A Listening List of Country Songs About Addiction And Recovery
Country music is full of songs about drinking, but it’s not all tailgate beers and heartbreak whisky shots. There’s a whole other side of country music when you’re in addiction recovery, and there’s also a great many country songs about sobriety.
You’ll find lyrics filled with honesty and redemption that drip with authenticity. These artists tell their stories and their personal struggles in ways that resonate with the recovery community, especially if you’re struggling and seeking to get sober.
Each song on this list is a reminder that you don’t have to give up the music you love to protect recovery, and they are all picked by our staff, friends, and loved ones.
And, when you choose Ingrained Recovery in Eastman, GA, to heal, you’ll find yourself on a ranch-like campus that offers the same peace that resonates through some of these lyrics. You’ll find woods, walking trails, a fully-stocked fishing pond, horses, and open sky.
Our facility offers the perfect opportunity for country music to be the soundtrack for your healing. It fits the slow, steady rhythm of restoring and revitalizing your life in recovery.
High Cost of Living – Jamey Johnson
Jamey Johnson sings a heartfelt song that tells the hard truth about addiction. Alcohol can make you lose a lot.
From your jobs and relationships to your freedom and sense of identity, choosing the bottle has big consequences. This can be painful to hear, but it’s the reality for many people trying to get sober.
That’s Why I’m Here – Kenny Chesney
Kenny Chesney has many lyrics that speak about addiction, and this one speaks of AA meetings, rock-bottom moments, and your decision to get hope.
Have you ever walked into rehab or even an AA meeting, feeling scared and insecure? This song talks about that. It also talks about the comfort, community, and hope that you’ll find in recovery.
Cover Me Up – Morgan Wallen (Cover)
Morgan Wallen’s “Cover Me Up” carries a deep emotional weight. It might be for you if you’ve had an uphill battle against addiction with a loved one by your side.
Jason Isbell’s original lyrics tell the story of his partner and how she helped him through recovery. The heartfelt song is a reminder that it’s important to have people in your life in tough moments, not just when you’re having a good time.
Sober Side of Sorry – Zach Bryan
Drinking may leave you filled with past regrets, and these lyrics by Zach Bryan capture that perfectly. It speaks like a journal entry, filled with raw emotion and honesty. Zach Bryan is vulnerable, just like you might have to be when you take a long, hard look at drinking habits.
If you’re working to build relationships, this song can help you. It’s useful for those trying to heal through family therapy and self-forgiveness.
I’ve Got to Get Sober – Oliver Anthony
Drugs and alcohol may seem like they are there for you when everything else is tough. But that just isn’t the truth. Anthony’s deep voice resonates with people who love more “traditional” country music.
If you’ve ever known that something had to change, even without knowing the next steps, this song is for you. It reflects Anthony’s own battles with alcohol and marijuana addiction in recent years, a message many people considering getting sober can relate to.
Wasted – Carrie Underwood
If you’re looking for a turning point song, then “Wasted” just might be that. The lyrics speak to that moment in time when you realize that it’s time to stop spending your time on being intoxicated by drugs or alcohol.
This motivational anthem is a great song for early recovery. It can even help you reflect while journaling or setting personal goals.
One Day at a Time – American Aquarium
The sentiment of taking it one moment at a time is heavy in early recovery, and this song captures that perfectly. It’s painfully relatable and a good reminder that in sobriety, you can only focus on the now. The steps you take will inspire change, but it won’t happen overnight.
“One Day at a Time” reminds you that each day you make slow, steady progress creates change. You can make a difference just by waking up, showing up, and choosing a better life.
Better Than the Bottle – Cody Jinks
There will come a point in your journey when things just shift. You’ll feel different, and the benefits of staying sober become a lot clearer. These lyrics by Cody Jinks capture that perfectly.
Jinks sings about choosing to live a meaningful life, instead of numbing things with substances. It’s a reminder that when you start to live mindfully, you’ll find change. This sentiment is echoed when you walk through our gardens, ride horses, or fish in the pond on our campus.
