QK top 60 songs of 2021!

[QueenKalie]

And we are back for year 3 of QK's top songs of the year! 2021 was a fantastic year for music it was much better than 2020 as a whole and as a result I expanded the list from 50 to 60 songs. When I originally compiled my list I think I had 65 names and instead of expanding even further I just cut the last 5 songs sorry to those artists that got cut as they were still good songs I just didn't want to do even more extra work.  

 

Let's do a quick recap of 2020 and 2019 before we move onto talking about 2021 stuff. In 2019 If "My Heart Had A Heart" by Cassadee Pope won the first years rankings with "Lullaby" by Kalie Shorr finishing second and "Blackout" by Danielle Bradbery finishing in third place. Last year results were "Another Life" By Tenille Arts won, with "My Voice" by Kalie Shorr finishing in second place and "love and hate" by Kelsea Ballerini finishing in third place. Will we get a third different winner this time around or are we going to get a repeat winner? Can someone new crack the top 3 or will the same people dominate that as well you will find out shortly enough!

 

Since 2021 Spotify Wrapped just came out I will show you all 3 years versions of my top 5 artists on Spotify each year because why not lol. 

 

Spotify Top Artists 2019

1. Kalie Shorr
2. Kelsea Ballerini
3. Cassadee Pope
4. Danielle Bradbery
5. Emily Ann Roberts

 

Spotify Top Artists 2020
1. Tenille Arts
2. Kelsea Ballerini
3. Kalie Shorr
4. Carly Pearce
5. Nobuo Uematsu(I tried streaming on twitch during the pandemic so I played a lot of Final Fantasy songs on stream from my spotify account. )

 

Spotify Top Artists 2021
1. Tenille Arts
2. Kalie Shorr
3. Alana Springsteen
4. Cassadee Pope
5. Carly Pearce
 

Okay onto 2021 stuff before I rank my top 60 songs I will give you some stats and some fun facts about all the artists that appeared on the list. For starters 46 different singers or groups made the list, singers or groups that showed up in duets were counted in the mix even if their only appearance was in a duet. Speaking of duets we had 8 different duets make an appearance, groups and duos are not included in this list. We had 5 different groups make the list. Everyone knows that I like The Voice and 8 different Voice contestants made the list. And since we are counting Voice contestants we have 4 different American Idol contestants make the list as well. 

 

Okay the results will start tomorrow but before they do I will tag some people that I think will be interested in reading or I will just tag you because I feel like it.

@Bk1234@1234567890@*Wallace@*Chris @~Tom~ @ATX29@#jeah

[QueenKalie]

Top 60 songs of 2021

 

 

 

 

