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Best Country Love Songs 2000-26 — Paisley, McGraw, Jackson + More

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Country fans in need of something modern and romantic this Valentine’s Day will find their song on this list of country music best love songs from the last 26 years.

We focused on hits released between 2000 to 2026 and tried to keep it one song per artist. It’s just really hard to not feature two songs from a man who is arguably the best artist/songwriter of the 2000s.

  • Chart placement and awards were considered for this list, but more important was a song’s longevity and resilience over time.
  • Songs that peaked on Billboard airplay charts after Jan. 1, 2000 were considered.
  • The newest song is a Cody Johnson ballad that hit No. 1 in 2024.

Read More: The 25 Best Country Songs of the Last 25 Years

The contemporary country songs selected will appeal to young lovers and couples married for 20 years or longer. Tender confessions, raw arrangements and timeless duets (we see you Tim and Faith!) are featured. Click each song title to hear the song and — in some cases — relive a music video that will make you feel young again.

While most of the songs featured here hit No. 1, a few didn’t get that far. Most notable is “Tennessee Whiskey” by Chris Stapleton, which was never released as a radio single yet still smashed thresholds needed to go multi-platinum.

Overall, the 2000s have been great for country music lovers. Anyone looking for something romantic on a date night or something more enduring will discover or re-discover a beautiful sentiment.

26 Best Country Love Songs of the Last 26 Years

The 2000s have been a great century for country love songs. Find 26 of the most enduring hits and deep cuts to help you with a romantic date night, wedding dance, anniversary or Valentine’s Day.

It’s 26 songs from 25 artists including timeless songs from Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Dan + Shay, Thomas Rhett, Alan Jackson and more.

Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes

The 25 Best Country Songs of the Last 25 Years (2000-2024)

The best country songs of the last 25 years were felt and heard. Commercial impact was a factor, but emotional impact is what separates these songs from others released in the 2000s.

Technically the century began in 2001, but we reached back to 2000 to summarize this list of top songs. Alan Jackson is the only artist with two songs, but you’ll find 11 Entertainer of the Year winners scattered across a playlist the required several stunning exclusions.

Curious as to why your favorite song missed the cut? Well, there are only 25 spots for the best of 25,000 country song releases. Hard decisions needed to be made!

Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes





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Oil Futures Settle Higher on U.S.-Iran Tension

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Crude oil futures rose as the market maintained risk premium over the U.S.-Iran situation.



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Joey Porter says Steelers protected Ben Roethlisberger, but QB wasn’t a ‘good person’

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While he never played for him, former Steelers outside linebacker Joey Porter is going to bat for Mike Tomlin while taking aim at two former teammates who have been outspoken about Tomlin since his decision to step down as Pittsburgh’s coach. 

Fellow former Steelers outside linebacker James Harrison has been extremely vocal in his criticism of Tomlin, going as far as to say he isn’t a Hall of Fame coach. Former Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger hasn’t been as extreme, but he did make headlines when he suggested late in the 2025 season that Tomlin should become Penn State’s new coach. Roethlisberger has since said on his podcast that it was probably time for a change regarding the Steelers’ coaching post. 

Porter, who also served on Pittsburgh’s coaching staff from 2015-18, was largely diplomatic in terms of his comments regarding Harrison, but things got personal when he discussed Roethlisberger, his teammate from 2004-06. 

“Seven definitely broke the brotherhood,” Porter said on current Steeler defensive tackle Cameron Heyward’s podcast. “The shit that Seven did that we don’t talk about is crazy. Out of anybody, he should never grab a microphone and really talk Steelers business, because if we’re talking Steelers business, his ass is foul of all foul, like the shit that he did is foul of all foul. 

“He’s not a good teammate. Won a Super Bowl with him, but the person, he’s just not a good teammate. Like he knows that, anybody in the Steeler building knows that, but we protected him, because I’ve only won one Super Bowl, and that was my quarterback. So do I love my quarterback? Yeah, but is he a good person? No.” 

When asked why he felt Roethlisberger was a bad teammate, Porter mentioned Roethlisberger not signing autographs for teammates’ family members during his rookie season. Porter, a team captain at the time, decided to have a meeting with Roethlisberger after he specifically declined to sign something for defensive end Aaron Smith

“Who the hell is too cool to sign for your teammate?” Porter said while alluding to former teammate and Hall of Fame running back Jerome Bettis and his constant willingness to do things for teammates and fans. “I always looked at it like this. Look at the team when Joey was a captain, when Jerome was captain, when Hines Ward was a captain. You heard nothing in the locker room.

