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Dolly Parton and The Oak Ridge Boys had a ton of country hits in the ’80s, but even they have songs that have been “forgotten” by fans over time. (Photos Are Fair Use)

How Many Of These “Forgotten” Country Hits From The ’80s Do You Remember?

As the decades have passed, some country songs that were hits in the ’80s have been “forgotten” over time. Of course, none of these songs have ever been truly forgotten, as many fans still listen to them.

However, the songs in this list are ones people may not know as well as knockout chart-toppers like Randy Travis‘ “Forever and Ever, Amen” or Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton‘s “Islands in the Stream.”

RELATED: 7 ’80s COUNTRY HITS THAT ARE NOW CONSIDERED OFFENSIVE TODAY

The songs featured here were all hits in the ’80s, but they’ve become less well-known. Some were released by artists who are no longer performing. Others were overshadowed because they debuted between even bigger hits that garnered more attention.

Keep reading to reintroduce yourself to some ’80s country hits you may have forgotten! Or, perhaps, you’ll discover several songs that are “new” to you.

18 “Forgotten” ’80s Country Hits That Deserve More Love

“Heartbreak Express” – Dolly Parton

It’s heartbreaking to realize that more people don’t know this throwback Dolly Parton track.

Parton released “Heartbreak Express” in May 1982 as the second single from her album of the same title. The track peaked at #1 on the Hot Country Songs chart and was a #1 country hit in Canada.

However, the song was likely overshadowed by another single Parton released two months later, in July 1982. She dropped the re-recorded version of “I Will Always Love You,” which was featured on the soundtrack for the Best Little Whorehouse in Texas movie.

“I Will Always Love You” hit #1 on the Hot Country Songs chart when it was first released in 1974. The 1982 re-recording also hit #1, making Parton the first person to earn a #1 hit twice with the same song.

Needless to say, “Heartbreak Express” was semi-forgotten amid the hype surrounding “I Will Always Love You” in 1982.

“Juliet” – The Oak Ridge Boys

The Oak Ridge Boys ruled country music in the ’80s, scoring hits such as “Elvira,” “Bobbie Sue,” and “American Made.”

After a string of Top 10 hits, the Oak Ridge Boys released a spunky little song called “Juliet” in 1986. The track reached the 15th spot on the Hot Country Songs chart.

While that still made “Juliet” a success, it didn’t compare to the singles the Oak Ridge Boys released immediately prior. It was the first time in four years that one of the group’s songs failed to reach the Top 10.

The Oaks’ subsequent single, “You Made a Rock of a Rolling Stone,” reached the 24th spot on the chart. But they bounced back in 1987, as “It Takes a Little Rain (To Make Love Grow)” and “Crazy Love” both became chart-topping tracks.

As the years passed and the Oak Ridge Boys continued to earn more hits, “Juliet” has been unfairly forgotten by fans.

“Crime Of Passion” – Ricky Van Shelton

It’s a crime that more people aren’t familiar with this ’80s country hit from Ricky Van Shelton.

“Crime of Passion” was released in 1987 as the second single from Shelton’s debut album Wild-Eyed Dream. While plenty of people knew the tune in the ’80s, it’s since been somewhat lost to time.

There are two reasons why “Crime of Passion” sometimes gets pushed to the wayside. For starters, the song was only Shelton’s second single, and it peaked at #7 on the Hot Country Songs chart. While that’s nothing to sneeze at, Shelton’s next five singles hit #1, so they took attention away from “Crime of Passion.”

Additionally, Shelton was only active for 20 years before he retired in 2006 and basically disappeared. Since he hasn’t maintained a public presence, many younger country fans aren’t familiar with him and his music.

“I Have You” – Glen Campbell

The late Glen Campbell scored several Top 10 hits in the ’80s, and “I Have You” was one of them. Campbell dropped the track in 1988 as the fourth single from his album Still Within the Sound of My Voice.

“I Have You” peaked at #7 on the Hot Country Songs chart. The song also reached the 44th spot on Canada’s country chart.

So why has “I Have You” been forgotten in comparison to other ’80s country hits? It may be boiled down to the fact that later in Campbell’s life (and after his death), fans started turning to his signature songs such as “Rhinestone Cowboy” and “Southern Nights.”

“Little Old Fashioned Karma” – Willie Nelson

Since he has such an extensive catalog, Willie Nelson naturally has a few songs that not every listener will recognize immediately. One of those songs is “Little Old Fashioned Karma.”

Nelson released “Little Old Fashioned Karma” in 1983 as the lead single from his album Tougher Than Leather. The song peaked at #10 on the Hot Country Songs chart.

