A shocking list. When it comes to art, numbers and awards aren’t everything. Famously, some of the best and most influential artists and bands of all time, ranging from Turnpike Troubadours and Sturgill Simpson to legends such as Jerry Jeff Walker and Guy Clark, never scored a #1 hit on any major country chart. Diving deeper into the concept, there have been some popular tracks from some of the biggest artists in country music history that have shockingly never gone #1. As we all know at this point, tracks like “Amarillo By Morning” somehow never went #1; however, there is a laundry list of other massive country songs that never found their way to the top of the charts throughout the years. This, of course, is due to a plethora of different reasons. From songs not gaining popularity until well after their initial release to other massive songs blocking their rise to the top, the songs present on this list had a multitude of different factors preventing them from reaching #1 status. From Brad Paisley and Allison Krauss’ “Whiskey Lullaby” to Patsy Cline’s “Crazy,” here are 20 of the most surprising country songs to never go #1 on either of Billboard’s country charts, Hot Country and Country Airplay: “Amarillo By Morning” – George Strait It’s no stretch to say that “Amarillo By Morning” is one of the most iconic country songs of all time. Despite its legacy, it’s not one of the King’s record 60 #1 hits here in the United States. Though it did hit #1 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart, it peaked at #4 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart in April of 1983. “Crazy” – Patsy Cline “Crazy,” which was famously penned by Willie Nelson, has not only become Patsy Cline’s signature song but also one of the most iconic songs in the genre’s history. Often being referred to as an era-defining song for Cline, “Crazy” shockingly never went #1, peaking at #2 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart and #9 on the all-genre Billboard 100. “Crazy’s” rise to the top of the country charts was blocked by Leroy Van Dyke’s massive 19-week #1 stint with “Walk On By,” which would remain the longest-running #1 country song in the chart’s history for over fifty years until 2013 when Florida Georgia Line broke it with the success of “Cruise.” “Whiskey Lullaby” – Brad Paisley feat. Alison Krauss It’s widely recognized that “Whiskey Lullaby” is the best song in Brad Paisley’s deep, underrated discography, being regarded as one of the saddest country songs of all time. Though it’s certified 2x platinum, it never went #1, peaking at #3. It was ultimately blocked from going #1 by Tim McGraw’s four-week #1 run with “Live Like You Were Dying.” “Round Here Buzz” – Eric Church For all intents and purposes, “Round Here Buzz” has been one of Church’s most popular songs to date, having over 130 million streams on Spotify alone, a 2x platinum certification from the RIAA and constant placement on his setlist night in and night out. Despite this, it fell just short of going #1, peaking at #2 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. In case you were wondering what blocked it, it was Russell Dickerson’s “Yours” (out of all the songs…) “Whiskey River” – Willie Nelson Willie’s cover of Johnny Bush’s “Whiskey River” has become a staple in seemingly endless discography, being played live by the 92-year-old singer as a concert-opener ’til today. Though it has remained one of his most popular tracks, it wasn’t even a Top 10 hit for the living legend. Nelson’s cover would peak at #12 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart in February 1979. “Man! I Feel Like a Woman” – Shania Twain One would think that a song with over 803 million streams on Spotify alone, which is good for the Top 30 most in the genre, would have gone #1 at some point in its history. That is not the case with “Man! I Feel Like a Woman,” however. Despite charting in over a dozen countries, it never officially reached the top spot on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. It did hit #1 in New Zealand, however. “Heads Carolina, Tails California” – Jo Dee Messina As one of the most iconic nineties country songs, it might come as a surprise to many that “Heads Carolina, Tails California” never went #1. It was blocked by Brooks & Dunn’s equally iconic hit, “My Maria,” in May of 1996. “In Color” – Jamey Johnson Jamey Johnson’s signature hit is undoubtedly one of the most well-recognizable songs of the 2000s. Despite its powerful nature and long-lasting legacy, the song failed to even reach the Top 5, peaking at #9 on January 10, 2009. In “In Color’s” case, it seems as if it’s one of those tracks that took some time for fans and listeners to truly