1.Kalie Shorr - "Amy"
2.Carly Pearce - "What He Didn't Do"
3.Danielle Bradbery - "Stop Draggin' Your Boots"
4.Tenille Arts - 'Girl to Girl'
5.Cassadee Pope - "What The Stars See"
6.Lauren Weintraub - "She's Mine"
7.Alana Springsteen, Roman Alexander - "Trying Not To"
8.Presley Tennant - "Half That Strong" 
9.Gracee Shriver - "You Can't Have Both"
10.Maddie Walker - "Fangs"
11.Kelsea Ballerini, LANY - "I Quit Drinking"
12.Maddie & Tae - "Life Aint Fair"
13.Kalie Shorr - "Love Child"
14.Lauren Weintraub - "Like A Boy"
15.Bailey Bryan - "Sober"
16.Carly Pearce - "Show Me Around"
17.Taylor Acorn - "True Crime"
18.Tenille Arts - "Back Then Right Now"
19.Taylor Acorn - "Left You Instead"
20.Ryan Hurd, Maren Morris - "Chasing After You"
21.Ingrid Andress, Sam Hunt - "Wishful Drinking"
22.Caitlyn Smith, Old Dominion - "I Can't"
23.Carly Pearce, Ashley McBryde - "Never Wanted To Be That Girl"
24.Callista Clark - "It's Cause I Am" 
25.Alana Springsteen - "Zero Trucks"
26.Tenille Arts, Callista Clark - "Breakup Songs"
27.Presley Tennant - "Heaven Sent Hell Bound" 
28.Carly Pearce - "Next Girl"
29.Lauren Jenkins - "Like You Found Me"
30.Janelle Arthur, Dolly Parton "Hand Me Downs"
31.Meghan Patrick - " Never Giving Up on You"
32.Temecula Road - "Everything I Love" 
33.Track45 - "Little Bit More"
34.Cassadee Pope - "Tomorrow Night"
35.Kalie Shorr - "Alibi" 
36.Julia Cole - "My Home Too (My Voice Too)
37.Hannah Ellis - "Us" 
38.Carly Pearce - "Should've Known Better"
39.Presley Tennant - "Always You"
40.Tenille Arts - "That's My Friend You're Talking About"
41.Maddie & Tae - "Woman You Got"
42.Lady A - "What A Song Can Do"
43.Kassi Ashton - "Heavyweight"
44.MacKenzie Porter - "Heaven Heard Me"
45.Cassadee Pope - "Thrive"
46.Laci Kaye Booth - "Used to You"
47. Caroline Jones -  "Come In (But Don't Make Yourself Comfortable)"
48.Brooke Eden - "No Shade"
49.Kacey Musgraves "simple times"
50.Leah Marie Mason - "Far Boy"
51.Lauren Alaina - "On Top Of The World"
52.Kacey Musgraves - "breadwinner"
53.Abby Anderson - "Bad Posture"
54.Cassadee Pope - "Say It First"
55.Brother Bird - "Sleep it Off"
56.Maddie Wilson - "Wounded"
57.Abby Cates - "Better Friends"
58.Nikita Karmen - "Own Roses"
59.Laci Kaye Booth - "Treasure"
60.Allegra Miles - "Lies"
 

Edited December 28, 2021 by QueenKalie

[QueenKalie]

feel free to post any guesses or make comments now

[*Chris]

We know who will make appearances because you spoiled it with your spotify wrapped  

[QueenKalie]

1 minute ago, *Chris said:

We know who will make appearances because you spoiled it with your spotify wrapped  

I don't think that's much of a spoiler.

[QueenKalie]

Okay here we go! I will be posting 5 songs every day till we are done(Unless I forget or get lazy which happens a lot.)

 

60.  Allegra Miles - "Lies"

 

Allegra Miles was a contestant on season 18 of the Voice and she made it into the semi finals. Allegra had a relationship with someone who ended up being a catfish and so she wrote this song about them. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

59.  Laci Kaye Booth - "Treasure"

 

Laci Kaye Booth was an American Idol contestant whose performances I would watch on Youtube the day after they aired because I didn't want to watch the whole thing live just for her. She released her debut EP this year and here is one of the songs named Treasure! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

58.  Nikita Karmen - "Own Roses" 

 

I saw her perform at a festival that I went to because Maddie & Tae were there and I like what I heard from her. She's from Australia which you can't really tell when she is singing but when she started talking the accent came out pretty thick. I think that's kinda funny and cool at the same time but anyways I liked this song a lot from her set so I added it to my playlist. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

57.  Abby Cates - "Better Friends" 

 

Abby is another The Voice Alum who was on the show in 2018. She is now in college at Belmont University in Nashville pursuing a music degree. She released her first 2 singles this year and one of them is called Better Friends so you can check that out here. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

56.  Maddie Wilson - "Wounded"

 

Not really sure how I heard of this song it might have just been one of those songs that Spotify  played for me after my playlist ran out of songs and then spotify started DJing for me. Anyways it is a pretty sad song which I am just going to assume is a true story about really wanting to have children but being unable to get pregnant. For being such a sad song it really is a beautiful song so I added it to the list. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And that's the first set of 5! 

Edited December 4, 2021 by QueenKalie

[QueenKalie]

I'm gonna tag some more people who maybe interested in following along here. @goofycilla90 @jarmon @JORDAN_FAN @*Diana

[jarmon]

YUSSSS @ some Laci Kaye Booth representation! Love that song sm.

