Back when Lainey Wilson was new to country music — living in her camper van in West Nashville and accruing a variety of colorful life stories and resume experience — she already had a vision for her career as a superstar.
It felt like a long shot back then, and even still seemed unlikely by the time 2021 rolled around, when Wilson released her breakout album, Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’.
But over just a few short years, Wilson has proved she’s got the gumption, grit and work ethic to back up all those dreams.
She’s skyrocketed from relative obscurity to Entertainer of the Year status, paving her path with a consistent roll-out of hits and songs true to her heart.
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Our list of the 20 best Lainey Wilson songs spans her career, and proves that essentially, she’s the same artist today as she was back when she was fresh-faced and just cutting her teeth.
Her albums have always included gritty, determined ballads. They’ve always included fun, tempo-heavy songs with a funky flair. They’ve always shown her vulnerable side, her love of her hometown and her family.
It’s that consistency that has kept Wilson on a steady rise to the top. She’s always been a sharp songwriter with a stubborn streak, a tender heart and a flair for ’70s rock and roll.
Some of that might seem like a contradiction, but it’s always made perfect sense to Wilson, who debuted on the country scene with a seemingly endless wardrobe of bell-bottoms and an unapologetically thick Louisiana drawl.
From the very beginning, this artist has known who she is. Her top songs prove it.
Keep reading for Taste of Country’s list of Lainey Wilson’s 20 best songs, ranked.
The 20 Best Lainey Wilson Songs
Lainey Wilson’s best songs are the ones that show exactly who she is: A sharp songwriter with a stubborn streak, a tender heart and a flair for ’70s rock and roll.
Some of that might seem like a contradiction, but it’s always made perfect sense to Wilson, who debuted on the country scene with a never-ending closet full of bell-bottoms and an unapologetically thick Louisiana drawl. Even if you flip back to some of her earliest releases, this singer-songwriter has always known who she is, and been laser-focused on her country music goals.
That self-confidence and willingness to work hard has paid off for Wilson, who has climbed the country music ladder by leaps and bounds since she released her breakout hit, “Things a Man Oughta Know,” in 2021. Keep reading for a look at Wilson’s catalogue, and our roundup of the 20 best country songs she has released to date.
Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak
