Country music history from the year you were born

Established as a radio show in 1925, the Grand Ole Opry has showcased country musicians to the American public for almost a century (it now airs on Circle TV). It's also responsible for helping kickstart the careers of genre legends like Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, and Hank Williams.

The African American harmonica player appeared on the radio show from 1926 to 1941. However, due to the industry cultivation of country as a predominantly "white" genre—the legacy of which remains to this day—he was not inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame until 2005.

Country had its "Big Bang" moment when New York talent scout Ralph Peer came to Bristol, Tennessee, and set up a makeshift studio in order to find Southern talent for Victor Records. There, he found A.P. Carter and Jimmie Rodgers, two musicians who influenced country music for decades to come.

Lesley Riddle was an African American Nashville blues musician who formed a long collaborative relationship with the Carters. Although he unfortunately never had a mainstream music career of his own, the artist helped shape Maybelle Carter's guitar techniques and gathered old regional songs for recording companies.

The man who would later become one of the quintessential singing cowboys of the era also had quite the recording career. According to his official website, Gene Autry made 640 recordings, one of which was the first record to ever be certified gold.

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Ken Maynard's character in the 1930 sound film "Sons of the Saddle" embodied the "singing cowboy" trope in a major way for the first time. This archetypal figure often protected those in need through acts of chivalry and expressed his emotions through wholesome songs.

Sometimes referred to as "The Texas Cowboy," Ed Crain is best remembered for this story-heavy song. It details the complicated emotions that a young Confederate soldier feels about his role in the Civil War.

Born Virginia Patterson Hensley, she became one of the most influential country artists ever, as well as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. She was also one of the earliest country artists to cross over into a prosperous pop career.

The singer-songwriter would become enormously important to the country music genre and a prominent creator of the "outlaw" country genre that focused on poverty and the perspective of prisoners and rebels on the lam from lawmen. He's pictured here, second from left, before he grew his signature braided pigtails.

In less than two years, the young actor appeared in 10 Hollywood B movies. He is largely credited with bringing folk music further into the mainstream by popularizing the "singing cowboy" figure. Autry went on to host "The Gene Autry Show" from 1950 to 1955.

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The influential singer-songwriter eventually went by the moniker "King of Western Swing" and is largely considered to be one of the founders of the Western swing style. By the time that he made his first recordings, Willis had formed a new band that became known as Bob Willis and his Texas Playboys.

WNOX in Knoxville, Tennessee, began broadcasting an afternoon radio show that featured hillbilly artists, helping to popularize country music. One early artist to perform was Roy Acuff, who also became a major player at the Grand Ole Opry.

The Midwestern radio and stage show showcased a number of country music stars, from Red Foley to the Coon Creek Girls. In 2013, PBS made a documentary about the Renfro Valley Dance, called "In the Valley Where Time Stands Still."

The Roy Acuff-recorded song was also known by the title "The Great Rock Island Route." It describes the splendor of the Wabash Cannonball Express train route, exemplifying the genre's appreciation for the Western and Southern United States.

The chart was published until 1942 and is known as one of the first formal country music charts. The magazine later began publishing "Most Played Juke Box Folk Records," which became the blueprint for its contemporary Hot Country Songs chart.

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The Nashville entertainer, whose real name is Sarah Ophelia Colley, constantly appeared on the show for over 50 years. By 1975, she became the first female comedian to join the Country Music Hall of Fame.

The name "honky tonk" is a nod to Nashville's Lower Broadway bars, where patrons often gathered to share beer and enjoy live country music. The subgenre typically expresses great emotion, thanks to instruments like fiddles and electric guitars.

Acuff-Rose later signed country star Hank Williams, helping him set up an official recording contract. Their first major hit was Patti Page's 1950 single "Tennessee Waltz."

One of the first groups to become mainstream country stars, the band originally consisted of husband and wife A.P. and Sara Carter, as well as Sara's sister-in-law Maybelle Carter. Sara and Maybelle briefly made music as a folk duo in the 1960s.