[QueenKalie]

10 minutes ago, jarmon said:

YUSSSS @ some Laci Kaye Booth representation! Love that song sm.

Yeah she's great. She has had a couple of concerts in my area that I wanted to go to go but they were hosted by radio stations and the only way to get tickets was to win them so that was disappointing.

[jarmon]

26 minutes ago, QueenKalie said:

Yeah she's great. She has had a couple of concerts in my area that I wanted to go to go but they were hosted by radio stations and the only way to get tickets was to win them so that was disappointing.

Aw, damn it! That sucks! Hopefully she has another concert that you can attend.

[QueenKalie]

1 minute ago, jarmon said:

Aw, damn it! That sucks! Hopefully she has another concert that you can attend.

Yeah hopefully although in sure it will happen one of these days.

[QueenKalie]

55.Brother Bird - "Sleep it Off"

 

Caroline Glaser rebranded herself a little while back and goes by Brother Bird instead of Caroline Glaser. Which is kinda funny because I rebranded myself when forums crashed from CGFan to QueenKalie so I guess we both did some rebranding. Anyways here is Sleep it Off.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

54.Cassadee Pope - "Say It First"

 

Cassadee independently released her album Thrive this year and it's filled with a lot of bops. Say It First is just one of many great songs off the album. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

53.Abby Anderson - "Bad Posture"

 

Fun fact I saw on instagram today Eliza Taylor who played Clarke Griffin on the show the 100 which I binged watched this year is directing the Bad Posture music video for Abby which I guess comes out next week. I was not expecting this collaboration but I am here for it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

52. Kacey Musgraves - "breadwinner"

 

 

Kacey released her album Star Crossed this year and while it was not as strong as Golden Hour was it's still a really good album that has songs on it worth making all kinds of lists. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

51.  Lauren Alaina - "On Top Of The World"

 

Lauren is one of my favorite idol contestants and she released her album Sitting Pretty On Top Of The World this year and it was a solid but not spectacular album. But I did really like On Top Of The World so here it sits at #51! 

 

 

 

 

 

So there you have it another set of 5 for you all to check out! @*Chris @jarmon @Bk1234 @1234567890 @*Diana

[1234567890]

On 12/2/2021 at 11:07 AM, QueenKalie said:

feel free to post any guesses or make comments now

The artists on your Spotify Wrapped?

[QueenKalie]

Just now, 1234567890 said:

The artists on your Spotify Wrapped?

There's 46 different artists so only a couple appeared on there.

[QueenKalie]

50. Leah Marie Mason - "Far Boy"

 

" Mason’s life changed when she posted a video to TikTok where she played a song she had written about her ex-boyfriend for him, sitting together in a car. As he comes to the realization the song is about him, he opens the door and exits. Little did she know, that video, which has earned over 13 million views, opened a door and allowed her to enter into the country music community. That song she played, “Far Boy,” was released just a few days later, and quickly found its way to charting on both the iTunes country and all genre charts. Not a bad introduction for an artist and their debut single."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

49. Kacey Musgraves "simple times"

 

Kacey Musgraves Declares War On A Bridal Boutique In Her 'Simple Times' Video. ... Meanwhile, the lyrics to “Simple Times” reflect Musgraves' very human wish to turn back time and arrive at a place where she could “kick it at the mall like there's nothing wrong.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

48. Brooke Eden - "No Shade"

 

Brooke got engaged this year to her girlfriend of 5 years and she just came out some what recently as being a lesbian is not widely accepted in country music. 

 

Quoting Brooke here " "No Shade" was the last song of the three [songs I'm releasing in 2021] that we wrote; we actually wrote it three days before we went into the recording studio ...

