10 Best 2009 Country Songs

From heartache to new love, from looking back at life to looking ahead, they're all here in our list of the 10 best 2009 country songs. The musical styles, the subject matter and the artists themselves show the diversity of country music in 2009.

1. "Do I" by Luke Bryan Country singers know how to sing about heartache and Bryan proves it with this 2009 country song. When Bryan sings about losing love, we feel the pain of a breaking heart.
2. "Toes" by Zac Brown Band Whenever we hear Brown sing this song, we wish we were on a beach somewhere. Not only is this one of the ten best 2009 country songs, it has one of the best videos, too. We especially like the cameo from Brown's buddy, Kid Rock.
3. "Cowboy Casanova" by Carrie Underwood This honky tonk hit from Underwood warns of a guy who is good in looks only. She sings the song with attitude, which, along with the great steel guitar and fiddle, makes this one of the best country songs of 2009.
4. "All Over Me" by Josh Turner Sometimes songs are good simply because they're fun and that's the case with this country song. The lyrics aren't profound, but Turner's voice is deep and rich with just the right amount of country twang, making us want to sing along.
5. "Sweet Thing" by Keith Urban  Catchy lyrics and an upbeat tempo make this a good song. Urban's guitar solo makes it one of the best country songs of 2009.
6. "Don't Think I Can't Love You" by Jake Owen He looks like Luke Wilson, but he has the baritone of a country star. This is one of the ten best 2009 country songs and probably the best one for a nice slow dance at the end of the night.
7. "Fifteen" by Taylor Swift This country song about young love is by one of music's best young talents. Swift sounds wiser than her years when she sings about life being more than what you do in high school.
8. "It Won't Be Like This For Long" by Darius Rucker Don't call him Hootie anymore. The former lead singer of the rock band Hootie and the Blowfish has crossed over to country and lands on our list of the best country songs of 2009 with this hit. If you're a parent, you can relate to the sentiment in this song as Rucker sings about how fast childhood flies by for parents.
9. "Sideways" by Dierks Bentley We couldn't make a list of the best country songs from 2009 without including a song about the ups and downs of a night at the bar. Dancing, drinking, loud music and bar fights all sound like the elements of a great country song to us.
10. "Closer to the Bone" by Kris Kristofferson You probably didn't hear this one on the radio, but trust us, it is one of the ten best 2009 country songs. Kristofferson is well into his 70s now and he sounds like a wise sage in this song. It's a raw assessment of the beauty of life when you live it honestly and how much sweeter life can be as you grow older.