Ever since Ralph Peer held his famous recording sessions in Bristol, Tennessee in the late 1920s with such acts as Ernest Stoneman, Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family, country music has uniquely told the story of American life.
Those early country stars and other artists recorded songs that reflected the down-home appeal of rural living, a nostalgia for what seemed to be a simpler past, a lure of a good old-fashioned murder ballad or a longing for an absent love.
The pioneers and trailblazers who brought these songs to the masses through the Grand Ole Opry weekly radio show (which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year) or by traveling the nation’s highways and byways helped establish country music, perhaps more than any other genre, as a storytelling medium.
Billboard looks at the those early, mid-century and 21st-century contemporary country artists who have delivered, and in some cases written, the songs that have made us cry in a tear in our beer –and who have widened the scope of what it means to be a country artist, without every sacrificing the genre’s heart.
In determining these rankings, members of theBillboardeditorial staff selected their top artists from a list of nearly 200 names spanning the past century. Certain parameters were set, including focusing primarily on mainstream country artists, instead of embracing adjacent genres like Americana or bluegrass (therefore, no Jason Isbell or Sturgill Simpson).
While commercial success was a factor, artistry, longevity and enduring influence counted just as much. Because it’s too early to gauge the long-term impact of many of the newer acts yet, the list leans largely on artists whose place in country music history is already secure. But everyone on the list has in their own way moved the genre forward.
Lists such as these are always lightning rods for debate — and while our No. 1 choice, which will be revealed Nov. 19, feels pretty unassailable, there are certainly others in the Top 10 who many will feel deserved the top spot. In fact, we had a healthy staff debate over who it would be. That just goes to show the depth and richness of the talent in country music. Our list has unfolded over the last two weeks, and today (Nov. 19) we reveal the final 10-1 portion of the countdown.
See the whole list below.
100. Brothers Osborne
The Maryland-raised brothers have played nice together during their first decade as a recording act, blending TJ’s distinctive baritone with older sibling John’s hot guitar prowess on tunes about love and life— but mostly the former. With 11 top 40 country airplay hits, they’ve also won a Grammy Award, six Academy of Country Music Awards and five Country Music Association Awards — and TJ helped break barriers when, in 2021, he became the first major label country artist to come out as gay.— GARY GRAFF
99. Maren Morris
Outspoken Texan Morris broke through in 2016 with a swirling mix of country, pop and R&B, all built on a bedrock of songwriting, as she earned top 10 Country Airplay hits with “My Church,” which garnered Morris a Grammy for best country solo performance, and “’80s Mercedes.” She’s since earned four No. 1 Country Airplay hits and a CMA Award for album of the year for Girl. She’s veered from a top 5 Billboard Hot 100 hit working with EDM producer Zedd on the dance-pop smash “The Middle,” to forming the country quartet The Highwomen alongside Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby and Amanda Shires. She’s also transcended industry boundaries as a fierce advocate for women, Black and LGBTQIA+ artists in the country community. — JESSICA NICHOLSON
98. Earl Thomas Conley
One of country’s key 1980s hit makers, Conley was hailed for making “thinking man’s country,” recognizing his affinity for songs that sensitively mine the psychology of relationships. But that moniker overlooked his subtle melodic sensibility, which made his recordings some of the best sing-along experiences of his era. His 1984 album, Don’t Make It Easy for Me, was the first to yield four No. 1 singles on the Country Songs chart. Conley remains underappreciated, though he’s viewed quite favorably by his successors in the genre — including Luke Bryan, who hails “ETC” in his 2024 single, “Country Song Came On.” — TOM ROLAND
97. Dottie West
Before Dolly Parton became Kenny Rogers’ duet partner, West worked with The Gambler on a series of collaborations that marked the most consistent commercial period of her career. West joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1964, shortly after recording “Here Comes My Baby,” which won the first Grammy for best country & western vocal performance, female. In the late 1970s, she morphed from a simple country crooner, applying her smoky tone to pop- and R&B-inflected songs such as “Are You Happy Baby?” and “A Lesson in Leavin’” (later remade by Jo Dee Messina). She entered the Country Music Hall of Fame posthumously in 2018. — T.R.
96. Luke Bryan
After his father gave 19-year-old Bryan an ultimatum — move to Nashville to pursue music or get fired from his job on the family’s Georgia peanut farm — he scored a songwriting contract and co-wrote “Good Directions” for Travis Tritt. Performing at clubs, he signed to Capitol Records and built a peerless empire of country party hits, from 2007’s “All My Friends Say” to 2013’s “That’s My Kind of Night,” plus multipleSpring Breakalbums and, in the process, became a bonafide stadium filler. With his friendly demeanor, goofy dance moves and nasally baritone, the American Idol judge has scored more than 24 Country Airplay No. 1s, including the emotional “Drink a Beer.” — STEVE KNOPPER
95. Mel Tillis
The Florida-born Tillis left a speaking stutter and intense shyness behind when he sang, though many of his songs, such as “Detroit City” and “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town,” became hits for other artists. He hit his stride as an artist in 1969, embraced by the Outlaw community during a run of nearly three-dozen top 10 Country Songs hits into the mid-’80s, including No. 1s such as “I Ain’t Never,” “Good Woman Blues” and “I Believe in You.” The father of performers Pam and Mel “Sonny” Jr. also appeared in films such as The Cannonball Run and Smokey & the Bandit II and owned a small cluster of radio stations, and he received a National Medal of Arts in 2012. — G.G.
94. Tennessee Ernie Ford
A mellifluous baritone and easygoing good humor gave Ford a foothold in music and media, known as much for his radio and television work — The Ford Show on NBC from 1956-61, the network’s College of Musical Knowledge and many prime-time acting appearances — as for his hit version of Merle Travis’ “Sixteen Tons,” “Mule Train” and Ford’s own “The Shotgun Boogie.” He notched 22 top 20country hits between 1949-1976 and received three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame — one each for his radio, records and television success — and a Presidential Medal of Freedom. — G.G.
93. Rascal Flatts
Selling more than 9 million copies of its first three albums beginning in 2000, the trio of singer Gary LeVox, his second-cousin bassist Jay DeMarcus and guitarist Joe Don Rooney made for country’s biggest act between the 2003 industry rejection of The Chicks and the 2006 rise of Taylor Swift. Beginning with “Prayin’ for Daylight,” then “Bless the Broken Road” and “What Hurts the Most” and many more, the group had a nearly 20-year run of smooth-harmonied hits. Rascal Flatts has sold more than 23 million albums and 11 million concert tickets overall and, after a multi-year hiatus, announced a 2025 tour. — S.K.
92. Vern Gosdin
Gosdin was “The Voice” before there was The Voice, a commanding-but-versatile singer and an early force in the West Coast country scene. The Alabama native moved to California during the early ‘60s, playing with the Byrds’ Chris Hillman, before he and sibling Rex formed the Gosdin Brothers. It was after a brief retirement that Gosdin took full flight scoring 19 top 10 Country hits starting in 1977, including the heartstring-tugging weeper “Chiseled in Stone.” A 1998 stroke didn’t deter him from writing and performing until his death 11 years later. — G.G.
91. Darius Rucker
Arguably the most visible and successful Black country artist of the 2000s and 2010s, Rucker became a verifiable force in the genre after his ‘90s stint as frontman of diamond-certified pop rock band Hootie & the Blowfish. His country career launched with 2008’s Learn to Live, which became his first of four chart-toppers on Top Country Albums. Rucker’s Southern charm, soulful growl and accessible tunes helped him collect several No. 1 singles, including “Alright,” “Wagon Wheel” and “Beers & Sunshine.” One of just five Black artists to win a Grammy in the country field, Rucker stands as one of vital figures of 21st century country music.– KYLE DENIS
90. The Mavericks
Straight out of Miami, The Mavericks combined country, rock and Latin vibes — thanks to lead singer Raul Malo’s Cuban-American roots — for a fresh, invigorating sound that captivated Nashville and beyond in the early ‘90s. Renowned for their combustible shows, crackerjack musicianship and Malo’s crystalline soaring vocals (which justifiably invited comparisons to Roy Orbison), the band scored such hits as “What a Cryin’ Shame,” “Oh, What a Thrill” and “All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down” (with Flaco Jimenez), but The Mavericks’ strong suit was always its live shows, which continue today. – MELINDA NEWMAN
89. Kacey Musgraves
By the time Musgraves stood on the stage to accept the Grammy for album of the year in 2019, the native Texan was already more than 15 years into her music career. With its dazzling disco beats, wistful melodies and heart-wrenching lyrics, the stunningly beautiful Golden Hour (which also garnered Musgravesbest country album) was just the tip of the iceberg for the singer-songwriter, who has paved the way for more progressive sounds and voices in the country genre. In 2013, Musgraves released the LGBTQIA+ love letter “Follow Your Arrow” — and, a year later, she won Grammys for album Same Trailer Different Park and single “Merry Go Round,” which examines the expectations put upon women. – TAYLOR MIMS
88. Ricky Skaggs
Skaggs launched his career as a skillful picker in illustrious bluegrass outfits including East Kentucky Mountain Boys (with Keith Whitley), Ralph Stanley’s Clinch Mountain Boys and The Country Gentlemen. In 1981, he issued his inaugural major label albumWaitin’ for the Sun to Shine, conveying a bluegrass/contemporary country fusion which launched two Hot Country Songs chart-toppers, “I Don’t Care” and “Cryin’ My Heart Out Over You.” Skaggs, who was named the CMA Awards entertainer of the year in 1985, became a key figure in country music’s neo-traditional movement, earning 11 Country Songs No. 1s in the 1980s, including “Honey (Open That Door)” and “Uncle Pen.” In 2018, Skaggs was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.—J.N.
