LeAnn Rimes debuted on the mainstream country music scene in 1996 as a 13-year-old singing the classic country-inspired tune "Blue." Although the country singer began her career young, she managed to continue the momentum of her debut into the late '90s and 2000s, releasing multiple hits. She even recorded the theme song for a major motion picture at just 17 years old.
Throughout the past 25-plus years, Rimes has released many singles and left her unique mark on country music. Here's our dream 10-song tracklist for Rimes' next greatest hits compilation.
10. "You Light Up My Life"
This countrified rendition of a pop standard arrived in 1997: 20 years after Debby Boone's career-defining and Grammy-winning recording. To this day, the song and its music video best prove Rimes as a world-class song interpreter. It's the title track of Rimes' chart-topping album You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs.
9. "Long Live Love"
For a taste of Rimes' more recent music, which incorporates a broader range of musical styles, give this stunner from 2017 a listen. The single from the album Remnants topped Billboard's Dance Club Songs chart.
8. "Nothin' 'bout Love Makes Sense"
Rimes was just a teenager when she started her successful career in the '90s, and in the 2000s, the Jackson, Miss.-born singer successfully transitioned from teenage star to adult country star by releasing multiple hits. One of these was "Nothin' 'bout Love Makes Sense," released from her This Woman album in 2005. This bouncy country tune finds Rimes exploring the intricacies of love alongside guitar and dobro instrumentation. The song added some energetic flair to country radio and landed at No. 5 on the Country Airplay chart.
7. "Something's Gotta Give"
?Another one of Rimes' hits from the 2000s was the upbeat "Something's Gotta Give." In this tune, Rimes sings about a woman who is looking for love as she sings hopefully about finding her special someone. "Something's gotta give me butterflies, something's gotta makes me feel alright," she sings in the chorus.?
6. "Probably Wouldn't Be This Way"
Many of LeAnn Rimes' songs are upbeat and positive, but her music took on a deeper meaning with the release of 2005's "Probably Wouldn't Be This Way." It's not entirely clear what situation Rimes is singing about in the tune, but she clearly takes on a feeling of grief and missing someone, so it's likely she's singing about the death of a loved one. Rimes' voice shines throughout this tune as she sings its mournful lyrics. "Probably Wouldn't Be This Way" landed at No. 3 on the Country Airplay chart.
5. "Blue"
One can't think about Rimes' career without mentioning her debut single, "Blue," which was released in 1996 when she was just 13 years old. The song was originally recorded by country artist and disc jockey Bill Mack, who sent it Rimes' father and manager for her to record. The classic country-infused song both showcased Rimes' strong and versatile vocals and established her as a traditionally-leaning artist in the mold of Patsy Cline. Of course, she would turn to more pop-leaning singles in the early 2000s.
The song earned Rimes a Grammy award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. It also serves as the title for her debut album.
4. "One Way Ticket (Because I Can)"
Rimes' next hit single after "Blue" was the energetic "One Way Ticket (Because I Can)." This freewheeling song finds a young Rimes singing about taking a trip on a train to explore. This gem from Rimes' early years made her the fourth teenage country music artist to reach No. 1.
3. "I Need You"
In the early 2000s, LeAnn Rimes transitioned her image from a traditional country-leaning youngster to a more grown up, pop-influenced singer. Rimes had many hit songs during this period of her career, including "I Need You." This soaring ballad became a crossover hit for Rimes, landing at No. 11 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on the Adult Contemporary chart. It reached No. 8 on the Country charts and charted in many other countries.
2. "Can't Fight the Moonlight"
LeAnn Rimes continued her time in the spotlight in the early 2000s with the release of "Can't Fight The Moonlight" as the theme song for the motion picture Coyote Ugly. Rimes made a cameo appearance in the movie to sing the song and she also lent her vocals to the film's star, Piper Perabo. This song became another hit for Rimes, charting on the Top 40, Adult Contemporary and Dance charts in the US as well as all over the world. Rimes also recorded "But I Do Love You" and "The Right Kind of Wrong" for the movie.
1. "How Do I Live"
Rimes' voice is tailor made for country ballads and one of her best is 1997s, "How Do I Live." Songwriter Diane Warren penned it for the movie Con Air. Warren originally promised the song to Rimes, but the movie's production company decided that Rimes, 14 at the time, was too young to sing about the subject matter in the song and movie. Trisha Yearwood recorded the song instead. However, Rimes still rut her own version, which peaked at No. 2 on the charts. The song has gone down as one of Rimes' greatest hits.
Other noteworthy country songs released by Rimes include "Hurt Me," "Unchained Melody," "The Light In Your Eyes," "On The Side of Angels," "Looking Through Your Eyes" (from Sittin' on Top of the World), "Nothin' New Under The Moon," "Big Deal," "Life Goes On," "Some People," "Nothin' Better To Do," "Good Friend and a Glass of Wine" and "What I Cannot Change."
Rimes also recorded multiple duets with notable artists including "Written In The Stars" with Elton John, "Cattle Call" with Eddy Arnold, "Last Thing on My Mind" with Ronan Keating, "Everybody's Someone" with Brian McFadden, "'Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore" with Bon Jovi, "When You Love Someone Like That" with Reba McEntire and others. Rimes has also recorded quite a few covers, such as "The Rose," Prince's "Purple Rain," "I Believe," "What A Wonderful World" "Swingin'" and the classic hymn "Amazing Grace," among others.
Read More: Blue': A Bill Mack Song Changed 13-Year-Old LeAnn Rimes' Life After She Fished It From the Trash
