Country Music’s 50 Greatest Love Songs

Love is in the air, but you need a great country song to keep it there. This playlist of the greatest country love songs features some of the most romantic, endearing, satisfying and — ahem — passionate songs from hitmakers of every generation.

Country love songs from the 1970s, ’80s, ’90s and 2000s are included on this list of the all-time greatest lovers. Sturdy male singers such as Toby Keith, George Strait, Alan Jackson and Chris Young sit next to tender, reassuring vocalists including Trisha Yearwood, Faith Hill and Carrie Underwood. Choose just a few songs to help with your perfect moment, or press play on the above playlist to enjoy all 50 of the greatest country love songs, plus some bonus acoustic tracks from contemporaries.

A great love song unites, so while it’s easy to lump well-meaning heartbreakers in with songs like “When You Say Nothing at All,” we didn’t. Our true north in deciding which songs would make this list was deciding which songs two lovers would want to listen to while sharing a special moment together.

There is certainly some overlap between this list of country love songs and any list of the best wedding songs, but many songs don’t make that leap. A few songs are so hot that they’d cause quite a bit of pearl-clutching among elderly aunties should they be picked for a first dance.

This definitive list of country music’s best love songs was created with help from readers and acknowledgement of the relative popularity upon release and now. Songs you just don’t hear any longer were pushed down the list for more popular, often contemporary love songs. A few classic love songs may have even missed the cut all together.