“Captains have to do captain shit, right? We voted to be captains, you had to be voted in. He came in an era where they just gave you a seat, because if he wasn’t a captain, he’d probably have a hissy fit, but nobody’s going to vote for him as captain because he don’t have no captain qualities.”

Roethlisberger was suspended four games in 2010 for a violation of the NFL’s personal conduct policy amid accusations from women over misconduct in 2008 and 2010. 

Roethlisberger himself has acknowledged that he wasn’t always the best teammate. Roethlisberger did nonetheless develop close relationships with some teammates, specifically former tight end Heath Miller and former center Maurkice Pouncey

Obviously, Roethlisberger wasn’t for everyone. Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph, whose frosty relationship with Roethlisberger was well-publicized, supported Porter’s comments on social media.

As the criticism of Tomlin is concerned, Roethlisberger and Harrison have their own podcasts and have never been afraid to express their opinions. And while both are entitled to their opinions, Porter doesn’t feel that either are in a position to speak negatively of someone who did so much for their careers, his included. 

“What makes it crazy for me to watch them two talk like that and really act like we don’t have the real receipts of how this really works,” Porter said. “Like, you know what he just did for y’all? … When they tell their stories, you’ll think Mike didn’t do shit for them. I don’t know how to shit on somebody that looked out for me.” 





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Rules of mysterious ancient board game decoded by AI, scientists say

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A smooth, white stone dating from the Roman era and unearthed in the Netherlands has long baffled researchers. Now, with the help of artificial intelligence, scientists believe they have cracked the mystery: the stone is an ancient board game and they have even guessed the rules.

The circular piece of limestone has diagonal and straight lines cut into it.

Using 3D imaging created by the restoration studio Restaura, scientists discovered some lines were deeper than others, suggesting pieces were moved along them, some more than others.

“We can see wear along the lines on the stone, exactly where you would slide a piece,” said Walter Crist, an archaeologist at Leiden University in the Netherlands who specializes in ancient games, in a statement.  “The appearance of the stone combined with this wear strongly suggests it’s a game.”

Other researchers at Maastricht University then used an artificial intelligence program that can deduce the rules of ancient games.

They trained this AI, baptized Ludii, with the rules of about 100 ancient games from the same area as the Roman stone.

The computer “produced dozens of possible rule sets. It then played the game against itself and identified a few variants that are enjoyable for humans to play,” Dennis Soemers, from Maastricht University, said in a statement.

They then cross-checked the possible rules with the wear on the stone to uncover the most likely set of movements in the game.

However, Soemers also sounded a note of caution.

“If you present Ludii with a line pattern like the one on the stone, it will always find game rules. Therefore, we cannot be sure that the Romans played it in precisely that way,” he said.

The aim of the “deceptively simple but thrilling strategy game” was to hunt and trap the opponent’s pieces in as few moves as possible, scientists said. Researchers said they believe glass, bone or earthenware were used as game pieces.

The research and the possible rules were published in the journal Antiquity, which posted a video on social media explaining the game.

“We know the rules we found explain the wear marks on the stone and that they are consistent with games from comparable cultural periods,” Karen Jeneson, curator of The Roman Museum in Heerlen, said in a statement. “Of course we considered other possible uses for the stone, such as an architectural decorative feature, but we found no alternative explanation. So, the stone really is a board game.”

In 2015, scientists said they uncovered board game pieces, including dice, in an ancient Roman settlement in a German town located on the Rhine River.





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Applications opening for New Mexico farmers' market benefit program

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NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Eligible seniors and families can apply for farmers’ market benefits beginning February 15, 2026. Those who qualify are provided $30-$50 in fresh produces benefits. The seasonal program connects income-eligible seniors and WIC families with locally grown fresh produce. Active and eligible WIC families automatically qualify for the benefits. Beginning February 15, seniors can […]



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KORN’s FIELDY Spotted With Drummer RAY LUZIER At NAMM, Fueling Reunion Speculation

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Korn bassist Reginald “Fieldy” Arvizu, who has remained largely estranged from the band in recent years, has been photographed alongside Korn drummer Ray Luzier, sparking fresh speculation about his relationship with the pioneering nü-metal outfit.

The image, taken at the annual NAMM convention in Anaheim, CA late last month, shows Fieldy and Luzier standing next to one another — an unexpected sight given Fieldy‘s own admission last year that he hadn’t spoken to his bandmates since 2019. Whether the encounter signals any deeper reconciliation remains unclear, but it marks the first visible interaction between Fieldy and a Korn member in years.

