Top 10 Lauren Alaina Songs

Lauren Alaina Songs

Feature Photo: Sterling Munksgard / Shutterstock

Our Top 10 Lauren Alaina Songs list presents the best Lauren Alaina Songs like “What Ifs,” “One Beer,” “Road Less Traveled” and many more. Fans of American Idol will recognize Lauren Alaina as the runner-up of its tenth season run which premiered on January 19, 2011, and ran until May 25, 2011. Long before earning this achievement, the songstress was born and raised on November 8, 1994, as Lauren Alaina Kristine Suddeth in Rossville, Georgia.

At just three years old, her road to becoming a recording artist was well underway. Aside from singing in church choirs and whenever she had the opportunity, she also entered talent competitions. When she was eight years old, she won a talent competition that would lead her to perform at the Chattanooga Riverbend Festival on its kid’s talent stage.

She did this annually until she won the competition at twelve years old. That win enabled her to participate in the same festival’s main stage. In addition to pursuing a singing career, she also had an interest in beauty pageants. When she was ten years old, she competed and won the American Model and Talent Competition that was held in Orlando, Florida. At twelve years old, she took her first trip to Nashville, Tennessee.

Lauren’s Road

The inspiration that fueled Lauren Alaina to pursue a singing career came from her cousin, Holly Witherow. Witherow was diagnosed with a brain tumor, which she survived, but also served as Alaina’s biggest supporter to become further involved with the music industry. Taking this to heart, Lauren Alaina did well for herself in competitions, including the WinniSTAR youth talent contest at Lake Winnepesaukah amusement park in 2009. However, she wasn’t so fortunate when she auditioned for America’s Got Talent. On both occasions, she was rejected. It wasn’t until earning a spot on American Idol would Lauren Alaina’s road to becoming a successful recording artist finally began to smooth itself out.

When the tenth season of American Idol was finished, runner-up Alaina was signed to Interscope Records, Mercury Nashville, and 19 Recordings. During this time frame, Alaina appeared and performed on many talk shows, debuting on the Grand Ole Opry. Adding to her busy schedule was the American Idols Live! Tour 2011 took place between the television show’s finale and the release of her debut album.

When Wildflower was released as an album on October 11, 2011, it debuted at number five on the US Billboard 200 chart, as well as number two on the US Billboard Top Country Albums chart. In digital sales, it became the best-selling album by a debut country female artist. In 2012, she was recognized as New Artist of the Year by the American Country Awards. When 2013 began, Alaina started to record her second studio album. In the meantime, she maintained a busy schedule between recording music and touring.

Alan Jackson’s 2016 concert tour featured Lauren Alaina as the opening act for most of his stage performances. That same year saw the release of “Road Less Traveled,” which became the first number one hit single in her career. On January 27, 2017, the album Road Less Traveled was released. Now as a more seasoned artist, the material featured in her second album saw a slightly more mature side of Alaina than what was portrayed in Wildflower. As it turned out, the 2018 American Country Music Awards seemed to notice as she won New Famel Vocalist of the Year. At the 2018 Country Music Television Music Awards, she won Best Collaborative Video for “What Ifs.”

Still Competing

On June 6, 2017, Lauren Alaina made her film debut, The Road Less Traveled, which was filmed in Knoxville, Tennessee. It later premiered on CMT on November 10, 2017. The movie featured music from her album of the same name, as well as its title track. She later starred in the movie, Roadhouse Romance, which premiered on September 11, 2021. After these, she was to be a contestant on the CBS survival competition series, Beyond the Edge. It was to premier in March 2022. Unfortunately for Alaina, she tore her ligament and had to bow out of the show.

Lauren Alaina also appeared on the 2019 edition of Dancing with the Stars. Her partner was Gleb Savchenko and the two managed to place fourth before they were eliminated from the competition. It was during this time she and her partner danced to her song, “The Other Side,” in memory of her late stepfather. It was one of the tracks featured on her 2019 EP release, Getting Good. After this, she released another Ep, Getting Over Him, in 2020. Lauren Alaina’s third studio album, Sitting Pretty on Top of the World was released on September 3, 2021.

Top 10 Lauren Alaina Songs

# 10 – Barefoot and Buckwild

During the spring of 2013, Lauren Alaina released “Barefood and Buckwild” as a single. It peaked as high as number thirty-four on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, and at number fifty-six on the US Billboard Country Airplay chart. This song was originally meant to serve as the lead single from her second studio album, Road Less Traveled. However, due to Alaina’s vocal surgery during the summer of 2014, the completion of the album didn’t happen until 2017.