appreciate the magnitude of. It would later receive a 5x platinum certification from the RIAA back in October 2024. “Callin’ Baton Rouge” – Garth Brooks Similar to “Amarillo By Morning,” “Callin’ Baton Rouge” is another signature hit that would reach #1 in Canada but not in the United States. Despite the song being one of Brooks’ biggest hits of the ’90s, the song was blocked from going #1 by Brooks & Dunn’s three-week stay at the top of the charts with “She’s Not the Cheatin’ Kind,” followed by Alan Jackson’s four-week run with “Livin’ on Love” immediately after. “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” – Hank Williams It’s hard to believe that one of country music’s earliest and most iconic hit songs never reached #1, but that’s the case with Hank Williams’ “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry.” This is thanks in part to it actually being released as a B-side to “My Bucket’s Got a Hole in It,” which peaked at #2. Though it would end up peaking at #4 despite being a B-side track, it’s hard to imagine a song with a more impactful legacy despite not reaching #1. “Fancy” – Reba Reba’s cover of the 1969 Bobbie Gentry track has undoubtedly become her signature song since its release back in 1991. Though it is certified 2x platinum and remains Reba’s most-streamed song to date, with over 163 million listens on Spotify alone, it failed to reach the Top 5. “Fancy” shockingly only peaked at #8 in April of 1991. “Delta Dawn” – Tanya Tucker Though “Delta Dawn” had already been recorded by the likes of Bette Midler and had even experienced more chart success upon Helen Reddy’s 1973 release (#1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and Easy Listening chart), the then-13-year-old Tanya Tucker’s 1972 recording of the song has remained the definitive version over the following decades. Despite its notoriety in country music over the years, Tucker’s cover of “Delta Dawn” failed to reach the Top 5 upon its release. It would peak at #6 in August 1972. “T-R-O-U-B-L-E” – Travis Tritt Outside of “It’s A Great Day To Be Alive” and “Here’s a Quarter (Call Somebody Who Cares),” “T-R-O-U-B-L-E” has remained one of Travis Tritt’s biggest hits throughout his career. Though it has a 2x platinum certification and over 76 million streams on Spotify (Tritt’s fourth-most), the track didn’t receive as much love upon its release as you would think. “T-R-O-U-B-L-E” would fail to crack the Top 10, only peaking at #13 in May of 1993. “Independence Day” – Martina McBride Like Reba, Martina McBride’s signature song also surprisingly did not go #1. Despite it being regarded as one of the most powerful, misunderstood country songs of all time, “Independence Day” failed to crack the Top 10, peaking at #12 in 1994. “Go Rest High On That Mountain” – Vince Gill Largely recognized as one of the greatest country-gospel songs ever recorded, “Go Rest High On That Mountain” has remained one of the most important songs in Vince Gill’s discography. Inspired by the death of both Keith Whitley and his brother, Bob, the song was years in the making for the legendary guitarist and songwriter. Though it has remained one of the most powerful tracks in country history, “Go Rest High On That Mountain” only peaked at #14 in December 1995. “Red Solo Cup” – Toby Keith Arguably one of the most popular party country songs of all time, the 3x platinum track was one of the last hits of the late, great Toby Keith’s legendary career. The song shockingly barely cracked the Top 10, peaking at #9 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart in February of 2012, despite being seemingly everywhere at the time of its release and beyond. “Midnight in Montgomery” – Alan Jackson Jackson’s haunting, fictional encounter with Hank Williams’ ghost has remained one of the best and most unique in the “Chattahoochee” singer’s discography. Though it’s often regarded as one of his best, it is not among his 26 #1 hits on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. It would peak at #3 in July 1992 behind the likes of Billy Ray Cyrus’ now infamous “Achy Breaky Heart” and Wynonna’s cover of “I Saw the Light.” “Love Like Crazy” – Lee Brice “Love Like Crazy” holds the unique title of being the first song ever to finish as Billboard’s #1 country song of the year (2010) without reaching #1 on the Hot Country Song chart at any point. This is thanks in part to the fact that it broke the record of longest-running entry on the Hot Country Songs chart at the time, with a staggering 55 weeks throughout 2009 and 2010. With that being said, “Love Like Crazy” peaked at #3 in September 2010, being blocked by the likes of Billy Currington’s “Pretty Good at Drinkin’ Beer” and Lady A’s “Our