87. Faron Young
When the Country Music Hall of Fame inaugurated the medallion ceremony in 2001, Young, dubbed the Young Sheriff because of his portrayal of a law man in 1955 western, Hidden Guns, posthumously joined Charley Pride as the first two beneficiaries. After serving in the Korean War, Young rode a cutting tone through the static on AM radio, amassing 40 top 10 country singles from 1953 through 1974, including five No. 1s. Among those chart-toppers is one of Willie Nelson’s first hits as a songwriter: “Hello Walls,” recognized by the Grammy Hall of Fame. Young also founded The Music City News, which served as a leading country fan magazine for more than three decades. — T.R.
86. John Anderson
A 2024 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame, this Apopka, Florida native possesses one of the most distinctive voices in country music, and an unerring song sense. His early days in Nashville saw Anderson paying his dues by putting the roof on the Grand Ole Opry House before he signed with Warner Bros. and found chart success with such hits as “Wild & Blue,” “I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal” and 1983 CMA Awards single of the year “Swingin.’” He enjoyed a career resurgence in the 1990s with “Seminole Wind” and the Country Songs No. 1s“Straight Tequila Night” and “Money in the Bank.” — DEBORAH EVANS PRICE
85. Travis Tritt
A member of country music’s famed Class of ‘89, which also includes Clint Black, Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson, Tritt burst on the scene with the top 10 single “Country Club” and proceeded to populate radio with such memorable singles as “Drift Off to Dream,” “Here’s a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares),” “Anymore,” “I’m Gonna Be Somebody” and “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive.” The Marietta, Georgia native, who carved out a successful career with his blend of Southern rock and country, is also credited with reuniting the Eagles in 1993 when he invited Don Henley, Glenn Frey and company to shoot a video for “Take It Easy,” his contribution to the CMA Award-winning album of the year Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles. — D.E.P.
84. Patty Loveless
Beginning in 1969, when 12-year-old Patty Ramey and her brother Roger performed as the Singing Swinging Rameys, the gently Kentucky-twanged singer toiled for years before signing to MCA Records and scoring her breakthrough album: 1988’sIf My Heart Had Windows,which included Hot Country Songs hit covers like “A Little Bit in Love” (Steve Earle) and the title track (George Jones). A premier song interpreter, Loveless racked up 20 top 10s overall, including such heartbreaking songs as “How Can I Help You Say Goodbye” and fun toetappers like “I Think About Elvis.” She later returned to her Appalachian roots, winning a Grammy for 2009’sMountain Soul II. – S.K.
83. DeFord Bailey
Widely considered the first Black country music star, Bailey was the first African-American performer to appear on the Grand Ole Opry. An immensely talent harmonica player, Bailey recorded several landmark tracks, including 1927’s “Pan American Blues,” which was one of the earliest recordings of a harmonica blues solo. Through his virtuosity, Bailey became an early pioneer in the dissipation of racial barriers in music. Although most of his career predated many major music institutions, Bailey’s impact inside and outside of the recording studio continues to be a guiding light for generations of country music artists. — K.D.
82. Faith Hill
Hill broke through in the early-‘90s with two chart-topping singles, “Wild One” and her upbeat remake of Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart” from her 1993 triple-platinum debut Take Me as I Am. A beguiling blend of wholesomeness and sexiness, with a captivating throaty vocal, Hill experienced seismic crossover success with the timeless “This Kiss,” the Oscar-nominated “There You’ll Be” and her Billboard 200-topping Breathe album, not to mention record-breaking Soul 2 Soul tours with her husband, Tim McGraw.— K.D.
81. Ernest Tubb
TheJimmie Rogers superfanfrom Crisp, Texas-turned-leader of the Texas Troubadours found success in 1941 with his lovelorn, jaunty-rhythmed breakthrough single, “Walking the Floor Over You.” His honky-tonk style and his no-frills, slightly pitchy voice —resulting from atonsillectomy —became his trademarks, as did the kindnesses he bestowed upon up-and-comers like Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn and Elvis Presley, whom he invited to play at his Midnite Jamboree radio show. The show, launched in 1947, still airs weekly on Nashville AM radio station WSM.– CHRISTINE WERTHMAN
80. Roy Clark
A prolific country artist in the ’60s – including his 1963 Hot Country Singles hit “The Tips of My Fingers” – Clark really began to build his legacy in 1969. That year, he became co-host (alongside Buck Owens) of Hee Haw – the long-running nationally televised TV variety show with country-centric sketch comedy and musical performances, whose viewership swelled into the tens of millions, bringing country to the masses and buoying Clark’s own recording career (he scored eight Hot Country Songs top 10s between 1969 and 1976). The amiable multi-instrumental Clark, who was best known for his prowess as a lightning-fast guitarist, helmed the show until it left the air in 1993. — ERIC RENNER BROWN
79. Morgan Wallen
In the 2020s, East Tennessee native Wallen ushered in a new wave of country popularity not seen since Garth Brooks 30 years earlier. Wallen’s songs, many of which he co-writes, mine the standard country tropes of liquor and heartbreak — but musically, he intoxicatingly weaves in elements of hip-hop, pop and alternative rock, all delivered with his twangy, instantly recognizable vocals. His dominance is so great that on Billboard’s 2023 year-end charts, his “Last Night” topped the Year-End Billboard Hot 100 while One Thing at a Time snared No. 1 on the Year-End Billboard 200, making him the first male artist to capture both honors in the same year since Usher in 2004. —M.N.
78. Eddy Arnold
Nicknamed the Tennessee Plowboy because of his early life on a farm in Henderson, Tenn., Arnold made his first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry in 1943. The following year he signed with RCA Victor and started serving up a string of hits that included “The Cattle Call,” “What’s He Doing in My World” and “Make the World Go Away.” Arnold’s use of lush instrumentation and pop-leaning arrangements expanded his popularity beyond the country audience and influenced songs recorded on Music Row, thus earning Arnold credit for helping establish what became known as The Nashville Sound. In 1966 when he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, he became the youngest person to receive the honor. — D.E.P
77. Barbara Mandrell
In 1981, Mandrell’s sparkling personality and versatile vocals helped make her the first two-time entertainer of the year winner at the CMA Awards. The singer and her sisters, Louise and Irlene, were then in the midst of a two-year run of their NBC variety seriesBarbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters. Mandrell had six No. 1 hits on Hot Country Songs, including the jaunty “Sleeping Single in a Double Bed” and the classic “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool,” with a guest vocal by George Jones. A talented singer, multi-instrumentalist and performer, Mandrell, who retired in 1997, was voted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2009. – PAUL GREIN
76. Don Williams
With a soothing baritone that personifies country music, Williams had a hearty 1974-to-1991 chart run of 17 No. 1 Hot Country Songs, including “Heartbeat in the Darkness,” “Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good” and “Tulsa Time.” The Floydada, Texas-born singer, songwriter and guitarist, who died in 2017, began his career in folkie trio Pozo-Seco Singers, then hooked up in Nashville with Jack Clement, who recognized the best singer for Williams’ songs was Williams. Dubbed The Gentle Giant for his plain-spoken style, Williams had his songs widely covered, but nobody put across a line like “I’m not saying I’m a righteous man/ But Lord I hope you understand” as well as he did. — S.K.
