The 5 Most Iconic Tim McGraw Music Videos
Three-time Grammy-award-winning artist Tim McGraw has been a country music star for several decades. Getting his start in the early ’90s, the now-55-year-old began his rise to fame with his second studio album, Not a Moment Too Soon. He quickly took the genre by storm with his authentic country sound and boyish good looks.
McGraw was not destined to be the country’s most eligible bachelor for long, however. In 1996, he wed country music superstar Faith Hill and the pair have since made it their business to do business together.
Having been married for 26 years since October 6, 2022, McGraw and Hill recently co-starred in Paramount+’s Yellowstone prequel, 1883. They’ve recorded 11 duets together and continue to tour on their Soul2Soul II Tour — the highest-grossing tour in country music history, according to Music Video Fandom.
In celebration of McGraw’s incredible career and beautiful family, let’s look at his five most iconic music videos:
5. Tim McGraw’s ‘Indian Outlaw’
Not a Moment Too Soon became the best-selling album of 1994. The first single released from the album, “Indian Outlaw,” rose to No. 8 on the charts and was loaded with fast cars, motorcycles, billiards, and McGraw’s notably long hair. “Indian Outlaw” cast McGraw as a rebel himself, and country fans took notice.
The music video doesn’t have much of a storyline. It mostly involves strobe lights flashing behind McGraw and flying tassels of the leather-clad female line dancers. But “Indian Outlaw” was the beginning of what would be a long line of hits for McGraw.
4. ‘I Need You’ featuring Faith Hill
McGraw’s ninth album, Let It Go, featured a duet by McGraw and Hill that made for major relationship goals. The song is simple — just the two singers seated across from each other surrounded by candles. But it spoke volumes about their relationship.
Like McGraw and Hill’s first duet, “It’s Your Love” (recorded in 1997), the soft lighting and simplicity of “I Need You” seem like a throwback to their early marriage and a statement of their enduring love. But, as “I Need You” came out during the couple’s 10th year of marriage, the spell was even stronger.
3. ‘Highway Don’t Care’
Directed by renowned music video mastermind Shane C. Drake, McGraw’s “Highway Don’t Care” feels more like a short film than a run-of-the-mill music video. The 2013 video also stars Taylor Swift and Keith Urban and follows McGraw through a compelling story.
In the video, a young woman is seen distraught as she drives a country road, crying and texting as she drives. Suffering a terrible crash, she is rushed to the hospital where McGraw is revealed to be the doctor who saves her life.
2. Nelly’s ‘Over and Over’ featuring Tim McGraw
In an outstanding crossover collaboration, McGraw teamed up with R&B artist, Nelly, for 2004’s “Over and Over.” The video shows the two singers living their separate lives, each tortured by the idea of the woman they love being with someone else (yes, the woman in McGraw’s photo is indeed Hill).
While the song is excellent in its own right, one of the video elements that stand out involves the side-by-side visuals of the two men’s lives. At times, they look starkly different and yet are poetically parallel.
1. ‘Live Like You Were Dying’
Released in 2004 on McGraw’s album by the same name, “Live Like You Were Dying” was a big hit. And the video is unlike anything McGraw’s fans had seen before. In it, McGraw wears a white shirt, jeans, and his trademark black hat, surrounded by a white void.
A screen appears and begins playing a series of affectionate moments that could be from anyone’s life. The song’s subject discovers he has cancer and lives the best days of his life, focusing on life’s little moments, as a result of the news. More poignantly, the song was released the year McGraw’s father Tug McGraw died of brain cancer.
Honorable mention: ‘Meanwhile Back at Mama’s’
The video for McGraw’s 2014 song, “Meanwhile Back at Mama’s” should also be considered among his most iconic. Filmed on his and Hill’s real ranch in Nashville, the video shows McGraw and Hill at home. Their longing for a simple life together in the country is palpable and acts as a testament to their love and their roots.
