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All of Shania Twain's Country Airplay-Charting Singles, Ranked: Critic's Take

By Taylor Weatherby, Tatiana Cirisano | Billboard | June 21, 2017

Shania Twain is officially back on the country music scene, delivering her single "Life's About to Get Good" to fans on June 15 and announcing that her first album in 15 years, Now, is coming Sept. 29. 

"Life's About to Get Good" just debuted at No. 36 on the Country Airplay chart (dated July 1), marking the 51-year-old's 33rd single to land on the chart (not including her cover of Dolly Parton's "Coat of Many Colors" that was featured on a 2003 tribute album). Now that Shania is back in action, we couldn't help reminiscing about all her other radio hits from the past few decades -- and naturally, we felt it was only right to rank them from worst to best.

Take a look at our ranking of Twain's singles below -- as well as their peak positions on the Country Airplay chart -- and see where each one would fare for you.

33. "I Ain’t No Quitter" (No. 45)

While the premise of this song is unique -- you don’t see too many songs about girls staying with their man who they refer to as “a boozer, a loser” -- you definitely want to see such a fast-paced country tune have a happy ending. Unfortunately, that’s not the case, and the melody just can’t quite make up for the he’s-still-a-loser lyrics.

32. "Today Is Your Day" (No. 36)

Let’s be honest: There isn’t such a thing as a bad Shania song -- especially her tracks with an inspiring message. But when you put her encouraging 2011 release up against other spirit-lifters like “Up!” and her most recent single “Life’s About to Get Good,” there’s nothing very memorable about this track.

31. "Home Ain’t Where His Heart Is (Anymore)" (No. 28)

For a woman who has issued some of the best “I don’t need a man” songs in country music -- take the titles “(If You’re Not in It for Love) I’m Outta Here!” and “That Don’t Impress Me Much” as examples -- hearing this heartbreaking tale of a husband leaving his wife is just too much for the heartstrings.

30. "What Made You Say That" (No. 55)

The opening track to Twain’s self-titled debut provided a decent showcase of her vocal ability, but there’s something that feels a little campy compared to some of the others on the album. Perhaps it’s the vocalists that join her in the chorus to say the title line of the track or the fact that she never quite shows the spunk she has within her -- either way, Twain definitely picked things up in later years.

29. "God Bless the Child" (No. 48)

It’s hard to put this song so low in the ranking when Twain’s voice sounds as beautiful as it does on this The Woman in Me track, but as stunning as the vocals are and as heartfelt as the lyrics may be, there’s a sense of repetitiveness that makes “God Bless the Child” get a little lost in the bunch of breathtaking Shania songs. 

28. "Don’t!" (No. 24)

Twain loves her exclamation points in her song titles -- the funny thing with this one, though, is that it’s not an upbeat rocker like her other excited-looking titles. But that's not to the song’s discredit, as “Don’t!” sounds just as Shania as her other tunes, just at a slower pace. Then again, when you have a catalog of so many hits, songs like this one have a harder time standing out.

27. "Dance With the One That Brought You" (No. 55)

Twain’s country twang was definitely most prevalent on her self-titled debut album, which is probably something rather endearing to those who gravitate toward the more classic-sounding country. It almost sounds like it could be a Randy Travis or George Strait cover, but at the same time, the sassy Shania that was introduced with her sophomore effort definitely overshadows her more traditional material.

26. "The Woman in Me (Needs the Man in You)" (No. 14)

Prior to Twain getting really spicy in her songs, she went a more sultry route when it came to telling men they need to treat her right. But when you put it up against the ballads from later in her catalog, the story and melody of "The Woman in Me (Needs the Man in You)" doesn't quite give you the same feels.

25. "You Win My Love" (No. 1)

With a chipper tempo and a sweet "I'm in love" lyrical story to match, it's not a major surprise that this was her highest debut on country radio at that point. By looking at the song’s title, you wouldn’t expect so many car metaphors in Twain’s revved-up love song -- while that may have made fans’ engines run, the car-inspired song may come off a little tacky to some.

24. "Shoes" (No. 29)

Despite the fact that this wasn’t even a track on one of Twain’s albums -- it was recorded for the Desperate Housewives soundtrack in 2005 -- it’s exactly in line with the confident persona Twain established in her own music. She’d done the car metaphors, but in this song, she spends the entire four minutes making comparisons between men and shoes (“A girl can never have too many of ‘em/ Some can polish up pretty good”), once again showing her songwriting brilliance. But while it’s a creative tune, it’s not quite up to par with the attitude she brought in “That Don’t Impress Me Much” and “Any Man of Mine."

23. "(If You’re Not in It for Love) I’m Outta Here!" (No. 1)

If you need someone to tell your man that he needs to step it up, Shania is your girl. One of the first introductions to her insanely confident image, Twain crafted a catchy country tune that lets men everywhere know what ladies want from them -- and even capped it off with a fierce sound of stilettos walking away. The only problem with it? She continued to top her sassy self with subsequent releases.

