But thats just one part of the magic of a voice that is powerful, compelling, and utterly, completely her own. Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Hank Williams Jr., Janis Joplin, Linda Ronstadt, KD Lang, Emmylou Harris and Lee Ann Womack have all cited her influence. Though he calls country music home, Chris Stapleton has more in common, vocally speaking, with Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin than George Jones or Hank Williams. Bryan also hosts an exclusive "vacation concert" called Crash My Playa, and he owns the Nashville bar Lukes 32 Bridge Food + Drink and has his own record label, 32 Bridge Entertainment. With a powerful country voice true to its roots, McEntire has released 33 studio albums with no signs of slowing down. Rolling Stone Magazine's 100 Greatest Vocalists of All Time - Ranker And in the battle of the Kennys for worldwide fiscal domination, Chesney "lost" out to recently departed Kenny Rogers, whose estate is worth some $250 million. A Nigerian cultural giant, Burna Boy is the ambassador of Afrobeats as a global movement that can feel equally at home climbing the European charts and maintaining a subtle emotional connection with past African genres like highlife. The hits just kept right on coming thanks to "Jesus, Take the Wheel" and "Dont Forget to Remember Me." Brandy Norwood made the transition from Nineties teen queen Americas sweetheart on the sitcom Moesha to sophisticated adult R&B stylist. Toby Keith eclipses fellow Oklahoman Garth Brooks by about $30 million dollars in net worth, but when youre as rich as that, thats like pocket change. They formed their band in 1989 and have been active ever since, winning 13 Grammy Awards, including the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Grammy Award for Song of the Year. With 160 singles reaching the country charts, Jones earned his nickname as The Rolls Royce of Country Music. While the 70s found him struggling with alcoholism, he returned with vigor when he released He Stopped Loving Her in 1980, a tune that would turn out to be his greatest hit. . ", More recently, she appeared in costume on the show "The Masked Singer.". The Sleater-Kinney singer-guitarist has the most distinctive wail in the music, heavy on vibrato, always controlled even when shes conveying emotional torrent. Alicia Keys was initially touted as a piano and songwriting prodigy, with pop impresario Clive Davis getting fully behind her when she was in her teens. She has over 90 music awards and accolades. M.J. He has played the same guitar, Trigger, for nearly his entire career and says that he will hang up his hat and retire when Trigger cant be played anymore. Robbins music was a hit with both pop and country audiences, and his work inspired big names like Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash. Dubbed The King of Country Music, Roy Acuff was instrumental in moving the country genre from its traditional hoedown format into the singer-driven sound we are accustomed to today. Philadelphia-born Jazmine Sullivan first turned heads with 2008s Bust Your Windows, a vengeful anthem for the dumped that got extra heat from her smoldering vocal performance. Tim McGraw 7. "Outlaw" country has a vaunted history in the Golden State, thanks to the likes of Merle Haggard and Dwight Yoakam (more on him later). Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks, Randy Travis, Vince Gill and Dwight Yoakam have all cited him as a major influence. Biography of Emmylou Harris. E.L. Her words enhanced her tone: Writing her own material, unusual in the early mid-Sixties, especially for women, she also recorded work by masters like Serge Gainsbourg, and her take on Leonard Cohens Suzanne may be the most evocative ever recorded, his included. Jimmie Rodgers 2. In addition to his music money, Aldean also co-owns a hunting company called Buck Commander, which retails items such as hats, coolers and other items for sportsmen. As the co-leading singer of Lady A, Nashville native Hillary Scott also has built up quite a war chest for herself thanks to being one of the bands main songwriters. Instead, shes one of country musics most enduring modern stars, and that is due in no small part to her remarkable voice. As a Korean-American kid who grew up idolizing Sam Cooke, Karen sings classics like Maps like a mix of Sam and Siouxsie. Ranked by their popularity on Spotify. Franoise Hardy epitomized French cool and Gallic heat simultaneously, with a breathy, deadpan alto that wafted like Gauloises smoke. (Hubbard is from Georgia, and Kelley is a Floridian. Aside from being an avowed Sinatra fan, Strait expertly adapted the Chairmans buttery smooth crooning style for country instrumentation and carved a wide path through the Eighties and Nineties with it. Hes come quite a ways from when a