The trajectory of Kacey Musgraves‘ career changed course when she released Golden Hour in 2018. What started as an album born from her own personal evolution and her love story with then-husband Ruston Kelly turned into a career-defining masterpiece. Golden Hour earned universal acclaim and won all four Grammy Awards it was nominated for in 2019: Album of the Year, Best Country Album, Best Country Song (“Space Cowboy”), and Best Country Solo Performance (“Butterflies”).
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When Musgraves kicked off her Oh, What a World Tour in February 2019, she started off performing in theaters. By the end of the year, she had graduated to arenas, headlining her first arena show to a sold-out crowd at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena in October 2019. Her growing success is all born from the power of her music. Below, we rank all 13 gems on Golden Hour.
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13. “Wonder Woman”
Like the rest of Golden Hour, “Wonder Woman” sparkles and shines. Here, she comes back down to earth on an album that’s transcendental and is fending for herself as she professes, All I need’s a place to land / I don’t need a Superman to win my lovin’ / ‘Cause, baby, I ain’t Wonder Woman. The song is beautiful, yet not quite as much of a standout as the others, earning its place at the bottom of the list.
12. “Velvet Elvis”
Though Golden Hour is a fairly mellow album, there are a few bops thrown in for good measure, one of which being “Velvet Elvis.” The swanky tune casts Musgraves as a woman who knew it was true love as soon as I felt it / You’re my velvet Elvis, baby. A little bit vintage and a little bit classic, “Velvet Elvis” is an homage to a simpler time and is an underrated gem on Golden Hour.
11. “Lonely Weekend”
Musgraves captured the feeling of introverts everywhere with “Lonely Weekend.” The song finds her in solitude, yet she’s comfortable with her own company. Despite the loneliness she’s feeling, the singer finds the silver lining as she shares, Guess I’m hangin’ by myself / But I don’t mind. It’s a sweet song that lends itself as a comforting companion, even in the loneliest of times.
10. “Butterflies”
“Butterflies” is the Texas queen’s version of a love song. The lyrics are bursting with color as she describes the feeling of falling in love with someone who uplifts her and helps her go through a positive transformation. Shout out to Musgraves and co-writers Luke Laird and Natalie Hemby for working an unexpected word like “chrysalis” into the lyrics, adding another element to the song’s beautiful brilliance.
9. “Golden Hour”
“Golden Hour” gets lost in the shadow of songs like “Slow Burn” and “Butterflies,” yet it still shines on its own. This song seems to truly capture the essence of Musgraves and Kelly’s deep love at the time, with Musgraves translating that feeling into a vibey tune that’s equal parts mellow and reflective.
8. “Love is a Wild Thing”
“Love is a Wild Thing” is one of Golden Hour‘s quieter offerings. Musgraves assures the listener that love will always find them and is likely to show up in the most unexpected place, as symbols for love are all around us like, Flowers in the concrete / Climbing over fences, blooming in the shadows / Places that you can’t see / Coming through the melody when the night bird sings. She doesn’t need much embellishment or instrumentation to make the song sing, making for a touching number that’s bound to bring a smile to one’s face.
7. “Mother”
“Mother” is one of the album’s most tender-hearted moments. In just one minute and 20 seconds, Musgraves connects her journey to her mother and grandmother’s. She’ll bring tears to your eyes as she serenades, I’m just sitting here / Thinkin’ ’bout the time that’s slipping / And missing my mother. Though brief, “Mother” is a moment on Golden Hour that is not to be missed.
6. “Happy and Sad”
“Happy and Sad” is one of the finest examples of Musgraves’ incomparable ability to capture the most minute, yet precious details of life. She does this through such beautiful imagery as You got me smiling with tears in my eyes. Since there are so many incredible songs on Golden Hour, it’s important that “Happy and Sad” not get lost in the shuffle, as it’s one of the album’s most vulnerable moments.
5. “Oh What a World”
Part of the magic of Golden Hour is how Musgraves is transcendental while being incredibly grounded at the same time. “Oh, What a World” is one of the prime examples of this. The presence of the vocoder mixed with a gently plucking banjo gives the song an ethereal effect as Musgraves contemplates the complexities of the human experience, from pondering about past lives to being present through such lyrics as Did I know you once in another life / Are we here just once or a billion times / Well I wish I knew but it doesn’t matter / ‘Cause you’re here right now / And I know what I feel. The song offers a breathtaking view of the wonders of the earth, making it one of the crowning jewels of Golden Hour.
4. “High Horse”
Musgraves proved that disco and country can thrive in the same space with “High Horse.” This banjo-infused disco bop has her calling out someone who’s a bit too big for their britches with such playful lyrics as, Oh, I bet you think you’re John Wayne / Showing up and shooting down everybody / You’re classic in the wrong way. “High Horse” became her first crossover hit and is a highlight of her live show. It demonstrates what a savvy and clever songwriter she is, not only making for one of the best songs on Golden Hour but one of the best of her career.
3. “Space Cowboy”
When Musgraves shared “Space Cowboy” ahead of the album’s release, it was clear that something exquisite was on the horizon. The song is simply stunning as the singer releases a past love from her life that she knows isn’t meant to be fenced in, the song serving as a poetic soliloquy. It’s a can’t-skip track that’s equal parts heartbreaking and hopeful.
2. “Slow Burn”
There’s no song quite as soul-piercing as the album’s opener, “Slow Burn.” The soft guitar notes that introduce the song, “Slow Burn” sets the tone for the extraordinary work that’s to follow. The autobiographical song offers something for everyone to connect to, with profound statements like, Old soul waitin’ my turn / I know a few things but I still got a lot to learn / So I’m alright with a slow burn, that is awe-inspiring. “Slow Burn” will stand the test of time as one of her best songs ever and is a true reflection of Musgraves’ artistic soul.
1. “Rainbow”
Musgraves left her heart on the page with “Rainbow.” The soft-spoken piano ballad that she wrote with Shane McAnally and Natalie Hemby as a message of hope to the LGBTQ+ community is a standout gem on an album that’s full of them. Musgraves tugs at the heartstrings with her encouraging words affirming that there’s always a rainbow shining overhead, even in the darkest of storms. The song captures the spirit of the album, which is why it’s at the top of the list.
Photo by Kelly Christine Sutton / Courtesy of UMG Nashville
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