“Top 10 Cheerful Pick-Me-Up Country Songs of 2010”

Top 10 Cheerful Pick-Me-Up Country Songs of 2010

We've all heard the joke about what happens when you play a country song backward. Har de har har. But what true fans of the genre know is that the modern country music annals are humming and alive with plenty of perky, pick-me-up tunes by everyone from 90s fave Garth Brooks to Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush of the current superduo Sugarland. Here's a countdown of the top unabashedly cheerful country songs that brought listeners a healthy helping of sunshine when they trolled the airwaves in 2010.

#10: Put You in a Song, Keith Urban. It's a breezy, poppish tune that puts a fresh spin on can't-get-enough-of-you devotion. It's not enough to carry around a photo of his love. Nope. The Aussie songster wants to literally put his gal in a song. Too cool. (Okay, and maybe a little bit creepy in an 'oh my gosh, a stalker would totally do that' sort of way, but definitely unique.)

#9: Wildflower, The JaneDear Girls. Sometimes, it's all about enjoying the simple, everyday things in life, like cherry lip gloss and a "rusted out Chevrolet". The whimsical Wildflower is all about cheerful fun; upbeat, energetic, flirtatious fun in the country sun. And it's a bona fide keeper from this new Susie Brown/Danelle Leverett duo.

#8: Hip to My Heart, The Band Perry. You want pep? Oh, we've got pep. The sister-brother-brother trio delivers it in spades with their debut single. It's a bubbly little ditty with snappin', cracklin' punch and some seriously strong vocals from lead singer Kimberly Perry.

#7: Smile, Uncle Kracker. The title of a song is often misleading (I Pray for You, anyone?), but it's perfectly to the point in the case of Uncle Kraker's good-natured hit. Unique vocal stylings marry perfectly with sweet words of devotion to create a pick-me-up piece that maintains a perfect balance of saccharine and sour. After all, everyone likes to hear that they make someone else happy, right?

#6: Why Don't We Just Dance, Josh Turner. The best pick-me-up tunes aren't always fast-paced, as proven by this hit from the deeper-than-the-holler-voiced Turner. It's a smooth-as-silk ode to the simple joy of dancing away your troubles. Why *don't* we just dance?

#5: Only Prettier, Miranda Lambert. This one's for anyone who's ever overcome the urge to cuss someone out by smiling sweetly and biting the insides of her cheeks... really, really hard. Lambert's down-home pure country voice is the perfect fit for the lyrics, too.

#4: Mine, Taylor Swift. The reigning sweetheart of country music is renowned for her songwriting skills and upbeat personality. Mine is a sugary sweet ode to young love that simply oozes dreamy, idealistic good cheer. That's a spirit-lifter for anyone, folks.

#3: Hell on the Heart, Eric Church. Think of this one as an ode to everywoman; a more upbeat, less delicate version of Garth Brooks' She's Every Woman. It's toe tappingly fun stuff.

#2: My Kind of Party, Jason Aldean. Ready to let loose and celebrate the weekend after a long Monday through Friday at work? This one's just the ticket. The ultra catchy tune with an even catchier chorus is addictive in a good way; you'll find yourself humming the melody for hours on end. (But it's such a good song that it won't drive you crazy. Really.)

#1: Stuck Like Glue, Sugarland. When it comes to perky, quirky, cheerful fun, no one does it quite as well as Sugarland. This song of devotion is one in a million, and sure to make you grin. Oh, and the video is hilarious, too.