kindly flight attendant, who was also a fan of the aspiring singer, passed along his demo tape to a music exec. Johnny Cash. Bobby Blue Bland didnt earn his nickname lightly. Acuff got his start in the 1930s with the Smoky Mountain Boys and was a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1938. He loves researching, writing and editing music content for Music Grotto. She famously voiced grief and comfort simultaneously at Jones televised funeral and recently broke a public silence by bringing down the house at the CMA Awards. In 1999, he performed at the Grand Ole Opry for the first time, and released his debut album "Who Needs Pictures." Los Angeles proved a rather fertile ground for Yoakams artistic sensibilities, so much so that the Kentucky native also ventured into acting. the "King of Rock and Roll," was a cultural phenomenon that fused rock and roll with country and gospel music. Rascal Flatts won several AMA and CMA awards along with a few Grammy nominations, in addition to a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a Artist Humanitarian Award in 2012. The 18 Greatest And Most Famous Country Singers Of All Time Birthdate: The trio was born between 1969 and 1974. While much of her later music has drifted into the realm of pure pop, the Taylor Swift music empire began with just a girl and her guitar singing about Tim McGraw. D.C. The Judds retired as a duo in 1991, and Wynonna successfully struck out on her own, releasing several hit albums and songs, including "She Is His Only Need," "No One Else on Earth" and "To Be Loved by You." By 2009, he surpassed Conway Twittys record for most number-one country singles. The results skewed toward classic rock and singers from the Sixties and Seventies. An instrument of power, precision, and staggering range, it was the central feature of her debut album, Some Hearts, and hits like Jesus, Take the Wheel, Before He Cheats, and Wasted. Fifteen years and numerous hits later, shes still singing like shes got something to prove 2022s Denim & Rhinestones has a more aggressive rock edge than some of her past work and boasts some of her most demanding vocal work yet. Brad Paisley had some early luck in his native West Virginia, where local radio programs insisted he return to perform live week after week. Few soul singers have ever been so thrillingly melismatic while so precisely enunciating their message. Eric Church graduated college with a degree in marketing, which has served him well as hes watched his star rise up the country music charts. His other films include "The Kingdom," "Tomorrowland" and "Friday Night Lights.". Paisley also has written songs for the "Cars" movie franchise, including "Nobodys Fool" and "Find Yourself," which is a great way to get your music in front of new fans as well as established ones. Darius Rucker has seen success in not one but two music genres. Classic Rock. In 2019, Alabama was also inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum. The Queen of Clubland first earned fame as a backup singer for disco king Sylvester and as half of the Weather Girls, whose Its Raining Men remains a camp classic. 100 Greatest Country Artists of All Time - Rolling Stone Later, as a civilian, Kristofferson wrote songs for Johnny Cash (notably "Sunday Morning Coming Down") and other artists while getting his own singing career going. In the country music world, mention the name Merle and everyone knows who you're referring to. Since those humble beginnings, Chesney has since released over 20 albums total, and his most recent record was 2020s "Here and Now." But virtually none of them could match the grit, street style, and range of influences that he brought to his music. On 1986sTeacher Dont Teach Me Nonsense, where he tackles whitewashed education and failed governments, he coos, I say, I sing, I beg everyone to join my song. And he performed in such a way that they could. "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love," "Cry to Me," "Just Out of Reach". Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Hank Williams Jr., Janis Joplin, Linda Ronstadt, KD Lang, Emmylou Harris and Lee Ann Womack have all cited her influence. However, he and No Doubt frontwoman Gwen Stefani tied the knot in 2021, making him once again among the luckiest SOBs out there. The song was a huge success on the country and pop charts, propelling her straight to superstardom. And on immortal hits like Heat Wave, Dancing in the Street, and Nowhere to Run, Reeves did it sang pop hits with deep soul, or made soul records that popped like corn as well as anyone. In Nashville, Jackson started out in the mailroom, putting in his time before getting signed to a recording contract with Arista. She is the only woman in any genre to have three consecutive diamond albums. The richest country singers have