Our Top 10 Kenny Rogers Songs list takes a look at one of the most successful crossover artists of all time. He’s a singer, songwriter, actor, producer and entrepreneur. He’s a well-known country singer, but he was also popular in other genres such as pop, jazz, folk and rock music. He charted with more than 420 hit singles during his career. He has over 60 Top 40 singles. Some of his hit singles include “Lucille,” “I Don’t Need You,” “Share Your Love with Me,” “Blaze of Glory,” “Island in the Stream,” “The Gambler,” “Lady,” “We Got Tonight,” “Through the Years” Love Will Turn You Around” and “She Believes in Me.”
Kenny Rogers sold over 100 million albums worldwide. Rogers was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He’s won numerous awards throughout his career. In addition to his music career, he appeared in movies such as Saga of Sonora (1973), The Dream Makers (1975), Kenny Rogers as the Gambler (1980), Coward of the County (1981), Kenny Rogers as the Gambler: The Adventure Continues (1983), Wild Horses (1985), Kenny Rogers as the Gambler Part III: The Legend Continues (1987), The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw (1991) as well as other movies. Rogers was also successful in real estate. He was one of the first celebrities to flip mansions and sell them. It’s time to get to know more about Kenny Rogers.
Kenneth Ray Rogers was born August 21, 1938 to March 20, 2020. In the 1950s, he started his career in a group called the Scholars. He would go on to join the group New Christy Minstrels in the 1960s. In 1967, Kenny Rogers joined another group called The First Edition. He had his first big hit with this group. The hit single was called “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In).” The song reached number five on the Billboard 200 charts. The group broke up between 1975 and 1976. Rogers wanted to pursue a solo career.
Kenny Rogers released his debut album Love Lifted Me in 1976. The album was a minor hit. It peaked at number 28 on the country charts. The album features the singles “Love Lifted Me,” “Homemade Love” and “While the Feeling’s Good.” Kenny Rogers also came out in 1976. The album peaked at number one on the country charts and number 30 on the Billboard 200 charts. The album features the singles “Laura (What’s He Got That I Ain’t Got),” “Green Green Grass of Home,” “Lucille” and “Lay Down Beside Me.” The album went gold. Daytime Friends was released in 1977. It peaked at number two on the country charts and number 39 on the Billboard 200 charts. The album features the singles “Daytime Friends,” “Desperado” and “Sweet Music Man.”
Love or Something Like It came out in 1978. It peaked at number one on the country charts and number 53 on the Billboard 200 charts. The album features the singles “Love or Something Like It,” “Momma’s Waiting,” “Sail Away,” “Even a Fool Would Let Go” and “I Could Be So Good for You.” The album went gold. The Gambler also came out in 1978. The album peaked at number one on the country music charts and number 12 on the Billboard 200 charts. The album features the singles “The Gambler,” “She Believes in Me” and “I Wish That I Could Hurt That Way Again.” The album went on to sell over 35 million copies worldwide. Kenny came out in 1979. The project peaked at number one on the country charts and number five on the Billboard 200 charts. It features the singles “You Decorated My Life,” “Coward of the Country,” “Goodbye Marie” and “Old Folks.” The album sold over 20 million copies worldwide.
The Gideon came out in 1980. The album peaked at number one on the country charts and number 12 on the Billboard 200 charts. It features the singles “Don’t Fall in Love with a Dreamer,” “Saying Goodbye,” “Love All the Way” and “Somebody Help Me.” The album went platinum. Share Your Love came out in 1981. It peaked at number one on the country charts and number six on the Billboard 200 charts. Rogers worked with Lionel Richie on the album. The album features the singles “I Don’t Need You,” “Share Your Love with Me,” “Blaze of Glory” and “Through the Years.” The album sold over nine million copies. Love Will Turn You Around was released in 1982. The album peaked at number five on the country charts and number 34 on the Billboard 200 charts. The album features the singles “Love Will Turn You Around” and “A Love Song.” The album went platinum.
