History of Country music in Timeline
Country music, originating in the United States, is characterized by ballads and dance tunes featuring instruments like banjos, fiddles, and various guitars. Initially known as hillbilly music, the term "country music" gained prominence in the 1940s as a more appropriate name for the genre.
1900: Country music introduced to The Philippines
In 1900, as The Philippines became a US Commonwealth, country music was introduced to the region during this period.
June 30, 1922: First Commercial Country Instrumental Recordings
On June 30, 1922, the first commercial recordings of instrumental music in the traditional country style, "Arkansas Traveler" and "Turkey in the Straw" by fiddlers Henry Gilliland & A.C. (Eck) Robertson, were recorded for Victor Records.
April 1923: Release of "Arkansas Traveler" and "Turkey in the Straw"
In April 1923, Victor Records released "Arkansas Traveler" and "Turkey in the Straw" by fiddlers Henry Gilliland & A.C. (Eck) Robertson, the first commercial recordings of instrumental music in the traditional country style.
June 14, 1923: First Commercial Country Song Recording
On June 14, 1923, Fiddlin' John Carson recorded "Little Log Cabin in the Lane" for Okeh Records, widely considered the first commercial country song with vocals and lyrics.
April 1924: First Female Country Musicians Record
In April 1924, "Aunt" Samantha Bumgarner and Eva Davis became the first female musicians to record and release country songs.
May 1924: Vernon Dalhart's Nationwide Hit
In May 1924, Vernon Dalhart's "Wreck of the Old 97" became the first country song to achieve nationwide hit status. The B-side, "Lonesome Road Blues" was also popular.
1924: Columbia Records Issues Hillbilly Records
In 1924, Columbia Records began issuing hillbilly records, contributing to the growing popularity of country music.
1925: Grand Ole Opry Aired
In 1925, the Grand Ole Opry, aired on WSM in Nashville, became a popular "barn dance" show featuring country music.
1925: Mountain City Fiddlers Convention
In 1925, the Mountain City Fiddlers Convention was held and helped inspire modern country music.
1927: RCA Victor Records Issues Hillbilly Records
In 1927, RCA Victor Records began issuing hillbilly records, adding to the expansion of country music's reach.
1928: Johnson City Sessions
In 1928, the Johnson City sessions occurred, influencing the development of modern country music.
1929: Knoxville Sessions
In 1929, the Knoxville sessions occurred, further contributing to the evolution of country music.
1930: Knoxville Sessions
In 1930, the Knoxville sessions continued, impacting the development of country music.
1935: Bob Wills Adds Drums to His Band
In 1935, Bob Wills added drums to his western swing band, the Texas Playboys, despite opposition by the Grand Ole Opry.
1938: Electric Guitar in Country Music
In 1938, Bob Wills became one of the first country musicians to add an electric guitar to his band.
1939: Country Musicians Record Boogie
In 1939, country musicians began recording boogie, shortly after it had been played at Carnegie Hall, when Johnny Barfield recorded "Boogie Woogie".
1944: Billboard Changes Terminology
In 1944, Billboard replaced the term "hillbilly" with "folk songs and blues."
1945: Hillbilly Boogie Emerges
Beginning in late 1945, hillbilly boogie, or okie boogie, became more prominent with notable releases like the Delmore Brothers' "Freight Train Boogie", marking an evolution toward rockabilly.
1946: Country music introduced to The Philippines
In 1946, as The Philippines was still a US Commonwealth, country music was present in the region during this period.
1948: Arthur Smith's Guitar Boogie
In 1948, Arthur Smith recorded Guitar Boogie, which crossed over to the US pop charts, introducing many people to the potential of the electric guitar.
1949: Billboard Adopts "Country and Western"
In 1949, Billboard switched to using the term "country and western."
1951: Williams's "Cold, Cold Heart" Crossover Success
In 1951, Williams's song "Cold, Cold Heart" achieved crossover success when Tony Bennett released a traditional pop cover version, introducing Williams's songwriting to mainstream audiences.
1953: First All-Country Radio Station
In 1953, the first all-country radio station was established in Lubbock, Texas.
1955: Ozark Jubilee on ABC
From 1955, country music gained TV exposure via Ozark Jubilee on ABC in Springfield, Missouri.
1956: Peak of Rockabilly
1956 marked the peak of rockabilly, featuring hits like Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel", Johnny Cash's "I Walk the Line", and Carl Perkins' "Blue Suede Shoes".
1956: Louisiana Hayride's House Drummer
As late as 1956, Louisiana Hayride, a less conservative country music venue, kept a house drummer backstage.