It's the beginning of my story, of me finding myself and kind of pulling myself out of a dark place ... "No Shade" is the first part of it, and "No Shade" is a song about, you know, pulling yourself out of the shade, pulling yourself out of the darkness. "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

47. Caroline Jones -  "Come In (But Don't Make Yourself Comfortable)"

 

ABOUT CAROLINE JONES: Declared one of Rolling Stone’s “10 Country Artists You Need to Know” as “an ambitious, entrepreneurial guitar heroine primed to bring back the pop-country glory of the Nineties,” singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Caroline Jones wrote and co-produced her new lead single “Come In (But Don’t Make Yourself Comfortable)” off her forthcoming sophomore studio album with Grammy and Academy Award-winning producer Ric Wake (Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

46. Laci Kaye Booth - "Used to You"

 

More Laci Kaye Boot for @jarmon and @1234567890 listening pleasure! This is my favorite song from her debut album it's just such a beautiful song that I can't stop listening to!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 6, 2021 by QueenKalie

[QueenKalie]

45. Cassadee Pope - "Thrive"

 

Thrive was the titled track to her latest album  and ‘"Thrive’ is a zinging track in which Pope celebrates the joy of being out of a toxic relationship. ‘I never would have seen this side / Never hit this stride, if I stayed tied down to you / Guess I should probably thank you / Maybe raise a drink to / Everything I gained when I cut you loose.’ It’s a positive, joyful celebration of the decision to leave. "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

44. MacKenzie Porter - "Heaven Heard Me"

 

I will be attending my first MacKenzie Porter concert in March and I am looking forward to that. MacKenzie just got her first #1 song the other day it was a duet she did with Dustin Lynch.  MacKenzie is one of the many talented country singers to come out of Canada who knew they were so big on Country up in Canada. Well I guess @*Chris and the other Canadians did I guess.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

43. Kassi Ashton - "Heavyweight"

 

 

Kassi describes of the song. “This song is to those of us who don’t want sugar coated bullshit, to hear it like it is,” says Kassi. “It is for those of us who have seen the worst and made it through. Those of us who can take on all we’re given and more.” The track is a phenomenally polished, grungy country-rock track, featuring a searing guitar solo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

42. Lady A - "What A Song Can Do"

 

 

I  went to Nashville and saw Lady A's What a Song Can Do tour which also featured Carly Pearce and Tenille Arts so that tour had my name written all over it.  All of them were fantastic of course and Lady A certainly put on a great show. Here's the song that the tour was named after.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

41. Maddie & Tae - "Woman You Got"

 

I got to see Maddie & Tae in concert twice this year! I really enjoyed both of the concerts they did such a fantastic job and put on a fantastic concert.  Woman you got is a great song well almost all of their songs are great but I do think this is one of the better ones at least! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 9, 2021 by QueenKalie

[QueenKalie]

I have a feeling that Maddie & Tae are a @Bk1234favorite so maybe he might like this set. 

[Bk1234]

59 minutes ago, QueenKalie said:

I have a feeling that Maddie & Tae are a @Bk1234favorite so maybe he might like this set. 

How’d you know? I love their new song “Madness” 

[QueenKalie]

1 hour ago, Bk1234 said:

How’d you know? I love their new song “Madness” 

I'm smart like that I guess.

[QueenKalie]

Starting to get to some of the more beloved songs this year.

 

 

40. Tenille Arts - "That's My Friend You're Talking About"

 

 

 

"Arts is at her best when she is doling out advice, so on following track ‘That’s My Friend You’re Talking About,’ she sings about a wish for her friend to love herself. ‘That’s my friend you’re talkin’ about / The one in the mirror you’re looking at now / Girl, you should borrow my view / So you see what I see in you / I don’t like the way you put yourself down / ‘Cause that’s my friend you’re talkin’ about, yeah.’ It’s tenderly delivered, giving it an immense charm and is where she seems to have reached her lyrical sweet spot. "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

39. Presley Tennant - "Always You"

 

 

 

 

Presley was a stickily pop singer when she was on The Voice but since being on the show she has transitioned to a country singer instead. She has a few country songs out there on Spotify etc and they are all really fantastic songs.  Here's one of them "Always You"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

38. Carly Pearce - "Should've Known Better"

 

 

 

Here's Carly describing the song.  

