The most-played country songs of 2021 included some surefire hits and some big surprises, some sentimental ballads and some rowdy party songs, and even two contributions from one superstar artist.

Just five country artists held the Top 10 spots on Billboard's list of most-streamed country songs in 2021, with all but one of those artists landing multiple songs on the list. They were an assembly ...

The following personal essay was written by The Boot contributor and award-winning music journalist Marcus K. Dowling. All experiences and opinions voiced in this piece are his own. Emboldened by ...