The popular music publication first released a country music chart early in 1944, with several versions of the song "Pistol Packin' Mama" leading the pack. Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters, songwriter Al Dexter, and Don Baxter were all credited as the artists behind the track. At the time, the chart was known as "folk," a genre that encompassed country and blues music.

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The genre's growing success can largely be credited to Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys, which took off in popularity after members Earl Scruggs and Lester Flatt joined. Together, they formed the quintessential bluegrass quintet: a guitarist, a banjo player, a bass player, a fiddle player, and a mandolin player.

Well-known country musicians like Minnie Pearl, Chet Atkins, and B.B. King released records through Jim Bulleit's label. Francis Craig's "Near You," which was made through Bullet Records, was also the first major song to be recorded in the Tennessee city.

Hank Williams is still regarded as one of the most influential 20th-century American musicians, despite having such a brief career. He had his first major hit after releasing the single "Move It on Over," which blended country and rock 'n' roll stylings.

These songs included "Anytime," "Bouquet of Roses," "Just a Little Lovin' (Will Go a Long, Long Way)," "My Daddy is Only a Picture," "Texarkana Baby," and "What a Fool I Was." "Bouquet of Roses" topped the charts for 19 weeks.

The song earned the star his first #1 single, and he performed it to acclaim on the Louisiana Hayride Radio Show. It was originally written by Cliff Friend and Irving Mills for the 1922 musical "Oh, Ernest."

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The blues song details a young man's breakup with his high-society girlfriend and how he processes it over the course of a train ride. The song remained at the top of the Billboard country charts for 21 weeks, a record at the time.

Carl Smith first had a major chart hit when his single "Let's Live a Little" appeared on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart. This 1951 success led him to become one of the most recognizable country artists of the 1950s, with 31 top 10 hits during the decade.

Singer Kitty Wells paved the way for other female country artists when she released the popular song "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels," a response to Hank Thompson's song "The Wild Side of Life," in which a man blames his lost love on a woman's decision to go out and party at night. Written by songwriter J.D. Miller, Wells' song pushed back against the misogynist implications of Thompson's hit, shocking much of the male-dominated industry and selling over 1 million copies.

The iconic musician died from heart failure in the back of his Cadillac on the way to a performance on New Year's Day. His shocking death has hung over American pop culture in the years since, even though the artist's career lasted only five years.

At the time, the 19-year-old singer was largely unknown. He shot to fame thanks to his performances on Sun Records, notably singing a cover of the blues classic, "That's All Right."

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The two Sun Records performers hit the road, often opening for even bigger country artists of the day. Their sound marked the beginning of rockabilly, a folksy forefather of the rock 'n' roll genre.

"Blue Suede Shoes" is considered one of the earliest rockabilly records since it includes elements of both rock 'n' roll and country music. The Beatles later went on to record three Perkins songs, covering "Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby," "Honey Don't," and "Matchbox."

After getting his start at Sun Records, Lewis became a bona fide star upon the release of his smash hit single, "Great Balls of Fire." It topped the R&B music charts, kickstarting the wild career of a man who became known as "rock 'n' roll's first great wild man."

The CMA was created to defend and preserve country music during the advent of rockabilly and rock 'n' roll music. It began awarding artists during its first Country Music Week in 1967.

The award was given to The Kingston Trio for their song "Tom Dooley." This was one of the only major country music awards out there until the Academy of Country Music began awarding musicians in the late 1960s.

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The highly influential singer successfully requested to join the cast and became a regular in January 1960. She famously demanded to be paid before performing at the Opry—as her personal policy stipulated, "No dough, no show."

Country music's highest honor was established in 1961, created by the Country Music Association. It's based in Nashville, and its first class included Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Williams, and Fred Rose.

