The WORST “Country” Songs of 2025 So Far

Though 2025 continues to see the rise in popularity of more country-sounding songs and more songs of substance, this parallels a dramatic rise in really really bad straight up pop and hip-hop tracks being inexplicably pushed to the country market, and organizations like Billboard placing them on country charts, no questions asked.
We’ve looked at the Best Country Albums of 2025 So Far and the Best Country Songs as well. Now it’s time to run down the WORST that 2025 has had to offer.
Morgan Wallen – “Miami”
I’d rather get brained by a flying deck chair from four stories up than be subjected to another nanosecond of Morgan Wallen’s “Miami.” Categories 5 hurricanes with retired names and dedicated Wikipedia pages have inflicted less catastrophic damage and resulted in fewer post traumatic stress diagnoses than what “Miami” had wrought in 48 hours after its release. This song is such a disaster, it’s visible from Space.
And of course “Miami” comes with NINE songwriters, though this includes the sainted Hall of Famers Hank Cochran and Dean Dillon, along with Royce Porter who wrote the original “Miami, My Amy” song. But something tells me that Hank Cochran, Dean Dillon, and Keith Whitley never envisioned shitty trap beats, and an electronically-generated chorus line of Oompa Loompas screeching out “Miiiaammmeeee…” over and over when they wrote the song originally. (read full rant)
Graham Barham – “Oil Money”
Ready your rape kits America, because the music of Graham Barham is spreading on social media like a bad rash and infecting your little chickadees faster than an ultra-viral avian flu. It’s easier to find a carton of eggs for under $4 these days than it is to uncover anything of value in Graham Barham’s so-called “music.” This dude oozes affluenza more than a mealy-mouthed little $hit whose parents paid off the local judge after he murdered a family of four drunk in his Bugatti.
Imagine using the most advanced surgical procedures enhanced by cutting-edge AI technology to meticulously isolate and extract the very kernel essence of what made performers like Sam Hunt and Florida Georgia Line so sinister and cringe, and then using the latest bio-engineering to increase the mass of this little piece of evilness until it takes a human form. This is what you get with Graham Barham. It’s absolutely everything that was abhorrent about Bro-Country in a purified, unadulterated state, served to the public with no chaser.
If this guy called a spade a spade and admitted this is nothing more than a bad White boy hip-hop act, then it would be none of our business over here in By God country music. But Graham Barham and the weasel-dicked cucks at Sony who signed this asshole actually legitimately think this is country music. (read full rant)
BigXthaPlug feat. Bailey Zimmerman – “All The Way”
Hey BigXthaButtPlug, just because you’ve got tits the size of Dolly Parton’s and are pre-diabetic like Gary LeVox of Rascal Flatts, that don’t make you country, bud. You can’t just declare yourself country like Michael Scott in The Office declared bankruptcy. You’ve got to do your 10,000 hours, and all you’ve done is shoved Ho-Hos down your gullet and vomited back up straight up hip-hop verses that are being label “country” because … well, I’m not exactly sure why. Because the TEMU version of Morgan Wallen is featured on the stupid track?
BigXthaButtPlug isn’t “evolving” country music, he’s breaking it, like literally. There’s a triage of office chairs with busted casters from his visits to Music Row. Good lord don’t let this guy step into the hallowed circle of the Grand Ole Opry stage or he’ll splinter the boards.
After BigXthaButtPlug had a #1 song in country, I had to explain to my mother what a butt plug was. Wait, “Butt Plug” isn’t actually part of his real name? Maybe it’s a Freudian thing going on because that’s how I read it. Well either way, screw this guy, especially since he made me explain what a butt plug was to my mother for no reason.
Gary LeVox, Akon, De La Ghetto – “Hold The Umbrella.”
I’d rather be stuck on a poop cruise adrift in the Caribbean during a COVID Alpha outbreak, only to de-ship in Cancun and be kidnapped and held for ransom while cartel cronies shove toothpicks up my cuticles than ever suffer another complete second in the audience of this “song.” Gary LeVox trying to act hip in his wife’s cardigan is about the greatest incidental comedy ever constructed.
The irony of LeVox singing “Hold The Umbrella” when the guy can only properly clothe himself in plus-sized ponchos is pretty rich. When you think of the exotic and tropical, do you really think of the Rascal Flatts frontman? The only thing LeVox should be reppin’ is Cracker Barrel. His blood is sawmill gravy, after all.
Don’t know who the other two losers on this song are, but someone should snitch on them to Kristi Noem and get all three swept up in a plain clothes ICE raid and sent to a torture dungeon in El Salvador to sweat away the rest of their lives. Don’t put LeVox in Alligator Alcatraz though. His cholesterol piss would poison the pristine nature of the Everglades.
This song can screw right off.
Dishonorable Mention:
Josh Ross, Akon – “Drunk Right Now (Na Na Na)”
Kane Brown – “2 Pair”
July 3, 2025 @ 11:28 am
BigXthaButtPlug’s existence alone demonstrates that culture has not progressed.