75. Freddy Fender
Mexican-American singer-songwriter Baldemar G. Huerta adopted the stage name Freddy Fender as he shifted from singing conjunto to rockabilly in the 1950s. In 1975, his career surged with the massive crossover hit “Before The Next Teardrop Falls,” topping the Hot Country Singles chart and the Hot 100. The song, which incorporated a verse in Spanish, was the CMA Awards’ single of the year. In 1975, he again topped the country chart with “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights” and “Secret Love,” followed by “You’ll Lose a Good Thing” in 1976. In the 1990s, he won Grammys for his work in two Tex-Mex supergroups, The Texas Tornados and Los Super Seven. Fender died in 2006. — J.N.
74. Martina McBride
Gifted with the voice of a wild angel, McBride brought a lilting strength to every song she performed, thanks to her robust range and powerful delivery. And listeners shouldn’t be fooled by her often-pop-forward productions: During her chart-topping ’90s-’00s run (five Country Airplay No. 1s, including five weeks up top with “I Love You” in 1999), the Kansas-born soprano wasn’t afraid to tackle sensitive subject matter in those upbeat songs — especially on “Independence Day,” her bold declaration of freedom for domestic violence survivors. –KATIE ATKINSON
73. Blake Shelton
Shelton’s legacy extends well beyond his country music achievements – which include 74 Hot Country Song entries, seven No. 1s on the Top Country Albums chart and 10 CMA Awards trophies. And his sound does, too, with Shelton covering rock classics from Tom Petty and Aerosmith and more recently embracing country-pop on “Pour Me a Drink” with Post Malone. All the while, his role as the longest-running original coach onThe Voice(2011-2023) paired with his relationship with wife Gwen Stefani – with whom he has recorded and performed with several times, further proving his sonic melting pot potential – has helped Shelton emerge and remain as a mainstream flag-bearer for country. —LYNDSEY HAVENS
72. Trisha Yearwood
Raised on musical heroes like Linda Ronstadt, the powerhouse vocalist whose range and nuance make her one of the most treasured female vocalists of the last several decades always impresses with her song choice and delivery.Yearwood’s been able to captivate a wide audience of listeners using a seamless blend of country, folk and pop vocals, which can be heard now-classics like “She’s in Love With the Boy” and “How Do I Live.” She’s won three Grammys and three CMA Awards including female vocalist in 1997 and 1998. — RYLEE JOHNSTON
71. Keith Urban
He may have been raised in Australia, but Nashville claims him now as Urban has developed into one of country music’s most impressive shapeshifters, easily merging a number of styles, but always with country as his homebase. The fluidity of his guitar playing has made the CMA Awards’ 2005 and 2018 entertainer of the year one of the genre’s top guitar-slingers, and a live draw who sells out around the world. Songs like “Somebody Like You,” “Wasted Time” and “Days Go By” are tailor-made for riding with the windows down and radio blaring, while sultry tunes like “Making Memories of Us,” “You Look Good In My Shirt,” and “Blue Ain’t Your Color” turn on the romance. –M.N.
70. Brenda Lee
The rise of Lee’s perennial favorite “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 2023 — 65 years after its release — was a late-life triumph for the 79-year-old Atlanta native, making her the oldest artist to top the chart. But the offbeat success of that holiday bauble has obscured Lee’s seven decades of vocal artistry. Her voice quavers, growls, breaks or soars with a lyric. Lush countrypolitan strings and choruses often soaked her songs but those arrangements helped Lee to become one of country music’s most significant early crossover artists, with Hot 100-topping hits like “I’m Sorry” (when she was only 15) and “I Want to Be Wanted,” and top ten singles “Emotions” and “Break It To Me Gently.”— THOM DUFFY
69. Clint Black
Alongside Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson, Black was part of an unstoppable country surge of “hat acts” that started in the late ’80s and brought country music to new heights. Through his blend of traditional country, Western swing and honky-tonk, Black was so dominant, he landed the No. 1 Billboard Year-End Country Song of both 1989 (“A Better Man”) and 1990 (“Nobody’s Home”) — the first time that happened in 35 years. In 2024, Black toured behind the 35th anniversary of Killing Time, playing the classic album, which spent 31 weeks atop the Country Albums chart,from start to finish. — K.D.
68. Statler Brothers
This Virginia quartet — comprised of brothers Harold and Don Reid, as well as bandmates Phil Balsley and Lew DeWitt — surged to country music’s forefront with their gospel-styled harmonies and engaging concerts. In 1964, the group launched an eight-year stint in Johnny Cash’s road show and earned a No. 2 Country Songs hit (and top 5 Hot 100 hit) with the DeWitt-penned “Flowers on the Wall.” They followed with country top 10s including “Bed of Rose’s,” “The Class of ‘57,” and the No. 1 “Do You Know You Are My Sunshine.” DeWitt left the group in 1982 due to health issues. Jimmy Fortune joined and the 1980s brought the Statler Brothers three Fortune-penned chart-toppers: “Elizabeth,” “My Only Love” and “Too Much on My Heart.” The group collected nine CMA vocal group of the year trophies, and in the 1990s had a top TNN variety show. — J.N.
67. Linda Martell
While the word “pioneer” gets thrown around perhaps too loosely, it more than applies to Martell, who in 1969, became the first Black woman to play the Grand Ole Opry. Her breakthrough single, the sweet “Color Him Father,” peaked at No.22 in September 1969 on the Hot Country Songs and remained the highest-charting track on the chart by a Black woman for more than 50 years, until Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ’Em” reached No.1 in February. Finding the country music business inhospitable, Martell left Nashville in 1974, but reemerged on two tracks on Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter, including earning her first Grammy nomination in 2024 for her work on the album’s “SPAGHETTII.” – M.N.
66. Jerry Reed
One of country’s great storytellers and hitmakers of the ’70s, Reed rose to prominence early in the Me Decade with rollicking story songs like “Amos Moses” and “When You’re Hot You’re Hot” — even reaching the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 thanks to the Georgia singer-songwriter’s charismatic Southern-fried delivery and knack for brain-sticking hooks. Later in the decade, “Eastbound and Down” ensured Reed’s pop culture immortality through its use in action-comedy blockbusterSmokey and the Bandit, and in the ’80s, he enjoyed a deserved revival with a hilarious pair of country smashes, “The Bird” and “She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft).” –ANDREW UNTERBERGER
65. Toby Keith
Years before Keith threatened to “put a boot in your ass, it’s the American way” in his boisterous, ubiquitous 2002 hit “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American),”he went to No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart in 1993 with his debut single, the wistful “Should’ve Been a Cowboy.” The son of a veteran, Keith wore his patriotism on his sleeve. His muscular baritone did just as wellon more playful songs, like the Willie Nelson duet “Beer for My Horses,” which spent six weeks at No. 1, as did the knowing, sly “As Good As I Once Was.” — C.W.
64. Ronnie Milsap
With a voice so buttery it practically dripped out of your speakers, Milsap helped solidify lush, emotionally unabashed country as a major commercial force in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Some singers tickle the ivories, but Milsap (who mastered the piano despite being mostly blind from birth) caressed them, coaxing out a reassuring, warm sound that drew on everything from doo-wop to soul to accompany his tales of heartbreak, longing and devotion. The crossover talent notched a staggering 35 No. 1s on the Hot Country Songs chart from 1974-1989. – JOE LYNCH
63. Ray Price
The artistically nimble Price helped redefine country music, first in the 1950s with songs including the 20-week No. 1 country hit “Crazy Arms” that pioneered a dynamic honky-tonk style featuring a Texas shuffle with a 4/4 rhythm and walking bass line. In the 1960s, he again played a role in shifting country music’s direction, with lush string sections and a silky vocal style that became associated with “The Nashville Sound,” thanks to his renditions of “Danny Boy” and the Kris Kristofferson-penned “For the Good Times.” Price also helped elevate rising artists and songwriters, recording Harlan Howard’s “Heartaches By the Number” and Bill Anderson’s “City Lights,” while his band at times included Willie Nelson, Roger Miller and Johnny Paycheck. Price joined the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1996. — J.N.
62. Kitty Wells
When Hank Thompson’s January 1952 hit “The Wild Side of Life” condemned a woman who would “never make a wife” because of her love of the nightlife, the song inspired one of music’s greatest rejoinders. With her chart-topping debut single “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels,” Wells led the way for declarations of empowerment — and revenge — in hits from Tammy Wynette to Carrie Underwood and for generations of women country stars who achieved success in her wake. While a tale of a faithless spouse sparked her career, Wells was married to country singer Johnny Wright until his death in 2011—a month shy of their 75th wedding anniversary. Wells passed away a year later at age 92. — T.D.
