Country music has plenty of heartbreakers from across the 20th and 21st centuries that could bring a tear to anyone’s eye, including non-fans of the genre. That’s the case for the following country ballads from the 1980s, each of which will tug at your heartstrings. Let’s take a look!
“I’ll Still Be Loving You” by Restless Heart from ‘Wheels’ (1987)
This song by Restless Heart was a big country hit, as well as a big pop hit. I can see why. There is a lot of easy-listening appeal in “I’ll Still Be Loving You”, but it’s still very much a classic country ballad. It wasn’t underrated back in the day, but I rarely ever hear this country pop gem nowadays. Few love songs from this era are oozing with devotion quite like “I’ll Still Be Loving You”.
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“I’ll Still Be Loving You” topped both the US and Canadian country charts. It also peaked at No. 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
“To Know Him Is To Love Him” by Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt from ‘Trio’ (1987)
To be honest, I didn’t know this three-way duet was even a thing. I knew these three powerhouse women in country music performed together, but I didn’t know that they recorded such a gorgeous song together. “To Know Him Is To Love Him” is on the particularly soft side of country ballads from the 1980s, and the masses really resonated with it back in 1987. If you’ve ever been deeply in love, this one will get you.
This cover of a classic by The Teddy Bears from the 1950s topped both the US and Canadian country charts in 1987.
“Somebody Lied” by Ricky Van Shelton from ‘Wild-Eyed Dream’ (1987)
I’m honestly surprised that this entry on our list of underrated country ballads from the 1980s didn’t have any crossover success. It was a huge hit on the country charts, topping the Hot Country Songs chart and making it to No. 5 in Canada. A gorgeous cover of a Conway Twitty breakup song, Ricky Van Shelton put his own emotional spin on a true country ballad classic. It had the staying power to resonate with pop listeners. Sadly, the charts aren’t always fair.
Photo by: Margaret Norton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
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