Carrie Marie Underwood is an American singer who rose to prominence after winning the fourth season of American Idol in 2005. Underwood's single "Inside Your Heaven" made her the only country artist to debut atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart and the only solo country artist in the 2000s to have a number-one song on the Hot 100. Her debut album, Some Hearts (2005), was bolstered by the successful crossover singles "Jesus, Take the Wheel" and "Before He Cheats", becoming the best-selling solo female debut album in country music history. She won three Grammy Awards for the album, including Best New Artist. The next studio album, Carnival Ride (2007) had one of the biggest opening weeks of all time by a female artist and won two Grammy Awards. Her third studio album, Play On (2009), produced the single "Cowboy Casanova", which had one of the biggest single-week upward movements on the Hot 100.
Kenneth Eric Church is an American country music singer-songwriter. He has released nine studio albums through Capitol Nashville since 2005. His debut album, 2006's Sinners Like Me, produced three singles on the Billboard country charts including the top 20 hits "How 'Bout You", "Two Pink Lines", and "Guys Like Me".
Thomas Luther "Luke" Bryan is an American country singer, songwriter, and television personality. He began his music career writing songs for Travis Tritt and Billy Currington before signing with Capitol Nashville in 2007. He is one of the most successful and awarded country artists of the past decade.
Christopher Alvin Stapleton is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He was born in Lexington, Kentucky, and grew up in Staffordsville, Kentucky. In 2001, Stapleton moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to pursue an engineering degree from Vanderbilt University but dropped out to pursue his career in music. Subsequently, Stapleton signed a contract with Sea Gayle Music to write and publish his music.
Brantley Keith Gilbert is an American country rock singer, songwriter and record producer from Jefferson, Georgia. He was originally signed to Colt Ford's label, Average Joes Entertainment, where he released Modern Day Prodigal Son and Halfway to Heaven. He is now signed to the Valory division of Big Machine Records where he has released five studio albums—a deluxe edition of Halfway to Heaven, Just as I Am, The Devil Don't Sleep, Fire & Brimstone, So Help Me God, and 14 country chart entries, four of which have gone to number one. He also co-wrote and originally recorded Jason Aldean's singles "My Kinda Party" and "Dirt Road Anthem."
Lauren Alaina Kristine Suddeth is an American singer and songwriter from Rossville, Georgia. She was the runner-up on the tenth season of American Idol. Her debut studio album, Wildflower, was released on October 11, 2011. Her second album, Road Less Traveled, was released January 27, 2017. Alaina later achieved her first number one on the Country Airplay chart with the album's title track. Her second number one came later that year when she simultaneously topped five Billboard charts with her friend and former classmate Kane Brown on their duet "What Ifs". She was on the twenty-eighth season of Dancing with the Stars and placed fourth with her partner Gleb Savchenko. Alaina's third studio album, Sitting Pretty on Top of the World, was released on September 3, 2021. Alaina was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry on February 12, 2022.
Luke Robert Laird is an American country music songwriter and producer. He has written over 20 number one Billboard singles, including Carrie Underwood's "So Small", "Temporary Home", and "Undo It"; Blake Shelton's "Gonna"; Sara Evans' "A Little Bit Stronger"; Rodney Atkins's "Take a Back Road"; Eric Church's "Drink in My Hand", "Give Me Back My Hometown", and "Talladega"; Little Big Town's "Pontoon"; Luke Bryan's "I See You" and "Fast"; Thomas Rhett's "T-Shirt"; Kenny Chesney's "American Kids"; Lady Antebellum's "Downtown"; and Jon Pardi's "Head Over Boots." He has also written and produced songs for Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, Kacey Musgraves, Toby Keith, Ne-Yo, John Legend, Darius Rucker, and many others.
Thomas Rhett Akins Jr. is an American country singer-songwriter. He is a son of singer Rhett Akins.
Jonathan Ryan Pardi is an American country music singer and songwriter. Signed to Capitol Nashville, he has released four studio albums: Write You a Song (2014), California Sunrise (2016), Heartache Medication (2019), and Mr. Saturday Night (2022). Pardi has also charted fourteen singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts, of which four have hit number one on the latter: "Head Over Boots", "Dirt on My Boots", "Heartache Medication" and "Last Night Lonely". Pardi's music style is defined by neotraditional country influences.
