Career Timeline of Keith Urban: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Keith Urban made an impact.

Keith Urban is a highly decorated Australian and American country music artist, renowned as a singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He boasts an impressive collection of accolades, including four Grammy Awards, 15 Academy of Country Music Awards, 13 CMA Awards, and six ARIA Music Awards. His songwriting talents extend to film, with his song "For You" from 'Act of Valor' earning nominations for Best Original Song at both the Golden Globe Awards and the Critics' Choice Awards.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1980: Appears on New Faces

In 1980, Keith Urban was a contestant on the Australian TV talent show New Faces, marking an early appearance in the entertainment industry.

1990: Signs with EMI and Releases Self-Titled Album

In 1990, Keith Urban signed with EMI in Australia and released his self-titled debut album, launching his professional music career.

1991: Nomination for ARIA Award for Best Country Album

In 1991, Keith Urban appeared on the compilation album Breaking Ground – New Directions in Country Music, which was nominated for the ARIA Award for Best Country Album.

1991: Debut album release

In 1991, Keith Urban released his self-titled debut album in Australia, which charted four singles. Later, he contributed backing vocals to INXS's single "Shining Star".

1992: Moves to Nashville

In 1992, Keith Urban moved to Nashville, Tennessee, marking a significant step in his pursuit of a country music career in the United States.

1993: Tours with Slim Dusty

From 1993 to 1994, Keith Urban toured as a backup act to Slim Dusty, gaining exposure and experience in the country music scene.

1994: Tours with Slim Dusty

From 1993 to 1994, Keith Urban toured as a backup act to Slim Dusty, gaining exposure and experience in the country music scene.

1995: Co-writes "Jesus Gets Jealous of Santa Claus"

In 1995, Keith Urban co-wrote "Jesus Gets Jealous of Santa Claus" on Toby Keith's album Christmas to Christmas, demonstrating his songwriting abilities.

1996: Co-writes "That Was Him (This Is Now)"

In 1996, Keith Urban co-wrote 4 Runner's single "That Was Him (This Is Now)", showcasing his songwriting skills.

1997: Formation of The Ranch

In 1997, Keith Urban formed the band The Ranch, releasing a self-titled album for Capitol Records Nashville and charting two singles on the Hot Country Songs charts.

1999: American solo debut

In 1999, Keith Urban made his solo American debut with his second eponymous album, which was certified platinum and featured his first number one hit, "But for the Grace of God".

1999: Releases Self-Titled American Debut Album

In 1999, Keith Urban released his self-titled American debut album, which included the single "It's a Love Thing" and his first number 1 hit, "But for the Grace of God".

2000: The Kinleys release version of "I'm In"

In 2000, The Kinleys released their version of the song "I'm In", achieving a Top 40 single. Later, Keith Urban covered the same song.

2001: Wins Top New Male Vocalist and Horizon Award

In 2001, Keith Urban won the Top New Male Vocalist Award at the Academy of Country Music Awards and the Horizon Award from the Country Music Association.

July 2002: "Somebody Like You" Released

In July 2002, Keith Urban released "Somebody Like You" as the lead-off single from his album Golden Road, and it spent six weeks at number one.

2002: "Somebody Like You" Becomes Biggest Hit of the Decade

In 2002, Keith Urban released his second Capitol album Golden Road. The first single, "Somebody Like You", was named by Billboard as the biggest country hit of the 2000s decade.

July 2004: "You Look Good in My Shirt" Chart Appearance

In July 2004, although it was not officially released, "You Look Good in My Shirt" by Keith Urban spent one week at number 60 on the country charts and remained a fan favorite.

2004: Performance at Slim Dusty Tribute Concert

In 2004, Keith Urban performed "Lights on the Hill" at the Tamworth tribute concert following the death of Australian country singer Slim Dusty, honoring an artist he admired.

2004: Release of "Be Here"

In 2004, Keith Urban's third American album, "Be Here", was released and became his highest-selling album, achieving 4x Platinum certification.

September 2005: "Golden Road" Certified Triple Platinum

On September 22, 2005, Keith Urban's third studio album, "Golden Road", was certified triple platinum for sales of three million copies.

2005: Wins Grammy Award for "You'll Think of Me"

In 2005, Keith Urban won the Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance for "You'll Think of Me", a single from his album Golden Road.

August 2006: "Once in a Lifetime" Debuts at No. 17

On August 21, 2006, Keith Urban's "Once in a Lifetime" debuted at No. 17, setting a record for the highest-debuting country single at the time.

2006: Release of "Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing"

In 2006, Keith Urban released "Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing", featuring the song "Once in a Lifetime" and the Grammy Award-winning "Stupid Boy".

January 2007: Completed rehab and announced tour

In January 2007, Keith Urban announced that he had completed rehab and planned to go on tour to promote his album, Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing.

November 2007: "Greatest Hits: 18 Kids" Released

On November 20, 2007, Keith Urban released his first greatest hits collection, "Greatest Hits: 18 Kids", featuring his top 10 hits and new songs.

2007: Release of "Greatest Hits: 18 Kids"

In late 2007, Keith Urban released a greatest hits package titled "Greatest Hits: 18 Kids".

