Hey there! Welcome to this first entry in a planned series where I feature what I deem to be the most essential songs from the catalogs of my favorite artists. Each installment will spotlight someone new, and I couldn’t think of a better course of action for my inaugural outing than to love on my favorite band: Rascal Flatts, the country group that’s become one of the most commercially successful recording acts of the 21st century. Formed in 1999, the trio consists of lead singer Gary LeVox, his second cousin, bassist Jay DeMarcus, and lead guitarist Joe Don Rooney. To date, the band has sold roughly 30 million albums worldwide, put sixteen Billboard number-one singles on the radio, and received over 40 trophies from the Country Music Assocation (CMA), the Academy of Country Music, the American Music Awards (AMA), People’s Choice Awards (PCA) and more. The CMA and/or the ACM recognized the band as the top Vocal Group every year from 2003 to 2009. They were named the Artist of the Year at the 2006 AMAs, rightfully so after they outperformed the entire recording industry across that calendar year in a decidedly rare feat for a country group. Their 2006 album Me and My Gang sold more discs in ’06 than any other, with the group’s back catalog also outselling all others that year. Their headlining concert trek that year was also the highest-grossing across all genres.

With bright, powerful vocals, genre-transcendent compositions, carefully crafted production, and perhaps a guiding hand from above, the…