Right before I began middle school, I was listening to country music including Billboard Top 25 Hits like "Summertime" by Kenny Chesney, "Don't forget to Remember Me" by Carrie Underwood, and "When the Stars Go Blue" by Tim McGraw. I was an eleven-year old kid who just liked singing. I wanted to sing music by powerful women who had similar interests and cares and were passionate about their topics and music.
Ten years later, not much has changed. I was flipping through my many country music playlists as I sat down with my guitar (2006-Alex has upgraded), and I wanted to play something that sounded like home. I also wanted to sing on a topic that I cared about or could relate to on a personal level. A song that talked about the long days that girls go through, or the issues we struggle with.
When I kept scrolling through my playlists, it astounded me the few number of songs that I really had that were sung by women, or were from our point of view. This isn't the first time I've noticed it, but it's certainly the first time I was really brought back by it.
In 2016, and in 2006, there were only 4 songs in the top 25 country songs sung by women. That's not even one in every five songs. Since we don't see enough women on the Billboard charts, I thought I'd share a few of my favorites.
1. "Fight Like a Girl" by Kalie Shorr.
This is one of my favorite songs right now. It's incredibly powerful, and it says that yes: girls can be sweet, sassy, strong, and whatever else they want to be! We get to define who we are, not society.
2. "The Girl You Think I Am" by Carrie Underwood.
Carrie Underwood is a beautiful role model, and this song is graceful and elegant. Our parents are our biggest fans, and they can see us in such a better light than we see ourselves. It's such a good reminder when we are so immersed in social media and culture to have someone that just sees us for who we are.
3. "Just Because I'm a Woman" by Dolly Parton.
"Yes, I've made my mistakes/But listen and understand/My mistakes are no worse than yours/Just because I'm a woman"
In 1968, Dolly was killing it... She knew exactly what she wanted and she wasn't going to let anyone get in her way. She is such a powerful figure in country music that stands up for what she wants.
4. "The House That Built Me" by Miranda Lambert.
You leave home, you move on and you do the best you can. I got lost in this whole world and forgot who I am.
This is such an evocative and familiar song that reminds us to go back to where we found and developed ourselves. For women in college and in the young adult world, it's easy to feel lost, and this song even says it: even though you do the best you can, you can always go back to what built you.
5. "I'm Gonna Love You Through It" by Martina McBride.
Martina is such an expressive singer, and humans are naturally emotional creatures. Often, women are dubbed "crazy" if they express emotions. She has no problem talking about difficult subjects and emotions. It's always wonderful to find people that understand what you feel, and let you express it, and love you no matter what the circumstances.