January 2008: "Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Carnival Ride World Tour" Begins

In January 2008, Keith Urban embarked on the "Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Carnival Ride World Tour" with Carrie Underwood, expanding his reach and audience.

May 2008: Debuts "A New Sunshine" at Grand Ole Opry

In May 2008, Keith Urban debuted a new song, "A New Sunshine", at the Grand Ole Opry, showcasing new material and continuing his tradition with the venue.

2008: Single "You Look Good in My Shirt" released

In 2008, Keith Urban re-recorded and released "You Look Good in My Shirt" as a single, prompted by fan requests and the song's consistent popularity. In 2008, Urban also collaborated with Brad Paisley on the single "Start a Band".

2008: Original Release of Taylor Swift's Fearless album

In 2008, the original version of Taylor Swift's album Fearless was released, though the song 'That's When' that features Keith Urban was not included. It would be re-recorded and released with the song in 2021.

January 2009: "Start a Band" Reaches Number 1

In January 2009, "Start a Band," a collaboration between Keith Urban and Brad Paisley, reached No. 1, marking another success in Urban's career.

March 2009: Release of "Kiss a Girl" and Preparation for "Defying Gravity"

In March 2009, Keith Urban released "Kiss a Girl" as the second single from his upcoming album. During March 2009, Urban also prepared for the release of his album, Defying Gravity, which would be released later that month.

March 2009: "Defying Gravity" Release

On March 31, 2009, Keith Urban released the album "Defying Gravity".

June 2009: Filming "Only You Can Love Me This Way" music video

On June 27, 2009, Keith Urban filmed the music video for his song "Only You Can Love Me This Way" at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa.

May 2010: Urban Begins Work on New Album

In May 2010, Keith Urban began working on a new album in the studio, documenting the recording process on his official website.

November 2010: "Get Closer" Album Release

On November 16, 2010, Keith Urban released his album "Get Closer".

November 2011: Confirmation as Vocal Coach on The Voice Australia

In November 2011, Keith Urban was confirmed as one of the four vocal coaches in the Australian version of the reality singing competition The Voice.

April 2012: Induction into the Grand Ole Opry

In April 2012, Keith Urban was invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry by Vince Gill on April 10, and was officially inducted on April 21, 2012.

September 2012: Departure from The Voice Australia

On September 14, 2012, Keith Urban announced that he would not return for season two of The Voice Australia.

September 2012: Joining American Idol as a Judge

On September 16, 2012, it was announced that Keith Urban would replace Steven Tyler as a judge in season 12 of American Idol.

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2012: Theme song for 'Act of Valor'

In 2012, Keith Urban's song "For You" was featured as the theme song for the action film Act of Valor and appeared on the film's soundtrack.

May 2013: Release of "Little Bit of Everything"

In May 2013, Keith Urban released "Little Bit of Everything", produced by Nathan Chapman, as the first single from his upcoming album, Fuse.

July 2013: Debut of "Little Bit Of Everything" music video

On July 25, 2013, the official music video for Keith Urban's "Little Bit Of Everything" debuted on VEVO.

August 2013: Returning as Judge for American Idol Season 13

On August 1, 2013, it was officially confirmed that Keith Urban would return as a judge for season 13 of American Idol.

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September 2013: "Fuse" Album Release

In September 2013, Keith Urban released the album "Fuse", which produced four number one hits on the Country Airplay chart.

September 2013: Release of "Fuse" Album

On September 10, 2013, Keith Urban released his eighth studio album, Fuse.

October 2013: Selling Signature Guitars on HSN

In October 2013, Keith Urban announced during a concert that he would sell 'signature' guitars and accessories through Home Shopping Network (HSN).

October 2013: Signature Guitar Line Introduction

In October 2013, Keith Urban introduced his own signature line of guitars and accessories.

December 2013: "We Were Us" Reaches Number One

In December 2013, Keith Urban's duet with Miranda Lambert, "We Were Us", reached number one on the Country Airplay chart.

2013: Guitar Performance on Tim McGraw's Single

In early 2013, Keith Urban played guitar on Tim McGraw's single "Highway Don't Care", which also featured a guest vocal from Taylor Swift.

January 2014: Release of "Cop Car" Single

In January 2014, Keith Urban released "Cop Car" as the third single from his album Fuse.

June 2014: Release of "Somewhere in My Car" Single

In June 2014, Keith Urban released "Somewhere in My Car" as the fourth single from his album Fuse.

June 2014: Return to Judging Panel for American Idol Season 14

On June 23, 2014, Fox announced that Keith Urban would return to the judging panel for season 14 of American Idol.

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January 2015: Release of "Raise 'Em Up"

On January 26, 2015, Keith Urban released "Raise 'Em Up", a duet with Eric Church, to country radio.

May 2015: "Raise 'Em Up" Reaches Number One

In May 2015, Keith Urban's "Raise 'Em Up", a duet with Eric Church, reached number 1 on Country Airplay.

June 2015: Release of "John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16"

In June 2015, Keith Urban released "John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16" as the lead single from his eighth American studio album, Ripcord.

