![No. 23: Miranda Lambert, ‘Gunpowder and Lead’ – Top Country Songs of the Century](http://townsquare.media/site/204/files/2016/08/Miranda-Lambert-Songs-of-the-Century.jpg?w=980&q=75)
No. 23: Miranda Lambert, ‘Gunpowder and Lead’ – Top Country Songs of the Century
This is the first Miranda Lambert song to appear on this list of the Top Country Songs of the Century list, ranked at No. 23 because of its success on the radio and influence on the industry. Again and again, Lambert has changed the sound of music recorded after the year 2000.
“Part of what’s always been so important about her as an artist is just yanking people away from a very formulaic kind of recording that they do in Nashville," ToC's Sterling Whitaker pointed out during the quest to choose the best songs of the modern century. “You can’t overstate how different sounding it was and how it led people away from making real factory records."
Lambert wasn't the first female country singer to kill (or threaten to kill) a man, and "Gunpowder and Lead" is not the only song on this list with that theme. From there she found success with "White Liar" and "Only Prettier," examples of the type of sass she struggled to find a foothold with prior to this release from the Crazy Ex-Girlfriend album. Her first Top 10 hit went multi-platinum and led to a string of copycats in country. Killing men became kind of cool — an irony that would only become clear years later, when the male dominance on the radio and in the industry reached its zenith.
About this list: Taste of Country’s Top Country Songs of the Century were decided by a panel of country music experts and fans using sales and chart data, a song’s social and musical impact and lyrical integrity. Select artists were also surveyed. You’ll hear from several throughout the list.
More From 107.7 WGNA
![What Do The Big Stars on New York Barns Mean? Not Just Decorations](http://townsquare.media/site/81/files/2023/03/attachment-WGNA.COM-2023-03-08T135248.927.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Enter Here For Painted Pony Rodeo Tickets](http://townsquare.media/site/81/files/2022/03/attachment-GettyImages-1336918.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![ENTER HERE: Josh Turner Winning Weekend](http://townsquare.media/site/81/files/2024/02/attachment-gettyimages-119848500.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Eyewitness Claims They Saw an Alien Abduction in Upstate New York](http://townsquare.media/site/81/files/2024/07/attachment-alien-abduction-.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![ENTER HERE: Win Concert On the Course VIP Tickets](http://townsquare.media/site/81/files/2024/02/attachment-CONCERT-ON-THE-COURSE-ANNOUNCES-2024-LINEUP-1600-x-1067-px.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Dierks Bentley Secret Songs: Win Tickets To SPAC July 18th](http://townsquare.media/site/81/files/2024/07/attachment-Untitled-design-2024-07-06T080506.777.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Tyler Childers Sold Out SPAC; Important Things to ‘Know Before You Go’](http://townsquare.media/site/81/files/2024/07/attachment-tyler-.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![ENTER HERE: Dustin Lynch VIP Winning Weekend](http://townsquare.media/site/81/files/2024/07/attachment-GettyImages-2003953940.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Columbia County Fair To Feature 90’s Country Hitmaker In Concert](http://townsquare.media/site/81/files/2024/06/attachment-Untitled-design-2024-06-13T155932.070.jpg?w=980&q=75)