Kind of Love.” “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems” – Kenny Chesney Recently, Kenny Chesney claimed that he thinks he has the most #2 hits of all time, and he very well might be right. Throughout his career, he’s scored 12 #2 hits on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, including the likes of “I Go Back,” “Young” and his George Strait collaboration, “Shiftwork.” The most shocking one, however, is none other than “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems”, which became one of his signature songs and received a 2x platinum certification from the RIAA. Despite this, it would also get stuck at #2 during the height of its popularity. This was thanks to Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett’s megahit, “It’s Five O’clock Somewhere,” which stayed at #1 for a lengthy eight straight weeks. “Life Is a Highway” – Rascal Flatts Say what you will about the song itself and Rascal Flatts as a group, there’s absolutely no denying how big a hit “Life Is a Highway” is. As a cover of Tom Cochrane’s 1991 single released for Disney’s first Cars film, the song had a massive crossover. Despite being one of the most-streamed country songs of all time, with over 871 million listens on Spotify alone and an 8x platinum certification from the RIAA, it would only peak at #18 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. This was due mainly to the fact that their current single on country radio at the time, “My Wish,” was also receiving heavy play on its way to a #1 spot.The post 20 Popular Country Songs That Surprisingly Never Went #1 first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

This morning, Carly Pearce announced her fifth studio album Honest Woman, which will be out everywhere on August 28th. The Kentucky native has always blended traditional country elements with more modern takes on love and life, always staying true to her roots with every song, and she’s incredibly talented so I can’t wait to hear everything she’s put together on this record. Of course, the Carly has put out several singles over the last few months, including “Church Girl,” “You Can Have Him,” and of course, her duet with Riley Green, “If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay.” She says that this album is a homecoming of sorts, as each songs tell the story that makes the woman she’s become and the “journey” that’s brought her to this point in her life and career: “Sometimes finding yourself means finding your way back home. For me, it meant coming home…to my truth, my story, and the woman I am at my core. These songs tell that story. They hold pieces of my heart, where I come from, and the journey that brought me here. I’m so proud of this album and I can’t wait to share it with you.” She also shared the album cover which is a stunning shot as she stands in the golden hour light (though I feel like this was probably taken in the early morning) with plenty of dew and wildflowers around her: View this post on Instagram Carly co-produced this album with her longtime collaborator Ben West, and features from Dan Tyminski and Molly Tuttle only solidify the bluegrass roots and focuses she does so well. Carly says that she found herself going back to the basic, essentially, in terms of what made her want to be a country artist in the first place: “When I started making Honest Woman, I found myself rediscovering who I am and why I wanted to be a country music singer in the first place. This album takes me back to the beginning of my story, where the sounds of classic country and bluegrass music shaped who I am. I’m so proud of this body of work, and I truly feel like it’s my best yet.” In addition to the album announcement, Carly dropped another song from the tracklist called “She Don’t,” which finds her admitting that it’s okay to want more in life and finding comfort and power in never settling for anything less: Carly had a breakout moment with her “divorce album” 29: Written in Stone in 2021, it was an incredible piece of work that honored her Kentucky roots and showed off her prowess with the pen, and I’ve always appreciated her ability to balance the honesty in her storytelling with the mainstream appeal while still keeping it very country. She’s one of the best in mainstream country, really the entire genre in general, and this is easily one of the albums I’m most excited for in 2026. You can check out the full tracklist below. Honest Woman Track List 1. “Dream Come True” 2. “Church Girl” 3. “She Don’t” 4. “You Can Have Him” 5. “How Long” 6. “WWJD” 7. “Same Circus” 8. “Happy For Myself” 9. “If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay” Carly Pearce & Riley Green 10. “I Don’t Have The