1956: Gordie Tapp's Country Hoedown premiers
In 1956, Gordie Tapp's Country Hoedown started on CBC Television.
1958: Country Music Association Founded
In 1958, the Country Music Association was founded.
1958: Inception of the Billboard Hot 100 Chart
Since the Billboard Hot 100 chart debuted in 1958, Lil Nas X's song "Old Town Road" spent 19 weeks atop the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming the longest-running number-one song.
1962: Ray Charles's Country Album
In 1962, Ray Charles topped the charts with his country album, Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, creating country soul.
1963: Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" Release
In 1963, Johnny Cash released "Ring of Fire", contributing to the development of Outlaw Country.
1963: Rise in popularity of trucking songs
In 1963, trucking songs like "Six Days on the Road" by Dave Dudley rose in popularity, reflecting the connection between country music and the American working class, particularly truckers.
1964: Collapse of Nashville Sound
In 1964, the Nashville sound collapsed amid rock's rise and the plane crash deaths of Jim Reeves and Patsy Cline, evolving into countrypolitan for mainstream markets through the early 1970s.
1969: Don Messer's Jubilee ends broadcast
In 1969, Don Messer's Jubilee, a Halifax, Nova Scotia-based country and folk variety television show broadcast in Canada, ended broadcast after running since 1957.
1969: Release of Okie from Muskogee
In 1969, Merle Haggard's album "Okie from Muskogee" was released, bringing a staunchly political, conservative take on country music.
October 1970: Country Music Month Declared
In October 1970, President Richard Nixon declared October to be country music month, further solidifying the association between country music and conservative politics.
1972: John Denver's Successful Songs
Between 1972 and 1975, singer and guitarist John Denver released a series of successful songs with both country and folk-rock musical styles.
1972: Eric Bogle releases 'And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda'
In 1972, Eric Bogle released "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda", a folk lament to the Gallipoli Campaign, recalling the British and Irish origins of Australian folk-country.
1973: Tamworth Country Music Festival Begins
In 1973, the Tamworth Country Music Festival began in Australia, attracting upwards of 100,000 visitors annually and including the Country Music Awards of Australia ceremony.
1974: Reg Lindsay performs at Grand Ole Opry
In 1974, Reg Lindsay was one of the first Australians to perform at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry.
1975: John Denver's Successful Songs
Between 1972 and 1975, singer and guitarist John Denver released a series of successful songs with both country and folk-rock musical styles.
1975: Paul Hemphill's Statement
In 1975, author Paul Hemphill made a statement in the Saturday Evening Post about country music.
1975: Billy Connolly tops UK Singles Chart
In 1975, comedian Billy Connolly topped the UK Singles Chart with "D.I.V.O.R.C.E.", a parody of the Tammy Wynette song "D-I-V-O-R-C-E".
1976: Release of "Wanted! The Outlaws"
In 1976, the album Wanted! The Outlaws was released, epitomizing the outlaw movement and revolutionizing country music.
1977: Dolly Parton's Pop Crossover Success
In 1977, Dolly Parton achieved pop crossover success with her hit "Here You Come Again", which topped the U.S. country singles chart and reached No. 3 on the pop singles charts.
1978: Bonnie Tyler's "It's a Heartache" reaches UK charts
In 1978, Bonnie Tyler's single "It's a Heartache" reached number four on the UK Singles Chart.
1980: Popularization of "neocountry disco music" by Urban Cowboy
In 1980, the film Urban Cowboy popularized a style of "neocountry disco music", contributing to the increase of pop-country crossover artists on the country charts.
1981: Country music record sales rocket to $250 million
In 1981, sales in record stores rocketed to $250 million, reflecting the growing popularity of country music.
1983: The Nashville Network launched
In 1983, The Nashville Network (TNN) was launched as a channel devoted to country music. It launched two days after CMT.
1983: Piknik Country festival begins
In 1983, an international country music festival, known as Piknik Country, started in the city of Mrągowo, Poland.
1984: Country radio programming and sales decline
By 1984, 900 radio stations were programming country or neocountry pop full-time, but sales had dropped below 1979 figures, indicating a decline in the trend's popularity.
1986: Steve Earle opens for Dwight Yoakam and The Replacements
In 1986, Steve Earle, who had both country and college rock audiences, opened for both country singer Dwight Yoakam and alt-rock band, The Replacements.
1990: Uncle Tupelo releases "No Depression"
Around 1990, Uncle Tupelo released their influential debut album "No Depression", widely credited as the first alt-country album, inspiring the name of No Depression magazine.
