Earl Had to Die: A List of the 20 Best Country Songs About Killing Your Partner
Murder ballads have always been a significant part of classic country music. While they may not be as common in modern times, there are still many great songs about men killing their female partners. Less common are songs about women committing murder, but don't worry – country music also has a collection of songs about women who kill, and we have the list to showcase them.
Several factors eliminated some front-runners from consideration for this list. We decided to feature only one song from each artist, so even though Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert have multiple songs about revenge in their music libraries, they were each only included once. While songs like "Before He Cheats," "Church Bells," "White Liar," and "Kerosene" are fantastic revenge anthems, they were ultimately overshadowed by even more popular songs and did not make the final selection.
The theme was focused on murders with male victims. This meant that songs like Ashley McBryde's "Martha Divine," Willie Nelson's "Red Headed Stranger," and The SteelDrivers' "If It Hadn't Been for Love" did not qualify for the list, despite their quality as murder songs.
The remaining songs in this collection are both impressive and sinister, showcasing the top songs in country music that focus on killing your significant other. Take a look at our selections for the best revenge songs and hidden gems that revolve around the theme of murder, particularly targeting the man in your life or persuading someone else to do it for you. Keep reading and don't forget to share in the comments if we overlooked your preferred song about getting rid of your man.
Earl Had to Go: A Collection of the Top 20 Country Songs About Getting Rid of Your Man
Image Credits: Carena Liptak
Additional content available on Taste of Country. Find out more information by following us on