61. Jerry Lee Lewis
“The Killer” may have been a rock ‘n’ roll pioneer as part of Sun Records’ Class of ’55, but he grew up in Louisiana with a country heart. His first performance, in fact, was with a country & western band. His irreverent, cocksure piano-pounding energy (and certain life circumstances) made him an outlaw well before the term surfaced, and he notched 30 Top 10 hits in the genre, including a No. 1 cover of Kris Kristofferson’s “Me and Bobby McGee.” He’s in multiple music halls of fame, including Country, Rock and Roll, Rockabilly and Memphis. – G.G.
60. Roger Miller
“King of the Road” was this ’60s star’s massive hit about trailer-park rooms for rent containing the immortal line: “I’m a man of means, by no means.” After serving in the Army during the Korean War, Miller worked as a Nashville bellhop and an Amarillo fireman as he wrote and peddled songs. By 1958, he landed hits with George Jones, Ernest Tubb and others, before his 1964 solo smash “Dang Me,” then “Chug-a-Lug,” “Do-Wacka-Do” and others, gave him a career in silly-faced quasi-comedy. With 1985’s Big River, Miller, who died in 1992, became the first country songwriter to write a Broadway musical, snaring the Tony for best original score. – S.K.
59. The Louvin Brothers
With roots in country gospel and a haunting close harmony style, the Louvin Brothers were one of the best “brother acts,” that served as a bridge between old-timey duos like the Delmore Brothers with modern ones like the Everly Brothers. The act, active in the ‘50s and ‘60s, also became a formative influence on alternative country after the Byrds covered “The Christian Life” onSweetheart of the Rodeo. Their myth helped, too: they personified country’s gap between Saturday night and Sunday morning since Ira Louvin had an angelic high tenor but was known to drink and smash his mandolin onstage. – ROB LEVINE
58. Charlie Rich
Boasting a resonant, expressive vocal tone that owed more to the pop balladry of Elvis than Hank’s honky-tonk, Rich was one of the defining “countrypolitan” singers of the ‘70s. Augmented by slick orchestrations and polished backup singers (often under the watchful eye of producer Billy Sherrill), Rich crooned songs of heartbreak, devotion and loneliness aimed at a crossover audience. He earned nine Hot Country Songs-toppers, one of which – his signature smash, “The Most Beautiful Girl” – also topped the Hot 100 in 1973. Country purists couldn’t be too mad at him – the Silver Fox’s delivery was simply too effortless and deft to ever suspect him of being less than authentically Rich. – J.L.
57. Hank Williams Jr.
Hank Williams Jr. had enormous cowboy boots to fill when stepping into the music industry after his legendary father and namesake, but after giving up his gig as a Hank Williams impersonator and suffering a life-changing mountain-climbing accident in Montana, the star found his footing as a country-rock outlaw in the late ‘70s and ‘80s – making upholding his “Family Tradition” look easy, even earning a place in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Nicknamed Bocephus by his dad, he became synonymous with outlaw rockin’ country best exemplified with hits like “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight,” “Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound” and “Born to Boogie.” His Monday Night Football theme won Williams four Emmy Awards. — D.E.P.
56. Eric Church
Celebrated for his rebellious spirit, powerful songwriting and groundbreaking sound, Church has pushed boundaries, blending country with rock, blues, and folk since his debut in the early 2000s, while staying true to the genre’s roots. Church’s impact on country music lies in his bold artistry and his commitment to creative freedom. He’s known for making albums, likeChiefandThe Outsiders, that defy commercial norms, appealing to both country purists and new listeners. His live performances are legendary, often stretching for hours without a setlist — just raw energy, spontaneity, and a deep connection with his fans. – DAVE BROOKS
55. Linda Ronstadt
Though she mostly made her name on cover songs, Linda Ronstadt had a singular voice — “as big as a house,” as described by producer John Boylan — that straddled the line between pop and country and made even well-remembered hits like Roy Orbison’s “Blue Bayou” and the Everly Brothers’ “When Will I Be Loved” her own. She topped the Hot 100 for the first and only time in 1975 with her singularly flinty and roaring rendition of the Clint Ballard Jr.-penned “You’re No Good,” but modern audiences might know her best for her heartbreaking 1970 breakthrough solo hit “Long, Long Time,”which re-chartedin 2023 thanks to its unforgettable use in HBO’sThe Last of Us. –A.U.
54. Luke Combs
After dropping out of Appalachian State University, Combs drove his Dodge Neon to Nashville, where he worked his way up from bars to 1,000-seat halls, playing songs like “Hurricane.” Delivered in Combs’ pleasing baritone, it became his first of 13 straight Country Airplay No. 1s. Whether writing about broken hearts or broken beer bottles, he has quickly become known as one of country music’s most reliable hitmakers. His 2023 version of Tracy Chapman’s 1988 classic “Fast Car,” a rare cover for Combs, reached No. 2 on the Hot 100 and resulted in the pair dueting at the Grammy Awards. A two-time CMA Awards entertainer of the year, Combs is now playing multiple nights in stadiums. – S.K.
53. Brad Paisley
Whether it’s dazzling fans with his superlative, fluent guitar work or his creative wordplay, Paisley can take fans from a guffaw on such songs as “I’m Gonna Miss Her,” “Ticks” or “Celebrity,” to tears on tunes like “Whiskey Lullaby” (with Alison Krauss) or “I’ve Been Better.” He also makes fans think with songs that expand far beyond country’s traditional borders and topics, like “Welcome to the Future,” “American Saturday Night” and “Southern Comfort Zone.” In 2008, the West Virginia native became the first artist to amass 10 consecutive Country Airplay No. 1 hits. The CMA Awards’ 2010 entertainer of the year is now up to 24 non-consecutive No. 1s on the chart. – M.N.
52. Tim McGraw
From his commercial breakthrough in 1994 with “Indian Outlaw,” McGraw’s next 30 years have been an unforgettable ride in country music and beyond. In addition to 39 Country Airplay No. 1s among 60 top 10s and blockbuster tours on his own and with wife Faith Hill, McGraw has stayed at the top of his game by delivering a mix of earnest ballads and raucous party starters while nimbly embracing new sounds, from his top five Hot 100 foray into hip-hop with Nelly (2004’s “Over and Over”) to joining the all-star roster on Post Malone’s country album just this year (“Wrong Ones”). If you want to see his influence on the next generation, look no further than the title of Taylor Swift’s debut single. –K.A.
51. Charlie Daniels
Though known for iconic country rock hits like “The South’s Gonna Do It Again,” “In America” and “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” Daniels career was much more expansive than his impressive radio resume. The North Carolina native was a multi-instrumentalist who, upon moving to Nashville, was an in-demand session player, contributing to Bob Dylan’s Nashville Skyline and Ringo Starr’s Beaucoups of Blues. Daniels launched his annual Volunteer Jam concert series in 1974, which brought together artists as diverse as Amy Grant, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Stevie Ray Vaughan. The Country Music Hall of Famer, who died in 2020, recorded gospel, blues and bluegrass albums and was also a best-selling author. – D.E.P.
50. Tanya Tucker
A Texas-born rebel with a gigantic voice who began her career as a teenage superstar at 15 with a Rolling Stone magazine cover, Tucker scored her signature smash in 1972 with “Delta Dawn.” Hits “Love’s the Answer” and “What’s Your Mama’s Name” followed, then a $1.4 million record deal. An ’80s comeback led to endless touring, then in 2019, collaborations with Brandi Carlile and Shooter Jennings helped mark another amazing resurgence — leading to 2020 Grammy wins for best country song and best country album. — S.K.
49. Kenny Chesney
A touring and chart-topping force, Chesney’s career is built on milestones, from surpassing a career gross of $1 billion with his live shows to scoring his 33rd Country Airplay chart topper this summer with “Take Her Home.” Along the way, he has turned his no-worries “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems” mentality into a carefree lifestyle, inspiring his No Shoes Nation fans and ensuring his carefree country sound remains undeniably authentic. It’s a proven strategy for the star, who counts 98 total entries on both Country Airplay and Hot Country Songs and has snagged the CMA Awards’ entertainer of the year four times, second only to Garth Brooks.– L.H.