22. "She’s Not Just a Pretty Face" (No. 9)

Whether the world needed a working woman's anthem or not when Up! was released in 2002, Twain certainly delivered it with this track. Twain had already established herself as a powerful female voice in country music at that point but elevated it by recognizing all the hardworking women in the world. But while that’s amazing, the song didn’t result in the catchiest of all the Twain tracks.

21. "You’ve Got a Way" (No. 13)

As proven by the higher-ranked songs in this list, Twain’s Come On Over was stacked with hit after hit, no matter if they were love ballads or cheeky jams. “You’ve Got a Way” was absolutely a love ballad, providing quite the soundtrack for a romantic slow dance. Its only downfall was that it was on the same record as both “From This Moment On” and “You’re Still the One” -- which are likely still soundtracking first dances at weddings to this day.

20. "No One Needs to Know" (No. 1)

This harmonica-accented track about Shania’s secret wedding daydreams -- but “no one needs to know right now” -- is a sweet counterpart to the singer’s usual, more straightforward declarations of romance. Its intimate feel may have resonated with some listeners, but the track wasn’t as instant a hit as Shania’s more outspoken love songs.

19. "I’m Holdin’ On to Love (To Save My Life)" (No. 17)

You already know it’s about to get good when Shania spits “kick it” to start off this punchy track -- and any song that comes with hand-claps is almost guaranteed to get listeners up and dancing. But even with its anthemic feel, the track’s short chorus doesn’t quite showcase Shania’s powerhouse vocals as well as others did.

18. "Up!" (No. 12)

The sunny optimism characteristic of Shania’s sound comes to a head on “Up!,” a track about looking on the positive side of life and the title song from the singer’s fourth studio album. It's catchy and upbeat and as relatable as it is danceable. The inspirational track may not have been as wildly popular as other hits off the album, but it’s definitely Shania.

17. "Rock This Country!" (No. 30)

While the title of this track is memorable (the same name was used for Shania’s last tour) the song itself wasn’t so much -- except for the fact that it was borrowed by both Hillary Clinton and Al Gore on their campaign trails, of course.

16. "It Only Hurts When I’m Breathing" (No. 18)

Among Shania’s catalog of uplifting tracks and romantic serenades, this song is the rare heartbreak anthem -- and wow, does it cut deep. Despite its title, the heart-tugging song gives listeners a moment to breathe in between the relentlessly positive pop energy of the rest of the tracks off Up! But that solemn detour came at a cost for Shania: The track’s chorus just isn’t as catchy as the ear candy Shania fans are used to.

15. "Life’s About to Get Good" (No. 36 debut)

Twain’s latest single is just about everything fans would want from the now-51-year-old singer: vulnerable honesty about what she’s been through during her hiatus, the upbeat vibes she brought with her last album, and the same spunk she’s always had in her music. While it doesn’t quite have the magic of her classics, “Life’s About to Get Good” is definitely some promising foreshadowing of what she has in store with her forthcoming LP Now.

14. "When You Kiss Me" (No. 60)

Shania takes things down a notch for “When You Kiss Me,” a smooth, mandolin-accented love song that begins with the declaration “I think I’m in love.” While it may have become a wedding/anniversary staple, the serenade didn’t earn the same acclaim as her other signature love ballads.

13. "Come On Over" (No. 6)

As the title track of Twain’s most successful album -- and one of the most successful country records of all time -- “Come On Over” had a lot to live up to. While it's hard not to like the cheerful, welcoming country groove, it never lived up to the more dynamic hits on the rest of the album, ending up somewhat overshadowed by more instant classics like “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” and “That Don’t Impress Me Much.”

12. "Don’t Be Stupid (You Know I Love You)" (No. 6)

Who would’ve thought riverdance, an electronic beat and folk guitar strums could be the secret ingredients for a Hot 100 hit? Shania, apparently. The genre-bending, high-energy “Don’t Be Stupid,” released in 1998, was later included in the star’s 2004 Greatest Hits album. But it didn’t quite reach the level of fame Twain’s other Come On Over tracks, peaking at No. 40 on the Billboard Hot 100.

11. "I’m Gonna Getcha Good!" (No. 7)

You’ve gotta commend an artist for turning a rather creepy, Stockholm syndrome-like concept into a major sing-along. (Then again, there’s probably not a whole lot of people out there who wouldn’t enjoy being courted by Shania Twain.) Even if you’re not into the idea, you have to commend Twain for her creative ways of convincing her potential lover: "You’re a fine piece of real estate and I’m gonna get me some land.” Pure lyrical poetry.

