The Chicks have released a ranked countdown of their 20 greatest songs to mark the 20th anniversary of their landmark album Taking the Long Way, which saw them clash with President George W Bush and Nashville conservatives. The article celebrates the trio's diverse catalogue, from organ-driven rock to experimental new-wave influences, showcasing their evolution from bluegrass origins to superstardom.

Key songs highlighted in the ranking include:
– If I Fall — an organ-driven rock track with Nashville fiddle that exemplifies the band's confidence
– You Were Mine — a country ballad that shaped the band's origin story when Natalie Maines joined the Strayer sisters
– A Taking the Long Way track offering defiant advice to the newly single with the refrain about putting on best shoes
– Ready to Run — a breezy, witty song celebrating independence over marriage and commitment
– Texas Man — an experimental new-wave departure featuring fuzzed-out guitars that remains distinctly theirs
– Sin Wagon — a cowpunk-influenced bluegrass track celebrating hedonism
– Sleep at Night — a Taylor Swift-influenced song about romantic entanglement
– Not Ready to Make Nice and Easy Silence — songs exploring the toll of being at the centre of a media storm
– Wide Open Spaces — their breakthrough fourth album that catapulted them to superstardom with beautifully crafted songwriting