July 7, 2025 @ 10:11 am
Jeeeesus make your racism even more obvious.
July 8, 2025 @ 11:54 am
Right, pulling that card I see. I’m sure you tell all your friends: “my 10 year old sons favoirite artist is BigXThaPlug. You realize Tha Plug is slang for drug dealer, don’t you?
But hey, the only thing someone could be critical of him for is race, right? Not his name, crappy music or glorifying drug dealing.
July 3, 2025 @ 11:30 am
These artists are so bad I kinda wish Sam Hunt was back
July 3, 2025 @ 12:55 pm
I don’t know about Sam Hunt, but I definitely long for the days when Rascal Flatts was the most offensive thing on the radio.
July 3, 2025 @ 12:08 pm
I nominate this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJDr1tAdRFg
July 3, 2025 @ 1:05 pm
I was expecting something on the list from Jelly Roll but many of his bigger songs are from last year. ‘Only God Knows’ came out this year with Struggle Jennings and Jelly Roll and it’s awful and very much like this butt-rock country bullshit that’s popular now and being treated as artistically valid.
All the songs listed here objectively suck but I don’t know that they are changing the direction of Country music that much, and are existing on the fringes. I personally hate the song ‘Hard Fought Hallelujah’ by Brandon Lake starring Jelly Roll. Sonically it’s not as offensive as the songs listed here but it’s another clear example of mainstream Country being lost.
July 3, 2025 @ 12:10 pm
One of the best ways the world has gotten better is I’m only aware of these songs through saving country music making fun of them instead of having to actually listen to Rodney atkins on the radio (the worst of all time)
July 3, 2025 @ 12:21 pm
Mr. Oil Money is booked to play a show at Carol’s Pub according to their website. JB-Chicago you may want to have a chat with the proprietor of that establishment. I’m hoping they have no idea what kind of hot garbage they agreed to book and once informed will realize it doesn’t fit with the program.
July 3, 2025 @ 1:26 pm
Barham is playing Carol’s for $22, and the next day the Castellows play the sister bar for only $21 to get the oil taste out of one’s mouth.
It’s just like when Dan + Shay played right before Turnpike, when Smokeout was under the highway off ramp before it moved to the stadium parking lot.
July 3, 2025 @ 5:37 pm
All I’m going to say to both you and Glendel is that they do their best over at all of the venues to book a wide variety of entertainment. We here on SCM have to understand that this is a business, and just because we don’t care for some artists, other people do like em. The folks at Carol’s, both Joe’s, and the Smokeout have done a lot for the independent community over the 10 yrs I’ve been following it. Is every artist booked at the venues and the Smokeout perfect for us? Of course not, but I’ve seen many many amazing shows, and they’ve given first opportunities to artists we love and watched them go on to success. They booked Turnpike here when nobody would. I support the artists and shows I like and ignore the ones I don’t. Like we all do everywhere. I won’t make it to Kendell Marvel Thursday but I’ll be at the Whitey Morgan, Hailey Whitters, and The Castellows shows. I’ll be having a great time!!! So settle down boys………..
July 3, 2025 @ 6:29 pm
I am close to pulling the trigger on making the trip up for the Castellows show. Bday surprise for my wife. I hope to see you there my friend.
July 3, 2025 @ 12:36 pm
There was a time when these worst-of lists would have encompassed pretty much the entire radio Top 10. One saving grace is that none of these have become substantial country airplay hits. The ButtPlug record is getting played at Pop and Rhythmic stations. Which further underscores what a joke Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart is.
For the worst song that actually has been a mainstream country radio hit, I nominate Thomas Rhett’s “After All the Bars Are Closed.” When I first heard it I had to check the frequency of the radio station to make sure I wasn’t listening to a hip-hop station. Then again, trying to be “the white Drake” is pretty much par for the course with him. I thought Niko Moon’s “Good Time” was bad a few years ago… this one’s worse.
July 3, 2025 @ 1:58 pm
This article is much more offensive than any of the songs mentioned.
July 3, 2025 @ 3:35 pm
You must have been brought in from a third party site. Not many of us regular readers like the shitty kind of country.
July 3, 2025 @ 4:25 pm
Around here we like to think of Trigger’s epic rants as charming. And well-deserved.
July 3, 2025 @ 4:23 pm
I guess the good news for me is that I haven’t even heard of any of these people, so thankfully I am not missing anything.
July 3, 2025 @ 4:26 pm
Every year since about 2012, I think it can’t possibly get any worse. This year can’t possibly scrape the bottom any further…and yet it somehow happens.
July 3, 2025 @ 6:19 pm
Until now i had only heard tbe miami song by wallen and its bad. But listening to hold the umbrella, thats just horrible. I know rascal flatts was just country lite at best but for their lead to do this song is ludicrous at best. I dont know what the hell akon is doing on this, he must need some dough. I liked his mr lonely song back in the day, still enjoy it when i hear it now. But he needs a better rep.