made a lot of money in their careers. . Even if he didnt have that very-Sinatra baritone croon up his sleeve, the Detroit wild man born James Osterberg would have been one of the most attention-getting vocalists ever, thanks to his ready-for-anything, scenery-eating yowl. Its an absolute joy. It all started with his 1981 hit Unwound and Strait simply never slowed down. Her vocal tone, the intuitive melismas and rhythmic accents of which were built from training in flamenco for more than a decade, possesses a crystalline nature that in turn awakens emotions deep in the hearts of listeners. From her classic duets with Conway Twitty to her 10 number one country albums, Lynn is one of the greatest to ever sing a country tune. Her last album before passing in 2009,Cantora, found her singing duets in the company of appropriately awestruck younger stars. Birthdate: Aug. 12, 1927. Right in between country and rock and roll emerged rockabilly, and this style needed its queen. J.D. She performed with huge names like Roy Orbison and Johnny Cash, and won 14 Grammy Awards out of the 48 she was nominated for, including Best Country Vocal Performance, Female and Best Contemporary Folk Album. Next: Our ultimate list of country love songs. Iggys full-bodied screech was the musical embodiment of his dead-end-kid persona, a rock & roll essential, and the model for punk singing to come. But which ones? Strait is one of the most successful country singers in history, with some of his live shows attracting more than 100,000 people. Top Male Country Singers 2021 is a list of the best country music artists who are men, including Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs and Kane Brown. And boy howdy, talk about stardom. They formed in 1969 led by Randy Owen, the lead vocalist, alongside Teddy Gentry and Jeff Cook. This is a professional review website. He was even nominated for an Oscar for music he wrote for 1985s "Songwriter.". Shes just a pure musical spirit. J.N. Just the sound of it could put you into a spell. D.B. There was even a sitcom, "Reba," in which she starred. 100 Greatest Singers of All Time (2008) - Rolling Stone Willie Nelson is a living legend. Proving that country musics appeal extends far beyond Americas shores, Kiwi crooner Keith Urban has been entertaining fans on both sides of the Pacific Ocean since 1991. George Jones 11. H.S. went pop right when Stipe began pronouncing clearly, or that the bands early-Nineties commercial peak, Out of Time and Automatic for the People, are virtuosic showcases for Stipes burnt-honey voice. Fela Kutis iconic songs of the 1970s and 1980s are sprawling orchestral instrumentals, an innovative swirl of African highlife, American soul, and jazz. He crossed over to the pop mainstream in 1999, but remained stubbornly faithful to his salsa roots. Sex scene with Florence Pugh in 'Oppenheimer' becomes latest target of Womack got a significant boost in popularity by reaching pop audiences with her bonanza of a crossover hit, "I Hope You Dance" from 2000 (released on the album of the same name). The Voice of Lightness is the name of the two-volume, five-hour overview of the Congos most beloved vocalist and bandleader from the Sixties to the Nineties; that title is an apt appellation for a tenor whose notes seem to float hypnotically in the air. Its a one-of-a-kind voice, said Gregg Allman. Blues Artists. He passed away in 2020, but his estate is worth a quarter of a billion dollars. In Pardi's early years, he opened for Dierks Bentley and Alan Jackson while trying to get his name out there. LeAnn Rimes had a recording contract before her 14th birthday, making her the youngest country star since the days of Tanya Tucker. You may remember him as the lead singer for the 1990s band Hootie & the Blowfish, whose hit tracks include "Hold My Hand," "Let Her Cry" and "I Only Wanna Be With You. Greatest of All Time Top Country Artists - Billboard As one of her eras only female rock voices, she sparked a rising generation of rebel girls. Top 10 Best Country Singers of All Time - TheTopTens Jimmie Rodgers "Honeycomb" on The Ed Sullivan Show, Hank Williams - Hey Good Lookin' (Official Video), Kitty Wells - Fraulein (I'll Always Be Your), Willie Nelson - Always On My Mind (Official Video), Loretta Lynn - Lay Me Down (Official Music Video) ft. Willie Nelson, George Strait - Carrying Your Love With Me (Official Music Video) [HD], Alison Krauss - When You Say Nothing At All (Official Video), Reba McEntire - If You See Him, If You See Her, Garth Brooks Performs His Classic Callin Baton Rouge, Tim McGraw - Humble And Kind (Official Video), Shania Twain - Youre Still The One (Official Music Video), Chris Stapleton - Tennessee Whiskey (Official Audio), 45 Best Sad Country Songs (Saddest Country Tracks Ever), 41 Best Female Country Singers Of All Time, 15 