48. Marty Robbins
Country’s long-held connection to NASCAR doesn’t get any tighter than via Marty Robbins. The hitmaker — who scored the first of his 17 No. 1 hits on Country Songs with “I’ll Go On Alone” in 1952 — was a racing fan who became a driver during the early ’70s, with six top 10 finishes and a race established in his name a year after his death in 1982. He released 52 studio albums and more than 100 singles, the latter tally including 1957’s “A White Sport Coat” and his best known song, haunting murder ballad 1959’s “El Paso,” which was Robbins’ sole crossover chart-topper on the Billboard Hot 100. — G.G.
47. Conway Twitty
Though his career kicked off with the Elvis Presley-esque Hot 100-topper “It’s Only Make Believe” in 1958, Twitty went from rock n’ roll also-ran to a shining star in the country music firmament. Over the course of a quarter of a century, the pompadour-flaunting singer topped Hot Country Songs a staggering 40 times. Whether solo or alongside frequent duet partner Loretta Lynn, Twitty favored a twangy, straight-shooting sound (often working with steel guitar legend John Hughey) while crooning subtly grown-up songs that frequently touched on sex, infidelity and guilt. – J.L.
46. Brooks & Dunn
The dynamic duo of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, two songwriters who were paired by their label head in 1990, brought a fresh approach to traditional country with songs like “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” and “My Maria,” helping revive line dancing and fueling the country boom of the ‘90s. They combined distinct vocal styles — Brooks’ gritty tone and Dunn’s powerful, emotionalvoice — and top-notch songwriting to create a signature sound, fusing elements of rock, blues, and classic country. Brooks & Dunn’s far-reaching impact is evidenced by their record-breaking 18 CMA Awards as a duo, which puts them in a tie with Vince Gill for the most by any artist. — D.B.
45. The Oak Ridge Boys
If the Oaks had given the world nothing but the infectious sing-along “Elvira” in 1981, that would have been enough, but one of country’s foremost vocal groups contributed so much more. Founded in the ‘40s as a Southern gospel group, they shifted to country music in the mid-‘70s, still bringing in elements of doo-wop and layered harmonies that delighted fans. The quartet, which continues to tour following mainstay tenor Joe Bonsall’s death in July, has 34 Top 10s on the country charts. – M.N.
44. Porter Wagoner
Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2002, Wagoner made an indelible imprint on country music as a style icon — sporting dazzling Nudie and Manuel suits — as well as a top-notch hitmaker, with songs like “The Carroll County Accident,” “A Satisfied Mind” and “Misery Loves Company,” and as the man who introduced the world to Dolly Parton, when he hired her in 1967 to join his TV show, The Porter Wagoner Show. Parton’s timeless “I Will Always Love You” was even written about severing her professional relationship with Wagoner. Before passing in 2007 at age 80, Wagoner charted 81 singles and entertained millions for decades on the Grand Ole Opry. –- D.E.P.
43. Bob Wills
The King of Western Swing — author of classics such as “San Antonio Rose” and “Take Me Back to Tulsa,” bandleader for the Texas Playboys and a 1930s star who did as much as anyone to lay the groundwork for modern country music — started out just struggling to make a living. Working in construction, insurance sales, preaching, farm labor and cutting hair, Wills, whose band at one point included Merle Haggard, moonlighted with his pioneering mixture of hillbilly and jazz music at dances and medicine shows before breaking through on Tulsa radio, and becoming a prolific and ultimately legendary recording artist.— S.K.
42. Roy Acuff
Country music was a different animal before the Tennessee-born Acuff came along. Dubbed the King of Country Music, Acuff took the genre from its original instrumental focus to more of a vocal-showcase genre with 1940s hits such as “The Prodigal Son,” “Our Own (Jole Blon)” and “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.” The fiddle-playing singer’s even greater contribution, however, was teaming with songwriter Fred Rose in one of the business’ early publishing houses — pushing the likes of Willie Nelson, Lefty Frizell and Roy Orbison. In 1962, Acuff was also the first living artist inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. — G.G.
41. Taylor Swift
As she crisscrosses the globe on the biggest pop tour of all time, it might be hard to fully recall the power of Swift’s early days in country music — but across four classic albums released over just six years, the young singer/songwriter took the genre by storm with her catchy hooks and autobiographical lyrics, racking up seven Country Airplay No. 1s among 18 top 10s along the way. Swift dug into country’s rich storytelling roots by seemingly tearing pages straight from her diary for her songs, but while she had a foot in the traditional, she truly blazed her own trail as a teen female songwriter – and brought an entirely new fanbase along with her that has only grown and exploded in the decades since. While she’s seemingly conquered the entire music world now, it all started in Nashville. –K.A.
40. The Everly Brothers
Inductees into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (in its inaugural 1986 class) and the Country Music Hall of Fame, Tennessee brothers Phil and Don Everly pioneered country-rock in the late ’50s and ’60s. From the jump, the Everlys and their gorgeous harmonies straddled country and rock –early champions included Nashville titans like Chet Atkins and Wesley Rose, while as young artists they hit the road with Buddy Holly. From the intersection of those genres, the duo unleashed a torrid chart run after debuting in 1956 — catapulting a slew of songs onto the top of the country charts, including “Bye Bye Love,” “Wake Up Little Susie” and “All I Have to Do is Dream.” The Everly Brothers remain a touchstone for modern artists: In 2013, Norah Jones and Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong released Foreverly, a covers album dedicated to the duo. — E.R.B.
39. Gene Autry
The Singing Cowboy came by the moniker honestly. He was raised on a ranch in Oklahoma and competed in rodeos, channeling the dust and leather into the signature croon of totemic standards such as “Back in the Saddle Again.” Autry’s wealth of Christmas recordings made him a voice of the holiday season, too, and he became a King of All Media: the only person ever awarded stars in all five categories (music, film, television, radio and live performing) from the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was also the longtime owner of Major League Baseball’s California/Anaheim Angels. — G.G.
38. Dwight Yoakam
Though now revered, Yoakam initially struck out in Nashville — and thankfully so. After moving to Los Angeles and opening for punk and rock bands, his “cowpunk” aesthetic was born, and his impact on the genre solidified. While his first three albums all summited the Top Country Albums chart, it was his 1993 fifth album,This Time, that cemented his superstar status. Its lead single, “Ain’t That Lonely Yet,” earned Yoakam his first of two Grammys, while another album standout, “A Thousand Miles from Nowhere,” became one of the first (of many) times he duetted with his now good friend (and forever fan) Post Malone, when the two performed the song live together on Yoakam’s SiriusXM channel in 2018. –L.H.
37. Emmylou Harris
With her finely textured vocals and superior song sense, Harris has cemented a career as a transcendent and influential country voice, whose career has contained multitudes. She worked in the East Coast folk scene before Gram Parsons hired her as part of his backing band. In the 1970s and 1980s, Harris stepped into her own as an artist, earning seven Hot Country Songs chart-toppers, including the Earl Thomas Conley duet “We Believe in Happy Endings” and covers of Buck Owens’s “Together Again” and Patsy Cline’s “Sweet Dreams.”She also served as a talent incubator, with her bands including then-young upstarts like Rodney Crowell, Ricky Skaggs and Buddy Miller. Together, Harris, Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt also recorded the essential collaborative projectsTrio(1987) andTrio II(1999). — J.N.
36. Elvis Presley
Though widely known as the “King of Rock and Roll,” Presley’s early career is steeped in country, gospel and the blues. His early recordings at Sam Phillips’ Sun Records, especially “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” were among the first to fuse traditional country with a more upbeat, rhythmic rockabilly twist. The hybrid sound, steeped in The King’s own brand of Americana, broadened country music to larger audiences, while transforming Presley into one of the first crossover artists. His televised performances brought an unprecedented (and often scandalous) energy to country music, influencing legends like Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson.– D.B.
35. Carrie Underwood
The best-selling artist to ever come from American Idol, the 2005 winner is also one of the most vocally gifted. Underwood’s 2007’s revenge anthem “Before He Cheats,” spent more than a year on the Hot 100 chart, but it’s on the country charts where she has truly left her mark: Eight of her nine studio albums have debuted at No. 1 on Top Country Albums, and she’s taken 16 singles to the top of Country Airplay. She also leads allIdolalumni with the most Grammy wins at eight, and is the only woman to win the ACM Award for entertainer of the year three times. Plus, with her powerful pipes, she’s one of the few artists of any genre who can go toe-to-toe with Axl Rose and Steven Tyler. — R.J.
