2011, oh what a year it was in country music, no matter how you slice it, it was a very strong year in all "fields" of the genre and while there are times we may wanna not admit we're country music fans because some songs may be 'cringeworthy,' but really, what genre couldn't say that? In this rundown of favorite stuff from the year that was 2011, our staff writers Bobby Peacock and Kyle Ward share their favorite singles from 2011 (Bobby with comments and Kyle with lists). Kyle also shares five favorite albums and five singles that he felt were of the 'cringeworthy' variety. Read on here to see what both of our writers here have to say! Feel free to share your own comments here.

20. Remind Me – Brad Paisley/Carrie Underwood (Arista Nashville)

Arista's two flagship artists combine all their strengths and shed all their weaknesses (namely, Brad's tendency to phone it in and Carrie's tendency to try too hard), finding the right balance of sly humor ("Somebody'd tell us to get a room") and seriousnesss ("If you still love me, don't just assume I know") to come up with a great song about rekindling that spark in one's relationship. I also enjoy the overall reciprocal structure of the song, particularly where Brad sings the chorus while Carrie chimes in with the "remind me"s, then vice versa.

19. Somewhere Else – Toby Keith (Show Dog-Universal)

Toby Keith indeed ain't as good as he once was, but if "Somewhere Else" is any proof, he's as good once as he ever was. A radical departure from… well, literally everything he's ever done, "Somewhere Else" is a loose shuffle that neatly contradicts the typical story of a downtrodden, heartbroken man at a bar. Clever lyrics such as "Bedroom's cold as my TV dinner" and especially "If you don't know where you're going, you might end up somewhere else" add a pleasant, never overdone dose of slyness. 

18. Family Man – Craig Campbell (Bigger Picture)

"This sounds like Alan Jackson" is certainly something I would want to hear if I were a singer (unless they're comparing it to, say, "Country Boy"). Craig Campbell, who incidentally shares Jackson's longtime producer Keith Stegall, notched a Top 20 with a humble, detailed ode to the hard-working men. Much like Alan's "Small Town Southern Man," the title character sacrifices to put bread on the table, but still has time to love his wife and children. We all need parents like that.

17. Someone Else Calling You Baby – Luke Bryan (Capitol)

I have to hand it to Luke Bryan: he certainly has a better grip on melodies than most songwriters. He also has a sturdy voice that at times recalls John Anderson's Seminole Wind era. "Someone Else Calling You Baby" is a type of song whose topic can easily be identified by its title (in other words, it runs the same lines as "That Ain't My Truck," "Who's That Man" or even Wynonna's "I Saw the Light"), but it's tightly written and performed, showcasing one of Luke's best vocals and melodies. (Expect me to say the same thing about "I Don't Want This Night to End" in 2012.) 

16. If I Run – The Harters (Bigger Picture)

"Acoustic sibling trio" is a rarely-found combo in country, but it's currently The Band Perry's niche. I wish there were room for another, because "If I Run" is just as strong as anything TBP has put out. And that's not at all a knock, because this song really does stand on its own without sounding remotely derivative: a gently lilting waltz, asking if her lover will be there through thick and thin. Oh yeah, and that sibling harmony thing never gets old. Come on, radio, give The Harters a chance. 

15. When the Smoke Clears – Due West (Black River Music Group)

Speaking of cheating, this Nashville-based trio offers a song against cheating. It takes another favorite country trope (old man dispensing advice at a bar) and colors in some more details. Lyrics like "I understand that wedding bands get heavy sometimes" and, in particular, the second verse (where the old man says that the woman he once cheated on now has a 25-year-old son who doesn't know his own father) are put up against swelling, countrypolitan-esque strings and tight harmonies to make one of the biggest "missed" hits of the year.

14. From a Table Away – Sunny Sweeney (Republic Nashville)

Again, I find myself picking between two excellent choices by the same artist. "Staying's Worse Than Leaving" was great (as is nearly anything with Radney Foster's name on it), but I have to give the slight edge to a good ol' cheatin' song. Sunny's thick twang conveys disappointment, not anger, at a man who is cheating. But here's the twist: Sunny's the "other woman," not the woman being cheated on! Thumbs up to Sweeney and co-writers Bob DiPiero and Karyn Rochelle for putting a new spin on an old topic.