Best Black Country Singers Of All Time, discovered at the famous Bristol Sessions, Greatest male singers of all time (our top picks), Our ultimate list of the best male country singers ever, Top woman vocalists of all time (female singers list), Famous black country singers (our favorites), win the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Rock and Roll and Country Music Hall of Fame, Our ultimate list of the best female country singers of all time, The best male country singers from the 1990s. Wagoner, who also was a member of the Grand Ole Opry, was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2002. While it can be a daunting task to try to come up with a narrow list of the greatest country singers, here we take a look at 25 of the best famous country singers to ever step up to the microphone. When Rosala sings, it feels as if shes pulling out decades of history from her throat and resurrecting them into thin air. Inspired by her Yemeni-Jewish ancestry, Haza combined traditional vocal conventions with modern technique to create something that felt at once ancient and ahead of its time. E.L. The group is composed of lead singer Natalie Maines and sisters Martie Maquire and Emily Strayer. Countrys top 10 earners have some serious coin in their accounts. When he scored his massive national breakthrough with Night Moves in 1976, he became the first major rock star whose voice had never sounded young. Born in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, Jean Shepard took honky-tonk country mainstream. The 100+ Best Singers of All Time | List of the Greatest - Ranker Theres been no turning back since for the songstress. She is considered one of the most important and successful country singers of all time. With that country twang in her voice, Tuckers music has brought a rock and roll sound to outlaw country. . He was also a songwriter, record producer, actor and entrepreneur. . Her style hovers between glamor and candidness, her words at times delivered casually to emphasize that theres a banality behind the melodrama. Reeves had begun singing professionally as a teenager, working blues clubs in Toledo and around Michigan. Hank Williams Hank Williams - I Saw The Light The legend himself, Hank Williams, had fifty-five top 10 country singlestwelve of which reached number 1 on the Billboard Country & Western Charts. Since 1989, there has not been a more popular or successful act in country music. Alison Krauss may not have been the commercial sensation as all the others on this list, but she is by far the most decorated. After getting his start on the radio, MGM Records signed Williams in 1947. For the next 14 years, Wells name was on top of the charts and a consistent award winner. Tim McGraw, Johnny Cash, George Strait, Garth Brooks, Blake Shelton, Willie Nelson, Luke Bryan, Hank Williams Jr., Luke Combs, and Alan Jackson are the best male country singers of all time. D.C. Coupled with an unparalleled ear for great songs he doesnt usually write many of his own Strait could believably inhabit anything he recorded. In late 2022, SZA Solna Rowe, the girl from New Jersey who loved dirty shoes and dirty men and weaved such idiosyncrasies into music that laid the foundation for the popularity of alternative R&B scored her first Number One album with her sophomore project,SOS. Its reported he raked in $31 million in just a one-year stretch. The Coal Miners Daughter, Loretta Lynns career as a country singer spanned over 60 years. And who could forget "How Do I Live" from the 1997 flick "Con Air"? M.J. Brooks conquered the country scene in his native Oklahoma before his famously failed first try in Nashville (he claimed he could make a better living back in Oklahoma). Along with being a singer, Urban is a talented songwriter and country guitarist. I had more of a deep, howling, kind of beastier voice. Country music incorporates Appalachian, Cajun, and cowboy Western music styles. Few country singers have been as prolific as Big Iron singer Marty Robbins. More than a country artist, he captured the hearts of millions with songs spanning multiple genres, including jazz, folk, pop, soft rock and, of course, country. 1. Shortly thereafter, she appeared on a TV competition show called "Nashville Star.". Thats where Wanda Jackson came in. He couldve played pro baseballhe was offered a contract by the Phillies but had to turn it down. Dion had the swagger of a teen Sinatra (Runaround Sue), but he also had the heart of a premature old soul (Abraham, Martin and John). Keith has his own line of mescal and a restaurant bearing his name too. Before you cry "but Tay-Tay is a pop star," allow us to remind you that, for the first years of her illustrious career, Taylor Swift was, in fact, recording country records. Together, they sold over 20 million albums and struck gold with numerous hit songs, including "Mama He's Crazy," "Why Not Me" and "Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days).". Just Like Heaven is rightly his most famous vocal showcase, hitting emotional extremes from romantic bliss to alone-alone-alone despair. Country star Jason Aldean has come under immense criticism in recent days for a new song one critic says is an anthem "about how he and his friends will shoot you if you try to take their guns . 