34. Miranda Lambert
For nearly 25 years, Lambert has been providing the soundtrack for a generation of country music lovers. Hailing from Longview, Texas, the three-time Grammy-winning vocalist, songwriter and guitarist has sent seven albums to the top of the Country Albums chart, one of which also topped the all-genre Billboard 200 (2014’s Platinum). From 2005’s “Kerosene” to 2024’s “Dammit Randy,” Lambert’s confessional songwriting and gentle, heartfelt vocals have been the bedrock of fiery kiss-offs and introspective ballads alike. And she proved herself a prime interpreter of other’s material, with such songs as the sentimental, gorgeous “The House That Built Me.” With more ACM Awards than any other artist, Lambert remainsa beacon for honest, heartfelt country music.– K.D.
33. John Denver
A perhaps-intoxicated Charlie Rich may have burned the envelope when Denver was named entertainer of the year at the 1975 CMA Awards, but Denver more than earned his country bonafides. More than five decades after he made his solo debut in the ‘60s, and 27 years after his tragic death in 1997, Denver remains an ever-present artistic touchstone for countless modern stars, country or otherwise –Lana Del Rey, MGK, Jelly Roll and more have all paid tribute in recent years. Inspired by the natural beauty of his adopted home state of Colorado, the winsome, bespectacled Denver penned rural America anthems such as “Rocky Mountain High”and “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” As he himself sang, thank God he was a country boy. – HANNAH DAILEY
32. Vince Gill
Gill has plenty of hits under his belt, racking up four Hot Country Songs No. 1s during his commercial peak of 1992-94, but his country superstardom has always been about The Voice. From the sweet harmonies of “When I Call Your Name” to the romantic remembrance of meeting wife Amy Grant in “Whenever You Come Around,” that plaintive, tender tenor is what instantly sets Gill’s songs apart with a peerless emotional delivery. Gill found the perfect outlet to keep delivering his voice to the masses by joining the Eagles in 2017, following founding member Glenn Frey’s death.–K.A.
31. Buck Owens
Although best known to some for hosting Hee Haw from 1969-1986, Owens’ musical output outside of the corn-pone country variety show was far more adventurous and trailblazing. During the ’60s, when smooth sounds ruled country radio, Buck Owens & His Buckaroos (anchored by righthand man Don Rich on lead guitar) brought honky-tonk grit and a shuffling, danceable rock n’ roll energy to the airwaves and stages (including Carnegie Hall in 1966). As a pioneer of the “Bakersfield sound,” Owens topped Hot Country Songs chart 21 times — and broke ground on the business side as one of the first artists to establish their own music publishing company, as well as to own a cluster of radio stations . — J.L.
30. Alison Krauss
A singular talent with her angelic voice and her fiddle, Krauss has been recording since she was 14 — on her own, with the band Union Station, in collaboration with Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant and for soundtracks such as O Brother, Where Art Thou? and Cold Mountain. The Illinois-born Krauss has racked up 27 Grammy Awards, ranking fourth in all-time totals. She received a National Medal of the Arts in 2019 and was inducted into the International Bluegrass Hall of Fame two years later. – G.G.
29. Chris Stapleton
Stapleton’s gruff, soulful voice –arguably more akin to legendary artists like Johnny Cash than many of his contemporaries – was a standout from the moment Traveller arrived in 2015 and his Americana-tinged style continued to impress by landing more than 30 songs on the Hot Country Songs chart, including chart-toppers “Tennessee Whiskey,” “You Should Probably Leave” and “Starting Over.” With five studio albums under his belt, Stapleton has already won 10 Grammy Awards, 10 ACM Awards and 14 CMA Awards, and has been named the artist-songwriter of the decade by the Academy of Country Music,his blend of Southern rock and blues making him one of the most decorated country artists of the last decade. – T.M.
28. Bill Monroe
Over the course of the 1940s, Bill Monroe took the old-time folk and country music he grew up on and added instrumentation and rhythm to become the “Father of Bluegrass.” His “high lonesome sound,” which included harmony singing and banjo breakdowns, helped shape the sound and sensibility of country music. Various versions of his Blue Grass Boys band helped train the genre’s top talents, including Carter Stanley, Peter Rowan, Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. His impact lasted through the ’60s folk revival, when he influenced Bob Dylan and Jerry Garcia, and well beyond. – R.L.
27. Kris Kristofferson
Kristofferson was many things — a singer, songwriter, Golden Globe Award-winning actor and a Mount Rushmore figure as one of the Highwaymen. Kristofferson, who died in 2024, was also a Rhodes Scholar and ex-Army captain, with a command of both melody and lyricism that made for plain-spoken but evocative tunes such as “Why Me?,” “Me and Bobby McGee” and “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down,” the latter of which he wrote while working as a janitor at a Nashville recording studio. A Country Music Hall of Fame induction and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award were touchstones of a career that spanned nearly 60 years and includes scores of covers of his songs. – G.G.
26. Glen Campbell
In 1969, Campbell’sBy the Time I Get to Phoenixbecame the first country album to win the Grammy for album of the year. Blessed with both a supple, smooth voice and guitar chops to spare,Campbell achieved success as a musician and celebrity, hosting his own variety show on CBS from 1969-1972. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005 and received a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy in 2012. Even a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease didn’t Campbell from touring and recording. He received an Oscar nod for co-writing “I’m Not Gonna Miss You” from the 2014 docGlen Campbell…I’ll Be Me. – P.G.
25.The Chicks
The world had never seen a country phenomenon quite like theChicks upon the group’s late-’90s breakout, as their incisive songwriting, open-hearted delivery and expert musicianship led to multiple RIAA Diamond-certified blockbuster albums (1998’sWide Open Spacesand 1999’sFly), and a handful of soaring smash singles — like thecrackling revenge tale “Goodbye Earl” and bluegrass-inflected singalong “Long Time Gone.” A backlash to a political comment made by frontwoman Natalie Maines at a 2003 show resulted in the group all but being ejected from Nashville, but the group returned in 2006 with the brilliant and resilientTaking the Long Way,emphatically reclaiming their narrative and winning the Grammy for album of the year in the process —A.U.
24. Ray Charles
Decisions made during the record business’ birth in the midst of segregation led to a Black/white marketing split between working-class genres country and the blues. Charles’ two volumes of Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music were a radical challenge to that chasm, applying thick big-band arrangements and lush strings to classic country songs, including “I Can’t Stop Loving You” and “You Don’t Know Me.” Modern Sounds’ 1962 pop success showed the American mainstream that country had qualitative value and cracked open the door to Black participation in the genre. — T.R.
23. Tammy Wynette
Often described as having a tear in her voice, Wynette’s soul-baring delivery could wring every ounce of emotion from a lyric. And the Mississippi-born singer-songwriter did just that, in heartbreaking ballads such as “Another Lonely Song,” “’Til I Can Make it on My Own” and “D-I-V-O-R-C-E,” as well as uptempo romps like “Your Good Girl’s Gonna Go Bad” and “Singing My Song.” The Grammy-winning Country Music Hall of Famer also recorded several iconic duets with George Jones — and before it ended, the couple’s turbulent marriage sometimes garnered as many headlines as their musical accomplishments. In addition to Jones, Wynette’s collaborators included Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, David Houston and British dance-pop group The KLF, whose 1991 collab “Justified and Ancient” gave Wynette a hit that went No. 1 in 18 countries. — D.E.P.
22. The Judds
The mother-daughter duo of bluesy Wynonna and mannered harmony ace Naomi spent 1984 through 1991 racking up six multiplatinum studio albums and 14 Country Songs No. 1 hits, mostly of the polished, melancholy variety — like “Why Not Me,” “Mama He’s Crazy” and “Girls’ Night Out.” Their story began in a Kentucky mountain home, where Naomi raised Wynonna and future-Hollywood-star sister Ashley on welfare, after surviving an abusive relationship. In 1983, Naomi willed the duo into an RCA audition. After Naomi announced a hepatitis C diagnosis in the ’90s, she became an author and motivational speaker, occasionally reuniting the Judds. She died in 2022, and Wynonna soldiers on as a solo star. — S.K.
21. Shania Twain
It is impossible to talk about country music in the 1990s without discussing the Queen of Country Pop, Shania Twain. The Canadian-born singer-songwriter struck a chord with her sophomore album The Woman in Me in 1995, delivering eight singles, including Hot Country Songs No. 1s “Any Man of Mine” and “(If You’re Not In It For Love) I’m Outta Here!” For more than a decade, her cavalcade of hits (“Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?,” “You’re Still the One,” “From This Moment On,” “That Don’t Impress Me Much,” “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” and more) seemed endless, and made an entire generation of pop fans fall deeply in love with the country genre. Not to mention, Twain’s fearless approach to expertly blending country vocals with pop sounds inspired Taylor Swift, one of country’s biggest artists, to bridge the gap as well. — T.M.