Fieldy stepped away from Korn in 2021, citing the need to address his “bad habits.” While his initial statement raised concern among fans, he later clarified that those issues were not drug-related. Since then, Ra Díaz (Suicidal Tendencies) has filled in as Korn‘s live bassist, a role he continues to hold.

Despite his prolonged absence, Fieldy has technically remained listed as a member of Korn, even as his relationship with the band appeared distant. In a February 2025 interview on the Basement Talk podcast, Fieldy was candid about the lack of communication. “I haven’t talked to those guys since 2019,” he said. “They’re truckin’. They’re a machine, they’re going. It’s insane. It’s dope that they can keep on going like that.”

Asked whether there was still mutual respect between him and the band, Fieldy replied, “Yeah. It’s cool to see them keep on going. I’m like, I need to chill, I’m just kickin’ it.”

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LA28 Olympics Organizers Say Wasserman Will Remain Chair After Epstein Release

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The group’s board said it had conducted a review with outside counsel and determined that Casey Wasserman should continue to lead the group.



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Slovakia upsets Finland 4-1 to open Olympic men’s hockey

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MILAN — Juraj Slafkovsky scored twice to pick up where he left off four years ago, fellow NHL player Dalibor Dvorsky got the tiebreaking goal with less than 13 minutes left, and Slovakia pulled off an upset in the first men’s hockey game of the Milan Cortina Olympics by beating Finland 4-1 on Wednesday.

Slafkovsky, the MVP at the 2022 Beijing Games who now plays for the Montreal Canadiens, scored the first goal of this tournament less than eight minutes in, skating through Finland’s defense and sliding the puck past a helpless Juuse Saros. After Dvorsky scored in the third period to put Slovakia ahead, Slafkovsky wired a shot past Saros on the power play and pumped his fist to the crowd.

He also scored the first two goals of the opener in Beijing against Finland, though that came in a 6-2 loss. Slafkovsky finished with seven goals while helping Slovakia win bronze, the country’s first Olympic hockey medal.

Slafkovsky and his teammates got off to a surprisingly better start in Milan after it looked on paper like they were overmatched. Slovakia dressed seven NHL players, while all but one on Finland’s roster plays in the league.

Goaltender Samuel Hlavaj had a lot to do with the initial underdog story on the ice, fending off one onslaught after another. Finland outshot Slovakia 18-5 in the first period and 39-25 overall, and the Minnesota Wild prospect finished with 38 saves.

Unable to watch while the U.S. team he runs was practicing next door, Wild general manager Bill Guerin said “it’s great” that Hlavaj got off to such a strong start at the Olympics.

It was not so good for Saros, the Nashville Predators starter who allowed three goals on 24 shots in the defeat. Finland next plays archrival Sweden on Friday, and it’s possible Vancouver‘s Kevin Lankinen gets the nod, just as he did in replacing Saros in net at the 4 Nations Face-Off a year ago.

Eeli Tolvanen, also a returning Olympian after playing in 2018, scored Finland’s only goal. Adam Ruzicka scored into an empty net to seal it for Slovakia.

The 30-game tournament will conclude with the gold medal final on Feb. 22. The NHL is participating in the Games for the first time since the 2014 Sochi Olympics, ending a long wait for stars from all over the world.

Sweden faces host Italy in the nightcap of Day 1. The tournament favorites get underway Thursday, when the U.S. faces Latvia and Canada takes on Czechia.



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Kosovo’s new parliament convenes, hurries to elect new government after deadlock

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PRISTINA, Kosovo — PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Kosovo’s new parliament on Wednesday met for the first time since a December snap election, aiming to approve a new government as soon as possible following more than a yearlong political deadlock in the Balkan country.

Prime Minister Albin Kurti is set for another mandate after his Vetevendosje, or Self-Determination, party won 57 seats in the 120-member parliament. The party is expected to form a coalition government with several ethnic minority groups.

Lawmakers on Wednesday chose former justice minister Albulena Haxhiu as parliament speaker.

The snap ballot on Dec. 28 was scheduled after the Self-Determination party failed to form a government despite winning the most votes in a February 2025 election. This led to a crippling political deadlock throughout last year.

The new parliament’s formation was further delayed by a recount vote over widespread irregularities.

A former Serbian province, Kosovo declared independence in 2008 following a 1998-99 war that ended after a U.S.-led NATO intervention. Serbia does not recognize the split and tensions have simmered ever since.

