What makes a great country love song? Is it a pining ballad about lost love, an upbeat anthem that soundtracks the perfect day with your sweetheart or a steamy tune to slow dance to? The answer is all that and more. When it comes to country music, there's truly a love song for every mood.
In honor of Valentine's Day, we asked 12 country artists to share their go-to country love song, from date night jams to the soundtracks of their first dance at their wedding.
Adam Mac
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"I Could Use A Love Song," Maren Morris
"There are so many great love songs in country music, but one that will always be special to me is 'I Could Use A Love Song' by Maren Morris, which I know might sound like an odd choice for favorite love song, but that song came out right as I was meeting my partner and I could really relate to the honesty Maren was singing about. Wanting to find your person — and be all in love and stuff!" Mac says.
Listen here.
Listen to Adam Mac's latest single "New Vibration" here.
Levi Hummon
Marbaloo
"Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right," Billy Currington
"If I had to choose a country song to bump on Valentine's Day it would have to be "Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right" by Billy Currington," Hummon says. "He has one of the better voices in the entire genre, and when I opened up for him back in 2018 this song always stuck out to me as one of my favorites. It's got that 'I need to buy my girl some flowers and chocolate' vibe so I think it's perfect for Valentine's."
Listen here.
Listen to Levi Hummon's "Good Riddance" here.
Anne Wilson
Cameron Powell
"God Gave Me You," Blake Shelton
"The message of the song is an important reminder that God puts everyone in our lives for a reason," Wilson says. "Your loved ones will be there for you in the good times but will also help you get through the lows and overcome adversities. It's the perfect song for a day like Valentine's Day, where we celebrate the love given to us by God, friends, family and everyone in between."
Listen here.
Listen to Anne Wilson's "Living Water" here.
Donice Morace
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"The Way She Loves Me," Cody Johnson
"Being a musician first, the sparse and intimate production caught my ear the first time I heard it," Morace says. "Then I listened to the lyrics. It brought me back to my college days imagining what my one true love would feel like. And let's face it, what girl wouldn't want to hear those things said to her?"
Listen here.
Listen to Donice Morace's "Goin' Goin" here.
Amy Jack
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"Feels So Right," Alabama
"One of the greatest country love songs of all time," Jack says. "Jeff [Cook] is a huge inspiration for me and my music, and written by Randy Owen, this is such a special and romantic song."
Listen here.
Listen to Amy Jack's "Cozy at Home" here.
Casi Joy
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"Then," Brad Paisley
"Not only am I a sucker for a ballad with a long outro, this song has a very special meaning to me," Joy says. "When I first started dating my husband, Bryan, it felt like it was written for us; like you couldn't imagine loving someone any more than you already do. And then you do over and over again. I put the song on a mix CD I made for him, and five years later, it ended up being the song we had our first dance to at our wedding. We've been together eleven years now, and that song still makes me all emotional!"
Listen here.
Listen to Casi Joy's "Under the Hood" here.
Becca Bowen
Marbaloo
"Never Til Now," Ashley Cooke
"I absolutely love this song. It's completely written from the perspective of being vulnerable, willing to let walls down and love," Bowen says. "Love always has a way of finding you when you are not looking for it. It's beautifully written and everything a love song should be. This song puts me in the feels."
Listen here.
Listen to Becca Bowen's "Like You've Never Been Loved" here.
Madelyn Rose
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"American Country Love Song," Jake Owen
"To me it represents the perfect American teenage relationship," Rose says. "As soon as the song begins, the lyrics paint a picture of what every teen wants in a simple love. 'Wonderin' who's gonna kiss who first' and 'Couple kids just livin' that American country love song,' are just a few examples of how young teens can relate."
Listen here.
Listen to Madelyn Rose's "Taillights Fade" here.
Liddy Clark
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"You're Still The One," Shania Twain
"Her voice is absolutely stunning and the instrumentation complements it perfectly," Clark says. "So much 90's country nostalgia in it too. I feel like it really delves into the truest, most authentic kind of love. Also, Harry Styles covering it with her... was iconic!"
Listen here.
Listen to Liddy Clark's "We Both Know" here.
Taryn Papa
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"Forever and Ever Amen," Randy Travis
"I love its happy and hopeful perspective on true love that withstands the tests of time," Papa says. "With my upcoming wedding, the lyrics perfectly capture how I feel towards my fiancé. Not to mention, it's the perfect hashtag for my new last name, #foreverandeverEhmen !"
Listen here.
Brandon Ratcliff
Nick Rau
"Had It Not Been You," Alan Jackson
"With songs like 'Gentle On My Mind,' 'I Believe In You,' and 'Forever and Ever, Amen' in contention, it's almost impossible to narrow down the greatest country love song race, but I picked a different song for a more personal reason," Ratcliff says. "'Had It Not Been You' by Alan Jackson is my favorite country love song because of how simply and beautifully it captures the non cinematic, real life love between a man and his family. The song was written by my uncle, Sidney Cox of The Cox Family. Although I wasn't even old enough to drive yet, the first time I heard this song I knew I wanted a love like that... 'a view that some just talk of but never find in a lifetime.'"
Listen here.
Listen to Brandon Ratcliff's "Where I'm Coming From" here.
Johnny Dailey
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"Anything But Mine," Kenny Chesney
"Kenny is one of the greats, and he's one of my biggest inspirations in country music," Dailey says. "As is Scooter Carusoe, who wrote this song, and who I had the incredible opportunity to write with on my upcoming single, 'Over A Girl.' I'll always go back to this song because it captures classic country music storytelling and withstands the test of time."
Listen here.
Listen to Johnny Dailey's "Got Married" here.
READ MORE: The 20 Best Country Love Songs of All Time