25 Best Country Singers Of All Time - Music Grotto His breakthrough album, "Storms of Life," was released in the mid-1980s, and his rich, baritone vocals kept his name on the charts for over a decade. Johnny Cash is ranked number one as the . Listening to him was an immersive experience that would draw the listener into the emotion of the song. voice cover[s] a range of frequencies only an (I wanna be your) dog could properly appreciate. M.M. He works his mopey voice into a powerfully expressive instrument, whether hes going for sexy misery (Close to Me), self-mocking misery (Lets Go to Bed), or miserable misery (One Hundred Years). M.J. She was soon performing her own songs around town, and producers took notice. Top 25 Greatest Country Groups - LiveAbout Harris collaborations with other artists, such as Neil Young and Linda Ronstadt, are just as notable as her solo accomplishments. As our write-up for the man who ended up at Number 112 notes, Ozzy Osbourne doesnt have what most people would call a good voice, but boy does he have a great one. That could apply to more than a few people here. Gabriel, who mixed pop songs with banda and ranchera music, had massive hits with emotionally wrenching ballads like 1978s Adios, Amor, Te Vas and 1984s Querida. But as a gay artist who rose to fame in the Seventies and Eighties, there was always a sense of pain underlying his performances. Kentuckian Chris Stapleton initially went to Nashville for his education (imagine that), and enrolled at Vanderbilt as an engineering major. A music exec liked what he saw and signed the then-20-year-old to a record deal. The multitalented wonder also coauthored multiple books, acted in dozens of films and became an activist supporting the legalization of marijuana. Nobody had more top-ten hits over the decade besides her other than Elvis, The Beatles, and Ray Charles. Since then, Strait rose to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s and became one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with over 100 million records sold worldwide. D.B. I Feel Like a Woman!" E.L. Husband of Faith Hill, Tim McGraw has been on top of the country charts since the 1990s. So, without wasting any time here comes the list of the top 12 Best Male Country Singers of All-time. J.F. His son and grandson, Hank Jr. and Hank the Third, carry on his musical legacy. Dolly Parton was always bound for fame and glory. In addition to her 54 albums, the Queen of Country has also written several books and has had other sources of income in addition to her touring revenue. It is a genre of popular music originating with blues, old-time music, and various types of folk music. Through his music, he shared an anti-colonialist, Pan-African vision and challenged Nigerias corrupt military government, which routinely subjected him and those around him to immense harm. McGraw started playing guitar in college, and in 1989 he moved to Nashville. Ranking is based on an artist's chart performance on the Hot Country Songs, Top Country Albums and Boxscore touring revenue. His career was cut short when he died from tuberculosis-related complications in 1933 after his final recording session. She grew up singing in church, graduating to prime pop bangers like I Wanna Be Down and Sittin Up in My Room. She hit Number One at the height of the TRL era with her Monica duet The Boy Is Mine. Brandy aimed for a more adult tone in her Coldplay-influenced 2004 Afrodisiac and a duet with her brother Ray J on the Phil Collins remake Another Day in Paradise. She also sang in a classic Verzuz battle in 2020, going up against her old rival (and friend) Monica. He also retails his own signature line of guitars, which has certainly kept him in the chips. With hits like Man! Morgan Wallen. Strait has sold over 100 million records during his vaunted career, which shows absolutely no sign of flagging anytime soon. John R. Cash was an American country singer-songwriter, born on February 26, 1932 - died on September 12, 2003. The debate rages over who is the true "queen" of country, Loretta Lynn or Reba McEntire. You might notice that, say, there isnt any opera on our list thats because our purview is pop music writ large, meaning that almost all the artists on this list had significant careers as crossover stars making popular music for the masses. There are a lot of great