Ray Charles' album blended country, soul, and pop to great acclaim, and both the album and its lead single, "I Can't Stop Loving You," were soon certified gold. The African American musician's dedication to breaking down barriers between genres was particularly significant given that the album was released amid the American civil rights movement.

Patsy Cline, Cowboy Copas, Randy Hughes, and Hawkshaw Hawkins were killed in a plane crash near Camden, Tennessee. Cline, who was 30 years old, previously almost died in a head-on car crash in 1961.

The appearance took place within two weeks of Willie Nelson's first-ever recording session at Nashville's RCA Studio B. After his first show, Nelson became a regular performer and often played up to 26 shows every year before he moved to Texas.

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The LP eventually became Lynn's first #1 album on the Billboard country charts. Lynn later revealed that she was inspired to write the title track after a young fan told her she was worried that another woman was trying to steal her husband.

Dolly Parton is one of the most recognizable names in country music today, but she was first introduced to music listeners in 1966. That's when her earliest songs, "Dumb Blonde" and "Happy Birthday, Baby," were released.

The musician first came up with the idea for the song from a conversation he had with a fellow inmate in prison. Notably, Merle Haggard saw Johnny Cash perform at San Quentin while he was serving time, before he himself became a major music star.

Johnny Cash reportedly became fascinated by prison life after seeing the 1951 noir film "Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison" during his time in the Air Force. The resulting LP, "At Folsom Prison," became a massive success and spurred Cash to testify before the Senate on behalf of prison reform in 1972.

The Man in Black's country hits reached millions of American households when the "Johnny Cash Show" became a regular part of ABC's television lineup. The show, which ran from 1969 to 1971, featured performances from Cash, his wife, June Carter Cash, and many other country and pop stars of the day.

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Dolly Parton hit it big for the first time with "Mule Skin Blues," a song originally sung by Jimmie Rodgers. The song has also been performed by artists like the Osborne Brothers and The Cramps.

The bands Barefoot Jerry and Area Code 615 influenced later Southern Rock bands after they began performing in the city. The subgenre combines blues, country, and rock 'n' roll, and the term was first coined in an article by journalist Mo Slotin.

Loretta Lynn won the award following the release of her album "Here I Am," and the #1 hit singles "Coal Miner's Daughter" and "Don't Come Home A'Drinkin'." She remained the only woman to be named Entertainer of the Year until Dolly Parton received the honor in 1978.

Since 1973, country legend Willie Nelson has performed an annual Independence Day concert in his native state of Texas. The annual event was inspired by his 1972 participation in the "Dripping Springs Reunion," an event bringing together progressive young hippies and more conservative, older Texans.

The song, a goodbye letter to her former singing partner Porter Wagoner, is Parton's biggest hit ever, topping the charts in both 1974 and 1982. Later, the 1992 cover by Whitney Houston became the best-selling single ever released by a female artist.

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Willie Nelson's classic album, which recounts its angry main character's journey to self-forgiveness and growth, firmly established the musician as an influential country artist. "Red Headed Stranger" stayed on the Billboard charts for 120 weeks, transcending the often modest crossover expectations of the genre and innovating in long-form storytelling.

The compilation features country superstars like Willie Nelson, Jessi Colter, Waylon Jennings, and Tompall Glaser. It also has the honor of being the first certified platinum country music LP in history.

The iconic King of Rock 'n' Roll died at age 42 in his Tennessee mansion from what many now argue was a combination of heart failure and prescription drug abuse. Around 20,000 people visited Graceland to mourn.

The song, which was part of her album "Moods," was the singer's 26th to reach the Billboard charts but the first to reach #1. The next year, the single won the American Music Award for Favorite Country Single.

The song, which reached the top of Billboard's country chart, cemented Rogers' place as a successful crossover artist, as he also made music in genres like pop, rock, and folk. The song's controversial subject matter is a young man's quest for revenge on the boys who gang-raped his girlfriend.

