Katie Peterson
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Country music has always made its fame by putting out songs that tell a story, which has only been enhanced over the years by the music videos produced. From heartbreaking ballads to a whole new spin on some of the most popular covers and even some that are just plain fun to watch in a light-hearted moment, there are so many memorable ones to choose from.
Here are the 15 best country music videos ranked.
15. “Drunk on a Plane” – Dierks Bentley
Who wouldn’t want to get “Drunk on a Plane” if you were forced to go on your honeymoon alone after being left at the altar? Dierks Bentley knows how to bring out the party for this music video, as it shows strangers rallying around a man who needs some good ole cheering up. Hey, even the priest joins in on the party, and we must admit, we wanted to join in, too.
14. “Man! I Feel Like a Woman” – Shania Twain
Shania Twain was the queen of country music throughout the mid-1990s and early 2000s. Throughout, she has come out with several epic music videos, but let’s face it. When “Man! I Feel Like a Woman” comes on the radio, we immediately get the image of Twain at that microphone rocking her black top hat and matching outfit that gets sexier and sexier throughout, topped off with those sleek leather boots. For any girl rocking out to that song, it’s a look that we all like to pretend to emulate. Now, if only we could get those musicians backing us up, too.
Related: Shania Twain’s Net Worth
13. “Left Side of the Bed” – Mark Gray
We sometimes forget that songs are just another form of storytelling. In the olden days of country music, that’s what the genre thrived on, and the best country music videos knew how to take that to the next level. Such is the case with Mark Gray’s “Left Side of the Bed,” which turned the short three-minute song into a nine-minute mini-movie.
Giving a slight nod to the old westerns, Gray enters the bar and plays the old piano. As he sings the heartbreaking tale of lost love, the flashback scenes tell a beautiful story of a man who, no matter what, will never give up on the woman he loves.
12. “I Guess You Had to Be There” – Lorrie Morgan
Lorrie Morgan was an icon of the 1990s, with songs like “Something in Red” and “A Picture of Me” among some of her greatest. However, it’s her 1992 hit that makes the cut for our best country music videos list. As she sings this heartbreaking ballad, the images chosen in the production of the video make it all the more heart-wrenching.
Knowing that the narrator is hurting as she knows that her relationship is not what it once was and finds herself reminiscing as she watches other couples in love makes us want to shed a tear.
11. “Country Boy” – Ricky Skaggs
Here’s a fun one to shake up our list of best country music videos. Ricky Skaggs is a legend, and it’s clear that we were in for a treat when the uncle and nephew storyline began the whole thing. Then, when he picks up that guitar and starts picking the chords like it’s nothing, our country’s music hearts are made extremely happy. It proves that you can always take the boy out of the country, but you can never take the country out of the boy.
Related: 21 Best 80s Country Songs
10. “Celebrity” – Brad Paisley
Brad Paisley knows how to turn on the laughs in his music videos, and “Celebrity” has to take the cake. With special appearances by William Shatner, Jim Belushi, Jason Alexander, and even the late Little Jimmy Dickens, as it parodies some of the biggest reality shows, it keeps you wishing that the song won’t ever end.
9. “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes” – George Jones
“He Stopped Loving Her Today” may be the most popular and signature song from “The Possum,” but “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes” is hard to beat when it comes to the world of best country music videos. Just seeing the tour bus approaching Hill’s Market in the opening scene shows just how iconic this is about to be.
When George Jones emerges from the bus and accompanies the gas station attendant inside only to show old black and white footage of such iconic artists as Johnny Cash, Conway Twitty, and Patsy Cline, our hearts can’t help but swell with emotion. We challenge any true country music fan not to tear up watching this one.
Related: How Did George Jones Die?
8. “How Do You Like Me Now?!” – Toby Keith
Toby Keith will always be one of the best in country music, and the music video for “How Do You Like Me Now?!” is still one of the greatest he has ever produced.
The hilarity of throwing it back to high school as he seeks after the beautiful cheerleader is something we all wish we could do. Who wouldn’t want to rub their success in the face of the crush that laughed in ours back in school? Thanks for letting us live vicariously through you in this video, Toby.
