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18 country music songs that caused much controversy
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18 country music songs that caused much controversy

Even though country music is mostly known as a genre that revels in nostalgia, it's not completely devoid of controversy and hard-hitting subject matter. Throughout the decades, country musicians have both used their songs to protest racism, homophobia, and misogyny, and found themselves in hot water with fans and censors for getting too "sensual" in the lyrics.

Flip through the slideshow below for a look at the genre's most controversial tunes, from overtly political favorites like "The Pill" by Loretta Lynn to more subtly subversive classics. 

 
1 of 18

"The Pill," Loretta Lynn

"The Pill," Loretta Lynn
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

When it was released in 1975, Loretta Lynn's classic songs about the wonders of the birth control pill stirred controversy after its release, with radio stations refusing to play the song. Still, it was a massive crossover success, even charting on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. 

 
2 of 18

"Red Ragtop," Tim McGraw

"Red Ragtop," Tim McGraw
Terry Wyatt/Getty Images

Blink and you'll miss it, but one of the lyrics to this 2002 Tim McGraw song tells the story of a young woman that chooses to have an abortion without regrets. Some radio stations refused to play the song, but "Red Ragtop" endures thanks to a recent explosion of popularity on TikTok. 

 
3 of 18

"Follow Your Arrow," Kacey Musgraves

"Follow Your Arrow," Kacey Musgraves
Rick Kern/Getty Images

For country radio, the lyric "kiss lots of boys, or kiss lots of girls if that's what you're into" was still a little too controversial in 2013, when Kacey Musgraves released "Follow Your Arrow." The song was criticized for its support of the LGBTQ+ community, but that didn't stop it from selling more than one million copies, earning the song a Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Academy of America. 

 
4 of 18

"Goodbye Earl," The Chicks

"Goodbye Earl," The Chicks
Harry Langdon/Getty Images

Thanks to its heavy subject matter, including domestic violence and murder, "Goodbye Earl" earned the ire of some censors after it was released in 2000. Some stations banned the song, others chose to share the domestic violence hotline number after playing it, but one thing's for sure: "Goodbye Earl" helped kickstart a conversation about domestic violence. 

 
5 of 18

"We Shall Be Free," Garth Brooks

"We Shall Be Free," Garth Brooks
Lester Cohen/Getty Images

Described by Brooks as the most controversial song in his catalog, "We Shall Be Free" imagines a world in which there is no racism, homophobia, or violence. It's one of Brooks's only songs to not land in the top 10 of the country charts because a number of radio stations refused to play it. 

 
6 of 18

"Girl Crush," Little Big Town

"Girl Crush," Little Big Town
Mike Coppola/Getty Images for CMT

Written by Lori McKenna and recorded by Little Big Town in 2014, "Girl Crush" stirred controversy solely out of confusion. Even though the song's mostly about pining after a man who's with another woman, some critics saw it as "encouraging homosexuality" and demanded that radio stations stop playing "Girl Crush." 

 
7 of 18

"Fancy," Reba McEntire

"Fancy," Reba McEntire
Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images

Originally recorded by Bobbie Gentry, "Fancy" was a massive success when it was released in 1970. The same was true in 1991, when Reba McEntire made this classic ode about a young woman who finds her way in the world as a sex worker a crossover hit yet again. There's something inherently controversial in a song that's about being "turned out" by your mom, and people are still shocked today when they hear "Fancy" for the first time. 

 
8 of 18

"You've Never Been This Far Before," Conway Twitty

"You've Never Been This Far Before," Conway Twitty
GAB Archive/Redferns

The lyrics of this Conway Twitty classic likely wouldn't pass muster today. It's about getting intimate with a young woman who's still a virgin, which earned the song a ban from many radio stations after its original release in 1973. Still, despite the controversy, "You've Never Been This Far Before" was a No. 1 hit. 