Heart” 11. “He Don’t Like My Dogs” 12. “Leave My Heart Alone” 13. “Who’s Lying Here” Carly Pearce & Dan Tyminski 14. “Daisy” 15. “What If You Loved Me” Carly Pearce, Molly Tuttle & Dan Tyminski 16. “Why God Why Me” Carly will also do a small tour for the album that will kick off  on September 10th with two nights in Detroit, and she will hit venues in Chicago, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Toronto and Boston before concluding with two nights in New York City, with Belle Frantz joining as an opener. Honest Woman: Up Close Dates: Thursday, September 10 – Detroit, MI – Saint Andrew’s Hall* Friday, September 11 – Detroit, MI – Saint Andrew’s Hall* Wednesday, September 16 – Chicago, IL – Joe’s on Weed* Thursday, September 17 – Chicago, IL – Joe’s on Weed* Friday, September 18 – Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line* Saturday, September 19 – Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line* Sunday, September 27 – Los Angeles, CA – The Troubadour* Tuesday, September 29 – Los Angeles, CA – GRAMMY Museum Thursday, October 15 – Toronto, ON – Toronto Opera House* Friday, October 16 – Toronto, ON – Toronto Opera House* Sunday, October 18 – Boston, MA – The Sinclair* Monday, October 19 – Boston, MA – The Sinclair* Wednesday, October 21 – New York, NY – Gramercy Theatre* Thursday, October 22 – New York, NY – Gramercy Theatre* *With support from Belle Frantz “Church Girl” “If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay” The post Carly Pearce Announces Fifth Studio Album, ‘Honest Woman’ first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

The next song from her disco era. Miranda Lambert is taking her music in a very different direction, and as she continues to tease new music with her new label MCA, marking a new chapter in her decorated recording career, it looks like we’re going to be getting a full-on country and disco album. She announced that a new tune called “Till the Going’s Gone” will be out everywhere this Friday, June 26th: View this post on Instagram Miranda previously released a disco-inspired song called “Crisco,” which was the first taste of where her muse has taken her, saying she wanted it to feel “nostalgic” and fun, adding that it was a unique challenge to make a song that was “familiar” and “Fresh” at the same time, and of course, she was deeply inspired by the likes of  Glen Campbell, Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers and that 70s and 80s time when those artists in particular were fusing in a lot of disco: “We wanted something that feels familiar but also fresh, which is really hard to do. We leaned into all the things I grew up loving about country music – Glen Campbell, Kenny and Dolly; very ’70s and ’80s. It’s a fun mix of all these sides of country music that I’ve never fully explored before, even down to using strings in a bigger way. I almost can’t believe I’ve made this many records without really going there, but it was magical to hear how much strings can transform a song.” I love 70s and 80s-era music of any kind, and really any genre, so I love that she’s playing with that here. From iconic songs like “Southern Nights” and of course “Islands in the Stream,” it’s nothing new for disco to be part of country. I mean, who could forget the whole Urban Cowboy scene? But I’m here for it because Miranda is the kind of artist who can do it and do it well. It won’t be for everybody, but I can appreciate her trying something new and going in a different direction with this new chapter. Miranda teamed up with Chris Stapleton for a very disco-inspired duet called “A Song To Sing” last year, which seems to have been a hint about what she had up her sleeve, and the teaser for “Till The Going’s Gone” is certainly very disco too. The lyrics find her encouraging the listener to chase their dreams, make mistakes, and do it until they get it right, or at least get it out of their system: “Sometimes your tires are in the mud, Sometimes your car’s run out of luck, Honey, you don’t have to live this way, Just find another exit and  learn another lesson That’s why the good Lord made the interstate Yeah, I gotta keep moving Gotta keep groovin’ Cause that song’s that’s in my soul will carry me on down the road I gotta keep going Till the going’s gone Till it’s gone, gone, gone” It’s not the most complex song in the world, but like I said, I can appreciate her trying something new and when country and disco is done right, as is proven by the aforementioned examples, it can be absolutely incredible, and Miranda has more than earned her right to experiment, so we’ll see what she has up her sleeve because you never really know with her and that’s what makes it so fun to be a fan. Check out the teaser for “Till  The Going’s Gone” here: “Till The Going’s Gone”   “Crisco” The post LISTEN: Miranda Lambert Teases Next Song From Country & Disco Era, “Till the Going’s Gone” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