13. You Lie – The Band Perry (Republic Nashville)

There's no denying that The Band Perry hit the big time with "If I Die Young." Fortunately, this trio's knack for a more acoustic sound and interesting lyrics has continued to produce hits, including "You Lie." With an almost bluegrass-sounding production and a run of delightfully off-kilter similes ("You lie like a penny in the parking lot at the grocery store"), not to mention a fiery, bracing vocal from Kimberly Perry, "You Lie" is another left-of-center reminder that Rascal Flatts, Lady Antebellum and Zac Brown Band aren't the only games in town when it comes to country groups.

12. Homeboy – Eric Church (EMI Music Nashville)

Sometimes I like it a little loud. So does Eric Church, as his gritty "Homeboy" can certainly attest. The song's relatable, vividly-detailed story about a brother turned bad turns the slang term "homeboy" into a gentle plea to "come on home, boy." There's a strong, almost rap-like rhythm to Eric's delivery, and the guitars are turned up to 11, but underneath the loud exterior is an easily identifiable country song. And that's music to my ears.

11. Hard Time Movin' On – David Bradley (Gecko Records)

Englishman David Bradley offers another favorite of mine from 2011. While it never made the ranks of Billboard, "Hard Time Movin' On" did make some noise on Music Row's Country Breakout chart. (My station of choice is on their panel, and boy, did they play the heck out of this one. Thank you.) I like the darker, more acoustic vibe; the presence of the insanely underrated Rodney Crowell on backing vocals; and the unusual premise of telling a former lover that you need her help in moving on. Heartbreak has rarely sounded so good. 

10. Who Are You When I'm Not Looking – Blake Shelton (WB Nashville) 

Blake Shelton has a great voice and sense of humor, but rarely does he seem to showcase either anymore. Songs like "All About Tonight" or "Honey Bee" are far from bad, but they just feel beneath him. Thankfully, "Who Are You When I'm Not Looking" offers up lines like "Do you paint your toes 'cause you bite your nails?", which give the song a sly undercurrent of humor and passion at the same time. In other words, it plays up both sides of Blake at once, and a result, it fits him like so little of his career has lately.

9. Colder Weather – Zac Brown Band (Southern Ground/Atlantic)

Zac Brown Band could fill up an iTunes library with the wonderful songs they've put out. But I think they've outdone themselves with "Colder Weather." This is a song that marries the "ramblin'" motif that Merle Haggard had down to an art with ZBB's impeccable musicianship. I also like how the conflict that drives the story — the man is married both to his job and to his wife — is never resolved within the confines of the song. After all, not all conflicts are so easily resolved. (But I'm sure they work it out eventually.) 

8. Love Done Gone – Billy Currington (Mercury Nashville)

"Love Done Gone" ranks so high on my list not only because I enjoy Currington's lazy drawl on nearly anything, but also because it's a heck of an ear worm. The first time I heard this song, I was singing the trumpet/backing vocal riff ("ba-ba-da, ba-da-ba") the rest of the day. While that insanely catchy riff is more than enough to carry the song, it's also helped along mightily by Currington's always-effortless delivery, and the nonstandard, "A Better Man"-esque premise of splitting up on good terms. 

7. If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away – Justin Moore (The Valory Music Co.)

I haven't lost too many loved ones in my life, but I've lost enough to identify with this song's desire: to take just a short visit to Heaven to reunite with lost ones. And while you're at it, maybe spend some time with some people whose music you enjoy, but never got to experience first-hand (I, for one, would've loved to attend at least one Johnny Cash concert). Between the details given to some of the lost ones, and Moore's truly sincere vocal, it'd be tough not to identify with this song in some way. 