 
9 of 18

"Accidental Racist," Brad Paisley

"Accidental Racist," Brad Paisley
Jerod Harris/ACMA2013/Getty Images for ACM

Featuring a cameo from LL Cool J, this fumbled attempt at an anti-racist song from Brad Paisley is really more cringe than controversial. In the lyrics, Paisley and LL Cool J attempt to find a path forward in the United States's complicated racial history, but ultimately, they only end up making some really awkward (and arguably offensive) statements about how to handle racism. 

 
10 of 18

"Country Girl (Shake It For Me)," Luke Bryan

"Country Girl (Shake It For Me)," Luke Bryan
Marianna Massey/Getty Images

Decried as both the height of "bro-country" and a misogynist anthem, Luke Bryan's "Country Girl (Shake It For Me)" was still a No. 1 hit, and it remains one of the top-selling country songs in music history. 

 
11 of 18

"Okie From Muskogee," Merle Haggard

"Okie From Muskogee," Merle Haggard
Paul Natkin/Getty Images

Depending on who you ask, you'll likely get a different answer about "Okie From Muskogee," one of Merle Haggard's most recognizable hits. Haggard himself said that he wrote the song in support of American servicemembers during the Vietnam War, but he later hinted that it might be more of a satirical look at the sanitized version of small-town America than many fans originally thought. 

 
12 of 18

“Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other,” Willie Nelson

“Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other,” Willie Nelson
Taylor Hill/Getty Images

The title pretty much says it all: this is a song about gay cowboys. Written by Ned Sublette, the song lingered in the shadows for more than two decades before Nelson decided to record his own version to follow the release of the much-lauded film Brokeback Mountain in 2006. Some fans weren't happy with the song's pro-LGBTQ+ content, but the famously progressive Nelson just shrugged off his critics. 

 
13 of 18

"Picture To Burn," Taylor Swift

"Picture To Burn," Taylor Swift
Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images

Released in 2008, the first verse of Taylor Swift's "Picture to Burn" originally contained a lyric that many fans considered to be homophobic. Swift later agreed with that sentiment, and she has since changed the lyric in the song's official version. 

 
14 of 18

"Dinosaur," Hank Williams Jr.

"Dinosaur," Hank Williams Jr.
Terry Wyatt/Getty Images

Released in 1980, Hank Williams Jr.'s "Dinosaur" might have a killer sonic vibe — and you might agree with his criticisms of disco music and appeals to nostalgia — but this song is pretty blatant in its homophobia. 

 
15 of 18

"Independence Day," Martina McBride

"Independence Day," Martina McBride
Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images

Even though it was a critical and commercial success, Martina McBride's "Independence Day" was still controversial after its release thanks to its heavy themes. Exploring the impact of domestic violence and alcoholism, some thought the lyrics were a little too heavy for a song that many thought would be a patriotic anthem. 

 
16 of 18

"Murder on Music Row," George Strait and Alan Jackson

"Murder on Music Row," George Strait and Alan Jackson
Larry Busacca/WireImage

Less controversial than a tongue-in-cheek jab at Nashville, "Murder on Music Row" isn't about the death of a human. It's about the slow loss of authenticity and classic country sensibilities on Music Row, a common theme for country traditionalists and those who oppose the dominance of "pop-country." 

 
17 of 18

"Rated X," Loretta Lynn

"Rated X," Loretta Lynn
David Redfern/Redferns/Getty Images

This 1973 Loretta Lynn anthem was a commercial success, though some fans were angered by the saucy, sexy lyrics in "Rated X." "Well if you've been a married woman and things didn't seem to work out," Lynn sings. "Divorce is the key to bein' loose and free." 

 
18 of 18

"Strawberry Wine," Deana Carter

"Strawberry Wine," Deana Carter
Paul Natkin/Getty Images

Praised by critics and a massive commercial success, Deana Carter's "Strawberry Wine" still found itself on the wrong side of some radio stations, who refused to play the "coming of age" ballad because it might encourage teens to have sex. 

Amy McCarthy

Amy McCarthy is a Texas-based journalist. Follow her on twitter at @aemccarthy

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