"'Should've Known Better,' is kind of to me, as an adult, something that you probably wrestle with more of trying to not assign too much blame to yourself and also calling it is what it is," Pearce says in the black-and-white clip. "I wanted to take both sides of it and show that a lot of times there are things that you overlook and there are things that maybe you, in the end, know that you should've known."

She continued on to explain how this song represents "the end of that" and that from now on, she hopes to pay more attention. She adds, "I think as you grow and go through life and you go through all different kinds of relationships, you learn that and you figure that out and hopefully you're better for the next."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

37. Hannah Ellis - "Us"

 

 

 

"It’s been a whirlwind of a year for Hannah Ellis: she signed a record deal, got married to fellow singer-songwriter Nick Wayne, made her Opry debut, and released new music, among other things. Her music is autobiographical, and she acknowledges this in her new single “Us”. The uptempo, driving country jam is specific to her relationship with Wayne, but also completely relatable to the audience.

“You and me will always be us // Like comin’ home headlights always mean your truck //  Like leanin’ in’s always gonna be // my red wine lips mixed with your whiskey kiss Friday nights // Like your right hand’s always gonna be in mine // Some things just fit perfectly // Like an old t-shirt and Levi jeans // You and me will always be us”

“We were talking about how long Nick and I had been together, and how it doesn’t matter if I’m making my Opry debut, or if we are just riding in his truck afterwards going to Taco Bell – we are always us,” Ellis explains. “We are always the same and I know that we are going to be that way forever. As we were writing the song, we realized, everyone has that person. It can be a lover, a friend, or family… that person that makes everything make sense.”

Ellis had the opportunity to debut the song during her own Grand Ole Opry debut, and her moment in the circle is one that she will remember forever. “I think I knew I would be very emotional when I stood in the circle for the first time. I was honestly overwhelmed with emotion and it was a magical experience. Getting to announce “Us” as my radio single at the Opry and sing that for the first time was amazing.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

36. Julia Cole - "My Home Too (My Voice Too)

 

 

I am a proud member of the Cole Team and I get to hear her music before it's released to the world and I get to hear songs that never get released so I am proud and happy to support Julia and her music.  She's definitely high on the list of people that I wanna meet and see live when I finally get to go to Cmafest in June(assuming they don't cancel it for a third straight year.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another set up for you guys to check out if you want. @*Chris @1234567890 @Bk1234

[*Chris]

• Really like Laci's song from the first set ; Had no idea she released a song as I don't really follow any of the contestants post-Idol nowadays.
• Abby Cate's song was my favourite from the first set.
• Interesting that Caroline rebranded herself. Liked her on The Voice but this song did nothing for me.
• "Say It First" is a great song but not my favourite from her album.
• Abby Anderson's song was good - not sure if I would listen to it but it's a good song.
• "breadwinner" not one of my favourite but glad to see it making your list.
• Lauren is truly underrated on here, especially post-idol. I like that song!
• "simpler times" video is iconic and solidify her status as gay icon
• Like Brooke Eden but not my favourite that she has released. 
• Caroline Jones' song is just okay. The song ain't nothing groundbreaking, and I think she needs to find her song to really make it
• "Used to You" is def. her superior song.
• Absolutely love "Thrive" - some of Hey Monday vibe meets Country.
• Absolutely love Mackenzie Porter - not my favourite song of hers. Fun fact : Her brother won Canadian Idol 2. Also, check out if you ask me to. 
• Kassi! Not as good as some of her other songs but still decent.
• Don't really care for Lady A anymore but this is a good song.
• Maddie & Tae are great, I personally prefer their ballads but this was good.
• Good song from Tenille!
• Carly's album is excellent, and I love that song!

