These Unforgettable ’90s Country Love Songs Have Enchanted Fans For Decades
Some of the best love songs to grace any genre of music, ever, were released by country artists in the ’90s. These songs remain fan favorites and continue to give us butterflies whenever they play.
Of course, great country love songs have been released every decade. But for this list, we chose to only feature songs released as singles between 1990 and 1999.
However, we still want to recognize some songs released on either side of the decade that come to mind when you think of ’90s country. For example, Randy Travis‘ “Forever and Ever, Amen” came out in 1987 but had staying power throughout the ’90s and into the modern day.
Other late ’80s country love songs that ’90s country fans adore include Travis’ “Deeper Than the Holler,” Garth Brooks’ “If Tomorrow Never Comes,” and Keith Whitley’s “When You Say Nothing At All.”
Jumping forward to the 2000s, songs like Toby Keith‘s “You Shouldn’t Kiss Me Like This,” Brad Paisley’s “We Danced,” and Brooks & Dunn’s “Ain’t Nothing ’bout You” still have that ’90s country sound. But they were released just a year or two too late to earn an “official” spot in this list.
Every track mentioned above and below would be right at home on a romantic playlist, especially for Valentine’s Day. Or, if you’re in search of a love song to use at your wedding, this list contains nine that would be perfect for the occasion.
The list includes a mix of solo songs and duets. The two duets featured here were recorded by real-life married couples who are still together!
Join us in taking a stroll down memory lane as we revisit nine ’90s country songs we love just as much today as we did when they first debuted.
See The List Of Romantic ’90s Hits Country Fans Still Love After All These Years
“I Cross My Heart” – George Strait
Starting the list off strong, we have “The King of Country,” George Strait, with his 1992 single “I Cross My Heart.” The song was included on the soundtrack for the film Pure Country, which Strait starred in. He sings the track during the movie’s finale.
“I Cross My Heart” reached the #1 spot on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. It has since been certified 3x Platinum by the RIAA.
Strait delivers some of the most romantic lyrics in the chorus when he sings, “I cross my heart, and promise to, give all I’ve got to give, to make all your dreams come true.”
While Strait has 60 chart-topping songs to his name, “I Cross My Heart” stands out in the mix. It’s no wonder why!
“I Do (Cherish You)” – Mark Wills
Mark Wills was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry on January 11, 2019. 21 years prior, he released one of his signature songs, “I Do (Cherish You).”
The track won the hearts of country fans far and wide. It peaked at the second spot on the Hot Country Songs chart and also claimed the 72nd position on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100.
“I Do (Cherish You)” further cemented itself in music history when the pop boy band 98 Degrees covered it in 1999. Their version reached the 13th spot on the Billboard Hot 100.
Some of the lyrics that still captivate country fans after all these years include, “From the depths of my soul, it’s beyond my control. I’ve waited so long to say this to you. If you’re asking do I love you this much, I do.”
“It’s Your Love” – Tim McGraw & Faith Hill
Country music power couple Tim McGraw and Faith Hill released their first duet, “It’s Your Love,” in 1997, one year after they married.
“It’s Your Love” left country fans absolutely mesmerized. The song reached the #1 spot on the Hot Country Songs chart and peaked at the 7th position on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart. By the end of 1997, the track ranked at the #1 spot on the year-end Hot Country Songs chart. The song has since been certified 5x Platinum by the RIAA.
“It’s Your Love” won one CMA Award and four ACM Awards. The track was also nominated for two Grammys.
The song’s official music video stars McGraw and Hill, who was pregnant with their first child, daughter Gracie, at the time. Watching them sing lines such as “And if you wonder, about the spell I’m under, oh it’s your love” makes the song even more romantic than it already was.
The couple has since welcomed two more daughters, Maggie and Audrey. They’ve also released several other duets, including “Let’s Make Love,” “I Need You,” and “Speak to a Girl.” But everything started with “It’s Your Love.”
Tim reacted to the music video for Valentine’s Day in 2023…26 years after its release. He absolutely melted when he saw Faith appear on the screen. “How beautiful is my wife in this video? My gosh,” he said.
It’s sweet to see that “It’s Your Love” makes Tim feel smitten after all these years.
“I’d Love You All Over Again” – Alan Jackson
Alan Jackson wrote “I’d Love You All Over Again” as an ode to his wife, Denise. He recorded the song in 1989, the year of their tenth anniversary.
The track was released as a single two years later, in 1991. It reached the #1 spot on the Hot Country Songs chart and placed at the 11th position on the year-end ranking.
“I’d Love You All Over Again” is one of the most affectionate country love songs ever released, not just in the ’90s. The sweet lyrics have Jackson sharing how, if given the chance, he’d choose to love his wife all over again from the beginning. As he sings, “If tomorrow I found one more chance to begin, I’d love you all over again.”
Alan would go on to release another iconic country love song in the following decade. His 2003 single “Remember When” is considered to be one of the most romantic country songs ever written. It was also inspired by Denise, who appears in the song’s official music video.