Unfortunately, as the years passed, “Little Old Fashioned Karma” has been “forgotten” as fans revisit songs Nelson released the previous year (1982). That was the year he dropped his Grammy Award-winning version of “Always On My Mind” and his Gold-certified single “Last Thing I Needed First Thing This Morning.” Both of those songs hit #1.

“Thank God For The Radio” – The Kendalls

The Kendalls were left saying “Thank God for the Radio” when their 1984 single (with that name) reached #1 on the Hot Country Songs chart. It was the father-daughter duo’s third, and final, chart-topping song.

While longtime fans of The Kendalls still play “Thank God for the Radio,” there’s a reason why many younger listeners don’t know the track. Royce Kendall died in 1998, and his daughter, Jeannie, pursued a solo career after his passing, making the Kendalls a somewhat “forgotten” duo in country music history.

Jeannie now performs under The Kendalls name alongside Carl Acuff Jr.

“Let The Music Lift You Up” – Reba McEntire

Reba McEntire is a country music powerhouse. She had too many hits to count in the ’80s, yet at least one has been “forgotten” over the years.

McEntire dropped “Let the Music Lift You Up” in 1987 as the second single from her album What Am I Gonna Do About You. The track peaked at #4 on the Hot Country Songs chart, adding another Top 10 hit to McEntire’s collection.

But fans sometimes forget “Let the Music Lift You Up” because the song debuted in the middle of a string of #1s. McEntire had three singles top the chart before it, and three singles hit #1 after it.

Those songs were “Whoever’s in New England,” “Little Rock,” “What Am I Gonna Do About You,” “One Promise Too Late,” “The Last One to Know,” and “Love Will Find Its Way to You.”

“Chains Of Gold” – Sweethearts Of The Rodeo

“Chains of Gold” was one of the most successful singles Sweethearts of the Rodeo ever released. Yet the ’80s hit has since been “forgotten” among many country fans.

Sweethearts of the Rodeo dropped “Chains of Gold” in 1987 as their debut album’s fourth single. The sister duo took the track to the 4th spot on the Hot Country Songs chart, and peaked at #7 on the country chart in Canada.

Sweethearts of the Rodeo ceased performing as a duo after 1996. Since they haven’t been regularly active for nearly 30 years, their songs are less well-known today.

“My Old Yellow Car” – Dan Seals

Many ’80s country fans will tell you Dan Seals doesn’t get enough credit. The late singer, who passed away in 2009, dominated the charts throughout the ’80s and ’90s.

Yet as time passed, some of Seals’ songs no longer get the love they deserve. His many chart-topping singles, such as “Meet Me in Montana” and “Everything That Glitters,” remain recognizable today.

However, his 1985 tune, “My Old Yellow Car,” isn’t as well-known. The track reached #9 on the Hot Country Songs chart, which was remarkable then.

Immediately after releasing “My Old Yellow Car,” Seals’ career soared to new heights. His next nine singles hit #1, and “My Old Yellow Car” was forgotten amid the hype surrounding those tracks.

“My Train Of Thought” – Barbara Mandrell

Few people experience as much success in country music as Barbara Mandrell in the ’70s and ’80s. Her signature song, “I Was Country (When Country Wasn’t Cool),” was released in 1981.

As the decade came to a close, Mandrell released what ended up being her last Top 20 hit. That song, “My Train of Thought,” reached the 19th spot on the Hot Country Songs chart in 1989. Her next single, “Mirror, Mirror,” peaked at #49.

Mandrell delivered her last performance in 1997 and now lives a mostly private life out of the spotlight. Following her retirement, “My Train of Thought” has been “forgotten” as fans replay some of her greatest hits from earlier in her career.

“House On Old Lonesome Road” – Conway Twitty

Conway Twitty had a plethora of hits on the country charts in the ’80s, but this one has been forgotten over time.

Twitty released “House on Old Lonesome Road” in 1989 as the second single from his album of the same title. The track reached #19 on the Hot Country Songs chart.

While there’s no arguing that “House on Old Lonesome Road” was a success, it didn’t perform as well as its predecessors. It was Twitty’s first song in three years to fall short of the Top 10.

Because of this, Twitty’s bigger hits, like “Desperado Love,” “Julia,” and “That’s My Job,” are the ones more fans remember today.

“Goin’ Down Hill” – John Anderson

Like the other artists in this list, John Anderson reigned over the ’80s. He was on a roll throughout the decade, releasing now-iconic tracks such as “Swingin’” and “Black Sheep.”

Directly between those two tunes, Anderson released a song called “Goin’ Down Hill.” The song was the third single from his highly acclaimed album, Wild & Blue.

While both “Swingin’” and “Black Sheep” reached #1, “Goin’ Down Hill” never climbed higher than #5 on the Hot Country Songs chart. This may be why less devoted fans occasionally overlook the song.

“Missin’ Mississippi” – Charley Pride

Charley Pride was born in Sledge, Mississippi. Many of his songs reference “The Magnolia State,” including a single from 1984 titled “Missin’ Mississippi.”

Pride was one of country music’s most popular artists in the ’70s and ’80s, with a string of chart-topping and Top 10 hits to his name. But “Missin’ Mississippi” only reached #32 on the Hot Country Songs chart.

With the ’80s being the same decade Pride released hits such as “Night Games” and his version of Hank Williams‘ “Honky Tonk Blues,” it’s understandable why “Missin’ Mississippi” has been somewhat “forgotten.” Hopefully, sharing it here will help introduce it to a new group of fans!

“Eyes That See In The Dark” – Kenny Rogers

Kenny Rogers was the king of crossover hits during the ’80s. Songs such as “Islands in the Stream” and “Lady” hit #1 on both the country and pop charts.

With major hits such as those defining not just Rogers’ career in the ’80s, but his career as a whole, it makes sense why some of his less successful songs haven’t received as much attention. One of those overlooked songs is “Eyes That See in the Dark,” which Rogers released as a single in 1984.

“Eyes That See in the Dark” peaked at #30 on the Hot Country Songs chart and #79 on the all-genre Hot 100 chart, making it one of Rogers’ least successful songs in years.

The streak of bad luck was short-lived, as Rogers earned more hits throughout the remainder of the ’80s. But the popularity of those songs further contributed to fans forgetting “Eyes That See in the Dark.”

“Chill Factor” – Merle Haggard

Merle Haggard released “Chill Factor” in 1988 as the second single from his album of the same name. The song peaked at #9 on the Hot Country Songs chart.

Like many of the songs on this list, “Chill Factor” was likely “forgotten” in the midst of Haggard’s more popular tracks from the ’80s. That’s the decade he released some of his signature songs, including “Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Star,” “Are the Good Times Really Over,” and “Misery and Gin.”

Considering that, it makes sense why “Chill Factor” has received the cold shoulder, but hopefully, this list will help some fans warm up to it.

“Heavenly Bodies” – Earl Thomas Conley

Many country fans will argue that Earl Thomas Conley doesn’t get enough credit in general. The late singer (who died in 2019) was one of country music’s biggest stars in the ’80s.

Songs such as “Your Love’s on the Line,” “Honor Bound,” and “Fire and Smoke” likely ring a bell, as they were all #1 hits in the ’80s. However, fewer fans are familiar with “Heavenly Bodies,” which Conley released in 1982.

The track reached the 8th spot on the Hot Country Songs chart. After it, Conley had a string of #1 and #2 songs, and didn’t break his streak until 1989.

With many larger hits coming out after it, “Heavenly Bodies” got swept away in the mix.

“Waltz Me To Heaven” – Waylon Jennings

Like his “outlaw” buddies Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings was a powerhouse performer in the ’80s. While many of his ’80s country hits are well-remembered today, others, like 1985’s “Waltz Me to Heaven,” have been forgotten.

“Waltz Me to Heaven” reached #10 on the Hot Country Songs chart. That isn’t bad at all! But, it got buried under some of Jennings’ other songs, including #1 hits such as “Good Ol’ Boys,” “Rose in Paradise,” and “Lucille.”

Every day is a good day to discover a new Waylon Jennings song…so if you didn’t know this one before, hopefully you enjoy it.

“Wildflowers” – Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, And Linda Ronstadt

We started this list with a Dolly Parton song, and we’re ending it with another “forgotten” track of hers that deserves more love.

Younger country fans may not know that Parton once performed in a short-lived trio (fittingly named Trio) with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt. The group’s 1987 album earned them a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year, and they won the award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

One of the singles Trio released from their debut album was a tune called “Wildflowers.” Parton was the song’s sole songwriter and sang lead on the recording, while Harris and Ronstadt sang harmony.

“Wildflowers” reached #6 on the Hot Country Songs chart. While the song certainly got its “flowers” during the ’80s, it’s sadly been overlooked in the grand scheme of Parton’s illustrious career.

Did you enjoy reading this? If so, check out our previous list of “forgotten” country hits from the ’90s to see how many of those songs you remember!

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