These hit country songs almost sounded a lot different than they do now! Artists are presented with so many songs, and they can’t possibly record them all. Sometimes songs are written for a specific artist in mind and they pass, or sometimes they hold on to a song for awhile and then decide to let it go. Luckily for other artists, these songs that got passed on became some of their biggest hits!
“American Honey” – Carrie Underwood
Lady A’s hit “American Honey” was almost recorded by Carrie Underwood.
“American Kids” – Little Big Town
Kenny Chesney’s “American Kids” could’ve been recorded by Little Big Town. Luckily for Kenny, his version of the song became a hit.
“Better Dig Two” – Lady A
“Better Dig Two” by The Band Perry was almost recorded by Lady A instead.
“Big Green Tractor” – Jake Owen
Jake Owen had the chance to record Jason Aldean’s signature hit “Big Green Tractor.”
“She’s Got A Way With Words” – Jake Owen
Jake Owen also had the chance to record “She’s Got A Way With Words,” made famous by Blake Shelton.
“Burnin’ It Down” – Florida Georgia Line
Florida Georgia Line actually co-wrote “Burnin’ It Down,” and instead of recording it themselves, they passed it on to Jason Aldean.
“Chicken Fried – Alan Jackson
Could you imagine anyone other than Zac Brown Band singing “Chicken Fried?” Well Alan Jackson almost did!
“Cleaning This Gun” – Gary Allan
Rodney Atkins’ “Cleaning This Gun” was almost recorded by Gary Allan.
“Downtown” – Miranda Lambert
“Downtown” recorded by Lady A could’ve been a hit for Miranda Lambert.
“Drunk On You” – Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan’s hit “Drunk On You” was almost recorded by his good friend Jason Aldean.
“Hillbilly Bone” – Frankie Ballard
Blake Shelton and Trace Adkins’ “Hillbilly Bone” almost sounded a lot different if Frankie Ballard recorded it as originally planned.
“Jesus Take The Wheel” – Sara Evans
The song that kickstarted Carrie Underwood’s career, “Jesus Take The Wheel,” was first turned down by Sara Evans.
“Independence Day” – Reba McEntire
Martina McBride’s “Independence Day” was almost recorded by Reba McEntire instead.
“Islands In The Stream” – Marvin Gaye
Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers hit duet, “Islands In The Stream” was originally meant for Marvin Gaye.
“Take Me Home, Country Roads” – Johnny Cash
John Denver’s classic “Take Me Home, Country Roads” was almost recorded by another legend, Johnny Cash.
“The House That Built Me” – Blake Shelton
Miranda Lambert made the song “The House That Built Me” famous, but she wasn’t the only one who wanted the song. Blake Shelton also had his eye on it.
“T-Shirt” – Tim McGraw
Tim McGraw was originally supposed to record Thomas Rhett’s “T-Shirt.”
“Drink a Beer” – Dierks Bentley
Chris Stapleton actually wrote the song “Drink a Beer.” Before Luke Bryan recorded it, Dierks Bentley turned down the track.
“I Drive Your Truck” – Dierks Bentley
Dierks Bentley also had the chance to record Lee Brice’s hit “I Drive Your Truck.”
“Watching Airplanes” – Dierks Bentley
Luckily for Gary Allan, Dierks Bentley also passed on his hit “Watching Airplanes.”
“Whiskey Lullaby” – Dierks Bentley
Lastly, Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss’ famous “Whiskey Lullaby” was also pitched to Dierks Bentley but he turned it down.
If you thought these were interesting, check out this quiz to see if you know who wrote these famous country songs for other artists.
Photo Credit: Rich Fury / Getty Images
