Music News

Music News

Music News

Country music is all about the stories, and the words of country songs can be so powerful and have different meanings for each listener. This spring and summer, we have enjoyed five songs that have topped the Billboard Country Airplay chart. Many of the songs spent multiple weeks in the number one position.

There’s no doubt that Morgan Wallen and Luke Combs have reigned over the country charts for all of 2023. It’s their words, as well as their vocals and passion, singing the songs that we all cherish.

Combs talked with Billboard recently and reacted to Tracy Chapman's comments about his number-one song cover of her 1988 classic, “Fast Car.” In July (7/6), Chapman told Billboard, “I’m honored to be there. I’m happy for Luke and his success.”

Luke told the publication that he was surprised with the song’s country chart success. He also said that Chapman wrote what he called “this perfect song.” Combs went on to say how excited he was that his stadium size crowds related to the song and sang along each night. He said in part, “It’s so cool that Tracy is getting recognized and has reached new milestones. I love that she is out there feeling all the love and that she gave me a shout-out!”

Wallen told me not long ago his approach to writing and recording songs: “For me, I’ve always gravitated to the more personal, moodier type of songs, I think. I’ve just always been that way; it comes more naturally to me. I have to purposely write a song that’s uptempo and party-like. I think a lot of people are that way. But I enjoy those songs too. I enjoy both sides and aspects of each, but I am personally more gravitated to a sad song.”

Here, we take a look at five country songs that have dominated the country charts since March and dive into the words that we all relate to the most.

RELATED: Morgan Wallen Admits He Prefers 'Moodier' Songs

  • March 18 - "Going, Going, Gone" - Luke Combs - Number one for two weeks straight

    In the second verse of the song, Luke sings, “I can say it wasn’t meant to be / But maybe meant to be is misunderstood / I can’t hold on to letting go / Change the way the river flows / Lovin’ her’s like roping in the wind.”

    The chorus then comes in to tie it all together. “Like a runaway Southbound train / Like an Arizona desert rain / Like lightning in the sky / Like fireworks in July ‘ Like a left field homerun ball ‘ Like a whiskey shot at last call / It’s like she was made for moving on / That girl is going, going, gone.”

  • April 1 - "Rock and a Hard Place" - Bailey Zimmerman - Number one for six weeks straight

    The second verse includes the lyrics, “Throwin’ in the towel takes some effort / So I’d rather ride it out for better weather / Together.”

    Then the powerful chorus includes the lyrics, “Between a rock and a hard place / Red wine and mistakes / Tears rollin’ down your face / When I walked out that door / And that’s when I lost it / A midnight in Austin / Damn, I’m exhausted / What the hell’s this all for? / Is this where it mends, or it breaks? / Between a rock and a hard place.”

  • May 13 - "Last Night" - Morgan Wallen - Number one for eight weeks straight

    The chorus has the best lines, singing, “Last night we let the liquor talk / I can’t remember everything we said, but we said it all / You told me that you wish I was somebody you never met / But baby, baby, something’s tellin’ me this ain’t over yet / No way it was our last night.”

    “Last Night” has held the top spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 list for 12 weeks this year, beating out Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers,” for the most chart-topping song of the year.

  • July 8 - "Fast Car" - Luke Combs - Number one for eight weeks straight

    Luke nailed this Tracy Chapman remake, taking it all the way to the top of the country charts – The lines are so familiar and hard to choose the best one, but we love this part: “You got a fast car / And I want a ticket to anywhere / Maybe we make a deal / Maybe together we can get somewhere / Any place is better / Starting from zero, got nothing to lose / Maybe we’ll make something / Me, myself, I got nothing to prove.”

  • August 12 - "Need a Favor" - Jelly Roll - Number one for two weeks straight and counting

    Every line of this song is powerful – We love the first part of the song that grabs you from the first word. Jelly sings, “I only talk to God when I need a favor / And I only pray when I ain’t got a prayer / So, who the hell am I, who the hell am I / To expect a Savior, oh / If I only talk to God when I need a favor? / But God, I need a favor.”

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