Greatest Hits

A little rowdy but always tender-hearted, Tim McGraw came to embody the male ideal in country music during the 1990s. His regular-guy persona allowed him to tackle both honky-tonk rockers and hymns to domestic bliss. McGraw’s breakthrough single “Indian Outlaw” (criticized by some for its Native American stereotypes) established him as something of a Nashville rebel. Rather than go the angry outlaw route, though, he emphasized his softer side with “Don’t Take the Girl” and got loose and playful with “Down on the Farm.” McGraw’s music took on greater weight as time went on, with his balladeer side reflected especially well on the Rodney Crowell-penned “Please Remember Me.” Glitzy duets with wife Faith Hill (“It’s Your Love”) were balanced by yearning invocations of simpler times (“Where the Green Grass Grows”). “My Next Thirty Years” offered an appealing snapshot of a hell-raiser turned family man. All told, McGraw’s ‘90s output is distinguished by its high musical quality, varied subject matter, and overall taste, and this solid best-of collection shows why he remains one of country’s most respected talents.