[QueenKalie]

36 minutes ago, *Chris said:

• Really like Laci's song from the first set ; Had no idea she released a song as I don't really follow any of the contestants post-Idol nowadays.
• Abby Cate's song was my favourite from the first set.
• Interesting that Caroline rebranded herself. Liked her on The Voice but this song did nothing for me.
• "Say It First" is a great song but not my favourite from her album.
• Abby Anderson's song was good - not sure if I would listen to it but it's a good song.
• "breadwinner" not one of my favourite but glad to see it making your list.
• Lauren is truly underrated on here, especially post-idol. I like that song!
• "simpler times" video is iconic and solidify her status as gay icon
• Like Brooke Eden but not my favourite that she has released. 
• Caroline Jones' song is just okay. The song ain't nothing groundbreaking, and I think she needs to find her song to really make it
• "Used to You" is def. her superior song.
• Absolutely love "Thrive" - some of Hey Monday vibe meets Country.
• Absolutely love Mackenzie Porter - not my favourite song of hers. Fun fact : Her brother won Canadian Idol 2. Also, check out if you ask me to. 
• Kassi! Not as good as some of her other songs but still decent.
• Don't really care for Lady A anymore but this is a good song.
• Maddie & Tae are great, I personally prefer their ballads but this was good.
• Good song from Tenille!
• Carly's album is excellent, and I love that song!

Thanks for the comments Chris I really appreciate that someone is at least reading this and listening to it all.  And I agree with most of your comments so that's good! 

[QueenKalie]

35.Kalie Shorr - "Alibi"

 

 

Alibi is mostly just a silly song about the lengths Kalie will go for her friends. She talks about being her murderous friends Alibi and also getting a fast car to be the getaway driver lol. It's just a fun song to listen to when your in the mood to laugh and have some fun. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

34.Cassadee Pope - "Tomorrow Night"

 

Another song off of Cassadee's Thrive album that I like is Tomorrow Night. Tomorrow Night is an upbeat, Weezer-inspired cut that combines rock sounds with a country-radio-ready hook. I really love the direction Cassadee took with her new album all of the songs are fantastic really.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

33. Track45 - "Little Bit More

 

A group that is new to my rankings is called Track 45.  Track 45 is a sibling trio I guess I have been really into those between them Girl Named Tom and another group coming up soon. Jenna Ben and KK are the three members of the band. Little Bit More is a song I really enjoy listening to and I hope to get to here a lot more from this group going forward. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

32.Temecula Road - "Everything I Love" 

 

Temecula Road is that other trio that I was referring to earlier.  Temecula Road is slightly different then the other 2 where they were all siblings but this group is a group of sisters Maddie & Emma and there friend Dawson. Maddie and Emma are Queens and this is there song Everything I Love. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

31. Meghan Patrick - " Never Giving Up on You"

 

 

I believe that Meghan Patrick is also new to the list as well. She breaks up the back to back trios on the list.  I just found out that Meghan is another Canadian country singer so the list of Canadian singers I stan grows even longer now lol. Meghan had this to say about the song. “I wrote this song about the kind of love that perseveres through life changes, challenges, and grows stronger through it all. It takes two people both equally willing to do whatever it takes to stay together and keep the spark alive, and I think we captured it perfectly in this video."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[QueenKalie]

30. Janelle Arthur, Dolly Parton "Hand Me Downs"

 

 

I was introduced to Janelle when I started participating in the idol rankings. She had some of my favorite performances from anyone but especially on her season.  Shout out to my fellow Janelle stans in the game. @*Chris @Steven_ @Solaris She released this gem with Dolly Parton a couple months ago and I love and I assume the rest of you probably do as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

29. Lauren Jenkins - "Like You Found Me"

 

 

Lauren is someone that I discovered this year as well. This song made it in my spotify wrapped at #5 for most listened to songs this year. I think I had it originally higher on my initial list and it got lowered a couple times in favor of other songs. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

28. Carly Pearce - "Next Girl"

 

"While the whole album is about her past year, Carly Pearce's song "Next Girl" is really about her breakup with fellow singer Michael Ray. According to People, the song is a warning to the next girl Ray dates. Pearce even hints that she hid the "red flags" while with Ray, and in a press release said she wanted to "turn over all the cards." 