10. "Forever and For Always" (No. 4)

There’s two undeniably iconic love songs in Twain’s catalog, but if there’s one to put up a fight, it’s “Forever and For Always” thanks to Twain’s sweet vocals and the swoon-worthy melody. Country radio will tell you that too, as it spent two more weeks on the Country Airplay chart than “You’re Still the One” (26 weeks vs. 24) and reached a higher peak than “From This Moment On” (No. 4 vs. No. 6). Even so, when you think of a signature love song -- especially one fit for a wedding or engagement -- the aforementioned Come On Over tracks can hardly be contested.

9. "Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?" (No. 11)

Although Twain really mastered her sass with Come On Over, this The Woman in Me track could easily fit in with the likes of “That Don’t Impress Me Much” and “Honey, I’m Home.” Again, she puts a creative, country spin on an otherwise heartbreaking concept of questioning a cheating lover, with the title line taking the cake on cleverness.

8. "Love Gets Me Every Time" (No. 1)

One of the only Come On Over songs that has more twang than it does sass, Twain’s “I guess I fell in love” story makes you feel as good as she clearly does on the track. And sometimes, when you’re happily in love, you may find yourself having the urge to do a little jig -- which is exactly what the almost "Footloose" vibes of “Love Gets Me Every Time” does. Perhaps it should be called “Love Gets Me (To Dance) Every Time."

7. "Honey, I’m Home" (No. 1)

If there’s one thing Shania is exceptionally good at, it’s perfectly conveying what every overworked or lovelorn -- or, oppositely, lovestruck -- woman wishes she could put into words. In this case, she sings her way through some post-work therapy from her man, finding a way to do so without sounding as demanding as some of the lyrics may read (“By the way, rub my feet, give me something to eat, fix me up my favorite treat”). Musically, it's half country and half rock; lyrically, it's all “I get what I want because today sucked” -- and everyone can relate to that after a bad day.

6. "Party for Two" (with Billy Currington) (No. 7)

What some fans may not realize is that Twain actually recorded two versions of this Greatest Hits track: this country rendition with Currington and a pop version with Sugar Ray’s Mark McGrath. With such a playful beat adding to the flirty duet, either version is enjoyable. But Currington’s raspy vocals match Twain’s sexiness perfectly, making for quite the frisky party anthem (for two).

5. "That Don’t Impress Me Much" (No. 8)

You know you’ve got some serious standards when even Brad Pitt doesn't impress you. But if Twain’s standards really are as high as this song makes it seem, the dance-floor-worthy jam is an anthem for anyone -- girl or boy -- who has met someone who thinks they’re all that. For Twain, all it comes down to is someone who’s got the touch and can keep her warm at night… and frankly, is that too much to ask? She clearly doesn’t think so.

4. "You’re Still the One" (No. 1)

While this song is one of Twain’s slower tracks, for those who have been in a long-term relationship, it’s likely one of the most meaningful. It sends the message that love can prevail through the ups and downs, while also providing a reminder to couples of several years that still having someone to run to and belong to is a pretty great feeling. And above all, the piano-based ballad makes for one hell of a romantic moment whether it’s on a dance floor, in a bedroom or simply just on the radio.

3. "Any Man of Mine" (No. 1)

Had to find a place for a non-Come On Over track in the top five! But as Twain’s very first Country Airplay No. 1, “Any Man of Mine” is deserving of the high honor because of its timelessness after 22 years (did you see her performance of the song with Kelsea Ballerini at this year’s Stagecoach Festival?), especially thanks to the do-si-do at the end of the bouncy track. It’s got sass, a good ol’ country beat and musical moments as fit for a sing-along as it is fit for a line dance -- and that makes it quite the irresistible tune.

2. "From This Moment On" (No. 6)

Not sure we could really give any explanation as to why this track doesn’t have even half the love on Spotify as “You’re Still the One” (the Come On Over version only has 8.5 million streams, compared to the 37 million of "You're Still the One"), because this is just about as quintessential as you can get for a love song. It’s easily Twain’s best vocal display, from the slow-building beginning to the beautifully flowing verses that show off her range -- all peaking with that unforgettable key change at the end. Shania fan or not, how could you not want this to be the first dance song at your wedding?

1. "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" (No. 4)

As we’ve insinuated plenty of times, Twain is the ultimate spokeswoman of female empowerment. And if that weren't totally apparent before Come On Over, this is absolutely the song that declares that to the world. She keeps a little bit of country twang in her vocals but brings in the electric guitar to add the flair she needed to fully express the confidence she’d always had within her -- while also making everyone who listens to it feel as unstoppable as she does while singing. (There's nothing quite like the pure elation that results from that epic synth riff.) Turning a female anthem into a song that even the most masculine of men want to sing? The sign of an absolute musical genius.

http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/country/7840963/shania-twain-singles-ranked-country-airplay-chart