You might have heard of country music, but have you heard of country beach music? Country beach music is often carefree and catchy songs that will be perfect for your summer playlist.
In this article, we will explore what exactly country beach music is and the best country beach music to start listening to.
What Are Country Beach Songs?
If you are new to country music, you may be wondering what exactly it is. Country music is a type of musical genre that is popular across the world but originated in the rural southern US. Country music can be a mix of ballads and dance tunes.
What makes country music unique is the character in which the music is played and the types of instruments country music use. In country music, there are no production sounds and every sound is recorded live. These instruments can include a fiddle, banjo, guitar, and pedal steel guitar.
Beach country is a type of music that fits within the genre of country music. Country beach songs tend to be more upbeat and have a summery sound. The lyrics tend to have more of a positive outlook on life and often reference either the beach, life living by the shore, or the water in some kind of way.
Best Country Beach Songs
If you are wanting to explore what country beach music songs are out there, then we have found a selection of the most loved favorites of country music fans. There is no order as to which is the Best Beach Country Song as that depends on your taste!
Here is a list of the top country beach songs to listen to:
- Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffett
- Some Beach by Blake Shelton
- The Seashores of Old Mexico by George Strait
- When the Sun Goes Down by Kenny Chesney
- Cheeseburger in Paradise by Jimmy Buffett
- Two Piña Coladas by Garth Brooks
- Knee Deep by Zac Brown Band
- Pink Sunglasses by Miranda Lambert
Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffett
Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffett was released in 1977. This song is an upbeat country song that would be easy to sing and features a large band performing the backing track. Jimmy Buffet later went on to create a chain of restaurants that were all themed to create a calm beach atmosphere.
Some Beach by Blake Shelton
Released in 2004, Some Beach by Blake Shelton has a slightly more modern sound to it compared to Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffett. The song’s lyrics convey a message that if you are facing any difficulties in your life, picturing yourself on a beach or “paradise” can help.
The Seashores of Old Mexico by George Strait
Out of all the beach country songs, The Seashores of Old Mexico by George Strait is my favorite. The Seashores of Old Mexico by George Strait was released in 2005. The song is upbeat while being relatively stripped back musically.
The song lyrically talks about running from the law but due to the melody and use of harmonies, it has a romantic feel to it. The Seashores of Old Mexico by George Strait was originally written and recorded by Merle Haggard, It was later covered by George Strait in 2005 and released as the version we hear below.
When the Sun Goes Down by Kenny Chesney
When the Sun Goes Down by Kenny Chesney was released in 2004. The song’s main lyrics refer to a romantic relationship. Even though the song’s main message describes romance, it is still based roughly around a beach.
The music video for When the Sun Goes Down by Kenny Chesney was also fully filmed on a beach and the ocean. With its relative and catchy chorus, mainly people find that When the Sun Goes Down by Kenny Chesney is one of their favorite country beach songs of all time.
Cheeseburger in Paradise by Jimmy Buffett
While the music video may not really exist or be as modern as the others, Cheeseburger in Paradise by Jimmy Buffett still matches up to the quality of the other beach country songs. Released in 1978, Cheeseburger in Paradise by Jimmy Buffett describes as you would have guessed.. a cheeseburger. The main message of the song is about eating and chilling by the beach.
This song can be described as lovable and silly. Even Though it is described as a silly song, it is full of lyrics that can be quite hard to remember. Cheeseburger in Paradise by Jimmy Buffett is a favorite country beach song not only across America but across the whole world.
Two Piña Coladas by Garth Brooks
Two Piña Coladas by Garth Brooks describes a heavier subject, heartbreak. Released in 1998, the song describes that science has proven that heartaches are healed by the sea and Garth Brooks searches to heal after heartbreak. Even though the main chorus describes the beach, it also heavily talks about alcohol.
The main instrument that leads this song is a guitar that is played with a lot of decoration in the spaces between lyrical sections of the song. Throughout the rest of the song, the guitar casually strums along with the chords.
Knee Deep by Zac Brown Band
Knee Deep by Zac Brown Band is one of the more modern beach country songs on this list and was originally released in 2011. The main instrument that leads this song is again, the guitar. Which is played with a lot of character. The song is more acoustic than others and has a sadder tone as it is in a minor key.
The beach song was written about a breakup in a romantic couple. The second verse is performed by Zac Brown Band who also helped to write the second verse. the music video is all filmed in a beach setting.
Pink Sunglasses by Miranda Lambert
Pink Sunglasses by Miranda Lambert is another modern country beach song that was released in 2016. This song is very different from all the others as it has a heavier sound as uses an electric guitar. The melody is very catchy and is almost a cross between rock music and country music.
Miranda Lambert lyrically talks about the power of confidence when wearing her rose-tinted sunglasses. Miranda Lambert describes her rose-tinted sunglasses, which are the main focus of the song, as the perfect accessory for a beach day as they allow the problems of life to slip away.