If you’re an AJ fan, this one’s a no-brainer. Back in 2022, country music legend Alan Jackson unveiled his Silverbelly Whiskey, a 91-proof Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey named in honor of his signature silverbelly Stetson cowboy hat. The whiskey is now available in over 1,000 retailers in 15 states, as well as online in 47 states, and each batch that drops is named after one of Alan’s 35 career #1 hits, like “Here In the Real World” and “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow.” Last year, Silverbelly announced that Alan’s daughter, Mattie Jackson, had joined the popular whiskey brand as Master Blender, a position that seems to be perfect for the younger Jackson with her experience as a Certified Bourbon Professional and a Certified Sommelier. Mattie, who is responsible for not only overseeing the quality control of the product but also blending future batches to give them that smooth “’90s country taste” that Silverbelly is known for, recently joined The Nashville Palace Podcast along with Silverbelly CEO Robbie Goldsmith to talk about not only the whiskey but also her father’s legacy. And one way the brand helps to carry on Alan’s legendary legacy is by offering a special gift to newlyweds from the legend himself. As Goldsmith explains, couples who choose Silverbelly as part of their wedding day will receive a personalized lyric sheet to one of Alan’s biggest love songs, autographed by the country music legend: “One of the coolest things we do is if you make Silverbelly the whiskey of your wedding and buy 12 bottles, whether it’s for the wedding or for the groomsman gifts or bridesmaid gifts or whatever it is, we’ll send you a hand signed lyric sheet to ‘Livin’ On Love’ from Alan for your wedding gift.” Pretty awesome. View this post on Instagram Goldsmith says they’ve even gotten an order for a package from a castle in Scotland: “We got a two case order for a wedding in a castle in northern Scotland. I literally went on Google Earth and I’m like where is this order going and it was like I’m talking way up by like Dracula’s castle, for a wedding … and they wanted the lyric sheet and I was like you’re more than welcome to have it.” I mean, who wouldn’t want that for their special day? Of course Alan is gearing up to play his final show of his legendary career this weekend in Nashville, with a star-studded Last Call: The Finale at Nissan Stadium this coming Saturday, June 27. And he’ll also be opening up a brand new Silverbelly Distillery and Alan Jackson museum in downtown Nashville, to go with his longtime lower Broadway bar, AJ’s Good Time Bar. There will no doubt be plenty of Silverbelly flowing in Nashville this weekend – and if you have it flowing at your wedding, you’ll even get a gift from Alan himself. Couples who are interested in taking advantage of the offer can find out more information on Silverbelly’s website here.The post Alan Jackson’s Silverbelly Whiskey Offers A Unique Gift To Newlyweds From Alan Himself first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Colby Acuff was more than ready to “Dunk That Sh*t” with us on the podcast. Fresh off the release of his new album, Handmade Horsepower, the country music artist (and 2026 Whiskey Riff Madness champion) joined Whiskey Riff Raff to talk about the viral origins of his “Dunk That Shit” mantra, the art of meme marketing, why he thinks social media is broken, and shares his thoughts on some of the most talented artists in the genre still not getting the recognition they deserve. Colby also dives into his frustrations with modern country music, explains why he believes Nashville is still the place to be for aspiring artists, and shares why Handmade Horsepower is the record he wants to be remembered for. He also discusses writing every song on the album himself, the short film that accompanies the project, and the impact artists like Sturgill Simpson have had on his career. Plus, Colby gives his prediction for a hypothetical (for now) country music Super Bowl Halftime Show… and details how he’d handle a bear attack. You can hear about all of that and more from Colby Acuff by checking out the interview on YouTube or making sure to download the podcast on Apple Podcasts by searching “Whiskey Riff Raff” or by clicking here. We’re also available on Spotify and wherever else you can listen to podcasts. Cheers, y’all. Audio Video The post Whiskey Riff Raff Podcast with Colby Acuff first appeared on Whiskey Riff.