Career Timeline of Maren Morris: Major Achievements and Milestones

How Maren Morris built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Maren Morris is an accomplished American singer-songwriter known for her blend of country music with pop and R&B influences. She has achieved significant recognition within the music industry, evidenced by her Grammy Award, American Music Award, and multiple Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music Awards. Morris is a notable figure in contemporary country music.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

2005: First Plane Trip and Grammy Camp Attendance

In 2005, Maren Morris took her first plane trip alone to attend a Grammy camp, where she met music industry insiders. At the age of 15, in 2005, Morris released her debut studio album titled Walk On.

2007: Release of Second Studio Album

In 2007, Smith Music released Maren Morris's second studio album, "All That It Takes", which contained mostly self-composed tracks.

2011: Release of Third Studio Album "Live Wire"

In 2011, the Mozzi Bozzi label released Maren Morris's third studio disc titled Live Wire.

2014: Tim McGraw Records "Last Turn Home"

In 2014, Tim McGraw recorded "Last Turn Home", a song co-written by Maren Morris, for his album Sundown Heaven Town.

March 2015: Writing "My Church"

In March 2015, Maren Morris wrote the track "My Church". After listening to the demo recording, Morris decided to keep the song for herself.

August 2015: Self-Release of "Maren Morris" EP on Spotify

In August 2015, Maren Morris self-released five songs on an eponymous extended play, "Maren Morris", on Spotify. The songs gained 2.5 million streams in a month.

September 2015: Signing with Columbia Nashville

In September 2015, the success of Maren Morris's EP attracted the interest of major labels, and she was signed to Columbia Nashville.

November 2015: Re-release of "Maren Morris" EP

In November 2015, Columbia Nashville re-released Maren Morris's five-song EP. "My Church" was issued as the project's lead single.

2015: Kelly Clarkson Records "Second Wind"

In 2015, Kelly Clarkson recorded "Second Wind", a track co-written by Maren Morris, for her album Piece by Piece.

2015: Streaming Success and Recording Contract

In 2015, Maren Morris experienced streaming success with her self-titled EP, which led to her signing a recording contract to pursue a career in country music.

June 2016: Release of "Hero" Album

In June 2016, Maren Morris's first Columbia Nashville album, "Hero", was released. It reached number five on the Billboard 200 and number one on the country albums chart.

2016: Touring with Keith Urban

In 2016, Maren Morris embarked on a tour with Keith Urban, marking a significant step in her career.

2016: Debut Album Release

In 2016, Maren Morris released her major-label debut studio album "Hero" on Columbia Nashville, blending country with R&B. The lead single "My Church" became her breakout hit.

2016: Hero Album and R&B Influences

In 2016, Maren Morris's "Hero" album was noted for its R&B influences and innovative blending of country and pop styles, influencing country-pop's fluidity.

March 2017: Release of Deluxe Edition of "Hero"

In March 2017, a deluxe edition of Maren Morris's album "Hero" was released, featuring three new recordings.

2017: Heroes Fund Start

In 2017, Maren Morris started the Heroes Fund, which raises money for music education in public schools. Through the program, she donated $70,000 to East Nashville Magnet High School for their music and drama departments.

October 5, 2018: Appearance on Taylor Swift's Reputation Stadium Tour

On October 5, 2018, Maren Morris appeared as a special guest during Taylor Swift's Reputation Stadium Tour in Arlington, Texas, performing "The Middle" with Swift.

2018: Singles from "Hero" Reach Top Ten

Between 2016 and 2018, with the exception of "80's Mercedes", the singles from Maren Morris's album "Hero" reached the top ten of the Billboard country charts.

2018: Collaboration on "The Middle"

In 2018, Maren Morris collaborated with Grey and Zedd on the song "The Middle". Released as a single, the track became a top ten pop success in various countries.

2018: Inclusion in Forbes' 30 Under 30 List

In 2018, Maren Morris was featured in Forbes' 30 Under 30 list.

March 8, 2019: Release of "Girl" Album

On March 8, 2019, Maren Morris's studio album "Girl" was released, reflecting her experiences as a young woman. The album topped the Billboard country albums chart and reached the top five of the Billboard 200.

March 2019: Formation of The Highwomen

In March 2019, it was announced that Maren Morris would be forming a group with Brandi Carlile, Amanda Shires and Natalie Hemby called The Highwomen.