The new parliament must first approve this year’s budget that has been delayed because of the political crisis. Lawmakers also are set to elect a new president in March as current President Vjosa Osmani’s mandate expires in early April.

Prime minister Kurti, 50, came to power in 2021 after also briefly occupying the role in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A former political prisoner during Serbia’s rule in Kosovo, Kurti has taken a tough stand in talks mediated by the European Union on normalizing relations with Belgrade. Kosovo and Serbia have been told they must normalize ties if they wish to join the 27-nation bloc.

Washington and its allies have recognized Kosovo’s independence while Russia and China have sided with Serbia in the dispute.

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Associated Press Writer Jovana Gec contributed from Belgrade, Serbia.



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Gabbard ends intelligence reform task force

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After a little less than a year, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is ending the work of a task force she created to look at big changes to the U.S. intelligence community.Related video above: Gabbard had vocally opposed ‘regime-change wars’ during presidential campaignThe panel known as the Director’s Initiative Group was formed in April and charged with rooting out what Gabbard called the politicization of intelligence gathering. The group also studied ways to reduce spending on intelligence and whether reports on high-profile topics like COVID-19 should be declassified.The group became a lightning rod for criticism of Gabbard, with Democrats and some intelligence insiders questioning whether it would be used to weaken spy agencies and bring them under the control of President Donald Trump.In announcing the end of the group’s work Wednesday, Gabbard said it was always intended to be a temporary effort as she began her work overseeing coordination of the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies. Reuters first reported the winddown.”In less than one year, we’ve brought a historic level of transparency to the intelligence community,” Gabbard said in a statement. “My commitment to transparency, truth, and eliminating politicization and weaponization within the intelligence community remains central to all that we do.”The number and identities of the officers assigned to the group is classified, Gabbard’s office said, adding that they now will return to other agencies to continue the work begun by the group.Gabbard has ushered in big changes to America’s intelligence service, at times using the nation’s spy agencies to back up Trump’s conspiracy theories about the 2016 and 2020 elections.Under Gabbard, the government has revoked the security clearances of dozens of former and current officials as well as declassified documents meant to call into question long-settled judgments about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.Her presence at an FBI search of a Georgia election office related to the 2020 election has prompted criticism from Democrats who say she is blurring the traditional lines between foreign intelligence gathering and domestic law enforcement.The CIA also released more information about its investigations into the origins of COVID-19, including a new assessment released last year that found COVID most likely originated in a lab.In August, Gabbard announced plans to reduce the workforce at her office and trim more than $700 million from its annual budget. In May, she fired two top intelligence officials because she determined they opposed Trump.

After a little less than a year, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is ending the work of a task force she created to look at big changes to the U.S. intelligence community.

Related video above: Gabbard had vocally opposed ‘regime-change wars’ during presidential campaign

The panel known as the Director’s Initiative Group was formed in April and charged with rooting out what Gabbard called the politicization of intelligence gathering. The group also studied ways to reduce spending on intelligence and whether reports on high-profile topics like COVID-19 should be declassified.

The group became a lightning rod for criticism of Gabbard, with Democrats and some intelligence insiders questioning whether it would be used to weaken spy agencies and bring them under the control of President Donald Trump.

In announcing the end of the group’s work Wednesday, Gabbard said it was always intended to be a temporary effort as she began her work overseeing coordination of the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies. Reuters first reported the winddown.

“In less than one year, we’ve brought a historic level of transparency to the intelligence community,” Gabbard said in a statement. “My commitment to transparency, truth, and eliminating politicization and weaponization within the intelligence community remains central to all that we do.”

The number and identities of the officers assigned to the group is classified, Gabbard’s office said, adding that they now will return to other agencies to continue the work begun by the group.

Gabbard has ushered in big changes to America’s intelligence service, at times using the nation’s spy agencies to back up Trump’s conspiracy theories about the 2016 and 2020 elections.

Under Gabbard, the government has revoked the security clearances of dozens of former and current officials as well as declassified documents meant to call into question long-settled judgments about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Her presence at an FBI search of a Georgia election office related to the 2020 election has prompted criticism from Democrats who say she is blurring the traditional lines between foreign intelligence gathering and domestic law enforcement.

The CIA also released more information about its investigations into the origins of COVID-19, including a new assessment released last year that found COVID most likely originated in a lab.

In August, Gabbard announced plans to reduce the workforce at her office and trim more than $700 million from its annual budget. In May, she fired two top intelligence officials because she determined they opposed Trump.



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