Top Country Music Albums

Country music or Western and Country music is an American music genre that was produced primarily by white folks from southern U.S.A. (Texas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Virginia, South Carolina and even Ohio, Illinois, and Southern California) beginning in the 1920’s. It encompasses a very wide and diverse style and sub-genres - from the hillbilly music of Roy Acuff, bluegrass of Bill Monroe, the electrified honky-tonk of Ernest Tubb and Hank Thompson, the ethnic strains of south Louisiana Cajun to the slick, youth-oriented pop sound of Shania Twain and Faith Hill. Many leading country music artists also hail from Canada, including Hank Snow, Anne Murray and alternative country queen k.d. lang.

Country music has been influenced by folk, gospel, rhythm and blues, and these genres, in turn are influenced by country music.

The vocal lines of Country Music, with few exceptions, are without harmonic accompaniment, the melodies are basic, and the rhythm hardly has syncopation. Country music is usually easy to listen to because its harmony, melody and rhythmic elements are made simple and steady to highlight the lyrics.

The lyrics of country songs express the realities, feelings and emotions of ordinary working-class Americans. The subject matters are usually love and relationships, hardships, courage in conflicts, poverty, work, loneliness, and religion.

The birth of modern country music can be traced to the Early & Old-Time Country when the US’s varied rural grassroots music was made popular throughout the U.S. through radio. In the 1930’s and 1940’s, Cowboy, Western Swing, and Honky Tonk were the rage in Country Music. The 1950’s and 1960’s gave rise to the Nashville Sound era. Country Rock and The Outlaw Movement emerge in the 1960’s and 1970’s, the Neo-Traditionalists in the 1980’s, and the Young Country in the 90’s.

"You Ain't Going Nowhere" by The Byrds from the Album Sweetheart of the Rodeo