Country music is one of the most popular and instantly recognisable genres in the world.

Early country music originated from the southern United States in the 1920s, when ‘hillbilly’ music would become popular across the southern states, with the main centre for country being in Atlanta, Georgia. This decade saw many country recordings, which would continue into the 1930s, with artists such as The Carter Family – who were also important figures in the gospel music scene – leading the way.

These years were known as the first generation of country music.

1930s and 1940s: The Second Generation

As The Great Depression meant that few people could afford to buy records, followed by the outbreak of the Second World War at the end of the decade, the second generation of country was widely characterized by the music scores of popular films and stage shows of the time.

However, from 1945 onwards, the likes of Hank Williams would pioneer honky tonk music, which would become globally recognised and accepted as traditional country.

1950s and 1960s

These years saw country music running alongside rock and roll, with rockabilly in particular blurring lines between the two genres. Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash are the two most famous exponents of rockabilly during this time, and while they enjoyed huge crossover commercial success, their roots were firmly entrenched in country.

By the late 1960s, the emergence of rock music was also heavily influenced by country, with groups such as The Byrds, The Eagles, and even some Rolling Stones’ tracks falling into the country genre more than any other.

Country Pop: 1970s and 1980s

While the 1970s and the 1980s elsewhere were all about the emergence of different genres including various sub-genres of rock and dance music, country music moved towards a pop sound following the death of rock and roll.

The emergence of country pop was somewhat odd. In most cases, it was not a case of country stars becoming crossover successes, but of pop singers, Olivia Newton-John, Marie Osmond, and John Denver (generally regarded as a country legend today), recording country tracks and entering this genre specific chart.

However, Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers were able to crossover from country to mainstream, and remain hugely successful around the world today.

1990s Country to Today

The 1990s is the decade when country burst onto the global music scene, becoming popular everywhere and not just in America. Billy Ray Cyrus and Garth Brooks are generally credited as the artists responsible for this, while Faith Hill, LeAnn Rimes, and Shania Twain were all country artists who enjoyed considerable commercial success in the decade. Twain’s album Come on Over was one of the most successful records of the decade, and established her as a global phenomenon.

In recent times, country has once again taken on a pop influenced type of sound, although the country roots in the music of artists like Taylor Swift are obvious for all to see. In the last decade, rock bands like Bon Jovi and Kid Rock have also released popular country singles and albums, while many bands, including Little Big Town and the Eli Young Band, have remained true to the traditions of country music and enjoyed great success in the United States.

Image Author: Brett Jordan