a more perfect example of how contemporary country has co-opted the sound of rock 'n' roll than Billy Ray Cyrus' single, "Achy Breaky Heart". Between the down-home twang of the vocal and the foot-tapping insistence of the boogie guitar licks, it has no trouble walking the line between Southern rock and Nashville sentimentality." A review from Cash Box magazine was also positive, stating that "The song is good, but it [sic] his performance that will keep you wired." Paul Mathur from Melody Maker said it's like "a country record done by an Eskimo." Parry Gettelman from Orlando Sentinel felt it "has a catchy melody but the kind you wish were a lot less catchy. It sticks in your mind like a commercial jingle. The song also is annoyingly full of arch puns." The song reached No. 23 on CMT's 100 Greatest Videos in 2008, No. 2 on VH1's 50 Most Awesomely Bad Songs, and Blender magazine's 50 Worst Songs Ever. In 2002, Shelly Fabian from About.com ranked the song No. 249 on the list of the Top 500 Country Music Songs. In 2007, the song was ranked at No. 87 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the '90s. Despite its initially negative critical reviews, the song has become a cult classic. For his 2017 album Set the Record Straight, Cyrus recorded an updated version of the song. Members of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section participated in the recording Rolling Stone called "more faithful to songwriter Don Von Tress’ swampy demo." Music video Two very similar versions of the video for the song exist. Directed by Marc Ball, it was filmed during a live performance at the Paramount Arts Center in Ashland, Kentucky. The version released to country stations begins with a shot of the theater and ends with extended applause from the audience. The version released to MTV (which is the version found on Cyrus' YouTube account), begins with Cyrus exiting a limo, and the ending cheer from the audience is much shorter. Notable covers and parodies Alvin and the Chipmunks covered the song in 1992 on Chipmunks in Low Places. This version, which features speaking parts by Cyrus himself, reached No. 71 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, becoming their first entry on any Billboard chart in 32 years. In the United Kingdom, this version peaked at No. 53 in late December 1992, while in Australia, it reached