Lainey Wilson is a country music superstar who has risen up the ranks in the past couple of years to become one of the most successful young acts in the genre. This success didn't come overnight, however. Wilson moved to Music City in 201, to pursue her dream in country music. She arrived to town pulling a camper trailer, which is where she lived during her early days in town. After years of writing, releasing music independently and playing shows, she signed a major-label recording contract with BBR Music Group in 2018.
Her first major-label release was her 2019 EP Redneck Hollywood, which contained soon-to-be hit "Things a Man Oughta Know." She released that song as her official debut single in 2020, and it turned Wilson into a star. The song was received incredibly favorably by fans and country radio alike, and it became her first No. 1 song on the Country Airplay chart. Since then, things have only been moving up for the Louisiana-born singer turned Yellowstone star and Wrangler spokesperson.
These accolades and more have have set Wilson up for what is sure to be a long and successful career, but before she continues down that path, here's a look at 15 of her best songs so far.
Brett Carlsen/Getty Images for CMT Wilson's a little bit country and a little bit rock 'n' roll, as she lays out through his musical mission statement. It's one of several selections on Bell Bottom Country that captures '70s vibes. Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for CMT Elements of Southern rock, AM gold and folksy country inform one of the better album cuts on Bell Bottom Country. Like many country songs for and by women, it applauds the resolve of someone who's weathered life and come out stronger on the other end of those storms. Photo by Mickey Bernal/Getty Images When she tones things down, Wilson tells layered stories as skillfully as any neo-outlaw or Americana hero. Here, she tells a modern trail tune that brings big Highwaymen energy. Steve Granitz/FilmMagic The rock and country elements sound slicker and more modern on "Grease," but that doesn't water down Wilson's throwback appeal. It's a sassy, fun song full of Southern -isms, delivered with Wilson's usual charm. Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images Fast-driving rock 'n' roll of the Tom Petty variety drives "Road Runner," a Bell Bottom Country selection that suits Wilson's stadium country live set. It's one of several Wilson songs about free spirits, complete with a lyrical nod to Jo Dee Messina. Theo Wargo/Getty Images Touches of steel guitar added a new layer to what was already among Jelly Roll's best songs, as does the selection of Wilson as his duet partner. Wilson's voice and the new arrangement bring a otherworldly haze to one of several Jelly Roll songs that double as a prayer from someone who's not too proud to confess a plethora of sins. Jason Kempin/Getty Images Wilson's connection to Yellowstone predates her debut on the series. The western drama has featured multiple songs of Wilson's, and it all started with "Workin' Overtime." Released in 2018 before she signed a record deal, this upbeat country tune finds the singer thanking God and her guardian angels for keeping her safe despite her reckless way of life. She performed it live at the ACM Honors in Sept. 2022 to celebrate Yellowstone receiving the ACM TV/Film Award. Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Released as a cut on her Redneck Hollywood EP and on her Sayin' What I'm Thinkin' album, "Dirty Looks" tells a steamy love story. In the tune, Wilson meets up at a bar with a male suitor who has been working outdoors all day. The two begin showing some PDA in the bar, and they don't care about the "dirty looks" they are receiving from other patrons. The song features a play on words, as the couple is getting dirty looks from other people, and, as Wilson sings, "dirty" looks good on her partner. Jason Kempin/Getty Images Although it didn't make it to radio, "Rolling Stone" is another album cut from Wilson's Sayin' What I'm Thinkin' project. In this poignant song, Wilson sings from the perspective of a free-spirited woman who isn't ready to settle down. Although she has a man who is ready to put a ring on her hand, she knows in her heart that she'll always be on the run, and she can't promise that she'll settle down. As she sings in the hook, "You don't give a rock to a rolling stone." The song takes on a otherworldly vibe with banjo and acoustic instrumentation, which only adds to the wanderlust Wilson sings about in the tune. Theo Wargo/Getty Images The buzz surrounding Wilson's career