We’ve Got Tonight was released in 1983. The album peaked at number three on the country charts and number 18 on the Billboard 200 charts. It features the singles “We’ve Got Tonight,” “Scarlet Fever,” “All My Life” and “You Are So Beautiful.” The album went platinum. Eyes That See in the Dark also came out in 1983. The album peaked at number one on the country charts and number one on the Billboard 200 charts. The album features the singles “Island in the Stream,” “This Woman,” “Eyes That See in the Dark” and “Evening Star.” The album sold over two million copies. What About Me? was released in 1984. The album peaked at number nine on the country charts and number 31 on the Billboard 200 charts. The album features the singles “What About Me?,” “The Night Goes On” and “Crazy.”
The Heart of the Matter was released in 1985. The album peaked at number one on the country charts and number 51 on the Billboard 200 charts. It features the singles “Morning Desire,” “Tomb of the Unknown Love” and “The Best of Me.” They Don’t Make Them Like They Used To was released in 1986. It peaked at number 16 on the country charts and 137 on the Billboard 200 charts. The album features the tracks “Twenty Years Ago,” “You’re My Love” and “They Don’t Make Them Like They Used To.” I Prefer the Moonlight came out in 1987. It peaked at number 18 on the country charts and 163 on the Billboard 200 charts. It features the singles “Make No Mistake, She’s Mine,” “I Prefer the Moonlight,” “I Don’t Call Him Daddy” and “The Factory.”
Kenny Rogers released several more albums throughout his career. He was a pioneer in country music. He paved the way for other country artists to have crossover appeal. Rogers sold millions of records over the years. He was able to star in many movies without it hurting his music career. Some artists have trouble maintaining their music fans once they start appearing in movies. Rogers proved you could do both and still keep your fans. Kenny Rogers left the world too soon, but he won’t be forgotten. He had a lot of hit singles so narrowing the list down to 10 songs was a challenge. Our Top 10 Kenny Rogers Songs list will feature his best songs.
# 10 – Blaze of Glory
The first song on our Top 10 Kenny Rogers Songs list is “Blaze of Glory” from the Share Your Love album. The song has a country beat. The dramatic song is about a relationship going out with a bang. He wanted to go out with “blaze of glory.” If you are familiar with the term “blaze of glory,” then you have an idea what the song is about. The song opens with the infectious chorus. Most singers build up to the chorus, but Rogers wanted to introduce the song with the hook.
It sounds like a lot of people are in the song. The vocals for the hook are stacked so it sounds like multiple people are singing it. The music doesn’t really sound like your typical country music. It sounds more like soft rock and folk music. The music is melodic and will have you moving around to it. Rogers’ velvety smooth vocals will hypnotize you. You can get lost listening to his sexy voice. The song is bittersweet because it could have described his life since he went out with a “blaze of glory.” This song wasn’t as big a hit as the other songs, but it’s worth a listen.
# 9 – Love Will Turn You Around
The next song on our Top 10 Kenny Rogers Songs list is “Love Will Turn You Around” from the album of the same name. The song has a country beat. The familiar song is about the power of love. He sings about how magical love is. The song is stripped to an acoustic sound. The song has a high-strung acoustic guitar, the base, and the keyboard. There is a drumbeat that gives the song some tempo. The music will reel you in as soon as it starts. If the music weren’t enough to keep you engaged in the song, Rogers’ vocals will grab your attention. His sonorous pitch will melt a heart of stone. His vocals are beautiful and effortless. He doesn’t hold any notes, but the song didn’t need it. His vocals are crisp and pure. He sounds like an angel on this track. He sounds like he’s having a conversation with the listeners about relationships. As long as he sounded like that, he would have had our attention.
# 8 – I Don’t Need You
The bitter song is from the Share Your Love album. It has a country and pop beat. The anthemic song is about a relationship that ended. He’s convinced he doesn’t need her in his life anymore. He takes the listeners on a journey as he discusses not wanting her in his life anymore. He changes his mind and realizes he may be wrong about ending the relationship. The lyrics contain a twist because he’s unhappy with her in the first half of the song and wonders if he should let her go. This is one of the many collaborations Kenny Rogers had with Lionel Richie and the results were successful.
