"Earl Had to Die: The 20 Greatest Country Songs About Harming Your Partner"
Traditionally, murder ballads have played a significant role in classic country music. While they may not be as common nowadays, there is still a collection of exceptional songs that explore the theme of men killing their female romantic partners. On the other hand, songs that focus on women committing such acts are less frequent but still exist within the country genre. We have compiled a list of these songs to showcase their presence in country music.
In order to narrow down the list, we set a few criteria. We decided to include only one song per artist, which meant that popular country stars Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert, who have multiple songs about murder in their repertoire, were only allowed one slot each. Although songs like "Before He Cheats," "Church Bells," "White Liar," and "Kerosene" are all excellent revenge anthems, they were ultimately excluded from the final selection due to the presence of even more popular songs.
The criteria for the theme were quite specific, which helped to further narrow down the choices. In order for a murder song to be included in this list, it had to involve at least one male victim. Therefore, Ashley McBryde's "Martha Divine," despite being a standout modern murder song in the genre, did not qualify. Other songs worth mentioning include Willie Nelson's "Red Headed Stranger" and The SteelDrivers' "If It Hadn't Been for Love," but unfortunately, they didn't make it onto this list either.
The remaining content is an impressive and wicked collection of the most powerful songs in country music that express the desire to harm or kill someone. Take a look at the pictures below to discover our choices for the top songs that seek revenge and the lesser-known tracks that delve into the theme of murder, particularly targeting men in relationships. Keep reading and don't forget to share in the comments if we overlooked your favorite song about eliminating your partner.
Earl's Demise: The Top 20 Country Songs Depicting the Act of Eliminating Your Partner
Artwork Acknowledgment: Carena Liptak
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