names on this Ultimate List of the Top Country Artists of All Time. Oh, and hes also married to Trisha Yearwood (No. Often touted as a voice of his micro-generation, Frank Ocean also has one of the most recognizable on-record voices in modern R&B even when he shrouds it in distortion, as he does on theBlondestandout Nikes, his timbre and the way he sustains long vowels are unmistakable. Next: Top country karaoke songs to try out. You can even watch his unseemly character get murdered by Billy Bob Thornton in "Sling Blade," which Thornton both wrote and directed. Next: Greatest male singers of all time (our top picks). Net worth: $10 million And on songs like Everybody Hurts and Beat a Drum, a sublime moment from 2001s Reveal, he proved himself one of the most luminous ballad singers of his generation. She has received 11 Grammys over the years and countless other awards. For all her accomplishments, Lee received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and was the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll and Country Music Hall of Fame. Her early albums "Breathe" and "Faith" found success among pop audiences too, proving again that country has many listeners. If all Morrissey aspired to be was the voice of Eighties teen misery, he wouldve sealed the deal in the early days of the Smiths. Like a call to prayer, the opening phrase of Ofra Hazas 1984 song Im Ninalu is instantly transportive, sweeping the listener up in her expressive, fluttery mezzo-soprano. The Greatest Male Pop Singers Of All Time - Ranker With the Cure, hes a master of breathy intimacy and erotic wit, as if hes confiding secrets by candlelight, even when hes singing about cats and spiders. 1 Johnny Cash John R. "Johnny" Cash (1932-2003) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor, and author, who was widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century and one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 90 million records worldwide. Because Solomon Burke never had a big crossover hit, "the King . 45 Richest Country Singers in the World | Work + Money There are few voices in modern country music more powerful and well-known than that of Chris Stapleton. His vocal lines find inspiration in everything from hip-hop and R&B to hooky pop and dancehall the world is his playground. But by 1978s Parallel Lines, Harry became a sharpie for the ages, whether airily kissing someone off on Heart of Glass or iterating the phrase I cant control myself in Hanging on the Telephone three entirely different, fabulously controlled ways. Faithfull began her career as a Rolling Stones affiliate in the Sixties and early Seventies. From the 1940s to the early 1980s, he recorded over 500 songs, garnering him multiple Grammy awards and countless top hits. 10 Best Country Singers of ALL Time - PopCulture.com Known for his rock-influenced vibes and catchy anthems, his work received numerous awards and earned him a spot in the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2020. Her singing in those days described by critic Greil Marcus as sweet, quavering, well-bred was just a prelude to the stylist she became. Underwood continued making all the best decisions and has 70 million worldwide records to her credit. The song's success made Patsy Cline an even bigger star. A tiny, biracial dynamo who wore braces and delivered her brainy lyrics about consumerist self-delusion in a gleefully unholy screech, Styrene was perhaps the most instantly arresting vocalist of Seventies punk. Jason Aldean responds to controversy over "Try That in a Small Town" With her 2018 breakthrough album, El Mal Querer, she started heavily incorporating Auto-Tune not to mask her voice, but to instead emphasize the nuanced texture of her performance, which fluidly shifts from ferocity to playfulness to sorrow. These are the vocalists that have shaped history and defined our lives from smooth . He was a troubled youth, but after a few stints in prison, he did a complete 180, becoming a successful country music artist.He had 38 different number one hits between 1960 and 1990, and boasted one of the longest-running country careers on record. You can't talk about country music without mentioning Hank Williams. M.K. He was born at the tail end of the Great Depression and lost his father as a child. Talent is impressive; genius is transcendent. Carrie Underwood couldve come out of American Idol and wound up a pop-cultural footnote like countless others. Most famous during the 1980s, the silver-haired Emmylou Harris was both a solo artist and a backup vocalist for over a dozen acts. 3. Simon Mahlathini Nkabinde was a peerless figure in the history of South African music, gifted with a cloud-rattling basso profundo groan, and a knowing, playful, at times diabolically incisive sense of what to do with it.