Florida Georgia Line is an American country music duo founded in 2010 by vocalists and songwriters Tyler Hubbard of Georgia and Brian Kelley of Florida; however, the band is on an indefinite hiatus from touring and “taking a break” from making music together as the members pursue solo careers. Their 2012 debut single "Cruise" broke two major sales records: it was downloaded over seven million times, making it the first country song ever to receive the Diamond certification, and it became the best-selling digital country song, with 24 weeks at number one, until it was surpassed in July 2017 by Sam Hunt's "Body Like a Back Road". Their music style is described as "bro-country", which incorporates production elements from rock and hip-hop music, and tends to cover subject matter such as partying, drinking, driving trucks and sexual attraction.
Colden Rainey Swindell is an American country music singer and songwriter. He has written singles for Craig Campbell, Thomas Rhett, Scotty McCreery, and Luke Bryan, and has released four albums for Warner Bros. Records Nashville. He has released thirteen singles, eight of which have reached number one on the Hot Country Songs and/or Country Airplay charts. Three more singles have reached the Top 10.
Dan + Shay is an American country pop music duo composed of vocalists and songwriters Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney. They are signed to Warner Records Nashville and have released four albums, Where It All Began, Obsessed, Dan + Shay, and Good Things. Of their nine singles, five have topped the Country Airplay chart and two have topped the Hot Country Songs chart. The duo have collaborated with Justin Bieber, Charlie Puth, Rascal Flatts, Lindsey Stirling, RaeLynn, and Kelly Clarkson. From 2019 to 2021, the duo won three consecutive Grammy Awards for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for the songs "Tequila", "Speechless", and "10,000 Hours".
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in 2014.
California Sunrise is the second studio album by American country music singer Jon Pardi. It was released on June 17, 2016, through Capitol Nashville. Following the success of his debut studio album, Write You a Song (2014), Pardi reteamed with co-producer Bart Butler to work on new material for his next country album, wanting to incorporate more traditional aspects of the genre while adhering to the modern country music template. The album received positive reviews from music critics, who often praised the production and lyrical content.
Runaway June is an American country music group consisting of Stevie Woodward, Jennifer Wayne, and Natalie Stovall. Wayne co-founded the group in 2015 with Hannah Mulholland and Naomi Cooke. Wayne was a former member of Stealing Angels and had co-written singles for other singers prior to the group's foundation. Signed to BBR Music Group's Wheelhouse imprint in 2015, the group charted two singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts prior to their breakthrough hit "Buy My Own Drinks" in 2018. This was the first of three singles from their 2019 studio album Blue Roses. Mulholland quit the group in 2020 and was replaced by Natalie Stovall, former lead singer of Natalie Stovall and the Drive; Cooke quit in 2022 and was replaced by Stevie Woodward.
Farm Tour... Here's to the Farmer is the eighth extended play (EP) by American country music singer Luke Bryan. It was released on September 23, 2016, by Capitol Nashville.
The Huntin', Fishin' and Lovin' Every Day Tour was the fifth headlining concert tour by American country music artist Luke Bryan. It began on May 5, 2017, in Nashville Tennessee, and concluded on October 28, 2017, in San Bernardino, California.
Michael Wilson Hardy, known professionally as HARDY, is an American country music singer and songwriter. He has written songs for Florida Georgia Line, Chris Lane, Blake Shelton, Dallas Smith, Thomas Rhett, and Morgan Wallen. He released his debut album A Rock for Big Loud Records, as well as the mixtape Hixtape, Vol. 1. He has charted the singles "Give Heaven Some Hell" and "One Beer" and was featured on "Some Things Never Change". His most recent album, The Mockingbird & The Crow, topped the country music charts in early 2023.
Girl: The World Tour was the second concert tour by American singer Maren Morris in support of her second major label studio album, Girl (2019). The tour began on March 9, 2019, at Riviera Theatre in Chicago and concluded on November 16, 2019, at The Armory in Minneapolis.
Caylee Anna Hammack is an American country music singer-songwriter. She is signed to Capitol Records Nashville and released her debut album If It Wasn't for You on August 14, 2020. She is signed to Red Light Management and is managed by Mary Hilliard Harrington.