Starting Over – Chris Stapleton
If you’re looking for a song to inspire hope, “Starting Over” is a great choice. Stapleton has one of those deep, soulful voices that touch your heart. These lyrics remind you that rebuilding is possible, and it doesn’t matter how many setbacks you’ve had.
Many have found their fresh start at Ingrained Recovery. This song is especially meaningful as you sit on our ranch-like campus, listening to the breeze as it moves the tree leaves or watching horses graze.
Demons – Kenny Chesney
Kenny Chesney is an artist who’s been very open about his relationship with alcohol. In “Demons”, he talks about his internal struggles. It isn’t easy to quit drinking, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t the right choice.
Often, there’s something more to it than just getting intoxicated to do it. That’s what this song is about. It’s about the “demons” you might face under the surface, those driving factors that push you to drink.
Some People Change – Montgomery Gentry
“Some People Change” talks about redemption and the courage it takes to get help. If you’re worried that friends and family won’t understand, you shouldn’t let that deter you. Anyone who matters will want to see you sober.
It’s a good reminder that redemption is possible. You don’t have to stay stuck in the same cycle, and that starts with choosing sobriety.
Better Than I Used to Be – Tim McGraw
Sobriety is about progress over perfection, and this song by Tim McGraw shares the same message. Being sober is an active choice. Each time that you attend a meeting, stick to your plan, or commit to self-care, you are making a decision that supports that.
Still, that doesn’t mean you have to be perfect every day. “Better Than I Used to Be” reminds you that you just have to be better than you were yesterday.
Whiskey Bent – Cody Johnson and Jelly Roll
Breaking habits is not easy, and “Whiskey Bent” captures that. The artists sing about how easy it is to reach for the bottle to have a good time in stressful moments.
On the flip side is recognizing the damage caused by reaching for the bottle too much. It’s a good song if you’ve tried to get sober, slipped, and still tried again.
Over When It’s Over – Eric Church
Many of Eric Church’s country songs are drinking anthems, but this one carries a powerful message about stopping unhealthy cycles. It can be applied to relationships, habits, or really anything that no longer serves you in life.
Listen to this when you’re reflecting, and remember that you’re the one who has the power to quit using drugs or alcohol. You can choose to let go, move on, and direct yourself toward a healthier path.
Alcohol – Brad Paisley
“Alcohol” gets deeply honest about alcohol addiction and how drinking can take over your life. Brad Paisley personifies alcohol as a charming troublemaker. Even though it makes you feel funnier and braver, it pulls you away from the person you really are.
Listen to this later in your recovery journey, after you’ve seen change. You’ll appreciate the nod to alcoholism as something you’ve outgrown.
Why Your Country Music Recovery Playlist Matters
Many people think country artists are all booze and broken hearts, but there are many good songs that send a sober message instead. These songs offer honesty, comfort, and a reminder that healing is a journey. It happens slowly, the same way that seeds grow or dawn breaks.
If you love country music, you’ll find addiction treatment that reflects that at Ingrained Recovery. We give you the chance to be in nature and participate in unique therapies. From equine therapy to fishing in our pond, you’ll start to experience life again in a better, more sober way.
What are the Benefits of Music for Addiction Recovery?
Music has a way of calming the mind and opening the heart, especially during recovery. Research shows that it lowers stress levels, reduces cravings, and can help you process emotions and situations that you might not have words for yet.
The songs you choose matter. This list can help ground you, regulate your mood, and remind you how strong you are. At Ingrained Recovery, many of our clients find that the songs on this list become a steady companion. They make the hard days easier and the hopeful days even brighter.
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The artists who made the list have walked their own hard roads, then chose to turn it into music. It’s a reminder that beauty can come from all things. Even when getting sober feels hard, it’s possible if you’re willing to take the first step.
Ingrained Recovery can help you find your footing, rediscover your life, and build something that feels steady and meaningful again. Out here on our 50-acre ranch-like campus, your recovery soundtrack has room to breathe, and so will you.
Call us confidentially today… Let this be the moment life starts singing with hope again!
References
- https://www.musictherapy.org/assets/1/7/FactSheet_Music_Therapy_and_Addiction_Treatment_2021.pdf
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5687713/
