Country pop is a fusion genre of country music and pop music that was developed by members of the country genre out of a desire to reach a larger, mainstream audience. Country pop music blends genres like rock, pop, and country, continuing similar efforts that began in the late 1950s, known originally as the Nashville sound and later on as Countrypolitan. By the mid-1970s, many country artists were transitioning to the pop-country sound, which led to some records' charting high on mainstream top 40 as well as the Billboard country chart. In-turn, many pop and easy listening artists crossed over to country charts during this time. After declining in popularity during the neotraditional movement of the 1980s, country pop had a comeback in the 1990s with a sound that drew more heavily on pop rock and adult contemporary.
Frederick Dierks Bentley is an American country music singer and songwriter. In 2003, he signed to Capitol Nashville and released his eponymous debut album. Both it and its follow-up, 2005's Modern Day Drifter, are certified Platinum in the United States, and his third album, 2006's Long Trip Alone, is certified Gold. It was followed in mid-2008 by a greatest hits package. His fourth album, Feel That Fire, was released in February 2009, and a bluegrass album, Up on the Ridge, was released on June 8, 2010. His sixth album, Home, followed in February 2012, as did a seventh one, Riser, in 2014. Bentley's eighth album, titled Black, was released in May 2016, and his ninth, The Mountain, was released in June 2018. His tenth studio album, Gravel & Gold, was released in February 2023.
David Brent Nail is an American country music artist, and frontman of the band David Nail & The Well Ravens. In 2002, he debuted the single "Memphis" from an unreleased album for Mercury Records Nashville. Five years later, he signed with MCA Nashville, for which he has released four studio albums: I'm About to Come Alive, The Sound of a Million Dreams, I'm a Fire, and Fighter plus two extended plays, 1979 and Uncovered. The albums have produced seven chart entries on Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay, including two that have reached No. 1: "Let It Rain" and "Whatever She's Got", plus the top 10 hit "Red Light".
Love and Theft is an American country music duo consisting of vocalists Eric Gunderson and Stephen Barker Liles. They originally recorded as a trio with vocalist Brian Bandas; after he exited the band, Gunderson and Liles continued as a duo. Signed to Lyric Street Records subsidiary Carolwood Records in 2009, Love and Theft made their chart debut in early 2009 with the single "Runaway," which reached the Top 10 on Billboard Hot Country Songs. The band's debut album, World Wide Open, was released on August 25, 2009.
The Band Perry was an American band composed of siblings Kimberly Perry, Reid Perry, and Neil Perry. They signed to Republic Nashville in August 2009 and released their self-titled debut album on October 12, 2010. From this album, "If I Die Young" reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs and Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks charts and has been certified 6x multi-platinum. Their second album, Pioneer, was released April 2, 2013. It produced additional number one singles in "Better Dig Two" and "Done", plus the top 10 hits "Don't Let Me Be Lonely" and "Chainsaw". The band transitioned to pop in 2017 and began to release music independently in 2018 before officially going on hiatus in 2023. Following this, Kimberly returned to her country roots and launched a solo career.
Cassadee Blake Pope is an American pop and country singer. She was the lead vocalist and songwriter of the pop rock band Hey Monday, with whom she released one studio album and two EPs. Pope embarked on a solo career in early 2012 and released the EP Cassadee Pope in May 2012. She took part in the third season of The Voice and became the first female winner in December 2012. Her debut solo country album, Frame by Frame, was released in 2013 to a top 10 Billboard 200 charting. It debuted at No. 1 on Top Country Albums, with 43,000 copies sold in its first week.
Charles Edgar Walker Hayes is an American country pop singer and songwriter. He has released three studio albums: Reason to Rhyme in 2011 on Capitol Records Nashville, and Boom and Country Stuff the Album in 2017 and 2022 on Monument Records. Hayes has charted multiple singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts; his highest-peaking is "Fancy Like", which reached the number one position on both charts between late 2021 and early 2022.
American country music band Zac Brown Band has released seven studio albums, two extended plays, two live albums, and twenty-nine singles. Fourteen of those singles reached number one on either the US Billboard Hot Country Songs or Country Airplay chart, while one reached number one on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.
