could write a hell of a country heartbreaker from the jump.
19. "I'm Jealous"
"I'm Jealous," a track from Twain's 2002 album Up! built on her reputation as one of country's best balladeers with a sensual tune about yearning.
18. "She's Not Just a Pretty Face"
Twain has been open about the sexist comments she's endured throughout her career. Though she's a multi-talented, award-winning singer-songwriter, Twain's music was too often overlooked in favor of discussions of her appearance.
"I was criticized as an artist," Twain said last year during her Apple Music Hits show Home Now Radio. "I'm surprised I ever had any hits actually when I read them now. So for example, part of the quote from one of my reviews was, 'She's America's best paid lap dancer in Nashville. She's hot, but can she sing? Is Shania just a flash in the pan? The most famous midriff in Nashville.' So yeah, I ended up having hits anyway."
"She's Not Just a Pretty Face," a bouyant celebration of the power of women, feels like a response to Twain's harshest naysayers.
17. "Love Gets Me Every Time"
One of Twain's many many hit singles from Come On Over, "Love Gets Me Every Time" is a cheeky pop-country anthem that describes falling in love as only Twain can: "I gol' darn gone and done it."
16. "When You Kiss Me"
Up! album closer "When You Kiss Me"should be celebrated alongside Twain's better known love songs, such as "You're Still the One" and "From This Moment On." It's a more grounded look at a relationship in full swing and an ode to finding comfort and peace in the arms of a partner.
15. "Honey, I'm Home"
Twain certainly wasn't the first female artist to pen a working woman anthem, but with "Honey I'm Home," she did create the most in-your-face one. Seventeen years after Dolly called out workplace inequality in "9 to 5," Twain lamented the job that "sure don't stimulate my brain." But Twain doesn't just ask for respect, she demands it. Along with a home-cooked meal and a cold beer when she gets home. The track from Twain's crossover smash Come On Over went to No. 1 on the country charts in 1998, which included more hits like "Love Gets Me Every Time."
14. "You've Got a Way"
Though she could write a kiss-off anthem like no other, Twain also had a hand in writing some of the best crossover love ballads in '90s country. Written with her former producer, ex-husband Robert "Mutt" Lange, "You've Got a Way" was nominated for Song of the Year at the 42nd Grammy Awards.
13. "I'm Gonna Getcha Good!"
After the unprecedented success of Come On Over, Twain was tasked with writing a new album of highly anticipated material. She delivered with 2002's Up!, leading off with "I'm Gonna Getcha Good!," a dancey ode to pursuing new romance. Paired with a cinematic music video, Twain took the song to No. 7 on the Billboard country chart.
12. "(If You're Not In It For Love) I'm Outta Here"
"(If You're Not in It For Love) I'm Outta Here," one of several of Twain's co-writes with former husband Robert John "Mutt" Lange, finds Twain interacting with a big talker who promises her the world, including a modeling career. But Shania is no fool, coolly telling him where to go if he's not in it for the long haul. The song stands as one of Twain's most memorable hits, reaching the No. 1 spot in 1996.
11. "You Win My Love"
If there's one thing Shania Twain has taught us, it's that it's essential to know what you want. And in her 1996 single "You Win My Love," Twain lays out what she wants in a relationship. Whether he drives a "55 Chevy or a fancy little pickup truck," the pop-country queen wants a man who's willing to give his all.
10. "Don't Be Stupid (You Know I Love You)"
The second single from Come On Over, "Don't Be Stupid (You Know I Love You)," finds Twain telling a jealous lover to just get over it already in typically brash fashion. The song climbed to No. 6 on the country chart in 1998.
9. "The Woman in Me (Needs the Man in You)"
The third single and title track to her second album, "The Woman in Me," showcased Twain's softer side. Though the song didn't crack the Top 10, the track's raw vulnerability is a reminder of what a well-rounded artist she is. Another strong song from this album is "Home Ain't Where His Heart Is."
8. "Forever and For Always"
The third single from Twain's fourth studio album Up!, "Forever and For Always," remains one of Twain's most enduring love songs. The song was nominated for Best Country Song at the 2004 Grammy Awards.
7. "Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?"
The first single from Twain's sophomore album The Woman in Me, "Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?" is a straight-up honky-tonker for the scorned woman. The barroom burner finds Twain calling out her womanizing partner for his transgressions with Lolita, Rita ("the redhead down the lane"), and "long-legs Louise." The song became Twain's first major hit and laid the groundwork for her reputation as an unshakeable spitfire. If you cross Shania Twain, she will handle it. And she'll do it all in a red dress and heels, naturally.
6. "That Don't Impress Me Much"
Only Shania Twain could incorporate Brad Pitt, Elvis and rocket scientists into a country song and make it totally work. "That Don't Impress Me Much," an irresistible eye roll directed at big shots and egotistical pretty boys, peaked at No. 8 on the country charts in 1999 and remained one of her best songs.
5. "From This Moment On"
Twain initially had Celine Dion in mind for "From This Moment On," but she decided to keep the song for herself and record it as a duet with Bryan White. The soaring, anthemic love song went to No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary and country charts.
4. "Man! I Feel Like a Woman"
From the cheeky opening of "Let's go girls," you know, "Man! I Feel Like a Woman" is going to be a wild ride. The song is an all-out celebration of being a woman, being free and being yourself. "Man! I Feel Like A Woman" remains one of Twain's most memorable and greatest hits and a reminder of why she's one of the best female country artists in history.
3. "No One Needs to Know"
The stripped-down "No One Needs To Know" was a stylistic departure for Twain, who was still riding high from the success of the poppy "You Win My Love" when she released it. The song follows Twain in newfound love with a tall, dark and handsome man and daydreaming about having "a little girl, a little boy, a little Benji we'll call Leroy." The breezy love song went to No. 1 in 1996.
2. "You're Still the One"
"You're Still the One" was a career-defining moment for Twain. It was the song that made her into a bona fide crossover success. The steamy song was everywhere in 1998 -- weddings, proms, and certainly in the background of many summer hookups. "You're Still the One" won two Grammy awards in 1999 and topped both the country and pop charts, proving that when it comes to romance, a great song is a great song.
1. "Any Man of Mine"
She's been such a force in pop culture for over 20 years it's easy to forget just how groundbreaking Twain was when she burst onto the county scene with "Any Man of Mine," wearing a midriff-baring denim vest (yes, that was somehow still considered controversial in early '90s country) and singing a song about her relationship demands. Though it wasn't her first single (she had previously released the singles "What Made You Say That" and "Dance With the One That Brought You"), the Billboard No. 1 hit "Any Man of Mine" put Twain on the country music map.
Following in the footsteps of trailblazing country women who took issue with their men's no-good ways, Twain wasn't shy about what she wouldn't put up with. And Shania laid it all on the line from the get-go. From the tongue-in-cheek lyrics ("I can be late for a date- that's fine- but he better be on time") to its soaring fiddles and country dance hall stomp, "Any Man of Mine" was a warning to Nashville that Shania Twain was a force to be reckoned with.
Editor's Note: This story was previously published in January of 2021.