September 2015: Anniversary of "Golden Road" Certification

On September 22, 2015, Keith Urban celebrated the tenth anniversary of his third studio album Golden Road being certified triple platinum, for sales of three million copies.

October 2015: Teasing and Release of "Break on Me"

In October 2015, Keith Urban teased a new song called "Break on Me" and released it to the public on October 23.

2016: Judging the 15th Season of American Idol

In 2016, Keith Urban returned to judge the 15th season of American Idol.

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2016: Performance on "Forever Country"

In 2016, Keith Urban was selected as one of 30 artists to perform on "Forever Country," a medley of country songs to celebrate 50 years of the CMA Awards.

November 2017: Release of "Female"

On November 8, 2017, Keith Urban released a new song titled "Female", described as an empowerment anthem inspired by the Harvey Weinstein scandal. Nicole Kidman provided background vocals on the song.

2017: Retirement from American Idol

In August 2017, Keith Urban announced his retirement from being a judge on American Idol.

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August 2018: "Coming Home" Reaches Number One and Release of "Never Comin’ Down"

In August 2018, Keith Urban's song "Coming Home" reached number one on the Mediabase Country Chart on August 5. Also in August 2018, "Never Comin’ Down" was released to radio as the fourth single.

2018: "Graffiti U" Album Release

In 2018, Keith Urban released his tenth album, "Graffiti U", which included the Top 10 hit "Coming Home".

May 2019: Release of "We Were"

On May 16, 2019, Keith Urban released a brand new single, "We Were", a reflective mid-tempo ode to mischievous youth, co-written by Eric Church.

November 2019: Halftime Show at the Grey Cup

On November 24, 2019, Keith Urban played the halftime show at the Canadian Football League's Grey Cup championship in Calgary.

February 2020: Release of "God Whispered Your Name"

On February 27, 2020, Keith Urban released the single, "God Whispered Your Name" to country radio, co-written by Chris August.

May 2020: Drive-In Concert for Medical Workers and Album Announcement

In May 2020, Keith Urban hosted a drive-in concert for medical workers at the Stardust Drive-In movie theatre. Later in May 2020, he announced his eleventh studio album, The Speed of Now Part 1, would be released in September.

July 2020: Release of "Superman" Promotional Single

In July 2020, Keith Urban released "Superman" as another promotional single, which was released to radio in Australia.

August 2020: Release of "Change Your Mind"

In August 2020, Keith Urban released another promotional single called "Change Your Mind".

September 2020: Release of "The Speed of Now Part 1" Album

Keith Urban's eleventh studio album, The Speed of Now Part 1, was released on September 18, 2020.

December 2020: Return to The Voice Australia

On December 15, 2020, it was announced that Keith Urban would return to The Voice Australia season 10, replacing Kelly Rowland.

2020: "The Speed of Now Part 1" Album Release

In 2020, Keith Urban released his eleventh album, "The Speed of Now Part 1", featuring the global hit "One Too Many" with Pink, and Country Airplay top ten hits "We Were" and "God Whispered Your Name".

2020: Appointed Officer of the Order of Australia

In 2020, Keith Urban was appointed Officer of the Order of Australia at the Australia Day Honours for his distinguished service to the performing arts and charitable organizations.

2020: Appearance in 'Slim and I' Documentary

In 2020, Keith Urban was featured in the Australian documentary film Slim and I, discussing the influence of Slim Dusty and Joy McKean on his life. He also covered McKean's song "Lights on the Hill" for the film.

April 2021: Feature on Taylor Swift's "That's When"

In April 2021, Keith Urban was featured on Taylor Swift's track "That's When" from Fearless (Taylor's Version), Swift's first re-recorded studio album.

August 2021: Release of "Wild Hearts"

In August 2021, Keith Urban released the single "Wild Hearts".

March 2022: Release of "Nightfalls"

In March 2022, Keith Urban followed up "Wild Hearts" with the single "Nightfalls".

June 2022: Embarking on "The Speed of Now World Tour"

In June 2022, Keith Urban embarked on his headlining "The Speed of Now World Tour", with Ingrid Andress as his opening act.

July 2022: Release of "Brown Eyes Baby"

In July 2022, Keith Urban released the single "Brown Eyes Baby," which was co-written by Morgan Wallen.

October 2022: Release of "Street Called Main"

In October 2022, Keith Urban released the single "Street Called Main".

October 2022: Departure from The Voice Australia

In October 2022, it was announced that Keith Urban would not be returning to The Voice Australia for the twelfth season in 2023 due to his upcoming tour.

2023: Jason Derulo replaces Urban on The Voice

In 2023, Jason Derulo replaced Urban on The Voice Australia for season 12.

2023: Named one of the greatest guitarist of all time by Rolling Stone

In 2023, Rolling Stone named Keith Urban the 241st greatest guitarist of all time.

September 20, 2024: Release of the album "High"

On September 20, 2024, Keith Urban released his twelfth studio album, High, featuring the previously released songs "Straight Line", "Messed Up as Me", "Wildside", "Go Home W U" and "Heart Like a Hometown".