From classics to surprises: the Grand Ole Opry reveals the 100 best country songs ever made
The iconic Grand Ole Opry is located in Nashville (TN) and is still home to established and new country music acts.
The Grand Ole Opry is an American icon and deeply rooted in the country music industry.
It is one of the longest-running radio broadcasts in US history, having started in 1925 as the “WSM Barn Dance.” For nearly a century, it has provided a continuous stage for country music, becoming an institution that honors the genre’s past while embracing its future.
The Opry is credited with establishing Nashville as the “Country Music Capital” and its powerful radio broadcast and live performances created a central hub for the music, attracting artists and fans from across the country and the world.
The Opry stage has been a rite of passage for countless country stars. Artists like Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, and Garth Brooks all performed there, with many of their most significant career moments—from debuts to memberships—occurring on its stage.
The Opry turns 100
As the Opry celebrates its 100th anniversary, it has selected official list of the 100 greatest country songs of all time with the aid of a country music fan vote.
George Strait, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Garth Brooks and Willie Nelson all make appearances on the list as do more contemporary artists such as Chris Stapleton, Keith Urban Shaboozey and Blake Shelton.
A select listing of the songs is featured below with the full 100 song selection available here.
"Crazy" - Patsy Cline
"I Walk the Line" - Johnny Cash
"Jolene" - Dolly Parton
"Stand by Your Man" - Tammy Wynette
"He Stopped Loving Her Today" - George Jones
"Ring of Fire" - Johnny Cash
"Your Cheatin' Heart" - Hank Williams
"The Gambler" - Kenny Rogers
"I Will Always Love You" - Dolly Parton
"Coal Miner's Daughter" - Loretta Lynn
"Fancy" - Reba McEntire
"Go Rest High on That Mountain" - Vince Gill
"Jesus, Take the Wheel" - Carrie Underwood
"Live Like You Were Dying" - Tim McGraw
"The House That Built Me" - Miranda Lambert
"Tennessee Whiskey" - Chris Stapleton
"Wagon Wheel" - Darius Rucker
"A Bar Song (Tipsy)" - Shaboozey
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