As a result, it was released as a non-album single. After it didn’t perform on the charts as well as hoped, it was kept out by the time the album came out. Despite the less than impressive chart rating, critics highly favored the song for its sass and teenage-friendly sex appeal. Designed as a rebellious number with nothing to apologize for, it became part of her trademark image as a strong woman who was proud of her heritage and how it has shaped her to become who she is today.

 

#9 – Getting Over Him (featuring Jon Pardi)

Lauren Alaina and Jon Pardi teamed up for the duet, “Getting Over Him,” which was a song Alaina co-wrote with Emily Weisband and Paul DiGiovanni. It came from her self-titled EP, which was released in 2020. For Alaina, the inspiration for the song came to her after experiencing two breakups, first from a six-year relationship she had with Alexander Hopkins, then a brief romance she had with John Cist.

As difficult as the breakups were, they also served as a growing-up experience for her as a person. This was made evident in the song as a need to branch out and have some fun. When she decided to perform “Getting Over Him” as a duet, Jon Pardi was her first choice. The two had already sung together in 2018 for “Don’t Blame It on Whiskey,” which was a song featured on Jon Pardi’s album, Heartache Medication. The decision to turn “Getting Over Him” into a duet also served as a statement that Alaina’s idea of moving on and having fun means doing so responsibly.

 

# 8 – Next Boyfriend

The fall of 2013 saw the release of “Next Boyfriend” as a single. On the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, it peaked as high as number thirty-nine. On the US Billboard Country Airplay, it became a number forty-three hit. Among a youthful fanbase of country music, Lauren Alaina’s flirty performance of this song was loaded with witty quips.

It revealed a maturing songstress that was earning her place as a solid mainstay in the genre of country music. As a song hinting to a man that piqued her interest, the appeal was enough to win over a younger audience while at the same time captivating the older crowd.

 

#7 – Doin’ Fine

2017’s “Doin’ Fine” was the third single released from Lauren Alaina’s second studio album, Road Less Traveled. On the US Billboard Country Airplay chart, it became a number twenty-seven hit. On the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, it peaked as high as number thirty-four.

The song served as an autobiographical notice by Alaina, letting her fans know she was doing fine despite the divorce of her parents due to her father’s alcoholism in 2013. It also let the fans know learning how to deal with life’s crazy moments and moving forward is simply a part of growing up. This was what her father did as he overcame his addiction, as well as what both parents did when they moved on and put their own lives back together.

For Alaina, “Doin’ Fine” served as a song of honesty about her own life events. Before going through with this song, she made sure both of her parents approved of its content, which they did. “Doin’ Fine,” as well as “What Ifs,” played a key role in the 2018 ACM win as New Female Vocalist of the Year for Lauren Alaina.

The popularity of the song was enough to make a solid enough impression on the fans as it became certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.

 

#6 – Eighteen Inches

The summer of 2012 saw “Eighteen Inches” as the third single released from her debut album, Wildflower. It became a number thirty-seven hit on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, as well as a number thirty-four hit on the US Billboard Country Airplay chart. After it was released, she embarked on an eighteen-city promotional tour.

She donated the proceeds from each show to the Special Olympics, along with a number of local charities. Originally written by Carrie Underwood, Ashley Gorley, and Kellye Lovelace, “Eighteen Inches” was a song that was meant for one of Underwood’s earlier album releases. However, it seems destiny chose Lauren Alaina to have the honors as a woman singing about a young couple running away together as a couple opting to listen to their hearts instead of their heads. Although only measured eighteen inches apart, the head and the heart tend to behave as if they’re not even in the same world together.

 

#5 – Georgia Peaches

“Georgia Peaches” was the lead single from Lauren Alaina’s debut album, Wildflower. It became a number twenty-eight hit on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and the US Billboard Country Airplay chart in 2011. Throughout 2011 and 2012, this was her flagship song as it was performed on several television programs, radio appearances, and special events.

The youthful mischievousness of “Georgia Peaches” as an unapologetic country gal could easily pass as a theme song for an all-girl sports team. In fact, the Georgia Peaches all-girl baseball program belongs to Major League Baseball’s Atlanta Braves. If it hasn’t been made as a theme song for that program yet it should be.

