It’s been a minute since Jo Dee Messina graced us all with an album of new material.
The flame-haired singer from Framingham, Massachusetts, made an immediate splash on the country music scene with her self-titled 1996 debut. Her 1998 sophomore set, I’m Alright, was even more successful. Messina became the first female country artist to have three multiple-week, chart-topping singles from the same album. Burn, which arrived in 2000, was also a smash, delivering the popular title track and the Tim McGraw collaboration, “Bring on the Rain.”
Admittedly, Messina has been less prolific over the past 25 years or so. Her fourth studio outing, Delicious Surprise, came out in 2005. Record company challenges preceded the release of Unmistakable, which was supposed to be her next album; instead, it wound up being a series of three EPs. Her next proper studio album, which was simply called Me, did not appear until 2014.
Messina returned on June 5 with her long-awaited sixth album, Bridges, released through her own label. She has weathered a number of personal and professional ups and downs in the dozen years between the new album and Me – and some of that is reflected in the lyrics of her new songs. Bridges is Messina’s most personal disc to date, and she wrote (or cowrote) all but one of its 11 songs herself.
To coincide with the release of Bridges, and to celebrate her being our Artist of the Month, we’ve gathered 10 of Jo Dee Messina’s best songs – from her debut to the present.
“Some Bridges” (2026)
The track that inspired the title of her new album, “Some Bridges” is a slow-building statement of purpose and offers hard-won perspective. “Some bridges are meant to build,” sings Messina. “But some bridges are meant to burn.”
“Message In A Bottle” (2026)
Also from Bridges, “Message In A Bottle” is pretty catchy for a song about alcoholism. “Feeling 10 feet tall on 80 proof/ But the midnight lies, ain’t it the truth?” she sings. And you know she’s singing from experience.
“Don’t Let Them Hide Your Beautiful” (2026)
The centerpiece of her new album, “Don’t Let Them Hide Your Beautiful” is a moving, midtempo ode to being yourself. It’s a common theme across Messina’s entire career and discography.
“A Woman’s Rant” (2014)
The underrated “A Woman’s Rant” appeared on Me, Messina’s first studio album after a lengthy break. It pairs an old-time, bluegrass sound with a more modern, feminist lyric. To wit: “Husband, kids, work all day, I got PMS and PTA/ Find the thing my kid can’t find, I need a drink but there’s no time.”
“Bring On the Rain” (2000)
“Bring On the Rain,” a contemplative duet with Tim McGraw, is from Messina’s third album, Burn. It’s a true modern classic, having peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, been certified Gold, and garnering tens of millions of streams. McGraw also co-produced the GRAMMY-nominated vocal event with Byron Gallimore.
“Downtime” (2000)
Another one from Burn – and a good song to listen to in the aftermath of a breakup. “I’ve been down this road a time or two/ I’ll get on my feet and over you,” Messina sings over electric guitars. “I’m just goin’ through a little downtime.”
“Because You Love Me” (1998)
From Messina’s sophomore set I’m Alright, “Because You Love Me” is a song about a love that stood the test of time. It proved that Messina could also pull off ballads. The double-platinum success of I’m Alright also helped Messina collect the 1999 CMA Horizon Award.
“Bye Bye” (1998)
The ridiculously catchy “Bye Bye,” also from I’m Alright and written by Phil Vassar and Rory Michael Bourke, scored Messina another big hit. A rollicking kiss-off to a former guy who is noncommittal, it finds her singing “Bye-bye, love, I’ll catch you later/ Got a lead foot down on my accelerator…” And suddenly we’re all singing along!
“You’re Not in Kansas Anymore” (1996)
The opening song from her debut LP, “You’re Not in Kansas Anymore” is another upbeat tune about a guy who left the Midwest for the Hollywood lights. It contains the great opening line, “He said, ‘I grew up in Wichita, in a Mayberry kind of town.’”
“Heads Carolina, Tails California” (1996)
Messina’s first single, from her self-titled debut. This upbeat jam about hitting the road reached the Top 10 on both the U.S. and Canada country charts. A definite fan favorite, it’s also the title of a 2023 greatest hits collection. Certified platinum, it’s easily landed in the 200 million-plus streams category – it’s such an iconic song, it’s birthed other country songs that reference it. Namely Cole Swindell’s 2022 track, “She Had Me at Heads Carolina.”
Explore more of our Artist of the Month content on Jo Dee Messina here.
Photo Credit: Madison Sharp