20. Kenny Rogers
While he started his career back in the late 1950s, and saw psych-rock success with his band the First Edition in the ’60s, Rogers’ career truly catapulted when he leaned all the way into country. It was a natural fit: His gravelly baritone lent an instant authenticity to the storytelling songs he favored, especially his signature hit “The Gambler” – which, even though he didn’t write the lyrics, felt like he had absolutely lived them. After scoring his first Hot 100 No. 1 by dipping his toe into R&B with the Lionel Richie-penned smash “Lady” in the ’80s, he proved just how fluid he could be yet again by returning to the top with his country-crossover musical match Dolly Parton on the Bee Gees-written duet “Islands in the Stream.” Though Rogers was always comfortable trying different genres on for size, throughout the decades, country music was the star for the Texas native with the easy swagger. —K.A.
19. Alan Jackson
In his post-9/11 tribute “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning),” Jackson sang, “I’m just a singer of simple songs” — an ethos the quiet-natured “songwriter’s songwriter” maintains even as a three-time CMA Awards entertainer of the year honoree and purveyor of 26 Country Airplay chart-toppers, many of which he wrote. But those “simple songs” reflect well-crafted sketches of small-town life, love and heartbreak, embracing enduring romance (“Home,” “Livin’ on Love”), familial odes (“Drive (For Daddy Gene)”) and youthful revelries (“Chattahoochee”), but also keen commentaries including “Murder on Music Row” and “Gone Country.” In the late 1990s and early 2000s, as country music leaned toward rock and hip-hop, Jackson continued earning No. 1 hits by remaining resolutely country. — J.N.
18. Keith Whitley
During his life, Kentucky native Whitley only released two albums — but rarely has an artist had more lasting impact on a genre. After beginning his career in bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley’s band, Whitley moved to Nashville in 1983 and recorded a string of hits, including “Miami, My Amy,” “When You Say Nothing at All,” “I’m No Stranger to the Rain” and “Don’t Close Your Eyes.” Now a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, the traditional vocalist died at 34 from alcohol abuse, ending a career that could have yielded so much more — yet many of today’s current artists remain quick to acknowledge his continuing influence. — D.E.P.
17. Alabama
The boys from Fort Payne dominated country radio in the 1980s, as Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry, Jeff Cook and Mark Herndon served up such enduring hits as “Tennessee River,” “Love in the First Degree,” “Mountain Music,” “Dixieland and Delight” and “Feels so Right.” Owen’s evocative lead vocals and the group’s energetic stage show earned them it consecutive CMA Awards entertainer of the year trophies, and Alabama was named artist of the decade for the ’80s by the Academy of Country Music. Beyond the music, perhaps the outfit’s greatest legacy is the billion dollars raised by Country Cares for St. Jude Kids, which Owen launched in 1989 to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. — D.E.P.
16. Randy Travis
Travis brought a new traditionalist sound to country music in the 1980s — and the audience was more than ready for it. His second album,Always and Forever, led Top Country Albums for 43 weeks, longer than any other album in the chart’s history to that point. His understated vocal twang and warm baritone were well-suited to such classics as “On the Other Hand” and “Forever and Ever, Amen.” Travis has won seven Grammys spanning country and gospel categories. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2016, three years after suffering a stroke. – P.G.
15. The Carter Family
The Appalachian trio was definitely a family affair: sisters Sara and Maybelle Dougherty married brothers A.P. Carter and group manager Ezra Carter. Answering a newspaper ad, they became part of the “Big Bang of Country Music,” discovered along with Jimmie Rodgers during a series of Bristol, Tenn., sessions in 1927. Maybelle’s picking style became a bedrock technique for folk and country guitarists, and the group’s exploration of religion, family and death contributed to the sadness that was long associated with the genre. The Carter Family left a bevy of country standards, most notably “Keep on the Sunny Side” and “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” — not to mention a future generation of country legends, including Maybelle’s daughter, June Carter Cash. — T.R.
14. Waylon Jennings
Beginning his career in the late 1950s as the bassist for fellow Texan Buddy Holly, Jennings brought his swagger and sonorous voice to a smattering of hits (“Only Daddy That’ll Walk the Line”) in the 1960s, then broke through in the 1970s by joining Willie Nelson and others in rejecting Nashville creative constraints as part of what was dubbed the outlaw country movement. That decade brought Jennings a streak of No. 1 hits on Hot Country Songs, including the wistful “Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)” and the classic theme to popular ’80s TV series The Dukes of Hazzard, in addition to duets with Nelson on “Good Hearted Woman” and “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys.”— T.D.
13. Jimmie Rodgers
Before becoming the Father of Country Music, a teenaged Jimmie Rodgers followed in his own father’s footsteps, working the railroads during the 1910s and earning the nickname, The Singing Brakeman. Melding African American blues with mountain folk, vaudeville and what was then called “hillbilly music,” Rodgers helped codify country music as a form of working-class American artistic expression. After participating in the Bristol Sessions in 1927, Rodgers recorded “Blue Yodel No. 1 (T for Texas),” a million-selling hit in the early days of the record business that catapulted country music to the national consciousness, and kicked off a national yodeling craze – his “blue yodels” were the viral trend of Great Depression America. — J.L.
12. Patsy Cline
Cline was just 30 when she died in a plane crash in 1963, but her impact has been immeasurable. Her greatest hits, including “Walkin’ After Midnight,” “I Fall to Pieces” and “Crazy,” remain classics. In 1973, she became the first solo woman to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. The 1985 biopic,Sweet Dreams, starring an Oscar-nominated Jessica Lange, introduced the singer to a new generation of fans. In 1995, Cline received a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy.Patsy Cline’s Greatest Hitswas certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005. — P.G.
11. Reba McEntire
Since debuting in the 1970s, McEntire has become an undeniable force in country music and beyond, with her emotive voice and signature multisyllabic phrasing, coupled with her 100+ songs on the Hot Country Songs chart, including 24 No. 1s. She built a reputation as a dynamic, multi-faceted powerhouse, with concert tours rich with choreography and dazzling costumes. Music videos, including “Fancy” and “Is There Life Out There,” featured cinematic, impactful storylines, and she established herself as a multi-media entertainer on television (Reba, The Voice), film (Tremors, The Little Rascals,North) and Broadway (Annie Get Your Gun). McEntire, who won the CMA Awards’ entertainer of the year in 1986 and has four female vocalist of the year honors, joined the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2011. — J.N.
10. Merle Haggard
A critical figure in the emergence of outlaw country, the sub-genre that emerged in the ’70s, Haggard wrote what he knew: As a teen and young adult, the California native did time in facilities including San Quentin Prison for crimes like theft, robbery and truancy. By the ’60s, however, Haggard was a free man – and in hot pursuit of a career in country music. Following the release of his 1965 debut, Haggard found success as a practitioner of The Bakersfield Sound. But, as demonstrated by late ’60s album titles like I’m A Lonesome Fugitive and The Legend of Bonnie & Clyde, he always had a strong outlaw streak.
Haggard soon cemented himself as a commercial force with his proudly populist music, rattling off 34 consecutive top 10 country hits between 1967 and 1977 and ultimately notching 38 country No. 1s between 1966 and 1987. And despite the subject matter of his 1969 hit “Okie From Muskogee” – which lambasted marijuana-smoking, LSD-dropping, draft-card-burning hippies –Haggard also became a key countercultural touchstone for artists from the Grateful Dead, who covered his music throughout their career, to Willie Nelson, with whom Haggard recorded four albums during his lifetime. — E.R.B.
9. George Strait
The Poteet, Texas-born Strait’s impossibly smooth, gently twangy voice has narrated a carefully curated mixture of ballads, lively western-swing anthems and country two-steppers since he emerged with 1981’s breakthrough smashStrait Country. He has more No. 1 Country Songs hits than any artist, including a run of top 10 hits in every year for 30 years, from the 1990s to the 2010s, with songs like “Amarillo By Morning,” “The Fireman,” “You Look So Good in Love” and “The Chair” captivating millions of fans. His popularity remains undiminished;earlier this year, he drew 110,905 fans to Kyle Field at Texas A&M University, breaking the Grateful Dead’s all-time U.S. attendance record for a ticketed event.
To this day, Strait is country’s most consistent performer, down to his reliably immaculate wardrobe: pressed jeans, button-down shirt and, of course, a Stetson. He makes it all look impossibly easy, though his care is evident in every album he releases. Strait is known as the King of Country for a reason — and long may he reign. — S.K.
