Apple Music recently unveiled its top 500 most-streamed songs of all time in celebration of the platform’s 10th anniversary—and country fans aren’t exactly thrilled.
While the list was meant to be a milestone moment, especially given Apple’s usual secrecy with data, the country selections ended up sparking more backlash than praise. Of the 500 songs revealed, only 30 were considered “country,” and even that label seems questionable in many cases.
The top-ranked country track was Luke Combs’ Beautiful Crazy, landing at #61 overall. Close behind were Morgan Wallen’s Last Night and Chasin’ You, Chris Stapleton’s Tennessee Whiskey, and Taylor Swift’s Love Story. Predictably, Wallen and Combs dominate the field, with Wallen racking up a staggering 11 entries—tying pop juggernauts like Ed Sheeran and Future.
But to many listeners, this wasn’t a cause for celebration. Instead, it felt like a glaring reminder of how much mainstream “country” music has drifted into pop territory. Names like Bebe Rexha, Post Malone, and Diplo show up in collabs that technically count as country in Apple’s system, even if the sound says otherwise. Meanwhile, classic country legends are nowhere to be found.
The list leaned heavily on artists who blur the lines between country and pop radio—with tracks like Meant To Be, 10,000 Hours, and Body Like a Back Road leading many to question if true country was even considered. The presence of Taylor Swift’s pop-era hits and the absence of genre-defining legends like George Strait, Alan Jackson, or Reba McEntire only added fuel to the fire.
Fans across the board voiced their frustration, pointing out the lack of lyrical depth, instrumental artistry, and authentic country sound in many of the chosen songs. The consensus? If this is the “most-streamed country” Apple has to offer, then maybe the platform’s audience doesn’t really know country at all.
What this list highlights isn’t the best of country music—it’s what algorithms and streaming habits have churned out in an increasingly popified digital landscape.
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