began circulating in mainstream country music in 2020, and by the time she released Bell Bottom Country in Oct. 2022, she was a household name. The album allowed fans to get to know Wilson even better with 14 brand new tracks, and a song that Wilson calls one of her favorites is "Live Off." Co-written by Wilson along with with Trannie Anderson, Terri Jo Box and Adam Doleac, the song lists all the things Wilson needs to live a good life, or the things that are important to her. These things include "seven hours with a dog in the bed," "them letters written in crimson red," "Sunday talks with my mama" and much more. The tune is full of poetic ways to describe the people and things Wilson loves, and the lyrics, as a whole, express Wilson's gratitude for life. Barry Brecheisen/WireImage Another standout track on Wilson's Bell Bottom Country project is the free-spirited "Watermelon Moonshine." In this song, Wilson tells a story akin to Deana Carter's classic "Strawberry Wine," in which she remembers her "first time" every time she tastes watermelon moonshine. With descriptive lyrics and billowy guitar instrumentation, the song will certainly take listeners back to simpler summer days. Jason Kempin/Getty Images After the success of her No. 1 hit "Things a Man Oughta Know," Wilson joined established star Cole Swindell for a fiery duet called "Never Say Never." In this song, co-written by Swindell, Jessi Alexander and Chase McGill, Swindell and Wilson play the parts of two star-crossed lovers who can't seem to stay away from one another. The song features soaring country instrumentation as they sing back and forth about how they'll "never say never" to being with one another. The song reached the No. 1 spot in April 2022, becoming Swindell's 11th No. 1 and Wilson's second. Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty Images After two consecutive No. 1 songs on the charts, Wilson hit fans with "Heart Like A Truck" in May 2022. This song shows off the singer's vulnerable songwriting and country roots, as she sings about her rambling heart that still needs a little love. The song itself is optimistic, as Wilson admits that her heart has been "drug through the mud," but she's still open to finding love again. The tune also shows off Wilson's impressive range in a much bigger way than her past songs. Terry Wyatt/WireImage In Aug. 2022, Wilson joined another country artist, Hardy, for "Wait in the Truck." In this tune, the singers take turns telling an eerie story wherein a man avenges a woman he doesn't even know. The story unravels slowly as the song goes on revealing that the male character, portrayed by Hardy, comes upon a woman in the middle of the road who has clearly been abused. He allows her to take refuge in his truck, and he asks her to direct him to the home of her abuser. It is there that he takes justice into his own hands— ridding the woman of the threat once and for all. If the song isn't chilling enough, the artists also released an accompanying video that details the sinister story with visual detail. Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images This is the song that started the fire of Wilson's career. Co-written by Wilson, Jason Nix and Jonathan Singleton, the lyrics find Wilson singing from the perspective of a woman who has been jaded by a man in the past. Whether she's still brokenhearted or not is unclear, but she has full clarity on how a man should treat a woman. Suffice it to say, whoever wronged her did not live up to those standards. Her checklist for men ranges from simple tasks like how to change a tire, to deeper, relational things like "how to stay when it's tough." The song puts a new spin on a heartbreak story, and it certainly won over country audiences, becoming her first No. 1 hit."Hillbilly Hippie" (Bell Bottom Country, 2022)
"Atta Girl" (Bell Bottom Country, 2022)
"Wildflowers and Wild Horses" (Bell Bottom Country, 2022)
"Grease" (Bell Bottom Country, 2022)
"Road Runner" (Bell Bottom Country, 2022)
"Save Me" (Feat. Jelly Roll) (Jelly Roll's Whitslitt Chapel, 2023)
"Workin' Overtime" (Single, 2018)
"Dirty Looks" (Sayin' What I'm Thinkin', 2021)
"Rolling Stone" (Sayin' What I'm Thinkin', 2021)
"Live Off" (Bell Bottom Country, 2022)
"Watermelon Moonshine" (Bell Bottom Country, 2022)
"Never Say Never" (Feat. Cole Swindell) (Swindell's Stereotype, 2022)
"Heart Like A Truck" (Bell Bottom Country, 2022)
"Wait in the Truck" (Feat. Hardy) (Hardy's The Mockingbird & The Crow, 2023)
"Things A Man Oughta Know" (Sayin' What I'm Thinkin', 2021)
Editor's Note: This story was previously published on Oct. 26, 2022.