8. Charley Pride
Pride made history as country music’s first Black superstar. In 1971, he became the first (and still the only) Black artist to win entertainer of the year at the CMA Awards. In 2000, he became the first Black artist to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. The singer with the warm baritone and dignified demeanor was matter of fact about his groundbreaking success. “What came from my throat was my voice, no one else’s,” he wrote in his 1994 autobiography,Pride: The Charley Pride Story. “No one had ever told me that whites were supposed to sing one kind of music and Blacks another – I sang what I liked in the only voice I had.”
Pride amassed 29 No. 1 hits on Hot Country Songs and 12 No. 1 albums on Top Country Albums. He topped the latter chart for 32 consecutive weeks in 1972 with back-to-back hit albums,Charley Pride Sings Heart Songs andThe Best of Charley Pride, Volume 2.Both albums included his most unforgettable hit, “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’,” a blend of courtly manners and carnal desires. Pride received a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy in 2017, three years before his death. — P.G.
7. Garth Brooks
Seven-time CMA entertainer of the year winner Garth Brooks propelled country music to unprecedented heights in the 1990s, with songs such as “The Dance,” “Friends in Low Places” “The Thunder Rolls” and “Unanswered Prayers” that are now genre standards. In addition to his down-to-earth charisma and devotion to exemplary songcraft, Brooks’ dazzling, rock-fueled live spectacles set a new bar for country music concerts, featuring him on high wires flying over the crowds or smashing guitars onstage. He notched several diamond-certified albums, including the game-changing blockbusters No Fences and Ropin’ the Wind, making Brooks the best-selling solo artist in U.S. history, according to the RIAA.
In 1997, Brooks made history when his free Central Park concert drew an estimated 1 million attendees, with the corresponding HBO special drawing 14.6 million viewers. At the height of his career, Brooks stunned the industry by taking a lengthy break from touring to raise his children. After 13 years away from the spotlight, the enduring power of Brooks’s music and live show was evident when he launched the Garth Brooks World Tour from 2014-2017, selling over 6 million tickets; he followed that in 2019 with his record-breaking The Stadium Tour. – J.N.
6. George Jones
Once playfully nicknamed Possum for his appearance — and, less kindly, No Show Jones for his unreliability on the road — Jones truly earned the lasting title as one the greatest singers that country music has ever known. His baritone evoked yearning, hard living and heartache in tales that echoed country music’s deepest traditions. Just listen to “She Thinks I Still Care,” a No. 1 hit from 1962, when his voice breaks as he recalls “the same old places/ where the memory of her lingerseverywhere.”Jones was a force in country music from 1955, when the fiddle-fired romp “Why Baby Why” became his first top 5 country hit. When the hits stopped coming, the fans never did; he toured all his life.
Jones had 13 No. 1 Country Songs hits over the course of his career, from the bootlegging tale of “White Lightning” in 1959 to his cover of Merle Haggard’s “I Always Get Lucky With You” in 1983. Three of those chart-toppers, including “Golden Ring” in 1976, were duets with Tammy Wynette, during their stormy, on-again-off-again marriage. But Jones’ vocal masterpiece came in 1980 with the Bobby Braddock/Curly Putnam-penned “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” It was his first No. 1 hit in six years, reignited his career and is largely considered the best country song ever written. Jones died in 2013. — T.D.
5. Hank Williams Sr.
In his 29 short years on earth, Williams left a treasure trove of songs so achingly poignant that they continue to feel just as powerful decades later. From the plaintive raw emotion of “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” to the cutting declarations in “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” the playful spirit of “Hey Good Lookin’” and iconic gospel celebration “I Saw the Light,” Williams wrote and performed songs that spoke not only to his own life but gave voice to the multitudes that embraced them. The Alabama native began his career in Montgomery in the 1930s. He formed the Drifting Cowboys Band and dropped out of high school to pursue music. Though exceedingly talented, his addiction to alcohol and prescription pills due to lifelong back pain made him unreliable and he was dismissed from the Grand Ole Opry.
Williams died New Year’s Day 1953 in the back seat of a car when his heart gave out as he was being driven to a gig in Ohio — but his work continues to influence artists, no matter how many generations have passed since has passing. — D.E.P.
4. Loretta Lynn
Despite her ultra-feminine, frilly lace frocks and impeccable shellacked black hair, Lynn was an early advocate for women’s rights, through songs like 1975’s controversial and mind-blowing “The Pill,” about the form of contraception. She took a backseat to no one, including predatory women who came looking for her man in 1968’s “Fist City.”
Born in Butcher’s Hollow, Ky., Lynn took care of her younger siblings, then moved to Washington state and had four kids of her own by age 18. After singing on a Buck Owens-hosted TV show in Tacoma, her hitmaking career began with 1960’s “I’m a Honky Tonk Girl” (No. 14 on the Country Songs chart) and moved on to 45 million reported album sales — solo and with her longtime duet partner, Conway Twitty, with whom she recorded the twisted love song, “You’re the Reason Our Kids Are Ugly.” Her autobiographyCoal Miner’s Daughterbegat an iconic film starring Sissy Spacek. “You can call me your No. 1 you-know-what-kind of stirrer,” Lynn toldBillboardin 2015, seven years before she died at 90. — S.K.
3. Willie Nelson
Hitmaker, hellraiser, philanthropist, philosopher, actor, advocate for family farmers and pot — and American icon. Nelson has shaped country music and the wider culture since the early ‘60s when he wrote hits like “Crazy,” which Patsy Cline took to No. 9 on the Hot 100 in 1961. While a great country pioneer like Hank Williams shot across the scene like a comet, dying at 29, Nelson has been a North Star, steadily shining through the decades.
Now 92, he has a musical legacy as wide as the Texas sky, from the Outlaw Music milestone ofRed Headed Strangerin 1975 to the multi-platinum standards collectionStardustin 1978 to his just-releasedLast Leaf on the Tree, said to be his 153rd album. He has collaborated with artists ranging from Ray Charles (“Seven Spanish Angels”) to Julio Iglesias (“All The Girls I’ve Loved Before”) to Snoop Dogg (“Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die”). And his advocacy for family farmers is deeply rooted with his Farm Aid benefit, in its 39th year, now the longest running concert for a cause. — T.D.
2. Johnny Cash
Known as “The Man in Black,” Cash became known as a peerless vocalist and an artist of consequential music, who advocated for the overlooked and disdained. In the 1950s, recording for Sun Records, Cash forged a sparse rockabilly sound that resonated with pop and country audiences, with hits “I Walk the Line” and “Cry, Cry, Cry.”Joining Columbia, Cash issued his signature “Ring of Fire” in 1963, and recorded concept albums likeBlood, Sweat and Tears, along the way traversing his way through gospel songs, folk ballads and protest songs.
The years 1968 and 1969 brought his seminal live albumsAt Folsom PrisonandAt San Quentin, earning such eternal hits as “Folsom Prison Blues” and “A Boy Named Sue,” resulting in his being named the CMA Awards’ entertainer of the year in 1969. His variety seriesThe Johnny Cash Showfeatured friends and fellow artists like Bob Dylan. In the 1970s, he teamed with Kristofferson, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings, forming the supergroup The Highwaymen. Cash’s work with producer Rick Rubin on the pared-backAmerican Recordingsseries brought a career renaissance in the 1990s, most notably with an award-winning rendition of the Nine Inch Nails song “Hurt” in the early ’00s. Cash joined the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1980 and died in 2003. — J.N.
1. Dolly Parton
There’s never been anyone like her, and it’s impossible to believe that there ever will be again. An unparalleled combination of extraordinary talent, fierce ambition, an iconic “Country Barbie” look and sheer goodness, Dolly Parton is one of the finest songwriters in country or any other genre. She spins stories often woven from real life experiences, including the poignant “Coat of Many Colors,” about growing up poor in East Tennessee; the pleading “Jolene,” about fearing a woman will steal her husband, and, of course, “I Will Always Love You,” which Parton wrote as a goodbye to her longtime duet partner and mentor Porter Wagoner long before it landed in Whitney Houston’s hands. Then there’s Parton’s one-of-a-kind, angelic vibrato that sounds like it floats on gossamer wings yet is remarkably durable.
Since releasing her 1967 debut album, Hello, I’m Dolly, Parton, a renowned philanthropist and theme park operator, has scored 25 No. 1s onBillboard’s Country Songs chart, the most among all women, and 49 top 10s on Country Albums, including nine No. 1s, most recently in 2023 with Rockstar. At 78, the much-beloved entertainer is still at the top of her game. – M.N.
