20 of the most popular country songs performed by Black musicians

Tracy Chapman's 1987 single "Fast Car" became a top-10 hit in the United States, reaching No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. Later, it won a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Years later, country superstar Luke Combs recorded a version of the track and performed it alongside Chapman at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards. In an interview with Billboard, Luke's manager said his goal was to honor the legend that Tracy is with his cover. "Luke is a songwriter, too, and Tracy is one of his favorite artists. So, his goal was to never change the song. His goal was to honor the perfection that it is," he said.

Tanner Adell's single "Buckle Bunny" was released in 2023 and became an instant hit for the Kentucky-born singer. According to the 27-year-old, buckle bunny could be seen as a disrespectful phrase to degrade women at rodeos. In an interview with BET, Adell spoke about her desire to change the narrative into "something fun."

"I've been called a Buckle Bunny multiple times. So, for me, it was a no-brainer. I wanted to take the term and turn it on its head," she said.

"Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X became an international hit in 2018 after the track gained attention on the social media app TikTok. The song initially charted on the Hot Country Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts; however, Billboard quietly removed it from the former for not embracing "enough elements of today's country music to chart in its current version." Later versions of the single included popular artists Billy Ray Cyrus, Young Thug, and Mason Ramsey. It spent 19 consecutive weeks on the Hot 100. 

Darius Rucker recorded his version of "Wagon Wheel" in 2013 with help from the group Lady Antebellum. It's since become one of the singer's most recognizable songs, selling over 10 million copies as of 2022.

Mickey Guyton wrote about her struggle as a Black woman in the country music industry in her 2020 single "Black Like Me." The title was inspired by the 1961 book of the same name and released eight days after the devastating murder of George Floyd.

Jimmie Allen took a swing with his 2018 track "Best Shot" and didn't miss. The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay charts and, as of 2019, has sold over one million copies.

Kane Brown's 2017 hit "What Ifs" is the perfect country duet about a couple wondering what could happen in their relationship. According to The Tennessean, the song sold 1,551,000 copies — one of the most streamed of the year.

Breland's single "Throw It Back" hit streaming giants in 2021 and featured country icon Keith Urban. The song peaked at No. 38 on the US Hot Country Songs chart and was one of Amazon Music's most popular songs in their Country Heat playlist.

Dalton Dover sang his heart out on the country ballad "Giving Up On That." The lyrics are about someone who swears never to stop fighting for the love of their life despite the shortcomings that drove them away.

Another popular single from Breland is his 2019 country rap song "My Truck." The singer told The Boot that the song was developed during a fun night with his friends. He wanted to create something truck drivers could "lean their hat on and enjoy." 

"I know that everyone out here that owns a truck feels very passionately about it and doesn't want other people to touch it," he said.

Nappy Roots' 2002 single "Po' Folks" may not be entirely country. However, country influences are laced throughout the four-minute track. It peaked at No. 21 on the Hot 100 and snagged two Grammy nominations: Best Rap/Sung Collaboration and Best Long Form Music Video.

Darius Rucker joined hip-hop legend Nelly for his country-inspired album Heartland in 2021. The project included the single "Ms. Drive Me Crazy," featuring vocals from Nelly's longtime friend, City Spud.

Blanco Brown and TI collaborated on the song "Trap Still Bumpin" in 2022, where the Atlanta natives talk about their life in the South as Black men. "Nobody really understood what I went through or how it was growing up back in Buckhead," Blanco told People. "Nobody really knew the circumstances of being in the hood and then going to the country during the summer times. I went from sitting on generators to sitting on propane tanks. [My debut album] Honeysuckle & Lightning Bugs tied both worlds together for me."

"The Git Up" is another country rap song by performer Blanco Brown that went viral on social media in May 2019. The singer released a remix featuring famous artist Ciara in December 2019, where she references her popular track "1, 2 Step."

Willie Jones' single "Down By The Riverside" is quite the party anthem. The singer describes it as a "straight Louisiana jambalaya: swampy, sexy, and drippin' all over the floor."

Nelly does it all. His 2020 single "Lil Bit," featuring country band Florida Georgia Line, peaked at No. 23 on the Hot 100 and has sold over three million copies since 2022.

Brittney Spencer gave us chills with her new single, "Bigger Than The Song." In it, she passionately belts out lyrics about some of her favorite artists, including Beyoncé, Aretha Franklin, Reba, and Dolly Parton. During an interview with CMT, she spoke about making the music video, saying, "I was just a girl getting lost in the music. This video reads the lyrics out loud and paints a simple picture of the love I have for the music that made me want to sing."

The mother-daughter combo in O.N.E The Duo blew us away with their track "Feels Good." Unsurprisingly, the song's theme matches the title perfectly, as they sing about letting loose to feel-good music. The lyrics read, "I don't care if it's country / Or if it's rock 'n' roll / Cause if it moves my body / It feels good in my soul."

Although Queen Bey's latest release, "Texas Hold 'Em," is less than a year old, it's already broken enough records to be included on this list. In addition to snagging the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100, Beyoncé became the first Black woman with a hit single on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart.

Reyna Roberts' 2021 country/gospel/rock single "Raised Right" follows her 2020 song "Stompin' Grounds." In this track, she powerfully sings about different versions of herself, referring to the "hell yeah" in her "hallelujah." 

In a statement to Rolling Stone, she said, "I know my inner self is a little more wild, and that's the Reyna you see onstage. The Reyna my family and friends know is the one that was 'Raised Right.'"