Related: Toby Keith’s Net Worth 2023
7. “I Miss My Friend” – Darryl Worley
Sometimes, creating a memorable music video doesn’t take all the hoopla. This next entry on our list of best country music videos is living proof.
“I Miss My Friend” was a massive hit for Darryl Worley as it spoke to a universal feeling that almost anyone can relate to. We all have that one person in our life that we wish we could see sitting in front of us again, and as the woman in the video seemingly remembers her late husband in front of her and singing our hearts can do nothing but break.
Then, when he reaches out to her, and she walks right through, the tears fall (if they haven’t been already).
6. “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia” – Reba McEntire
Talk about a bone-chilling one for our list of best country music videos. “Fancy” may have been the more obvious choice when it comes to the red-headed spitfire, but even more complete has to be Reba McEntire’s video for “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia.”
The concept of a modern-day woman meeting with a journalist to finally confess to a 40-year-old murder is a stroke of genius. It’s made even more prominent by the switch between color and black-and-white footage to differentiate between the two timeframes. If that weren’t enough, we couldn’t help but feel our heart race as the journalist finally realized what the woman was revealing.
Related: Reba Absolutely Stunning At Treasure Island
5. “Independence Day” – Martina McBride
Martina McBride has one of the most powerful voices in country music, and she is yet another who knows how to further bring out the stories told in her songs with the best country music videos to accompany them. Of them all, “Independence Day” shows it the best as it puts visuals to the lyrical mirror of the Fourth of July to the “Independence Day” of the narrator’s mother as she escapes her abusive husband by setting fire to the family home. This one always has us singing “Let Freedom Ring” with every watch.
Related: 36 Shortest Country Artists
4. “Before He Cheats” – Carrie Underwood
When Carrie Underwood took the crown on the fourth season of American Idol, it was clear that country music had a new queen rising. While she has released several high-quality music videos over the years, the music video for “Before He Cheats” seemed to be the catalyst for what we were to expect from her from now on.
Directed by Roman White, it is easily one of the most popular videos on our best country music videos list as it went on to earn the title “Best Video of 2006” on CMT’s Top 20 Countdown and “Top Video of the Decade” in 2010.
Related: The 13 Best Carrie Underwood Songs
3. “Does He Love You” – Reba McEntire feat. Linda Davis
Let’s face it. Reba McEntire is the queen of the best country music videos, as she’s the only artist to appear twice on our list. Still, we couldn’t go without recognizing the video accompanying her famous duet with Linda Davis.
The music video for “Does He Love You” beautifully portrays the journey of two women in love with the same man and the turmoil they’re both going through as they know about each other. Then, in true Reba fashion, she surprises us with a twist as her husband and his lover are blown to pieces in the yacht. It’s a true classic!
Related: The Best 20 Female Country Singers of All Time
2. “The Dance” – Garth Brooks
Garth Brooks brought a new sound to the already beloved world of country music. When he debuted the music video for “The Dance” in 1990, he proved the power of introductions or “disclaimers” to where you knew you were about to witness something special. As it seems to pull inspiration from another on our best country music video list, some of the most iconic faces like bull rider Lane Frost and John F. Kennedy appear as Brooks flawlessly sings the classic song, and we love it every time.
Since we all know the craziness of how hard it is to find anything Garth Brooks, here is a link to a Facebook page with the original video.
Related: Garth Brooks Net Worth
1. “Hurt” – Johnny Cash
Regarding the best country music videos, there was no other choice for the number one spot in our minds as Johnny Cash’s cover of “Hurt” by Nine Inch Nails seemed to be his final farewell to arguably the most significant career in country music history.
The imagery of the video, from old footage of his career to pouring the wine while sitting at the table, coupled with the shaky yet flawless vocal performance, has sent it down in history as one of the best country music videos ever made, and it will remain that way for even more decades to come.
Related: Everything You Need to Know About Johnny Cash
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