What Mattered Most is the debut studio album by American country music artist Ty Herndon, issued in 1995 on Epic Records.

Doug Johnson produced the entire album, with additional production from Ed Seay on "Heart Half Empty".

[2] Giving it 3.5 stars out of 5, Michael McCall of New Country wrote that "For the most part, Herndon comes on like a confident newcomer worthy of attention."

He praised the title track, "Pretty Good Thing", "Hat Full of Rain", and "I Want My Goodbye Back" for Herndon's vocal delivery, but criticized the same on the "You Don't Mess Around with Jim" cover.

[3] An uncredited review in Billboard was favorable, saying that "With a rich, expressive voice that is equally suited to pensive ballads and rollicking, uptempo tunes, Herndon is one of country's most impressive newcomers.