This was a hit song for Kenny Rogers. It was a good idea for them to work together because they created musical magic. The melody of the track is similar to the Commodores’ song “Still.” Kenny Rogers sounds similar to Lionel Richie on the song. Was it intentional on Kenny Rogers part to sound like Lionel Richie or was it a coincidence? He sounds very soulful on this song. It’s easy to forget that this is a country song because it sounds like r&b and adult contemporary music. This is a pretty song. Rogers belts on this song. It’s hard to believe that he didn’t write this song because it sounds like he’s singing from the heart.
# 7 – Lucille
The haunting song is from his eponymous album. It has a country beat. The tearjerker is about a man meeting an unhappily married woman in a bar. She opens up to the man about how unhappy her life is with her husband. She wants something new. Her husband shows up and confronts her and the man. The husband tells her how she abandoned him and their children at the worst possible time. “Lucille” and the man go to a hotel together. He has a change of heart about wanting to be with her after thinking about the things her husband said.
The song sounds as dramatic as a soap opera. There aren’t too many songs about a man trying to have an affair with someone he knows is married. He also talks about child abandonment and poverty. He covered a lot of topics in this song. This is definitely a different song. The music has a country feel to it. His songs have crossover appeal because they can fit for different genres, but this fits right in with his country style. You don’t have to be a true country fan to appreciate the music or the quality of the song. Rogers didn’t just sing the song. He told a passionate story about heartbreak. You can almost feel the pain in his voice as he tells the heartbreaking story. The man didn’t just sing songs, he told stories.
# 6 – Share Your Love With Me
The emotional song is from the Share Your Love album. It has a country, pop and r&b beat to it. The tender song is about unrequited love. The lyrics to the song are moving and tender. Aretha Franklin sang the song before Kenny Rogers He took a chance covering a song that was a big hit for Aretha Franklin. He proved he was willing to take chances. The questions have arrived. Should Kenny Rogers have taken the chance and sang a song that was a success for another artist? Did Kenny Rogers pull it off? The answer to the first question is that he probably shouldn’t have taken the risk and recorded her hit song.
The answer to the second question is that he did pull it off. He managed to make his version of the song sound completely different from Aretha Franklin’s version. Aretha Franklin’s version is more soulful and gospel oriented than Kenny Rogers’ version. His version has a country, pop and r&b sound to it. The music sounds more upbeat in Kenny Rogers’ version of the track while Aretha Franklin’s is more somber. The music was a nice touch for the track. It doesn’t have a country sound. It sounds like jazz music. Kenny Rogers’ vocals are superb on this track. He sings it with so much passion that it’s easy to forget that he didn’t sing the song first. He does little runs throughout the song that added a nice touch to it. Lionel Richie and Gladys Knight and the Pips provide the background vocals for the track. They do an excellent job supporting him in the background.
# 5 – We’ve Got Tonight ft. Sheena Easton
The next song on our Top 10 Kenny Rogers Songs list is “We’ve Got Tonight” from his album of the same name. The song has a country sound. The seductive song is about two lonely people who aren’t right for each other, but insist on having a one-night stand. This is another remake on our Top 10 Kenny Rogers Songs list. Bob Seger sang this song first. Bob Seger’s version isn’t a duet like this one. Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton didn’t work together before this track. They seem like an unlikely pair since they sing different genres of music, but they made it work. The song was a hit for them. It was the only time Sheena Easton appeared on the country charts.
Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton’s version is slightly different from Bob Seger’s version. Bob Seger’s version seems more soulful while their version is pop and soft rock friendly. Their song has David Foster’s sound written all over it. The melody is similar to other tracks that Foster produced over the years. Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton’s version is a piano-laden ballad with guitar solos and drum beats for tempo. Sheena Easton sounds like she’s shouting a little over the music. Kenny Rogers seems at home with the track. Their voices blended well together on the ballad. It’s a shame that they didn’t get the opportunity to record together again.