1990: Billboard changes methodology for country music chart
In 1990, Billboard changed its methodology for compiling the country music chart by removing singles sales and only considering airplay on country radio.
1991: New Billboard chart rules impact artists' success
Around 1991, new Billboard chart rules took effect, causing artists like Don Williams and George Jones, who had consistent success in the 1970s and 1980s, to experience a rapid decline in their chart fortunes.
1992: The Tommy Hunter Show ends
In 1992, The Tommy Hunter Show ended after running for a combined 36 years on the CBC.
1994: Rednex releases 'Cotton-Eyed Joe'
In 1994, Rednex had a worldwide hit with their version of the traditional Southern tune "Cotton-Eyed Joe", combining country music with electro-pop.
1995: Great American Country launched
In 1995, Great American Country (GAC) was launched as a country music-oriented channel.
1997: Shania Twain releases "Come On Over"
In 1997, Shania Twain released her album, "Come On Over", which became a worldwide phenomenon and one of the world's best-selling albums for three years.
1998: The Dixie Chicks release "Wide Open Spaces"
In 1998, The Dixie Chicks released their debut album, "Wide Open Spaces", which became certified 12 times platinum.
1999: The Dixie Chicks release "Fly"
In 1999, The Dixie Chicks released their album "Fly", which became certified 10 times platinum.
2000: Racial Disparity in Country Music
From 2000 to 2020, it was reported that only 3% of country music artists played on national country music radio stations were black, Hispanic, or indigenous, highlighting a racial disparity within the genre.
2000: "Come On Over" remains one of the best selling albums
In 2000, Shania Twain's album "Come On Over" remained one of the world's best-selling albums for the third year in a row.
2000: Slim Dusty sings at Sydney Olympic Games
In 2000, Slim Dusty sang Waltzing Matilda in the closing ceremony of the Sydney Olympic Games.
2000: TNN rebranded
In 2000, after TNN and CMT fell under the same corporate ownership, TNN was rebranded as a non-country television channel.
2000: Kasey Chambers wins ARIA Award
In 2000, country star Kasey Chambers won the ARIA Award for Best Female Artist.
2002: Kasey Chambers wins ARIA Award again
In 2002, Kasey Chambers won the ARIA Award for Best Female Artist.
2003: BubbaSparxxx's debut album release
In 2003, BubbaSparxxx's debut album, self-described as southern trap, was released, featuring rap lyrics over country instrumentation and hip-hop production elements.
2003: The Chicks' Controversy
In 2003, after The Chicks released their third album Home, the lead singer's comment about President George W. Bush caused controversy and a rift with the country music scene.
2004: Kasey Chambers wins ARIA Award for the third time
In 2004, Kasey Chambers won the ARIA Award for Best Female Artist for the third time.
2004: Nelly and Tim McGraw release "Over and Over"
In 2004, Nelly and Tim McGraw released "Over and Over", marking an early fusion of country and rap music.
2005: Carrie Underwood wins American Idol
In 2005, Carrie Underwood rose to fame as the winner of the fourth season of American Idol, marking the beginning of her successful country music career.
2006: Taylor Swift releases debut single
In 2006, Taylor Swift released her debut single, "Tim McGraw", marking the beginning of her widespread recognition in the music industry.
2006: Release of Taking the Long Way
In 2006, The Chicks' fourth album, Taking the Long Way, was released and commercially successful among non-country audiences but largely ignored within the country music scene.
2007: Carrie Underwood wins Grammy Award for Best New Artist
In 2007, Carrie Underwood won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist, becoming the second country artist to win the award.
2008: Jennette McCurdy releases first single
In 2008, actress Jennette McCurdy, released her first single, influencing modern country music.
2010: Taylor Swift wins Album of the Year at the Grammys
At the 2010 Grammys, Taylor Swift won Album of the Year for "Fearless". In 2010, Lady Antebellum won five Grammys, including Song of the Year and Record of the Year for "Need You Now".
2011: Jennette McCurdy releases "Generation Love"
In 2011, actress Jennette McCurdy, released her second single "Generation Love".
2012: TNN revived
In 2012, TNN was revived after Jim Owens Entertainment acquired the trademark and licensed it to Luken Communications.
2012: Jana Kramer releases country album
In 2012, actress Jana Kramer released a country album that has produced two hit singles.
2012: Country music surpasses classic rock
In 2012, the popularity of bro-country is thought to have helped country music surpass classic rock as the most popular genre in the American country music scene.
