A bride's father is the second-most important man at her wedding, and he's deserving of a song that brings significance to his role. Here are 40 perfect father-daughter dance songs from some of country music's biggest stars.

The perfect song captures a father's emotions in giving his daughter away — a timeless tradition that has kept its place in most wedding receptions, even as more progressive points of view about gender roles replace the values our grandparents shared.

The best father-daughter dance songs may also spell out what the bride is thinking. In fact, the lyrics help cultivate a beautiful conversation between the two, giving words to a moment many men struggle to describe.

Classic songs from Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney are listed with touching tributes by Aaron Watson, Holly Dunn, Rascal Flatts and more. It's a male-heavy list, but a few songs performed by female vocalists carry messages that every man can relate to as he says goodbye to his daughter.

We ranked the 40 songs on this list of father-daughter dance songs using reader response, staff opinion, commercial performance and overall legacy as key indicators. While the No. 1 song comes from a Country Music Hall of Fame artist, superstars do not get an edge. Find your perfect father-daughter dance song below.

40 Father-Daughter Dance Songs Country Fans Will Love

The greatest father-daughter dance song in country music history isn't all that old. A legend sings a ballad he wrote for the occasion — that's what separates good from great on our list of daddy wedding tributes.

Of course, every bride's relationship with her father is unique, so we've worked hard to find a variety of stories. Stepfathers get some love, and there's more than one lyric that's less goodbye and more good advice. Click on a couple links you've never tried before, then choose your favorite father-daughter dance song in country music.

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