# 4 – She Believes in Me
The touching song is from The Gambler album. The song has a country beat. The enchanting song is about a woman who stands by his side through everything. He tells the meaningful story about how she stays by his side. He questions her loyalty to him because of what he puts her through. The song is guaranteed to make any woman melt. They will be touched by the moving lyrics. There aren’t enough tracks written about women or men who stand by their loved ones regardless. It’s always good to hear songs like this one.
The song has crossover appeal written all over it. It was destined to be a hit on different radio stations. It’s not a surprise that the song was a hit because it’s a beautiful song with an incredible message. Everything about the song works. The music is soothing and tender. The lush arrangement of the music is amazing. It doesn’t sound like typical country music at all. It sounds like a cross between adult contemporary and soft rock music. There’s no way we can continue without discussing Kenny Rogers’ sizzling hot vocals. He sounds superb on this track. He sounds very convincing during this tribute to the woman he loves. He holds notes in the song. He doesn’t reach for the stars, but he does hold some notes at the end of it.
# 3 – The Gambler
The helpful song is from the album of the same name. It has a country beat. The masterpiece is about knowing what to throw away and what to keep. It could be taken as a metaphor about life. You would know when to fight for what you want and when to walk away. This is the track that helped make Kenny Rogers a superstar. The song was his signature song. It was featured in his movie of the same name. The music has a classic country sound. The guitar and drums are the stars of the music. The music wouldn’t just please country fans. You don’t have to be a true blue fan of country music to enjoy the hypnotic beat.
The tempo of the track will have you moving around in your seat. Kenny Rogers’ killer vocals are the truth. He nailed this song because he gave everything he had. It’s hard to imagine someone else singing this song. He didn’t record this song first. Bobby Bare and Johnny Cash recorded the song before Kenny Rogers did. There’s no way to listen to either recording once you hear Kenny Rogers’ version of the song. His sexy and smooth voice will hypnotize you throughout the track. His baritone pitch is smooth like honey. You might find yourself putting this song on repeat so you can hear it over again.
# 2 – Through the Years
The moving song is from the Share Your Love album. It has a country and pop beat. The supportive song is about a couple that has stayed together through thick and thin. They have been through a lot together and managed to stay together despite their ups and downs. The song is relevant to any couple who has been in love and gone through ups and downs. The track was recorded decades ago, but the theme is still relevant today. The song doesn’t have the typical country sound. It has crossover appeal written all over it. This song is another one of Kenny Rogers’ signature songs. The music will bring tears to your eyes. The melody is similar to Whitney Houston’s “All At Once.”
If you pay attention to the music, you may notice the similarities between the tracks. The orchestral swell of the music builds up to a climactic finale. It’s definitely worth it to stick around to listen to the music build up to the end. Kenny Rogers sings his heart out on this track. He starts the song softly and then vocally let’s loose towards the end. He’s basically asking the listeners to sing along with him and there’s no way not to do it. He invites you to sing along with him. The song is an earworm that will stay in your head. It’s not a surprise this song was a big hit for Kenny Rogers.
# 1 – Lady
The number one song on our Top 10 Kenny Rogers Songs list is “Lady” from his greatest hits album. The song has a pop beat. The loving song is a dedication to the woman he loves. This is one of the collaborations Kenny Rogers had with Lionel Richie. They proved that their collaborations were golden. This was a huge hit for Kenny Rogers. The song helped propel both of their careers. It was a crossover hit for Kenny Rogers. This breathtaking song could easily be a wedding song. The lyrics are so beautiful that anyone would want to walk down the aisle to this song or let it be their first wedding dance.
The music is mesmerizing and enticing. It sounds like pop and soul music. It doesn’t have a hint of country to it. Rogers proved that he didn’t have to just sing country music. It sounds like something Lionel Richie or The Commodores would have performed. Kenny Rogers sounds similar to Lionel Richie and Joe Cocker on this track. Kenny Rogers vocally takes you to places unknown. There aren’t enough words to express how wonderful he sounds on this song. He shows versatility because he holds notes after the bridge. It’s hard to want to hear this song end because it’s flawless. The song is too good to end. You may find yourself starting the song over so it won’t end. The song deserved to be number one on the charts and number one on our list.