The 20 biggest (and best) country songs of 2022

Released in April and buoyed by its popularity on TikTok, Zach Bryan's "Something In The Orange" is one of the year's biggest country releases. It's an excellent song and proof that plenty of people are clamoring for more traditional country tunes than they hear on the radio. 

Co-written by Morris and her husband Ryan Hurd, "Circles Around This Town" earned critical and commercial success thanks to its endlessly catchy melody and totally relatable lyrics. 

Appearing on Childers's triple album Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven, "Way of the Triune God" has quickly emerged as a manifesto for many fans to reconnect with their spirituality. The song, and the album, have also struck a chord outside of Childers's indie country artist, evidenced by its top-ten appearance on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart. 

A riff on Jo Dee Messina's classic hit, Cole Swindell pays homage to '90s country on "She Had Me At Heads Carolina." The two teamed up for a remix of the song, released in November, which drives home the nostalgia of a song like this. 

On this ridiculously sweet duet, Kane Brown is joined by his wife and fellow singer, Katelyn Brown, for a song about how much they love each other. It's maybe a little cheesy, but it's also the kind of song that will soundtrack first dances at weddings for years to come. 

The newly crowned CMA Entertainer of the Year, Luke Combs is unstoppable right now. "The Kind of Love We Make" is the second single from Combs's acclaimed third album Growin' Up and boasts a little more R&B influence than his previous efforts. 

Caitlyn Smith has been a darling among alt-country fans for years, especially after 2018's Starfire, and ballads like "High" are exactly why. All emotion and killer vocals, it's the perfect song to belt when you're singing in the car. 

Somehow, Zach Bryan managed to release more than one album in 2022, and they're both excellent. "Oklahoma Smokeshow" is the standout on Summertime Blues, the surprise EP Bryan dropped in July, just weeks after the debut of his much-loved album American Heartbreak.

Ashley McBryde continues the rich storytelling tradition in country music with Lindeville, a concept album about a whole bunch of colorful characters. The entire album's worth a listen, but "Brenda Put Your Bra On" will inspire a giggle or two. 

The first single from Combs' third full-length album, "Doin' This" is the powerhouse vocalist at his most powerful. It also feels like a real distillation of his everyman ethos, making it clear that Combs would be just as happy to play his music in a run-down bar as he is in an arena. 

Even country traditionalists who might be skeptical of a one-named up-and-comer like Ernest had to admit that they were impressed with "Flower Shops," a tune inspired by the vintage melancholy of the legendary George Jones. 

The lead single from Pardi's acclaimed 2022 album Mr. Saturday Night, "Last Night Lonely" is a decidedly modern love song. It was a No. 1 hit on country radio and belongs on anyone's 2022 country playlist. 

Technically released in October 2021, Cody Johnson's "Til' You Can't" was a massive hit in 2022, earning the artist the Single of the Year award at the CMA Awards. It was impossible to escape on both TikTok and the radio, which is a good thing when you're talking about a song this great. 

Like the rest of us, Miranda Lambert has noticed that things are feeling a little, well, strange right now. "Strange" is a totally 2022 song that feels especially appropriate in this era of high inflation and political uncertainty. 

If you haven't yet been acquainted with Texas-born southern-rock band Whiskey Myers, there's no time like the present. The band's 2022 album Tornillo is top-to-bottom solid, full of tracks like the excellent "Heart of Stone." 

Texan Parker McCollum's star has been on the rise over the past couple of years, and that's because of songs like "Handle on You." Released in August, the track hopefully means that McCollum is working on a follow-up to 2020's acclaimed Hollywood Gold.

Like him or not, there's no denying that 2022 was Jelly Roll's year. The hick-hop rapper turned bonafide star has dominated the charts this year with "Son of a Sinner," a rock-inflected ballad that has proven wildly popular with fans. 

While country music certainly doesn't need any more songs about trucks, Lainey Wilson did it right on "Heart Like A Truck." The metaphor just works, and Wilson's powerful vocals really drive it home. 

Country traditionalists will find a lot to love in the music of Charley Crockett, who probably would've sounded right at home in the 1950s. "I'm Just A Clown," the lead single from his excellent 2022 album The Man From Waco, is an excellent starting point for those looking to learn more about one of country's most exciting new artists. 

Perhaps nobody knows the world of working the land more than Colter Wall, expertise on full display in the bucolic "Cypress Hills and the Big Country."