Honky-Tonk, Heartbreak, and Hell-Raising: 3 Country Singers Who Owned the 2000s

These three country artists from the 2000s took on different sides of country music. One was focused on raising a little hell. Another was pushing through heartbreak with a marked strength. The final was filling floors in bars across the country.

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Trace Adkins

Trace Adkins delivered plenty of honky-tonk-centric country tracks in the 2000s. From the tongue-in-cheek “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” to “Ladies Love Country Boys, ” Adkins filled many dance floors back in this era.

His songs all had a traditional groove about them, kicking off a two-step or two in their day. The 2000s saw a notable shift away from traditionalism. Adkins likely couldn’t be in the same category as the honky-tonkers that were running the game back in the 1990s and 1980s. But he was one of the best this decade had to offer when it came to barroom staples.  

Carrie Underwood

While many heartbreak-centric artists let sadness lead the way, Carrie Underwood has historically gotten angry. She has plenty of songs for those of us going through hard times and hardening our hearts because of it. From “Before He Cheats” to “Cowboy Casanova”, Underwood is for the breakups that strike a nerve rather than the heartstrings.

When we think of 2000s country artists who own the heartbreak niche, we have to crown Underwood. She’s far from the only country artist who peddled those ideas back then, but she operated at a higher level than most.

Toby Keith

Toby Keith stood his ground in the 2000s. Almost all of his most popular songs saw him buck up against naysayers and deliver his opinion with zero minced words. From “Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (The Angry American)” to “I Wanna Talk About Me”, Keith knew how to ruffle some feathers.

Keith embodied the hell-raising side of country music, delivering his opinions with a decisive edge. “Now this nation that I love has fallen under attack / A mighty sucker punch came flyin’ in from somewhere in the back / Soon as we could see clearly / Through our big black eye / Man, we lit up your world / Like the fourth of July,” the lyrics to Keith’s post-9/11 hit read. This song, along with many others, proved Keith wasn’t afraid to get a little curt.

(Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Schmidt Relations)