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The John Travolta film brought country and western dance clubs and music into the mainstream, catapulting the genre into a pop phenomenon. Although the movie faced some backlash, it revolutionized country, with singles like Mickey Gilley's "Stand by Me" and Johnny Lee's "Looking for Love" making the Hot 100.

The single was the first of the singer's eventual 11 #1 country hits. Cash later said that the song, which is the title track of her third studio album, was inspired by the "street life" subject matter of Rickie Lee Jones' self-titled 1979 album.

The Nashville location has since become a hotspot for rising country music talent. It became a nationally recognized venue after appearing on the popular ABC musical drama "Nashville."

The Nashville Network and Country Music Television began creating genre-specific content during the same year. However, only CMT has survives today in its original incarnation, with the Nashville Network undergoing a host of brand and format changes starting in 2000.

The mother-daughter duo of Naomi and Wynonna Judd eventually won five Grammy Awards and eight Country Music Association awards. They became one of the most popular country acts of the 1980s, and "Why Not Me" launched them to stardom after topping the charts for three weeks in 1985.

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Robert Palmer claimed that country music was losing its audience, particularly young people, who were more drawn to genres like rock 'n'roll. "The fabled Nashville sound, which defined country music for decades ... may soon sound as dated as the ukulele," he wrote.

After 28 years with the company, Cash only found out that he had been dropped by reading the newspaper. He later found success with Rick Rubin's American Recordings label, especially with the 1994 release of his album "American Recordings."

Reba McEntire became the first woman to ever receive the honor for four consecutive years. That same year, her compilation album "Greatest Hits" became her first to become certified triple platinum.

During a show, Brooks was noticed by Capitol Records executive Lynn Shults, launching his mainstream success. Later that night, she offered him a record deal. He has since played the music bar again and appeared as part of Bluebird's 2018 Alive at the Bluebird concert series.

The single's popularity started Brooks on his journey toward becoming the highest-selling country musician of all time. The musician's sophomore single won Single of the Year at that year's American Country Music Awards and was his first #1 hit.

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The album is known for launching alt-country in the 1990s. In fact, it was regarded as so influential that a magazine about the genre named itself after the album.

When the song reached #1 on the Billboard country singles chart, it became the first debut single to achieve that milestone since Connie Smith's 1964 single "Once a Day." Soon after, her self-titled album became one of the rare platinum country debuts.

Much of this resurgence can be owed to two hit singles of the time: Brooks & Dunn's "Boot Scootin' Boogie" and Billy Ray Cyrus' "Achy Breaky Heart." The former inspired people to dance thanks to its "four wall" line dance format.

Toby Keith began his career with the debut single "Should've Been a Cowboy," which soon topped the Billboard Country Songs chart. It ultimately became the top-played country song of the decade.

The album "American Recordings," made with hip-hop producer Rick Rubin, is often credited with revitalizing Cash's career. It received critical acclaim, and Cash later won the 1995 Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album.

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Vince Gill wrote the song to eulogize his late older brother Bob, as well as musician Keith Whitley. The song was named CMA's Song of the Year, cementing its place as a classic country ballad.

The festival was held every year at Tuttle Creek State Park until is moved to Topeka, Kansas, in 2019, where it is still one of the largest music festivals in the Midwest. In 2020 organizers renamed the festival "Country Stampede at the Heartland."

Shania Twain's third studio album smashed music records, selling over 20 million copies and becoming the best-selling recording by any female artist. Although it was ostensibly a country album, "Come on Over" also blended the mainstream pop styles of singers of the day such as Celine Dion and Gloria Estefan.

The band formerly known as The Dixie Chicks, who now go by The Chicks, entered the mainstream music scene with their forth studio album, "Wide Open Spaces." It won "Best Country Album" at the Grammy Awards and was the first Chicks album to feature Natalie Maines as the band's lead vocalist.

The trade organization was created to celebrate contemporary Americana artists, such as Wilco and Rosanne Cash, who were often sidelined by the mainstream music industry. It put on an annual Americanafest, a concert event and conference in Nashville.

