Country music, also called country and western or simply country, is a type of music that began in the United States. It is known for its ballads and dance songs, which are recognized by traditional lyrics and harmonies. These songs are often played with instruments like banjos, mandolins, fiddles, harmonicas, and various kinds of guitars, including acoustic, electric, steel, and resonator guitars. In the past, this music was called hillbilly music, but the term "country music" became widely used in the 1940s.
Country music first developed in the southern United States and later spread across the Piedmont region, from Louisiana through the Appalachian Mountains to New York. It is believed to have roots in British folk music, which was brought to the United States by early immigrants. Country music also grew from American folk traditions, such as old-time and Southern Appalachian music. Over time, it blended influences from cowboy and vaquero Western music, African-American folk songs and spirituals, Mexican, Irish, and Gospel music, Polynesian Hawaiian music, Southwestern styles from New Mexico and Tejano music, and blues music.
Country music has remained an important part of American music. There has been a recent increase in interest in the genre since the early 2020s. In 2023, 45% of Americans said they listen to country music, showing that the genre has become more popular.
Origins
Modern country music has roots in music traditions from the Southern and Southwestern United States. It became an important part of American popular music in the 1930s, when music was first recorded. Country historian Bill C. Malone said, "Country music was introduced to the world as a Southern phenomenon."
People moved to the southern Appalachian Mountains in the Southeastern United States over nearly 300 years, bringing European and Mediterranean Basin music and instruments with them. This led to the development of Appalachian music. As the United States expanded westward, the Mississippi River and Louisiana became important places where country music blended with other styles, creating Cajun music. In the Southwestern United States, the Rocky Mountains, American frontier, and Rio Grande influenced Native American, Mexican, and cowboy ballads, leading to New Mexico music and the development of western music. These styles are directly connected to Red Dirt, Texas country, and Tejano music. In the Asia-Pacific region, the steel guitar sound of country music originated from Hawaiian music.
The U.S. Congress officially recognized Bristol, Tennessee, as the "Birthplace of Country Music" because of the historic Bristol recording sessions in 1927. Nashville, Tennessee, has become a popular place for many country musicians. Historians also note the influence of the Johnson City sessions in 1928 and 1929, and the Knoxville sessions in 1929 and 1930. The Mountain City Fiddlers Convention, held in 1925, helped inspire modern country music. Before these events, early settlers in the Great Smoky Mountains region had already created a rich musical heritage.
Generations
Country music, also called hillbilly music at the time, became more popular when radio was invented in the 1920s. The largest country music radio show, the Grand Ole Opry, began in 1925 on WSM in Nashville and continues today. Okeh Records, a record label in New York City, started releasing hillbilly records in 1923. Columbia Records followed in 1924, and RCA Victor Records in 1927. Atlanta’s country music scene also helped launch the careers of early recording artists. The steel guitar entered country music as early as 1922, when Jimmie Tarlton met Frank Ferera, a famous Hawaiian guitarist, on the West Coast. Many hillbilly musicians recorded blues songs throughout the 1920s. The first commercial recordings of traditional country-style instrumental music were "Arkansas Traveler" and "Turkey in the Straw," performed by fiddlers Henry Gilliland & A.C. (Eck) Robertson for Victor Records in 1922 and released in 1923.
The first commercial recording of a country song with vocals and lyrics was "Little Log Cabin in the Lane" by Fiddlin' John Carson for Okeh Records on June 14, 1923. Vernon Dalhart had a nationwide hit in May 1924 with "Wreck of the Old 97," and the other side of the record, "Lonesome Road Blues," was also popular. In April 1924, "Aunt" Samantha Bumgarner and Eva Davis became the first female musicians to record and release country songs. Many early country musicians, like yodeler Cliff Carlisle, recorded blues songs into the 1930s. James Gideon "Gid" Tanner, an old-time fiddler, was one of country music’s earliest stars. With his string band, the Skillet Lickers, he helped write and perform many early country songs in the 1920s and 1930s.
Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family are widely considered important early country musicians. The Carters, from Scott County, Virginia, learned to read hymnals and sheet music using solfege. Their songs were first recorded in a historic session in Bristol, Tennessee, on August 1, 1927, with Ralph Peer as the talent scout and sound recordist. A scene in the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? shows a similar event from the same time. Rodgers combined hillbilly, gospel, jazz, blues, pop, cowboy, and folk styles. His song "Blue Yodel" sold over a million records and made him a top early country singer. From 1927 to 1944, the Carters recorded about 300 songs, including old-time ballads, traditional tunes, and gospel hymns that reflected America’s southeastern heritage.
Record sales dropped during the Great Depression, but radio became a popular source of entertainment. "Barn dance" shows featuring country music became popular, starting in the South and spreading to Chicago and California. The Grand Ole Opry, starting in 1925, remained a major radio show. Early Opry stars included Uncle Dave Macon, Roy Acuff, and African American harmonica player DeFord Bailey.
Drums were not widely used in early country music because some musicians thought they were too loud. In 1935, Bob Wills added drums to his western swing band, the Texas Playboys, despite opposition from the Grand Ole Opry. Louisiana Hayride, a less traditional venue, had a house drummer until 1956. By the 1960s, most country bands included a drummer.
Bob Wills was one of the first country musicians to use an electric guitar in 1938. In 1948, Arthur Smith recorded "Guitar Boogie," which became popular in pop music and showed the electric guitar’s potential. Nashville musicians preferred the warm sound of Gibson and Gretsch guitars, but Fender-style guitars became the standard in the 1950s.
Cowboy songs, or western music, were popularized by Hollywood films in the 1920s and 1930s. Singing cowboys like Gene Autry, the Sons of the Pioneers, and Roy Rogers helped spread the style. Country and western music were often played together on radio, leading to the term "country and western." Patsy Montana opened the way for female artists with her song "I Want to Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart." Bob Wills created western swing, which used more instruments and players. At its peak, western swing was as popular as big band swing music.
Country musicians began recording boogie in 1939, after Johnny Barfield played "Boogie Woogie" at Carnegie Hall. By the late 1940s, hillbilly boogie became a major trend, leading to rockabilly. This style remained a subgenre of country music into the 21st century. After World War II, bluegrass emerged when Bill Monroe, with Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, performed at the Grand Ole Opry. Gospel music was also popular, with Red Foley’s song "Peace in the Valley" selling over a million copies.
In the post-war period, country music was called "folk" in the music industry and "hillbilly" within the business. Billboard changed the term to "folk songs and blues" in 1944 and later to "country and western" in 1949.
A simpler, raw style of music with guitar, bass, and steel guitar (later drums) became popular in rural areas of Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. This style, called honky tonk, had roots in western swing and Mexican ranchera music. Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys helped define this music, which was often played in bars. Webb Pierce, a honky-tonk singer, was the top country artist of the 1950s, with 13 songs reaching number one.
In 1951, Hank Williams’s song "Cold, Cold Heart" became popular when Tony Bennett covered it in traditional pop style.
The third generation of country music developed subgenres like bluegrass, rockabilly, and country rock. After World War II, bluegrass emerged as "mountaineer string band" music, led by Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt, and Earl Scruggs.
By the early 1950s, western swing, country boogie, and honky tonk were blended in most bands. The first all-country radio station opened in Lubbock, Texas, in 1953, and the Country Music Association was founded in 1958.
Regional styles of country music
Tom Roland, from the Country Music Association International, explains how country music is popular worldwide:
One of the first American musicians to perform country music outside the United States was George Hamilton IV. He was the first country artist to perform in the Soviet Union. Because of his work to spread country music globally, he was called the "International Ambassador of Country Music." Other famous artists, such as Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Keith Urban, and Dwight Yoakam, have also performed in many countries. The Country Music Association works to share country music around the world through different programs.
