The 10 Best Kacey Musgraves Songs

When Kacey Musgraves landed in country music, she was applauded for her incisive lyrics and plainspoken vocal power.

She first made an imprint as a songwriting collaborator on the popular soapy drama “Nashville” and as a writer for others (Miranda Lambert among them) before branching off with her solo work. Her debut, Same Trailer Different Park arrived to great acclaim and remains one of the defining albums of its era .

From the beginning, with “Merry Go ‘Round” (more on that later), she knew exactly who she was as a storyteller, never compromising her integrity or the grit in her music. Even as she’s expanded her sound to pop and indie/folk, she’s never wavered in who she is.

Her identity is engrained in her stories. Despite leaving country music behind, at least in the traditional sense of pursuing radio, you’ll always know a Musgraves song when you hear it. Unsurprisingly, she’s amassed a loyal fanbase that has followed her every step of the way.

To celebrate her legacy , NashvilleGab has compiled her 10 best songs, ranging from her early days to her most recent album, Deeper Well . Take a look.

“Oh, What a World”

Magic wafts like rose petals on the breeze which is the opening vocal effect. It’s a dazzling musical piece that sets up the song’s wonderful warmth. “All kinds of magic around us,” she observes. From Musgraves’ tender vocals down to the instruments nestled behind walls of sound, something is intoxicating about the whole thing.

“Merry Go ‘Round”

As her debut single, “Merry Go ‘Round” proclaimed the singer as the most promising songwriter in years. Her way of crafting a sorrowful mid-America town left such an imprint that it became a Top 10 hit on country radio. While radio would abandon her later work, the downcast ballad emerges as a timeless relic.

“Slow Burn”

It’s difficult to distill Golden Hour to a handful of its best tracks. The album was critically heralded, and for good reason. Its strength lies in the culmination of its individual pieces that hold steady all on their own. “Slow Burn” cracks open the record with a swelling heat and Musgraves’ willingness to let the melody breathe. It might be a ballad, but it’s still an undeniable barn burner.

“Somebody to Love”

“We’re all hoping, and we’re all hopeless,” Musgraves draws out the dichotomy embedded within “Somebody to Love.” She yearns to find, well, somebody to love, as she details the sorrowful nature of human existence and how we all need love to get by. “We’re all pots, and we’re all kettles,” she sings.

“Space Cowboy”

With its echoing restraint and starstruck emission, “Space Cowboy” dazzles in wordplay. Musgraves rides across the cosmic melody with a forlorn gleam in her eyes, as she watches her lover gallop into the sunset. “You can have your space, cowboy,” she sings. It’s a performance for the ages.

“Deeper Well”

Musgraves comes to understand that sometimes people and things only serve a purpose for a time. “Took a long time, but I learned there’s two kinds of people,” she sings, describing the givers and the takers. She bids farewell to the past, allowing a new layer of herself to show up in the sun. Sometimes, you just have to move on, as painful as it might be.

“Rainbow”

If you need a bit of encouragement, look no further than “Rainbow,” which bookends Golden Hour like a spot of sun after a downpour. “You hold tight to your umbrella, well darling I’m just trying to tell ya there’s always been a rainbow hanging over your head,” she sings. Accompanied by nothing but piano, Musgraves’ performance is equal parts magnificent and intimate. There’s nothing quite like it.

“Good Ole Boys Club”

Musgraves has always spoken her mind. With “Good Ole Boys Club,” she calls out the toxic country music system that requires shaking hands and kowtowing to the powers that be. “Don’t wanna be part of the good ole boys club,” she vows. Instead, she continues doing what she does best and accepts where the chips fall.

“The Architect”

With one of Deeper Well’s most potent moments, Musgraves ponders questions about regret, life, and the greater universe. “The Architect” shimmers and covers much deeper inquiries about what it means to be human. Its emotional threads keep the song from crumbling in your hands. By the song’s end, you’re left questioning your own existence in the cosmos.

“Follow Your Arrow”

“Follow Your Arrow” became an anthem for every outsider in the world. “Follow your arrow wherever it points” rings the infectious refrain. The mid-tempo twanger became a turning point for the star, who began cultivating an audience well outside the confines of the country music sphere. And for good reason. Her music knows no bounds, and “Follow Your Arrow” was her proud declaration.