Born and raised as a “Georgia Peach,” a term often referred to describe the women who call the state their home, this was a song that defined Lauren Alaina best as a country girl proud of her heritage and her home turf.

 

#4 – Like My Mother Does

Lauren Alaina’s first single to make a chart appearance was “Like My Mother Does.” On the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, it peaked at number thirty-six. It was a number twenty hit on the US Billboard Hot 100. It was originally recorded by Kristy Lee Cook for her 2008 album, Why Wait, and was later released as a single by Jesse Lee in 2010, then Lauren Alaina in 2011.

It was Alaina’s version of the song that made a chart appearance. It was also her version that became a certified gold hit by the RIAA. This was Lauren Alaina’s coronation song after earning the runner-up spot on American Idol in 2011. According to the judges of the show, Lauren Alaina was well on her way to becoming a Nashville star fans would come to love. What added to the appeal of Alaina’s version was the music video of a mother’s influence on her that featured footage of her own mother in it.

 

#3 – Road Less Traveled

During the summer of 2016, “Road Less Traveled” was a single she released that would become a number one hit on the US Billboard Country Airplay chart. It first came from her self-titled EP before it became the title track of her second studio album, which was released in 2017.

The song about staying true to oneself was praised by fans and critics for its anthem-style approach to a person with confidence. “Road Less Traveled” became Alaina’s first number one single, which also charted as high as number eight on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and at number sixty-sen on the US Billboard Hot 100. It was also a very popular song in Canada, peaking as high as number three on its country chart. It also won her a CMT award for Breakthrough Video of the year in 2017.

For Alaina, this was a very personal song as it was written at a time when she was dealing with the divorce of her parents, as well as her battle with bulimia. The inspiration behind “Road Less Traveled” came from Robert Frot’s infamous poem, “The Road Not Taken.” The final product of this song came after Alaina underwent vocal surgery on August 12, 2014. Unlike the first recording, she had a broader vocal range that gave “Road Less Traveled” more depth. This formula clearly worked as “Road Less Traveled” also became certified platinum by the RIAA.

 

#2 – One Beer (featuring Hardy and Devin Dawson)

“One Beer” was a song that pooled together the talent of Hardy, Lauren Alaina, and Devin Dawson. It was released in 2019 as a single from Hardy’s first mixtape, Hixtape, Vol. 1 before it was featured in 2020 on his debut album, A Rock. “One Beer” was a song about how a single can of beer led to an unplanned pregnancy and a shotgun marriage.

As a subject matter, this isn’t unfamiliar territory as many fans can relate to the story with their own personal experiences. At least “One Beer” was a song that met with a happy ending for a family of three. The fan appeal of “One Beer” turned the song into a number one hit on the US Billboard Country Airplay chart, a number four hit on the Hot Country Songs chart, and a number thirty-three hit on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Globally, it also topped the country music charts belonging to Australia and Canada. In sales, “One Beer” became a double-platinum success story with the RIAA, as well as in Canada.

 

#1 – What Ifs (featuring Kane Brown)

“What Ifs” was performed as a duet between Lauren Alaina and Kane Brown in 2016. The 2018 edition of the CMT Awards recognized “What Ifs” as Best Collaborative Video. It also topped the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart at the same time “Road Less Traveled” did the same on the US Billboard Country Airplay chart.

This put her in the record books as one of only three women to top either country chart for that year. For Kane Brown, this was a song he wrote with the assistance of Matt McGinn and Jordan Schmidt. He and Lauren Alaina already had a history together as fellow classmates from Georgia’s Lakeview Fort Oglethorpe High School, so the chemistry the two shared in this duet already seemed destined to reach cult classic status.

With a seven-time platinum certification with the RIAA, as well as earning triple platinum in Canada, “What Ifs” quickly became one of the all-time country song favorites that also won over pop fans. “What Ifs” wasn’t originally designed to be a duet but the suggestion came up, Brown believed only Lauren Alaina was qualified to add the magic needed to give it the respect it deserved. The curiosity of the fans had “What Ifs” become a song that wound up on Kane Brown’s debut album instead of being kept in reserve for later release. Within a week after the album was released on December 2, 2016, there were already over six thousand downloads of the song. Before 2017 was over, “What Ifs” became one of the most played songs, especially on streaming platforms.

Top 10 Lauren Alaina Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2022

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