Bluegrass is a type of music that includes songs about difficult times, love for the countryside, and storytelling. Its history began in the 1600s, when many people from Ireland, Scotland, and England moved to America. Bill Monroe, known as the "father of bluegrass," helped popularize the genre before the fifth generation of musicians. He inspired many newer artists.
Americana music became popular again in recent years, though it started in the 1950s with artist Hank Williams. Americana music includes elements from country, bluegrass, folk, blues, gospel, rhythm and blues, roots rock, and southern soul. As mainstream music became more pop-focused, some traditional artists, like Tyler Childers, Zach Bryan, and Old Crow Medicine Show, began to focus more on Americana and alternative country, where their music was better appreciated.
Country music has grown in popularity in many African countries. In a series on NTS Radio from 2021, researcher Jamal Khadar explored connections between modern country music and African and Caribbean music, including songwriting, instruments, and influences. Khadar also said that modern country music has been shaped by traditional African music styles.
In western Africa, Nigerian country music has grown within the country’s large music industry. In eastern Africa, country music has roots that go back even further. In Eswatini, singers began mixing country music with local guitar styles in the 1970s. In Zambia, the opening of copper mines in the 1950s brought stories of industrial change and movement to the region. Guitar music was added to local music when Zambians returned from World War II and interacted with international workers, creating a unique country folk style.
In Japan, country and western music was known before World War II, but many Japanese learned about it after the war through the Far East Network. Early Japanese country artists included Biji Kuroda & The Chuck Wagon Boys, Jimmie Tokita and His Mountain Playboys, The Blue Rangers, Wagon Aces, and Tomi Fujiyama. Some of these artists sang in English, while others used Japanese. Today, artists like Charlie Nagatani, Katsuoshi Suga, J.T. Kanehira, Dicky Kitano, and Manami Sekiya help keep the genre popular in Japan. Events like the annual Country Gold concert and modern honky tonks in Tokyo and Nagoya support the country music scene.
In Mongolia, country music is growing. Enkh-Erdene performed a cover of George Strait’s song "Amarillo by Morning" in 2019 and released a country music album in Mongolian in 2023. He also covered Garth Brooks’ "Friends in Low Places" in 2024. Another artist, The Baatar, blends country music with traditional Mongolian music, such as urtyn duu singing and instruments like the morin khuur and tsuur. They released their first album in 2022.
In India, an annual music festival called "Blazing Guitars" in Chennai brings together Anglo-Indian musicians from across the country. In 2003, Bobby Cash became the first Indian country artist to chart songs in Australia.
In the Philippines, which was a US Commonwealth from 1900 to 1946, country music was introduced during that time. Today, country music is part of the Cordilleran way of life, with songs comparing the Igorot lifestyle to American cowboys. Baguio City has a radio station, DZWR 99.9 Country, that plays country music. Bombo Radyo Baguio also includes country music in its programming. Many country musicians tour the Philippines, and Original Pinoy Music includes influences from country.
In Australia, country music has developed a unique style influenced by US country music, using instruments like guitar, banjo, fiddle, and harmonica. It was shaped by British and Irish folk ballads and Australian bush balladeers like Henry Lawson and Banjo Paterson. Aboriginal people in Australia were both artists and fans of country music. Auriel Andrew was the first Aboriginal woman to sing country music in Australia and helped increase the genre’s popularity.
Folk songs in Australia from the 1780s to 1920s often focused on themes like fighting government rules or the lives of bushrangers, swagmen, and drovers. These songs continue to influence Australian country music, which is sometimes called "bush music." "Waltzing Matilda" is often considered Australia’s unofficial national anthem. Later themes include war, droughts, Aboriginal culture, and transportation routes.
Pioneers of American-style country music in Australia included Tex Morton in the 1930s. Other early artists were Buddy Williams, Shirley Thoms, and Smoky Dawson. Williams was the first Australian to record country music in Australia in the late 1930s and wrote bush ballads that were later popularized by Slim Dusty. Dusty performed "Waltzing Matilda" at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
Reg Lindsay was one of the first Australians to perform at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry in 1974. Eric Bogle’s song "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda" (1972) reflected the British and Irish roots of Australian folk-country music. Singer-songwriter Paul Kelly, whose music mixes folk, rock, and country, is often called the poet of Australian music.