July 3, 2025 @ 6:22 pm
The only mildly redeeming factor I’ll give to the Oil Money guy is that his tour stop in Denver is a literal 100 person venue.
July 3, 2025 @ 8:56 pm
Not since Dennis Miller has a man ranted like the Trigger man!
July 5, 2025 @ 6:59 am
And We Love him for it…
July 3, 2025 @ 9:20 pm
BigXThaButtPlug and De La Ghetto being two black dudes in Country videos instead of a handsome older black cowboy such as Yours Truly who can REALLY write Country lyrics ??????????????NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 4, 2025 @ 12:28 am
While I love all the amazing music suggestions, reviews and information Saving Country Music provides, I’m always embarrassingly giddy when Trigger lets me know the worst songs & “singers” out there currently! I’m grateful I don’t have to ever listen to them because I avoid radio like I do rabid wolverines, yet I get to know just how awful the songs are thanks to Trig’s vivid descriptions.
July 4, 2025 @ 2:36 am
…no danger of a fomo-rush here.
July 4, 2025 @ 3:06 am
The worst songs for some years? They really are awful. How can music as bad as this be released?
July 4, 2025 @ 3:14 am
Trigger, tell us how you REALLY feel about BigXthatButtPlug and his Dolly Parton titties.
But I’ve never seen so much body shaming in a single post written by Trigger. It was glorious.
July 4, 2025 @ 4:32 am
Akon has been accused of raping a 13 year old girl. Please keep him out of country music.
July 4, 2025 @ 8:39 am
Accusations are just accusations and you cannot cancel people based on that alone.
Give them time to be convicted first. Give them time to prove innocence. Knee-jerk reactions are why Country is kicking and screaming to let people know it ain’t dead yet.
July 4, 2025 @ 5:54 am
The Hold the Umbrella video has to be one of the funniest things I’ve seen in a while. I don’t know how anyone involved in that song and video thought that could have been a good idea. It looks like a midlife crisis put to video.
July 4, 2025 @ 7:49 am
Back in the 70’s when disco came out I thought nothing would ever be as bad. LOL Thankfully I’ve never heard of these clowns on Willie’s Roadhouse.
July 4, 2025 @ 9:02 am
Dude, the Bee Gees rule.
July 4, 2025 @ 8:16 am
Love the haterade, but the ice and alligator Alcatraz stuff isn’t funny. Like making 9/11 jokes on 9/12.
July 4, 2025 @ 4:43 pm
Nah. It is hilarious.
And it isn’t close to 9-11. 9-11 was a national tragedy. ICE and Alligator Alcatraz are American heroes.
July 4, 2025 @ 9:16 pm
Couldn’t hear you through the sheet. I don’t think your mouth hole is lined up with your mouth.
July 5, 2025 @ 6:21 am
Obviously you did or you wouldn’t have responded.
Whatever you say, Quisling.
Some of us prefer law and order over anarchy.
July 4, 2025 @ 8:20 pm
That is really disrespectful. 9/11 a lot of Americans died. The other is just a dumb name made up for a temporary holding cell for criminals. All people who break the law and go to jail stay in something similar
July 4, 2025 @ 8:36 am
They say don’t judge a book by its cover, but I could spend a good half hour negatively critiquing the three photos at the top of this article.
July 4, 2025 @ 3:29 pm
They all are SH** but out of choices gotta go with stupid ass umbrella song
July 4, 2025 @ 9:46 pm
Gary Levox could make great Christian pop music, and he has before. Not tiki music plz
July 5, 2025 @ 8:47 am
I would not consider any of these songs country.
July 6, 2025 @ 4:06 am
Yes, I abhor Kane Brown, totally inauthentic opportunistic. Backseat Drive is cringe inducing, I want to vomit at the “little bitty orange juice” line.
July 9, 2025 @ 12:33 am
I bet real money that ‘Backseat Driver’ will be considered a classic country song in twenty years.
July 6, 2025 @ 9:52 am
That Gary Levox song…Is an insult to Jimmy Buffet among other things.
Also the three of them come off as the Uncles at the family BQQ hitting on your college friends.
July 7, 2025 @ 3:54 am
Strait,if you wish Sam Hunt was back,these “artists” must really blow !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 7, 2025 @ 2:20 pm
barnstrait,where IS Kane Brown ? Did he bury his career in Georgia ?
July 8, 2025 @ 3:13 am
Hope he’s still lost in his back yard
July 15, 2025 @ 10:32 am
I would add “Darlin” by Chase Matthew and “Country House” by Sam Hunt to this list. Both of these “songs” are complete garbage.
August 18, 2025 @ 4:45 pm
Graham Barham’s white hat looks like the ones we nurses used to line the toilet to catch urine samples. Better yet fill it with warm water and soak your hemorrhoids