6. Raymond – Brett Eldredge (Atlantic)

Yet another wonderful example of a less "conventional" story song. Working at a nursing home, the narrator deals with a patient affected by Alzheimer's who insists that he is her son, Raymond. Out of sympathy, he plays along with this insistence and learns about the family that he was never really a part of. He even wishes that he actually had been Raymond. While all of that is a very interesting story, the song delivers an emotional sucker punch in the bridge, which reveals that the real Raymond died in combat. It's that little twist that makes even a snarky music reviewer tear up. 

5. What Do You Want – Jerrod Niemann (Sea Gayle/Arista)

"What Do You Want" has its narrator asking why a former girlfriend is calling him back up again — is it just to stir up emotions, or what? Besides its interesting setup, this song really stands out with its echoing drums (is that a djembe?) and Wurlitzer electric piano/Hammond organ layers. The repeated "what do you want, what do you want / What do you want from me?" is so rhythmic that it never feels mundane. Between this and "Lover, Lover," Jerrod Niemann knows well that repetition can be done right.

4. Love Don't Run – Steve Holy (Curb)

"I know it'd be easier walking away / But what we got is real, and I wanna save us / Baby, we can do it / Baby, we'll get through it." That is a wonderful response to a relationship that's falling apart. Put it in the context of an equally-sturdy song with Holy's soaring pipes and a swelling chorus, and you have one of the best pieces of country-pop to come out in all of 2011. Oh yeah, and yet another reminder that we need more Steve Holy on radio, darn it.

3. Somebody's Chelsea – Reba McEntire (Starstruck/The Valory Music Co.)

A wonderful return to Reba's strengths, "Somebody's Chelsea" is a song that takes aim for the heartstrings and scores a bull's-eye. It has a positive message of love, focusing on an old man whose moving testament of a dead wife's love moves the narrator. The song's premise is simple, wasting no words in getting its point across. Reba's delivery is authentic and heartfelt when she says that she believes that everyone should be "somebody's Chelsea." There's a reason I put this song on the "Tear Jerker" page on TV Tropes. 

2. You and Tequila – Kenny Chesney (BNA)

Narrowly missing my top spot for 2011 is this wonderful duet. Hung on the simple hook "you and tequila make me crazy," this song compares two temptations to each other: loving someone you shouldn't, and drinking something you shouldn't. I've often praised Kenny for being unafraid to go the acoustic route, and this song is all the better for it, as the acoustic production matches the simplicity of the lyrics. 

(As a footnote, I would've made this a tie with "Somewhere with You," but I was trying not to duplicate artists.) 

1. Cost of Livin' – Ronnie Dunn (Arista)

My favorite song of 2011 would have to be "Cost of Livin'." Here is a song that does everything right: it's topical for the times but applicable to any generation. It tells a convincing story about a man who gently pleads for employment — he sells himself as a hard-working man who's ready for whatever is thrown at him, and just like most of us lately, he could use the money. Throughout, you can hear the hope in Ronnie's voice that things will get better, even as he laments that "the cost of livin's high and goin' up." 

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Kyle Ward's Choices for Top 10 singles, Top 5 albums and 5 worst singles

Top 10 singles
1. Barefoot Blue Jean Night - Jake Owen
2. Colder Weather - Zac Brown Band
3. It Ain't Gotta Be Love - Brett Eldredge
4. Here For A Good Time - George Strait
5. You Lie - Band Perry
6. Honey Bee - Blake Shelton
7. Raymond - Brett Eldredge
8. Old Alabama - Brad Paisley f/Alabama
9. Storm Warning - Hunter Hayes
10. Amen - Eden's Edge (went back and forth between this and Jason Aldean's "Tattoos on this Town", but settled on this one)

Top 5 Albums
1. Life At Best - Eli Young Band
2. Clancy's Tavern - Toby Keith
3. The Sound Of A Million Dreams - David Nail
4. Here For A Good Time - George Strait
5t. Barefoot Blue Jean Night - Jake Owen
5t. Hunter Hayes - Hunter Hayes

Worst 5 singles
1. Country Girl (Shake It For Me) - Luke Bryan
2. Merry Go Round - JaneDear Girls
3. Fish - Craig Campbell
4. Brown Chicken, Brown Cow - Trace Adkins
5. Easy - Rascal Flatts f/Natasha Bedinger