Many Australian country musicians have achieved global success, including Olivia Newton-John, Sherrié Austin, and Keith Urban. Newton-John was the first non-US artist to win the Country Music Association Award for Female Vocalist of the Year.
By the 1990s, country music became popular in pop music charts, with artists like James Blundell and James Reyne performing "Way Out West." Kasey Chambers, a country star, won the ARIA Award for Best Female Artist three times (2000, 2002, 2004), tying with pop artists Wendy Matthews and Sia for the most wins in that category. Chambers has also won nine ARIA Awards for Best Country Album and became the youngest artist to win that award in 2018.
Performances and broadcasts
Many American TV networks focus on country music. These include Country Music Television (CMT), which was the first channel dedicated to country music, and CMT Music, both owned by Paramount Global. Other channels are RFD-TV (owned by Rural Media Group), The Cowboy Channel (owned by Teton Ridge), Heartland (owned by Get After It Media), Circle Country (a joint project of the Grand Ole Opry and Gray Television), The Country Network (owned by TCN Country, LLC), and Country Music Channel (a sister channel of California Music Channel that focuses on country music).
The Nashville Network (TNN) began in 1983 as a channel for country music. It started just two days after CMT. TNN later added sports and outdoor programming. In 2000, TNN and CMT were owned by the same company, and TNN was renamed to a non-country channel. It became Paramount Network in 2018. TNN was briefly revived from 2012 to 2013 by Jim Owens Entertainment, which later sold the channel to Luken Communications. Luken renamed the channel Heartland, but the company went bankrupt due to unrelated issues.
Great American Country (GAC) started in 1995 as a channel for country music and later added lifestyle programming about the American Heartland and South. In 2021, GAC Media relaunched GAC as GAC Family, a family-friendly entertainment network. Ride TV was also relaunched as GAC Living, focusing on Southern lifestyles. The acronym GAC now stands for "Great American Channels."
Singing competitions have helped many country musicians gain fame. American Idol launched the careers of singers like Carrie Underwood, Kellie Pickler, and Scotty McCreery. The show Nashville Star helped Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, and Chris Young become well-known. Other shows, like Can You Duet?, created musical partnerships such as Steel Magnolia and Joey + Rory.
Teen sitcoms have also influenced country music. Jennette McCurdy, known for her role in iCarly, released songs like "So Close" and "Generation Love." Miley Cyrus, famous for Hannah Montana, began her career with a country song called "The Climb." She later released a duet with her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, called "Ready, Set, Don't Go." Jana Kramer, an actress in One Tree Hill, released a country album in 2012. Actresses Hayden Panettiere and Connie Britton recorded country songs for the TV show Nashville. Lucy Hale, from Pretty Little Liars, released her first album, Road Between, in 2014.
In Canada, CMT broadcasts country music. Earlier, the Cottage Life network focused on country music as Country Canada and later as CBC Country Canada. It later shifted to other programming. In the past, CBC Television aired shows like Don Messer's Jubilee and Gordie Tapp's Country Hoedown, which ran for 36 years until 1992. The U.S. network TNN later aired The Tommy Hunter Show.
In Australia, the Country Music Channel played country music but closed in 2020. It was replaced by CMT, owned by Network 10's parent company. Country HQ highlights new talent in Australia's country music scene. Today, CMC (Country Music Channel) is a 24-hour channel that plays country music and features events like the Golden Guitar Awards.
In Britain, a music video channel called Music & Memories, owned by Canis Media, focuses on country music.
In the United States, many local and regional radio stations broadcast country music. Sirius XM has a satellite radio station called The Highway. In Canada, Stingray Music offers several country music radio channels. In the UK, BBC Radio does not have a full-time country music station but briefly operated BBC Radio 2 Country for four days each year from 2015 to 2017.