Country Song About the Ocean
Most country beach songs lyrically talk about a mixture of topics, including the sand and romances that are associated with summertime/holidays. We have found the top four country songs that are heavily influenced lyrically by the ocean.
Here are the top four country beach songs that reference the ocean:
- Beachin by Jake Owen
- Somewhere on a Beach by Dierks Bentley
- Toes by Zac Brown Band
- Water by Brad Paisley
Beachin by Jake Owen
Beachin by Jake Owen was released in 2014 and is relatively very upbeat. You could desire this song as a feel-good hit. Jake Owen is so obsessed with the beach and ocean, that he normally throws free concerts on the beach along with parties where anyone is welcome.
The music video is of good quality and features the ocean throughout. The song itself is sung in a melotone way through the verses. The lyrics are sung but could almost be spoken when Jake Owen performs them.
Somewhere on a Beach by Dierks Bentley
Somewhere on a Beach by Dierks Bentley is another break-up song that was released in 2016. The song lyrically talks about what you need to heal from a break-up and one of those things is the beach. The guitar used in this song is electric and therefore has a heavier feel to it.
The song is relatively steady but due to how the chords are played, the chorus has some power. The song is generally very repetitive and therefore catchy.
Toes by Zac Brown Band
Most of the music video for Toes by Zac Brown Band is set by the ocean. The first lyric is “I have my toes in the water”. It does not need to be said that this song is heavily influenced by the ocean. The song describes Zac Brown Band heading to Mexico for a beach getaway. The song is steady and has positive lyrics. You could describe Toes by Zac Brown Band as a calming song.
Water by Brad Paisley
Water by Brad Paisley was released in 2009 and has a heavier sound to the song right from the get-go. The main instrument that is used is an electric guitar. The song is based on all kinds of water and even describes Brad Paisley’s childhood. The song is in a major and therefore sounds quite upbeat and positive. The song even features a guitar solo.
Country Lyrics About the Beach
Have you decided that you would like to start writing some country beach songs? Then lyrics about the ocean are a great place to start. We have found a collection of ocean-based lyrics from the songs listed in the article to help inspire you to write your own:
Water by Brad Paisley
Water by Brad Paisley is one of the good country beach songs that lyrically talks all about the ocean.
Here are our favorite lyrical snippets from his song:
“On a river bank
With all my friends
A big old rope tied to a limb
And your a big old wuss
If you don’t jump in
The water
Yeah when that summer sun starts to beatin’ down
And you don’t know what to do
Grab your swimmin’ trunks
Ice up that old igloo
And drive until the map turns blue”
The Seashores of Old Mexico by George Strait
The Seashores of Old Mexico by George Strait does not specifically talk about the ocean but sets a picture for the listener to imagine the story. Setting the scene of where you are could help you connect to your listeners when songwriting.
Here are our favorite lyrical snippets from his song:
“After one long siesta, I came wide awake in the night
I was startled by someone who shadowed the pale moonlight
My new-found companion, one young senorita
Who offered a broken hello
To the gringo she found on the seashores of old Mexico”
Two Piña Coladas by Garth Brooks
Two Piña Coladas by Garth Brooks mixes heartbreak and sailing. Sailing is a great topic to write and sing about as the topic will already have a lot of fans and therefore you can easily connect with an audience. Finding an activity that is popular among a certain group can be a way of finding an audience.
Here are our favorite lyrical snippets from his song:
“Let’s set sail with Captain Morgan
And never leave dry land
Any troubles I forgot ’em
I buried ’em in the sand
So bring me two pina coladas
She said goodbye to her good timin’ man
Oh now I’ve gotta say
That the wind and the waves
And the moon winkin’ down at me
Eases my mind
By leavin’ behind
The heartaches that love often brings”
Toes by Zac Brown Band
Toes by Zac Brown Band is a song that mainly focuses on one subject while there are some filler lyrics to add to the storyline. The message underneath Toes by Zac Brown Band is the idea of leaving one town and moving to another, more ideal place permanently.
This represents a fresh start which mainly people can relate to. If you start your songwriting by focusing on one element such as the ocean or water, you may find that your writing will naturally move on to other topics.
Here are our favorite lyrical snippets from his song:
“I got my toes in the water, ass in the sand
Not a worry in the world, a cold beer in my hand
Life is good today, life is good today
Concrete and cars are their own prison bars like this life I’m living in
But the plane brought me farther
I’m surrounded by water
And I’m not going back again”
FAQs Best Country Beach Songs
Here is a list of the top 10 country songs of all time: I Walk the Line by Johnny Cash, Jolene by Dolly Parton, Friends in Low Places by Garth Brooks, Choices by George Jones, Concrete Angel by Martina McBride, Kiss an Angel Good Morning by Charley Pride, Where Were You by Alan Jackson, Live Like You Were Dying by Tim McGraw, I Hope You Dance by Lee Ann Womack, and Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down by Kris Kristofferson.
