CMT’s 40 Greatest Country Songs of the Decade 2000-2010

CMT debuted its top 40 Country songs of the decade from 2000-2010. CMT stands for Country Music Television. The songs listed are country music’s most memorable.

To view their official news release, visit the CMT Songs press release.

This list includes many big-name men stars like Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, and Jason Aldean. The list also includes big women stars like Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, and Faith Hill.

Stream 2000-2010s Greatest Country Playlist

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Biggest Country Songs 2000-2010

#1 Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning) – Alan Jackson
Released in 2002 on the album Drive

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

Where were you when the world stopped turnin’
That September day?
Teachin’ a class full of innocent children
Or drivin’ down some cold interstate?

#2 Hurt – Johnny Cash
Released in 2002 on the album American IV: The Man Comes Around

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt

#3 Whiskey Lullaby – Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss
Released in 2003 on the album Mud on the Tires

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

With a note that said I’ll love her till I die
And when we buried him beneath the willow
The angels sang a whiskey lullaby

#4 Jesus, Take The Wheel – Carrie Underwood
Released in 2005 on the album Some Hearts

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

Jesus, take the wheel
Take it from my hands
‘Cause I can’t do this on my own
I’m letting go

#5 Courtesy Of The Red White And Blue (The Angry American) – Toby Keith
Released in 2002 on the album Unleashed

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

When you hear mother freedom start ringin’ her bell
And it feels like the whole wide world is raining down on you
Brought to you courtesy of the red white and blue

#6 The Good Stuff – Kenny Chesney
Released in 2002 on the album No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

Eatin’ burnt suppers the whole first year
An’ askin’ for seconds to keep her from tearin’ up
Yeah, man, that’s the good stuff

#7 Live Like You Were Dying – Tim McGraw
Released in 2004 on the album Live Like You Were Dying

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

And I loved deeper
And I spoke sweeter
And I gave forgiveness I’d been denying”
And he said
“Someday I hope you get the chance
To live like you were dying”

#8 You Belong With Me – Taylor Swift
Release in 2009 on the album Fearless

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

If you could see that I’m the one
Who understands you
Been here all along
So, why can’t you see?
You belong with me

#9 I Hope You Dance – Lee Ann Womack
Released in 1999 on the album I Hope You Dance

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

When you come close to sellin’ out reconsider
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

#10 Need You Now – Lady A
Released in 2009 on the album Need You Now

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

It’s a quarter after one
I’m a little drunk and I need you now
Said I wouldn’t call, but I lost all control
And I need you now

#11 The House That Built Me – Miranda Lambert
Released in 2010 on the album Revolution

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

If I could just come in, I swear I’ll leave
Won’t take nothin’ but a memory
From the house that built me

#12 Bless The Broken Road – Rascal Flatts
Released in 2004 on the album Feels Like Today

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you

#13 There Goes My Life – Kenny Chesney
Released in 2003 on the album When the Sun Goes Down

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

He smiles, “There goes my life
There goes my future, my everything
I love you Daddy, good night
There goes my life”

#14 Breathe – Faith Hill
Released in 1999 on the album Breathe

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

Caught up in the touch
Slow and steady rush
Baby, isn’t that the way that love’s supposed to be?
I can feel you breathe

#15 It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere – Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett
Released in 2003 on the album Greatest Hits Volume II

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

Make it a hurricane, before I go insane
It’s only half past twelve. But I don’t care
It’s five o’clock somewhere

#16 Somebody Like You – Keith Urban
Released in 2002 on the album Golden Road

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

I couldn’t walk a straight line
Even if I wanted to
I wanna love somebody, love somebody like you

#17 Redneck Woman – Gretchen Wilson
Released in 2004 on the album Here for the Party

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

Out there keeping it country
Let me get a big “hell yeah”
From the redneck girls like me
Hell yeah

#18 Give It Away – George Strait
Released in 2006 on the album It Just Comes Natural

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

There ain’t nothing in this house worth fightin’ over
Oh, and we’re both tired of fightin’ anyway
So just give it away

#19 Red Dirt Road – Brooks & Dunn
Released in 2003 on the album Red Dirt Road

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

We’d turn out the headlights
And drive by the moonlight
Talk about what the future might hold
Down that red dirt road

#20 I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow – Soggy Bottom Boys
Released in 2002 on the album O Brother, Where Art Thou? Soundtrack

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

I am a man of constant sorrow
I’ve seen trouble all my days
I bid farewell to ol’ Kentucky

#21 Drive (For Daddy Gene) – Alan Jackson
Released in 2002 on the album Drive

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

Just a little lake across the Alabama line
But I was king of the ocean
When daddy let me
Drive

#22 Chicken Fried – Zac Brown Band
Released in 2007 on the album The Foundation

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

Raise your glasses for a toast
To a little bit of chicken fried
A cold beer on a Friday night
A pair of jeans that fit just right
And the radio up

#23 Beer For My Horses – Toby Keith and Willie Nelson
Released in 2002 on the album Unleashed

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

And we’ll all meet back at the local saloon
We’ll raise up our glasses against evil forces singing
Whiskey for my men, beer for my horses

#24 You’re Gonna Miss This – Trace Adkins
Released in 2008 on the album American Man: Greatest Hits Volume II

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you’re gonna miss this

#25 Before He Cheats – Carrie Underwood
Released in 2005 on the album Some Hearts

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

I took a Louisville slugger to both headlights
I slashed a hole in all four tires
Maybe next time he’ll think before he cheats

#26 Three Wooden Crosses – Randy Travis
Released in 2002 on the album Rise and Shine

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

There are three wooden crosses on the right side of the highway
Why there’s not four of them, Heaven only knows
I guess it’s not what you take when you leave this world behind you
It’s what you leave behind you when you go

#27 Our Song – Taylor Swift
Released in 2006 on the album Taylor Swift

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

I’ve heard every album, listened to the radio
Waited for something to come along
That was as good as our song

#28 She’s Country – Jason Aldean
Released in 2009 on the album Wide Open

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

From the song she plays to the prayer she prays
That’s the way she was born and raised
She ain’t afraid to stay
Country
Brother she’s country

#29 Austin – Blake Shelton
Released in 2001 on the album Blake Shelton

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

I’m headed out to the lake and I’ll be gone all weekend long
But I’ll call you back when I get home on Sunday afternoon
And P.S., if this is Austin, I still love you

#30 Then – Brad Paisley
Released in 2009 on the album American Saturday Night

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

Like a river meets the sea
Stronger than it’s ever been
We’ve come so far since that day
And I thought I loved you then

#31 What Hurts The Most – Rascal Flatts
Released in 2006 on the album Me and My Gang

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

What hurts the most
Is being so close
And having so much to say (much to say)
And watching you walk away

#32 Forever And For Always – Shania Twain
Released in 2002 on the album Up!

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

‘Cause I’m keepin’ you forever and for always
We will be together all of our days
Wanna wake up every mornin’ to your sweet face
Always

#33 Cowboy Take Me Away – Chicks
Released in 1999 on the album Fly

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

Cowboy take me away
Fly this girl as high as you can into the wild blue
Set me free, oh, I pray

#34 Like We Never Loved At All – Faith Hill & Tim McGraw
Released in 2005 on the album Fireflies

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

Maybe that’s just your way
Of dealing with the pain
Forgetting everything between our rise and fall
Like we never loved at all

#35 Believe – Brooks & Dunn
Released in 2003 on the album Red Dirt Road

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

I’m findin’ more and more truth
In the words written in red
They tell me that there’s more to life
Than just what I can see, I believe”

#36 Come A Little Closer – Dierks Bentley
Released in 2005 on the album Modern Day Drifter

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

Come a little closer baby
I feel like strippin’ it down
Back to the basics of you and me
And what makes the world go ’round

#37 Stay – Sugarland
Released in 2006 on the album Enjoy the Ride

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

Why don’t you stay?
I’m down on my knees
I’m so tired of bein’ lonely
Don’t I give you what you need?

#38 Days Go By – Keith Urban
Released in 2004 on the album Be Here

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

And days go by
I can feel ’em flyin’ like a hand out the window in the wind
The cars go by
Yeah, it’s all we’ve been given

#39 In Color – Jamey Johnson
Released in 2008 on the album That Lonesome Song

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

A picture’s worth a thousand words
But you can’t see what those shades of gray keep covered
You should’ve seen it in color

#40 Save A Horse Ride A Cowboy – Big & Rich
Released in 2004 on the album Horse of a Different Color

Most Meaningful Lyrics:

Riding up and down Broadway
On my old stud Leroy
And the girls say
Save a horse, ride a cowboy

Do you have a favorite on the list? Is a song missing? Let me know if any comments below.