In the U.S., one of the largest country music festivals is Stagecoach, held in Palm Springs, California, after the Coachella festival. Many regional festivals are hosted by radio stations or promoters, and country artists often tour across the country.
Australia hosts the Tamworth Country Music Festival, which began in 1973 and attracts over 100,000 visitors yearly. During the festival, the Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA) holds the Country Music Awards of Australia, where the Golden Guitar trophies are awarded. Other festivals include the Whittlesea Country Music Festival near Melbourne, the Mildura Country Music Festival, and the Canberra Country Music Festival in November.
In the UK, the C2C: Country to Country festival is held annually. For many years, a festival was also held at Wembley Arena. Glastonbury, Britain's largest music festival, has featured U.S. country artists like Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. The British Country Music Festival in Blackpool, England, promotes artists from the UK and Ireland. Past performers include Amy Wadge, Ward Thomas, and Henry Priestman.
Culture
Country music during the 1960s and 1970s was different from the counterculture folk and rock music of that time. It supported traditional and often conservative beliefs. From the beginning, country music, which was also called hillbilly music, did not take sides in political matters. Instead, it focused on the everyday problems and feelings of the working class. In 1969, Merle Haggard released an album called Okie from Muskogee, which showed strong political and conservative views. This album was very popular. Republican president Richard Nixon helped connect country music with conservative ideas during his time in office. He invited country musicians to events, declared October 1970 as Country Music Month, and tried to appeal to people who liked country music.
Modern country music continues to promote themes like patriotism, the military, and conservative values. After the September 11 attacks and the Great Recession, ideas about nationalism and helping the middle class became more popular in mainstream culture and in country music. Lee Greenwood’s song God Bless the USA became popular again after the September 11 attacks and reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Alan Jackson’s song Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning) celebrated the military and Christian values after the attacks. Toby Keith’s Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American) included lines about standing up to enemies, while Charlie Daniels’s This Ain't No Rag, It's a Flag said he would hunt down those who caused harm. Darryl Worley’s Have You Forgotten was a patriotic song that supported military actions. During the early 2000s, country music became more popular again, with songs about national pride and identity gaining support.
In 2003, the band The Chicks released an album called Home. The lead singer said she wished she was not from the same state, Texas, as President George W. Bush. This comment, made at the start of the Iraq War, was seen as going against the strong patriotism shown by other country artists. This caused a disagreement between the band and the country music community. Their next album, Taking the Long Way (2006), was popular with people who did not usually listen to country music but was not widely accepted by country music fans.
In the 2020s, country music became more connected with conservative ideas in the United States. Jason Aldean’s 2023 song Try That in a Small Town included a music video showing violence in American cities, such as vandalism and police interactions with protestors. Aldean said the song was not political and was about people supporting each other. However, some people, like Tennessee state representative Justin Jones, called the song racist and said it supported violence and white nationalism. The song was supported by some Republican politicians, such as Nikki Haley.
Country music has a complex history and has been influenced by both African and European musical traditions. Today, it is mostly associated with white Americans. This is partly because record companies tried to separate music in the 1920s. However, sub-genres like Indian and Hispanic country music have existed since the 1970s. DeFord Bailey, an African-American musician, was one of the first performers at the Grand Ole Opry, a famous country music show. Lil Nas X, an African-American rapper, had a song called Old Town Road, which mixed country and rap. His song was very popular and reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Songs list before being removed, which caused debate about whether the removal was racially motivated. Billboard said the decision was based on the song’s musical style, not race. Between 2000 and 2020, only 3% of the artists who played on country music radio were Black, Hispanic, or Indigenous.
In 2021, Black country musician Mickey Guyton was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Solo Country Performance. She said she was surprised that, even though her music was widely shared online, it was not played much on traditional country radio. Her 2021 album Remember Her Name included a reference to Breonna Taylor, a Black healthcare worker who was killed in her home by police.
In 2024, Beyoncé released a country music-inspired album called Cowboy Carter. The album was about reimagining American culture and highlighted the contributions of Black people to music and culture in the United States. The album was praised by critics and other country musicians.