The Band Perry is an American band. Their discography comprises two studio albums, four extended plays and fourteen singles, for ten of which a music video has been filmed. The group's two albums were released on Republic Nashville before their split with the label in 2016.
Logan Mize is a country music artist/songwriter from Clearwater, Kansas signed to Big Yellow Dog Music.
"Cruise" is a song recorded by American country music duo Florida Georgia Line. It was first released to iTunes in April 2012 and then to radio on August 6, 2012 as the first single from their extended play It'z Just What We Do. It was written by group members Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard with Joey Moi, Chase Rice, and Jesse Rice. It is included on their first album for Republic Nashville, Here's to the Good Times, released on December 4. "Cruise" is the best-selling country digital song of all time in the United States as of January 2014. The song is considered the foremost example of the genre of country music termed "bro-country".
Brandy Lynn Clark is an American country music singer-songwriter. Her songs have been recorded by Sheryl Crow, Miranda Lambert, the Band Perry, Reba McEntire, LeAnn Rimes, Billy Currington, Darius Rucker, and Kacey Musgraves. She debuted as an artist in her own right in 2013 with her album 12 Stories and has released four additional studio albums. Clark is a seven-time Grammy Award nominee, including the 2015 Best New Artist award, and won the Country Music Association Award for Song of the Year as a co-writer on "Follow Your Arrow". In 2023, Clark and frequent collaborator Shane McAnally wrote the music and lyrics for the musical Shucked, earning a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Original Score.
Judah & the Lion are an American Alternative rock and folk band from Nashville, Tennessee, formed in 2011. Currently the band consists only of Judah Akers and Brian Macdonald.
A Thousand Horses is an American country music band formed in 2010 in Nashville, Tennessee. The band is composed of Michael Hobby, Bill Satcher, Zach Brown, and Graham Deloach. Their first EP, A Thousand Horses, was released under Interscope Records in 2010. In 2014, the band signed with Republic Nashville of Big Machine Label Group and released its first single "Smoke", which set a record for the highest debut by a new act when it opened at number 28 on the Country Aircheck radio chart.
Old Dominion is an American country music band formed in Nashville. The band consists of Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen, Whit Sellers (drums), Geoff Sprung, and Brad Tursi. Their music is contemporary country with rock instrumentation, and has pop overtones.
"First Kiss" is a song by American singer-songwriter Kid Rock from his tenth studio album, First Kiss (2015). Written by Kid Rock and Marlon Young, and produced by Kid Rock and Dann Huff, the song was first released to digital retailers on January 6, 2015 as the lead single from the album of the same name. The song recalls a man's first kiss with his high school sweetheart, who remains by his side to this day. Critics noted the song's inspiration from Bryan Adams' 1985 hit, "Summer of '69." Though both "First Kiss" and "Summer Of 69" use the same chord structure of 38 Special's "Hold On Loosely."
"Live Forever" is a song recorded by American country music group The Band Perry. It was released on August 14, 2015, by Republic Nashville as the purported lead single off their unreleased third studio album, Heart + Beat. "Live Forever" was the last single released by the band on the Big Machine Label Group before parting ways with the company in March 2016.
Maren Larae Morris is an American singer-songwriter. While rooted in the country genre, her music also blends elements of pop, R&B, and hip-hop. Born and raised in Arlington, Texas, Morris enjoyed singing as a child. She started publicly performing in her preteen years and toured throughout Texas. In her late teens and early twenties, she released three studio albums on independent record labels. She relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, to pursue a career in country music during this same time period. Morris signed a publishing contract and later a recording contract following the streaming success of her 2015 self-titled EP.
"Stay in the Dark" is a song recorded by American musical trio The Band Perry for their unreleased third studio album, My Bad Imagination (2017). Written by Kimberly, Reid and Neil, along with Jenna Andrews and Benny Cassette, the song follows "Comeback Kid" as their second release on the Interscope Records label and was intended to be the lead single for the unreleased album My Bad Imagination. It was released to digital retailers on February 3, 2017 and to American hot adult contemporary radio stations on February 27, 2017.
Morgan Cole Wallen is an American country music singer and songwriter. He competed in the sixth season of The Voice, originally as a member of Usher's team, but later as a member of Adam Levine's team. After being eliminated in the playoffs of that season, he signed to Panacea Records, releasing his debut EP, Stand Alone, in 2015.
