For most artists, getting on radio is the primary goal. Still, there are some songs that even popular artists and bands have released over the years that didn't do well at radio, and were widely panned by the industry, but the audience loved. Keep reading to find four country hits that were disliked by critics, but loved during concerts.
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1. "Summer Fever" by Little Big Town
It's hard to believe that Little Big Town's "Summer Fever" didn't even crack the Top 30, but it's true. The song, which seemed poised to be a big hit for Little Big Town, was ultimately never even included on an album, likely at least partly due to its failure to do much at radio. Still, it's a perfect summer anthem, and a country fan favorite.
2. "Fancy" by Reba McEntire
It's hard to imagine Reba McEntire's career without "Fancy." The song, first recorded by Bobbie Gentry, who wrote the song, was included on McEntire's 1990 Rumor Has It album. Surprisingly, the song didn't make it into the Top 10, perhaps due to the fact that the song was almost five minutes long. Still, the song is arguably McEntire's most iconic song and the one she still uses to close out all of her live shows.
3. "One Too Many" by Keith Urban with P!nk
Keith Urban released "One Too Many" with P!nk in 2020. The song, from Urban's The Speed of Now Part 1 album, seemed certain to be a No. 1 hit. Unfortunately, the song didn't get past the No. 10 position on the charts, perhaps due to P!nk's unfamiliarity at country radio. Still, the song is pure country, and deserved to be added to Urban's lengthy list of chart-topping singles.
4. "No I in Beer" by Brad Paisley
Brad Paisley pulled out all of the stops for this song and video. Released at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, Paisley enlisted the help of A-list artists like Tim McGraw, Darius Rucker, Kelsea Ballerini and more to both join him on vocals and appear -- remotely due to social-distancing guidelines at the time -- in the video. Perhaps due to its focus on surviving COVID-19, the song didn't do well on radio, but it's still a rousing anthem, and still applicable five years later.