With lyrics like "You overlook a lot when he looks like that" and "He'll make you think it's love," Pearce takes digs at Ray for being a smooth-talking guy who makes you forget the flaws. Pearce has even said that the song "kind of almost wrote itself" (via Billboard). While this song has been attributed to her ex-husband, Pearce admits "this is not something that [she's] gone through once. This is something that [she's] encountered quite a bit in [her] life." So, while this song may be a bit of a warning to the "next girl" for Ray, it's also a warning to all "next girls" out there. "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

27. Presley Tennant - "Heaven Sent Hell Bound" 

 

Country music powerhouse singer Presley Tennant has released yet another hit song titled Heaven Sent Hell Bound. The single is yet another confirmation that Presley has just started to leave her mark in country music. Coming off the voice, season 16, Presley’s transition to country music seems to be the perfect move for this emerging superstar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

26. Tenille Arts, Callista Clark - "Breakup Songs"

 

"Tenille Arts celebrates real love and joy on the delightfully country infused, ‘Break-Up Songs’ a delicious ballad with new artist Callista Clark. ‘I’m breaking up with breakup songs / Boy, ever since you came along / The sound of a steel guitar don’t break my heart like it used to.’ The track is brought to life with the delicate touches of pedal steel. It’s little surprise that the track was produced by Nathan Chapman, who most famously worked with Taylor Swift in her early days, as it contains all the hallmarks of the Fearless record. "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[QueenKalie]

25.Alana Springsteen - "Zero Trucks"

 

 

"Virginia Beach-born and currently Nashville-based country artist Alana Springsteen’s latest, “Zero Trucks,” is an anthemic song that offers hope where love has been lost. Giving “zero trucks” about what’s next for her in love and life, it’s a refreshing and carefree song perfectly aimed at overcoming the bummer of summer romance gone wrong. "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

24. Callista Clark - "It's Cause I Am" 

 

 

"Callista Clark may be young, but she knows just who she is and is confident in it. "If I seem too complicated for you / It's 'cause I am," she sings in her debut major-label single, "It's 'Cause I Am."

The 18-year-old is finding country radio success with the song, too: For the chart week dated Aug. 14, "It's 'Cause I Am" is in the Top 30, and per a press release, the single's success makes her the most successful debut artist of 2021.

 

Below, Clark shares the story behind "It's 'Cause I Am" — from her Real to Me EP — with The Boot.

There were a lot of moments in my career where I felt like I wasn't being taken seriously, so I wanted to write something that was very confident and, like, almost sarcastic — that's where the "Don't beat yourself up about it, baby"s came in. "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

23.Carly Pearce, Ashley McBryde - "Never Wanted To Be That Girl"

 

"The Alexa Campbell-directed clip follows the parallel lives of Pearce and McBryde, who play the wife and the mistress of a no-good, cheating man. As they come to terms with the life that they’re living, both artists reflect on their past and how they ended up in this position – a place neither of them ever wanted to be. "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

22.Caitlyn Smith, Old Dominion - "I Can't"

 

 

"On first listen, "I Can't" definitely sounds like a heartbreak song, but, for me, it's layered a little bit deeper than that. The idea came from driving by downtown Nashville and -- you know, I've lived in this town for 10, 11 years, and it's changed completely.

While I was driving by downtown, I was noticing, you know, the 17 cranes and the eight new skyscrapers and just thinking about that -- thinking about how much this town has changed -- but then also started reflecting on how much I've changed. I'm not the same girl I was when I moved to town, and thank God for that. "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

21.  Ingrid Andress, Sam Hunt - "Wishful Drinking"

 

 

“Wishful Drinking” gets at a longing for someone that intensifies with a few cocktails. “When I’m a couple in I get optimistic, like you and me are realistic,” Andress sighs, before Hunt joins the party and sings the second verse. “I get hopeful when I’m tipsy, thinking you might actually miss me/ It’s a hundred proof, nothing I won’t do for another round of me and you,” they sing together in the chorus.

“I’ve always wanted to work with Sam and have been such a fan of his for a long time,” Andress says in a release. “I admire how he stays so true to himself and am so happy to have him join me for my first collaboration. The song was co-written by my friend JP Saxe, and it became this amazing sad bop, which we all know I love.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 18, 2021 by QueenKalie