“You’re Still The One” – Shania Twain
Shania Twain released “You’re Still the One” in 1998. Twain and her then-husband, Robert “Mutt” Lange, co-wrote the song in response to those who criticized their relationship.
They ended up writing a country love song that has stood the test of time. It was also a major hit upon its initial release, reaching the #1 spot on the Hot Country Songs chart and the #2 spot on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart. The track ranked at the #3 spot on the year-end Hot 100 chart for 1998.
“You’re Still the One” won two Grammy Awards: Best Country Song and Best Female Country Vocal Performance. The song has since been certified 2x Platinum by the RIAA.
Country fans still feel their hearts flutter when they hear Twain sings lines such as, “You’re still the one that I love, the only one I dream of. You’re still the one I kiss goodnight.”
Many of Twain’s most famous hits are love songs. In addition to “You’re Still the One,” fans adore her tracks “Forever and For Always” and “From This Moment On.”
“Amazed” – Lonestar
Lonestar’s “Amazed” is the quintessential ’90s country love song. The group released it as a single in 1999.
You could say fans were “amazed” by the romantic track. It soared up country charts around the world, ranking high in Ireland, the UK, Canada, and Australia. The track was also a major hit in the United States, reaching the #1 spot on both the Hot Country Songs chart and the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart. It ranked at the #1 spot on the year-end Hot Country Songs chart for 1999.
Even after all this time, the lyrics in the song’s iconic chorus still make country fans melt. As it goes:
“I don’t know how you do what you do. I’m so in love with you. It just keeps gettin’ better. I wanna spend the rest of my life, with you by my side, forever and ever. Every little thing that you do, baby I’m amazed by you…”
Lonestar has several other outstanding love songs in their catalog. Those songs include “What About Now,” “I’m Already There,” and “My Front Porch Looking In.” No shortage of great songs to pick from there!
“I Swear” – John Michael Montgomery
No list of ’90s country love songs would be complete without John Michael Montgomery’s “I Swear.” Considered one of his signature tracks, the song was released as a single in November 1993.
Listeners fell head-over-heels for the tune, and it became Montomgery’s second chart-topping song. It also ranked at the #1 spot on the year-end Hot Country Songs chart for 1994.
Also in 1994, the R&B pop group All-4-One released a cover of “I Swear.” Their version reached the #1 spot on the pop charts in multiple countries, including Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Austria, and the United States, to name a few.
The success of Montgomery and All-4-One’s recordings has made “I Swear” a beloved song for over thirty years. The lyrics “For better or worse, ’til death do us part, I’ll love you with every beat of my heart, I swear,” still get to us every time.
“I Swear” is not the only romantic song in Montgomery’s repertoire. He’s also known for bringing us passionate songs such as “I Love the Way You Love Me” and “I Can Love You Like That.”
“When I Said I Do” – Clint Black & Lisa Hartman Black
Country singer Clint Black joined his wife, actress and singer Lisa Hartman Black, to release “When I Said I Do” in 1999. Beyond being an unforgettable ’90s country love song, many feel “When I Said I Do” is one of the all-time greatest country duets.
Clint and Lisa took “When I Said I Do” to the #1 spot on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. The track also peaked at the 31st position on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The song has Clint and Lisa reflecting on their wedding vows as they sing about how they promised to love and cherish each other for the rest of their days. Some of the most swoon-worthy lines include, “When I said I do, I meant that I will ’til the end of all time, be faithful and true, devoted to you, that’s what I had in mind when I said I do.”
The country music power couple has united for other duets in more recent years, including “You Still Get to Me” and “Til the End of Time.” They also competed as the Snow Owls on Season 4 of The Masked Singer, becoming the first duo to sing on the show.
“How Do I Live” – Both Trisha Yearwood And LeAnn Rimes
“How Do I Live” is a ’90s country love song with a unique story behind it, as two different artists released it on the same day. Those artists were LeAnn Rimes and Trisha Yearwood, and their recordings dropped on May 23, 1997.
The team creating the Nicolas Cage film Con Air wanted to feature “How Do I Live” in the movie. Rimes was asked to record it, and she did. But after hearing her version, the team wasn’t sure about having a then-14-year-old Rimes sing such a passionate song.
Yearwood was approached to record “How Do I Live” instead, not knowing that Rimes had already been asked. The team behind Con Air ended up using Yearwood’s version in the film.
Rimes and Yearwood both released their recordings to radio, with Rimes’ version having a more pop-centric sound, while Yearwood’s was more catered to country. Both versions were major hits on the charts.
In 1998, Yearwod and Rimes made history as the first two artists to be nominated for the same song in the same category (Best Female Country Vocal Performance) at the Grammys. The award went to Yearwood, who was presented with the trophy right after Rimes performed her version of “How Do I Live” during the ceremony.
No matter which rendition you prefer, there’s no debate that “How Do I Live” is an extraordinary love song. Each and every lyric has stuck with fans for nearly 30 years. Check out Yearwood’s version above and Rimes’ below.
