As Lainey Wilson sings on her latest album, Whirlwind, “country’s cool again.” With tongue slightly planted in cheek, she lovingly pokes fun at fans newly embracing country music, while proudly proclaiming folks like her have been here all along. “Once you get a taste, you’ll lick the spoon/ Learn every word to ‘The Dance’ and ‘Neon Moon’,” she predicts.
The song perfectly encapsulates the year in country music. The tent keeps getting bigger as the genre’s popularity swells, fueled by the continued success of artists like Wilson, Morgan Wallen, Zach Bryan and Luke Combs, as well as through pop/R&B acts like Post Malone and Beyoncé releasing highly successful and impactful country-leaning sets.
As noted below, country consumption continues to grow, though it has slowed from the staggering pace in 2023. And streaming numbers continue to increase: In Spotify Wrapped — the DSP’s recently released year-end figures — Bryan and Wallen were the third- and fourth-most streamed artists on the all-genre ranking. Additionally, Wallen joined Taylor Swift in having two LPs in the 10 most-streamed albums in the U.S., spanning all genres. Similarly, country registered three of the top 10 songs streamed in the U.S., with Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” coming in at No. 3, Post Malone’s “I Had Some Help” featuring Wallen at No. 4 and Bryan’s Kacey Musgraves-featuring “I Remember Everything” landing at No. 9.
On Music Row, there were also big changes at the major labels — as the new guard continues to take over and gather steam and, not insignificantly, compete (or collaborate, depending upon whom you ask), with their coastal counterparts, who are increasingly diving into country waters, either through signing artists outright or partnering with a Nashville label.
These are the top 10 country stories of the year.
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Women Rule the Town
When Taylor Lindsey was named chairman/CEO of Sony Music Nashville in November, effective Jan. 1, 2025, following Randy Goodman’s retirement, the move meant that all three major labels in Nashville will now be headed or co-headed by women: Cindy Mabe is chair/CEO of Universal Music Group Nashville and Cris Lacy is co-chair/co-president of Warner Music Nashville alongside Gregg Nadel. It also means that all the heads of the three Nashville majors have changed hands over the past two years, with Lacy and then Ben Kline replacing chairman/CEO John Esposito at Warner at the end of 2022, while UMGN chairman/CEO Mike Dungan left his post in 2023, with Mabe officially taking over April 1, 2023.
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Coastal Labels Comes to Nashville
Signings by coastal labels continued to yield big results, with Warner Records’ Zach Bryan and Warren Zeiders both topping the charts, while Columbia’s Ella Langley, Koe Wetzel and Megan Moroney (who is signed to Columbia in partnership with Sony Nashville) also scored big. Artists like Dasha (Warner Records), Wyatt Flores (Island) and Koe Wetzel (Columbia) also made inroads. Labels like Republic/Mercury doubled down on its partnership with Big Loud, signing Miranda Lambert to Republic, while joining with Big Loud to provide country radio promotion. Republic and BMG Nashville also partnered on Jelly Roll’s new album.
New York and Los Angeles-based record companies took it a step further this year by hiring executives based in Nashville to continue their Music City charge: Kelly Bolton joined Warner Records as vp of A&R, based in Music City, charged with signing, developing, and cultivating country artists for the Los Angeles-based label, while Republic has reportedly hired former Spotify executive Mary Catherine Kinney, with potential other hires in the rumor mill. Capitol is also working with Shaina Botwin as a consultant in Nashville.
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Pop Artists Go Country
Two of the biggest artists in pop, Post Malone and Beyonce, released country-themed albums in 2024. Both Post Malone’s F-1 Trillion and Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter drew heavily on Nashville talent, with Post Malone duetting with Morgan Wallen (on Billboard’s official Song of the Summer, “I Had Some Help”), Blake Shelton, Jelly Roll and others, while Beyoncé featured legends Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson and Linda Martell on her album, as well as young Black country upstarts including Shaboozey, Willie Jones, Brittney Spencer, Tanner Adell, Reyna Roberts and Tierra Kennedy.
Though more Americana than country, former One Directioner Zayn turned to Dave Cobb to produce Room Under the Stairs, which Zayn told Nylon was greatly influenced by Cobb client Chris Stapleton. The trend shows no signs of slowing, with Lana Del Rey’s Lasso landing in 2025.
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Country Growth Spurt Continues
Though the numbers weren’t as impressive as in 2023 — when country consumption was up nearly 24% over 2022 — the trend is still moving upwards for country music. Through Nov. 28, country consumption is up 6.2% year-over-year through Nov. 28, according to Luminate. On-demand audio streaming is up 8.9%. For comparison, Latin is up 11.0%, pop is up 3.8%, R&B/hip hop is down 3.6% and rock is down 1.4%.
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Beyoncé Makes History
The first single from Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, “Texas Hold ‘Em,” came out with a winning hand. The catchy stomper became the first song by a Black woman to top Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart since the it began as an all-encompassing genre song chart in October 1958. In another record-setting move, it was replaced at No. 1 by Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” marking the first time a Black artist had been replaced by another Black artist on the chart.
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Morgan Wallen’s Winning Streak Continues
In November, Morgan Wallen became the first artist to land five songs at No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart in a calendar year since the chart launched in 1990. He had some strong help achieving the landmark: November’s chart topper “Lies Lies Lies” followed “Cowgirls” (featuring Ernest), which led for a week in in July; Post Malone’s “I Had Some Help” (featuring Wallen; four weeks, June-July); “Man Made a Bar” (featuring Eric Church; one week, April); and Thomas Rhett’s “Mamaw’s House” (featuring Wallen; one week, March). Wallen, who also headlined a sold-out stadium tour, landed his first CMA entertainer of the year award in November.
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Women Artists Are Shut Out
Women may run the town, but they still can’t get arrested on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart. As of Dec. 5, no woman had reached No. 1 on the chart in 2024 — not as a lead artist, part of a one-off collaboration or as a member of a co-ed group. With a few more chart weeks left in 2024, it is possible that one might, as there are two contenders in the top 5 right now. If that doesn’t happen though, it will be the first time in more than 10 years that no woman — in any configuration — has reached the summit in a calendar year.
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Lainey Wilson Earns Her Crown
One of the few bright spots for women artists in the genre in 2024 remains Lainey Wilson, who became only the tenth act to capture the Academy of Country Music’s prestigious Triple Crown Award when she was named entertainer of the year in May. The Triple Crown goes to an artist who was won new male/female artist of the year, male/female artist of the year and entertainer of the year over the course of their career.
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Shaboozey Dominates the Hot 100
Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” spent 19 non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on Hot 100, tying with Lil Nas X/Billy Ray Cyrus’s “Old Town Road” for the most weeks at No. 1 and setting the record for a non-collaborative, solo effort. The song also spent 7 weeks at No. 1 on Country Airplay and 19 non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on Hot Country Songs, establishing Shaboozey an instant country star. Further proof of his country rise? He is nominated for five Grammys, including best country song and best country solo performance, as well as best new artist.
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Lost Legends
It was a particularly tough year when it came to losing some of country’s leading lights, who all leave huge musical footprints — including Kris Kristofferson, Toby Keith and the Oak Ridge Boys’ Joe Bonsall. Other losses include the inimitable Kinky Friedman and performer/actor/songwriter extraordinaire J.D. Souther.