2013: Jana Kramer's country album produces two hit singles
In 2013, Jana Kramer's country album from 2012 continued to produce two hit singles.
2013: Kenny Rogers at Glastonbury
In 2013, Kenny Rogers, a major US country act, performed at Glastonbury, Britain's largest music festival.
2013: Luke Bryan's 'Crash My Party' success
In 2013, Luke Bryan's album 'Crash My Party' was the third best-selling album in the United States. Florida Georgia Line's album 'Here's to the Good Times' ranked sixth and Blake Shelton's 'Based on a True Story' ranked ninth, highlighting the commercial success of bro-country albums in 2013.
2013: Heartland TV channel
In 2013, the TNN channel renamed itself Heartland after Luken was embroiled in an unrelated dispute that left the company bankrupt.
2014: Dolly Parton at Glastonbury
In 2014, Dolly Parton, a major US country act, performed at Glastonbury, Britain's largest music festival.
2014: Lucy Hale releases debut album
In 2014, Pretty Little Liars star Lucy Hale released her debut album 'Road Between'.
2015: Don Henley releases "Cass County"
In 2015, Don Henley released the album "Cass County" featuring a country song.
2015: The Shires album charts in UK Top 10
In 2015, The Shires' album Brave became the first UK country act ever to chart in the Top 10 of the UK Albums Chart and they became the first UK country act to receive an award from the American Country Music Association.
2016: Ward Thomas hits number 1 in UK Albums Chart
In 2016, Ward Thomas became the first UK country act to hit number 1 in the UK Albums Chart with their album 'Cartwheels'.
2017: Toby Keith performs with Rabeh Sager
In 2017, musician Toby Keith performed alongside Saudi Arabian folk musician Rabeh Sager.
2018: Kasey Chambers inducted into ARIA Hall of Fame
In 2018, Kasey Chambers became the youngest artist to ever be inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame.
2018: Paramount Network
In 2018, the television channel TNN became Paramount Network.
2019: Enkh-Erdene performs on The World's Best
In 2019, Enkh-Erdene performed a cover of George Strait's "Amarillo by Morning" on The World's Best TV show.
2019: Kacey Musgraves wins Grammy Award for Album of the Year
In 2019, Kacey Musgraves won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year for her album "Golden Hour".
June 2020: Country Music Channel ceases operations
In June 2020, the Country Music Channel in Australia ceased operations and was replaced by CMT.
2020: Racial Disparity in Country Music
From 2000 to 2020, it was reported that only 3% of country music artists played on national country music radio stations were black, Hispanic, or indigenous, highlighting a racial disparity within the genre.
2020: Taylor Swift releases folk-inspired albums
In 2020, Taylor Swift released her folk-inspired albums, "Folklore" and "Evermore", marking a shift in her musical style.
2021: GAC Media relaunches channels
In 2021, GAC Media relaunched Great American Country as GAC Family, and Ride TV was relaunched as GAC Living.
2021: Mickey Guyton's Grammy Nomination and Radio Play Disparity
In 2021, Mickey Guyton was nominated for the Grammy's Best Solo Country Performance award, highlighting a disparity between online popularity and American broadcast country-music radio play, with her music being effectively ignored by the latter.
2021: Reimagining Country series on NTS Radio
Starting in 2021, Jamal Khadar's "Reimagining Country" series on NTS Radio documents the connections between modern country music and African/Caribbean influences, arguing modern country music has benefited from traditional or classical African music genres.
2022: The Baatar releases first album
In 2022, The Baatar, a singer and musician of "Mongolian country", released their first album, blending country music with traditional Mongolian folk elements.
2023: Country Music Popularity Increase
In 2023, 45% of Americans reported listening to country music, showing an increase in the genre's popularity.
2023: Enkh-Erdene releases Mongolian country album
In 2023, Enkh-Erdene released his country music album 'Arvan Tavnii Saran' in the Mongolian language, featuring original songs.
2023: Release and Controversy of "Try That in a Small Town"
In 2023, Jason Aldean's single "Try That in a Small Town" was released with a music video depicting images of violence in American cities, leading to controversy and accusations of promoting racism and violence.
2024: Beyonce releases Cowboy Carter
In 2024, Beyonce released a country album, Cowboy Carter, to popular acclaim, featuring original songs such as Texas Hold 'Em and a cover of Dolly Parton's Jolene.
2024: Enkh-Erdene covers Garth Brooks on America's Got Talent: Fantasy League
In 2024, Enkh-Erdene covered Garth Brooks' song "Friends In Low Places" on America's Got Talent: Fantasy League.
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