Here is a list of the Top 40 country songs This Week 2022:
– Fancy Like by Walker Hayes
– Thought You Should Know by Morgan Wallen
– Gonna Take a Real Strong by ManDianña
– Til You Can’t by Cody Johnson
– Fall In Love by Bailey Zimmerman
– Line Dancing by Bobby Joe Bell
– Doin’ This by Luke Combs
– Buy Dirt by Jordan Davis, Luke Bryan
– If I Didn’t Like You by Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood
– Never Wanted To Be That Girl by Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde
– Son Of A Sinner by Jelly Roll
– Sky Of The Morning by Mr. Gun
– Never Say Never by Cole Swindell and Lainey Wilson
– I Bet You Think About Me by Taylor Swift and Chris Stapleton
– Flower Shops by Ernest and Morgan Wallen
– Trouble With A Heartbreak by Jason Aldean
– If I Was a Cowboy by Miranda Lambert
– Sinner Like Me by Savannah Dexter and Brabo Gator
– AA by Walker Hayes
– Where the Country Girls At by Trace Askins, Luke Bryan, and Pitbull
– Beers On Me by Dierks Bentley, Breland and Hardy
– Cold As You by Luke Combs
– Ride The Lightning 717 Tapes by Warren Zeiders
– One Mississippi by Kane Brown
– Come Back As A Country-Boy by Blake Shelton
– Bill Dance by Luke Bryan
– What He Didn’t Do by Carly Pearce
– Z71 by Sean Stemaly
– Slow Down Summer by Thomas Rhett
– Freedom Was A Highway by Jimmie Allen and Brad Paisley
– Better Man by Taylor Swift
– 23 by Sam Hunt
– Try Losing One by Tayler Braden
– Am I The Only One by Aaron Lewis
– Truth About You by Mitchell Tenpenny
– Never Look Back 717 Tapes by Warren Zeiders
– Whiskey Sour by Kane Brown
– Circles Around This Town by Maren Morris
– Wishful Drinking by Ingrid Andress and Sam Hunt
– I Just Wanna Hold You by Clay Walker
I suppose this depends on the mood you are trying to strike up on set, though for most instances you can’t really go wrong with something a bit meta. This means listening to music about the beach – anything by the Beach Boys is a safe bet for, in terms of the popular cultural pantheon, the beach is very much theirs. If you are looking for a slightly more updated version of those tried and tested Beach Boys, then you can try Weezer’s ‘Surf Wax America’, a song that takes a wry look at American coastal culture while completely selling it to an outsider. Indeed, with such mantras as ‘You take you car to work/I’ll take my board/When you run out of fuel/I’m still afloat’, it is difficult not to see the appeal.
Perhaps one of the more notable instances of a country singer invoking the beach in their music comes in the form of Blake Shelton’s ‘Some Beach’. At first, it seems antithetical for a country singer to sing of anything other than land. However, there is much to be said about the kinship between landlubbers and landfolk, their keen sense of being a drifter no matter where they are, a drifting sentiment only settled when on the move.
I suppose this depends on each individual’s definition of what country music is, what makes something country, and what makes something else not country. Of course, there are very famous examples of what the general consensus of country music has been deemed to be by the public. These include such hits by Johnny Cash as ‘I Walk the Line’ and ‘Ring of Fire’, Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’, Tammy Wynette’s ‘Stand By Your Man’, Glenn Campbell’s ‘Wichita Lineman’, ‘Take Me Home Country Roads’ by John Denver, and my personal favorite ‘Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down’ by Kris Kristofferson (as covered by Johnny Cash himself).
Country music is in a bit of a strange spot these days, having shed itself of its folk roots long ago in an attempt to sustain the level of widespread popularity that it once held in American popular culture. Thus, much of the country music you are likely to hear these days, at least in the mainstream, is largely devoid of a characteristic identity or any sort of rallying point. This, in fact, is one of the central themes in a lot of modern country music. While old souls like Bill Callahan are mining the old sound for all it is worth, artists like Zach Bryan, Maren Morris, Tyler Childers, Cole Swindell, and Kane Brown are trying to make sense of what country music can mean in this new era.
Country Beach Music Is Perfect for Your Summer Playlist
After reviewing all of these top country beach signs, it is fair to say that they would be an ideal addition to your summer playlist. Most of the summer beach songs are carefree lyrically and also musically. Pretty much all of the songs I have listed in the article are upbeat and relatively catchy.
If you are looking to cover some of these country beach songs, it may be best to start with songs that are not that lyrically complicated. If you are looking at starting to write country beach songs then the ocean and the sand are great topics to write about.
Here are more posts on the blog to check out:
- Hardest Song To Sing
- Why Is Your Voice Deeper In The Morning – Why It’s Deeper And How To Cure It