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The soundtrack for the Coen brothers' movie "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" became one of the best-selling country albums of the early 2000s. The T Bone Burnett-produced soundtrack went on to win the Grammy for Album of the Year, making bluegrass stylings popular once again.

The current iteration of the Nashville-based museum relocated to the city's downtown area in 2001 and has been hailed as the "Smithsonian of country music." To this day, it is also one of the largest music research centers in the world.

After breaking records with her 1997 album "Come on Over," Twain returned after a five-year hiatus with her fourth album, "Up!" It reached the top of the Billboard 200 chart upon its release, selling over 874,000 copies in its first week alone.

The controversy began when Natalie Maines introduced the band's single "Travelin' Soldier" by saying, "Just so you know ... we're ashamed that the president of the United States is from Texas." The moment is remembered as one of the first times a celebrity was "canceled" in part because of internet reactions. The group was shunned for years but returned after a 14-year hiatus with the 2020 album "Gaslighter."

Apart from her appearances at the Opry, Skeeter Davis was one of the first famous solo country vocalists. New York Times music critic Robert Palmer praised her as an "extraordinary country/pop singer." She had several crossover hits, particularly the 1962 song "The End of the World."

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The musical biopic starring Reese Witherspoon and Joaquin Phoenix dramatizes the love story and collaborative relationship between country legends June and Johnny Cash. The film received five Oscar nominations, and Witherspoon won the Oscar for Best Actress for her portrayal of June.

Although the world-famous artist has since crossed over into other genres, her self-titled debut (released when Swift was just 16) launched her as a major new face on the country music scene. Her first single, "Tim McGraw," references the famous genre musician.

During this edition of the awards show, The Chicks won three major awards often reserved for other genres: Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year (for "Taking the Long Way"). Additionally, Carrie Underwood received the Grammy for Best New Artist.

After 25 years, Reba McEntire left her label MCA Nashville. She ultimately left to sign and make music with the Valory Music Co., a sister company of Big Machine Records.

When Taylor Swift won Best Female Video for "You Belong With Me," rapper Kanye West interrupted her acceptance speech, saying, "Beyoncé has one of the best videos of all time!" Beyoncé later called Swift back onstage to finish her speech, but the moment has been named as one of the most shocking in recent music history.

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The 2010 ceremony honored Taylor Swift, the Zac Brown Band, Jason Aldean, and Lady A (formerly Lady Antebellum). The 2020 event was renamed "CMT Celebrates Our Heroes: An Artists of the Year Special," in order to celebrate health care workers during the coronavirus pandemic.

The album won the Best Country Album, while the single of the same name won four Grammys. The song was eventually certified nine times platinum by the RIAA and made the band internationally popular. It was the highest-selling country single from April 2011 to December 2013.

The chart now reflects both airplay and music downloads, much like the magazine's Hot 100 chart does. However, the changes drew controversy, as they allowed Taylor Swift's crossover single "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" to rebound to #1.

The New York Magazine writer described "bro-country" as "music by and of the tatted, gym-toned, party-hearty young American white dude." Rosen was specifically referring to the Florida Georgia Line single "Cruise," which he said may mark a turning point from the popularity of older country stars to more party-oriented country music.

The pair were among the first country musicians to do so after Chely Wright came out as a lesbian and became virtually the only out country star in 2010. Notably, the two both came out on the same day.

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The song made Kelsea Ballerini the first female country artist to achieve a #1 debut single on the Country Airplay chart since Carrie Underwood did so in 2006 with her song "Inside Your Heaven." The achievement was also notable given that Ballerini worked with indie label Black River, rather than one of the majors.

The mashup song included performances from 30 well-known country artists including Kacey Musgraves, Tim McGraw, Miranda Lambert, Willie Nelson, and Reba McEntire. It was created to honor the Country Music Association Awards' 50-year anniversary.

