Except for the songs that made my Top 20 Songs of 2006 and the representative tracks from my Top 20 Albums of 2006, these are the rest of the best alt country, roots rock and blues rock tracks of 2006. To be eligible, a song needed to be included on an album released in the United States between December 1, 2005 and November 30, 2006.

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1. Dixie Chicks “The Long Way Around” Taking the Long Way (Open Wide/Columbia)

2. Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins “Rise Up With Fists!” Rabbit Fur Coat (Team Love)

3. Hem “The Pills Stopped Working” Funnel Cloud (Nettwerk)

4. Tom Petty “Down South” Highway Companion (Warner Brothers)

5. Hymns “Friends of Mine” Brother/Sister (Rock Ridge/Blackland)

6. Golden Smog “Strangers” Another Fine Day (Lost Highway)

7. Driveblind “Silhouette” Driveblind (Geffen)

8. Ben Harper “Please Don’t Talk About Murder While I’m Eating” Both Sides of the Gun (Virgin)

9. Two Gallants “Steady Rolling” What the Toll Tells (Saddle Creek)

10. Tom Petty “Saving Grace” Highway Companion (Warner Brothers)

11. Dixie Chicks “Lubbock or Leave It” Taking the Long Way (Open Wide/Columbia)

12. Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins “The Charging Sky” Rabbit Fur Coat (Team Love)

13. Hem “Too Late To Turn Back Now” Funnel Cloud (Nettwerk)

14. Neko Case “John Saw That Number” Fox Confessor Brings the Flood (Anti-)

15. Hymns “Magazines” Brother/Sister (Rock Ridge/Blackland)

16. Tom Petty “Jack” Highway Companion (Warner Brothers)

17. Rocky Votolato “Tennessee Train Tracks” Makers (Barsuk)

18. Blood Meridian “Your Boyfriend’s Blues” Kick Up the Dust (V2)

19. Drive-By Truckers “Easy On Yourself” A Blessing And A Curse (New West)

20. The Raconteurs “Blue Veins” Broken Boy Soldiers (V2)