April 2019: The Highwomen's Live Debut

In April 2019, The Highwomen made their live debut at Loretta Lynn's 87th birthday concert, performing "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels".

July 19, 2019: Release of "Redesigning Women" by The Highwomen

On July 19, 2019, "Redesigning Women" was released as the first single from The Highwomen's self-titled debut album.

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September 2019: Release of The Highwomen's Debut Album and Death of Busbee

In September 2019, The Highwomen's self-titled debut album was released and Busbee died. Morris expressed her love and appreciation for Busbee on Twitter.

2019: Vocal Versatility

In 2019, Jon Caramanica described Maren Morris's voice as "versatile" in its ability to move between country and pop genres. Chris Richards of The Washington Post noted she has "the best voice of any country singer working today".

2019: "Girl" Album Release

In 2019, Maren Morris released her second album "Girl", which mixed country with various music styles and featured collaborations with different artists. It spawned the number one singles "Girl" and "The Bones".

2019: Girl Album and R&B Elements

In 2019, Maren Morris's album "Girl" was praised for incorporating elements of 90s R&B, blending it with country music, particularly on songs like "RSVP".

2020: "The Bones" Tops Charts

In 2020, Maren Morris's song "The Bones" topped both the Country Airplay and Country Songs charts. A duet version with Hozier became her second crossover pop hit.

2020: CMA Awards Speech

In her 2020 CMA Awards acceptance speech, Maren Morris named several black artists who helped make the award possible, including Mickey Guyton, Linda Martell, and Brittney Spencer.

April 2021: Charitable Donations

In April 2021, Maren Morris donated $300,000 to the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Together We Rise, and Ecologi.

June 4, 2021: Release of "Last Train Home" with John Mayer

On June 4, 2021, Maren Morris was the featured guest vocalist on John Mayer's single "Last Train Home", which was released on this date.

August 2021: Together: Feeding Nashville

In August 2021, Maren Morris joined country artists to raise money for Together: Feeding Nashville, addressing food insecurity in Nashville, raising $450,000.

2021: Advocacy for Equity and Speaking Out Against Racism

In 2021, Maren Morris spoke out about inequalities for white and black artists in country music. In early 2021, she also spoke out against Morgan Wallen's use of a racial slur.

2021: ACM Awards

In 2021, Maren Morris won her second award for Female Artist of the Year at the Academy of Country Music Awards.

January 2022: Release of "Circles Around This Town"

In January 2022, Maren Morris's single "Circles Around This Town" was released. This marked the beginning of the promotion for her next studio album.

March 2022: Release of "Humble Quest" Album and Reunion with Zedd

In March 2022, Maren Morris released her album "Humble Quest". Morris also reunited with Zedd on their second collaboration, titled "Make You Say", alongside Beauz in 2022.

March 25, 2022: "Humble Quest" Album Release

On March 25, 2022, Maren Morris released her third studio album, "Humble Quest". The album earned Morris a Guinness World Record for most first-day and first-week streams for a country album by a female artist on Amazon Music.

September 2022: Spirit Day Partnership with GLAAD

In September 2022, Maren Morris partnered with GLAAD to design a new T-shirt in honor of Spirit Day.

2023: Departure from Country Music Industry and Release of "The Bridge" EP

In late 2023, Maren Morris announced her departure from the country music industry. In late 2023, Columbia released an extended play titled "The Bridge".

2024: Performance at Democratic National Convention and Contributions to "The Wild Robot"

In 2024, Maren Morris performed "Better than We Found It" at the Democratic National Convention. She also contributed two songs to the animated film "The Wild Robot", including "Kiss the Sky", which received award nominations.

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2024: Releases and Recognition in 2024

In 2024, Maren Morris released her EP "Intermission", featuring new tracks and a collaboration with Julia Michaels. She also released a cover of Billy Idol's "Dancing with Myself" and the song "People Still Show Up" on October 25. Additionally, Billboard named Morris the 99th Greatest Country Artist of All-Time in November 23, 2024.

January 10, 2025: Collaboration with Julia Michaels

On January 10, 2025, Maren Morris released her second collaboration with Julia Michaels titled "Scissors".

May 9, 2025: Dreamsicle Album Release

Maren Morris's fourth studio album, "Dreamsicle", is expected to be released on May 9, 2025. The album will include all five tracks from her "Intermission" EP, the single "People Still Show Up", and her latest release, "Carry Me Through".