When Bryan's song "Fast" topped Billboard's Country Airplay chart, he became the only artist to get six #1 songs from one album in the chart's 27-year history. Other singles from his album "Kill the Lights" to reach #1 include "Home Alone Tonight," "Huntin', Fishin', and Lovin' Everyday," "Move," "Kick the Dust Up," and "Strip It Down."

The newcomer's song, which went viral thanks to his savvy on TikTok, initially charted on Billboard's Hot Country Songs and Hot R&B/Hip Songs charts. Billboard's decision to remove "Old Town Road" from the country chart due to it apparently not embracing "enough elements of today's country music" sparked discussions about how the genre has historically limited Black country artists' creative freedoms while not doing the same to white musicians incorporating elements of rap and pop. Billy Ray Cyrus, who voiced his support for Lil Nas X's place in country, later appealed on a remix of the hit song.

Kacey Musgraves' album "Golden Hour" won four awards at the ceremony, but it's still rare for country artists to go home with the top prize. This was the first time that a country album had won that particular Grammy since Taylor Swift's "Fearless" won in 2010.

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Charley Pride charted the course for Black musicians in country music, a genre that historically and contemporarily is overwhelmingly white. He was the first Black performer inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and one of only three Black members of the Grand Ole Opry. His death due to complications of COVID-19 raised questions about the country music world's response to the pandemic, considering the Country Music Association Awards—where Pride accepted a lifetime achievement award the month before his death—was one of the only awards shows held in-person, and several country music stars held concerts despite posing safety risks.

A record-setting four Black musicians—Jimmie Allen, Kane Brown, Mickey Guyton, and John Legend—were nominated for awards at the Academy of Country Music in 2021. Brown and Allen took home the honors for Video of the Year and New Male Artist, respectively, making them the first Black artists in ACM history to do so. Guyton, meanwhile, became the first Black woman to earn a Grammy nomination for Best Country Solo Performance for her track "Black Like Me."

The biggest annual festival in country music, Stagecoach, went on hiatus in 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. But the weekend-long event made its triumphant return to California's Indio Valley in April of 2022, with headliners Thomas Rhett, Luke Combs, and Carrie Underwood taking the stage alongside dozens of other big names like Brothers Osborne and Brandi Carlile.

When folk singer Tracy Chapman released "Fast Car" in 1988, few could have imagined that her single would become a massive country music hit 35 years later. "Hurricane" crooner Luke Combs included his rendition of "Fast Car" on his 2023 album "Gettin' Old," and the song rapidly shot to the top of multiple listening charts, hooking both pop and country listeners in droves. Its success also ushered in accolades for Chapman herself—in July 2023, she became the first Black woman to reach #1 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart as the sole songwriter, and later, in November 2023, she became the first Black musician to win Song of the Year at the Country Music Awards.

A wave of diverse new sounds and artists arrived on the country music scene in 2024. 

While well-established in pop, Beyonce dropped her first country-themed album, "Cowboy Carter," in March 2024; the single "Texas Hold 'Em" quickly reached the top of both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs, making Beyonce the first Black female artist to ever lead the country chart. Months later, singer Shaboozey became the first Black male artist to score #1 on the Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs for his country-pop crossover "A Bar Song (Tipsy)," which ultimately spent 19 weeks atop the Hot 100 and tied for longest-running reign in the chart's history.

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After Beyoncé won Best Country Album at the 2025 Grammys for "Cowboy Carter"—a coronation following the 2024 dominance of Black artists in the country space—the Recording Academy announced months later that it would split the award into two categories beginning with the 2026 ceremony: Best Traditional Country Album and Best Contemporary Country Album. Critics of the move suggested that the change was a racist reaction to a Black woman winning the country Grammy for the first time, while defenders argued that the new traditional category is designed to celebrate a more classic style of country music that has become less central thanks to the genre's ongoing evolution.

Additional writing by Cu Fleshman and Louis Peitzman