# Wide Open Spaces (album)

Wide Open Spaces is the fourth studio album and the major label debut of American country music band Dixie Chicks. It was their first record with new lead vocalist Natalie Maines, and became their breakthrough commercial success. It received diamond status by the RIAA on February 20, 2003, in the United States, having shipped 13 million units worldwide, while spending more than six years in the Australian ARIA music charts Country Top 20.
"Once You've Loved Somebody" had previously been recorded by John & Audrey Wiggins on their 1996 album, The Dream.
Wide Open Spaces, as well as their next albums Fly (1999) and Home (2002), were released in the HDCD format.
In 2024, the album was selected for preservation in the United States National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

## Critical reception

Professional ratings :
| Review scores ||
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
| Christgau's Consumer Guide | |
| Los Angeles Times | |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | |
Upon its release, Wide Open Spaces received favorable reviews from critics. Music critic Robert Christgau gave the album a two-star honorable mention, simply stating that the "blonds have more brains (than they get credit for)." Los Angeles Times wrote that "this tradition-rooted Texas trio knows its way around country, western, honky-tonk, bluegrass, folk and country-rock." Concluding the review, it deemed that the "range, plus their sweet, assured three-part harmonies, Natalie Maines' attractively steely lead vocals, and savvy song selection have propelled this major-label debut into the Top 10."
In a retrospective review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic, he stated that it hit a "sweet spot" and described the album as "appealing to many different audiences" and "eclectic without being elitist." He described Natalie Maines' voice as "powerful" and "bluesy" to "give these songs a compelling center" and "versatile" to "[negotiate] the twists and turns of these songs without a hitch, easily moving from the vulnerability of "You Were Mine" to the snarl of "Give It Up or Let Me Go." Concluding his review, he praised the "remarkably wide range" as "effortlessly eclectic" and the group for "bringing [the album] all together with their attitude and understated musicality."

## Personnel

Compiled from liner notes.

## Accolades

At the 41st Grammy Awards, the album was awarded two Grammy Awards out of three nominations. It was awarded Best Country Album (the first of what would be four trophies in this category: they would later win for Fly in 2000, Home in 2003, and Taking the Long Way in 2007) and for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for the song "There's Your Trouble". This is an award the Chicks would win five times: in 2000 for "Ready to Run", in 2003 for "Long Time Gone", in 2005 for "Top of the World" and 2007 for "Not Ready to Make Nice", a feat only matched by The Judds. In addition, the Chicks were nominated for Best New Artist in 1999.
| Organization | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| Academy of Country Music Awards | Wide Open Spaces | Album of the Year | Won |
| Blockbuster Entertainment Awards | Wide Open Spaces | Favorite Duo or Group - Country | Won |
| Canadian Country Music Association | Wide Open Spaces | Top Selling Album of the Year | Won |
| Country Music Association Awards | "Wide Open Spaces" | Single of the Year | Won |
| Country Music Association Awards | "Wide Open Spaces" | Music Video of the Year | Won |
| CMT Music Awards | Wide Open Spaces | Album of the Year | Nominated |
| Grammy Awards | Wide Open Spaces | Best Country Album | Won |
| Grammy Awards | "There's Your Trouble" | Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal | Won |
| Radio Music Awards | "Wide Open Spaces" | Country Song of the Year | Won |
| TNN/Music City Awards | Wide Open Spaces | Album of the Year | Nominated |

## Charts
### Singles

| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions |
| Year | Single | US Country | US | CAN Country |
| 1997 | "I Can Love You Better" | 7 | 77 | 3 |
| 1998 | "There's Your Trouble" | 1 | 36 | 3 |
| 1998 | "Wide Open Spaces" | 1 | 41 | 1 |
| 1999 | "You Were Mine" | 1 | 34 | 1 |
| 1999 | "Tonight the Heartache's on Me" | 6 | 46 | 4 |

### Other charted songs

| Year | Single | Peak positions |
| Year | Single | US Country |
| 1999 | "Let 'Er Rip" | 64 |

## Certifications

Certifications for Wide Open Spaces :
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
| Australia (ARIA) | 3× Platinum | 210,000$^‡$ |
| Canada (Music Canada) | 4× Platinum | 400,000$^^$ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ) | Gold | 7,500$^‡$ |
| United Kingdom (BPI) | Gold | 100,000$^*$ |
| United States (RIAA) | 13× Platinum | 13,000,000$^‡$ |
| $^*$ Sales figures based on certification alone. $^^$ Shipments figures based on certification alone. $^‡$ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |||