A2 Media Studies: History of Country music genre

Country music is a genre of American popular music that originated in the rural regions of the Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from the southeastern genre of American folk music and Western music. Blues modes have been used extensively throughout its recorded history. Country music often consists of ballads and dance tunes with generally simple forms and harmonies accompanied by mostly string instruments such as banjos, electric and acoustic guitars, fiddles, and harmonicas.

The term country music gained popularity in the 1940s in preference to the earlier term hillbilly music; it came to encompass Western music, which evolved parallel to hillbilly music from similar roots, in the mid-20th century. The term country music is used today to describe many styles and subgenres. In 2009 country music was the most listened to rush hour radio genre during the evening commute, and second most popular in the morning commute in the United States.

There are many different subgenres of country music including: Bakersfield sound, Close harmony, Honky Tonk, Jug band, Lubbock sound, Nashville sound, Neotradtional country, Outlaw country, Red dirt, Western swing and Texas country. There are also fusion genres which are a mix of country music and other genres. These are: Alternative country, Country rock, Psychobilly, Rockabilly, Gothabilly, Cowpunk, Country-rap, Country pop, Country soul, Sertanejo and Southern soul.

The most popular variation of country music today is Country pop. It first emerged in the 1970s with artists like Olivia Newton-John. Although the term first referred to country music songs and artists that crossed over to Top 40 radio, country pop acts are now more likely to cross over to adult contemporary. Even Dolly Parton, who had already achieved considerable success as a mainstream country artist, decided to crossover to pop music to expand her audience in 1977. Crossing over into the pop music world with No. 1 country and No. 3 pop hit that year called "Here You Come Again".

As country music fans were becoming restless, country pop suffered a decline as country radio was dominated by neotraditional artists for the next several years. In the 1990s, country pop enjoyed a resurgence, starting with successful artists like Shania Twain. Many country artists experienced huge crossover success. These artists include Billy Ray Cyrus, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, The Dixie Chicks, Jo Dee Messina, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Lonestar, Sara Evans and LeAnn Rimes.

Into the 21st century, country pop is still popular and successful. With her exposure on TV's American Idol, Carrie Underwood became a crossover success in 2006 and 2007 though, with her hit single "Before He Cheats". Taylor Swift also had crossover success in the late 2000s with her eponymous debut album and its follow up, "Fearless" Which has sold 9 million copies worldwide and was the album became the year's best-seller, making Swift, 20 at the time, the youngest artist to have one. Furthermore, it became the only album to elapse a full year in the top ten of the Billboard 200. Fearless is the second biggest-selling album in the last five years (behind Adele's 21). At the 52nd Grammy Awards, Fearless won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year and Best Country Album. It is the most awarded album in the history of country music.

In the 2010s, Taylor Swift and Lady Antebellum have achieved success recently, including winning numerous Grammy Awards. Taylor Swift's 2010-release album Speak Now and 2012's Red had become top charters in multiple charts, including the Top Country Albums and Billboard 200; both of those album sold 1 million copies in their debut week sales, opening 1.0 million for Speak Now and 1.2 million for Red. Lady Antebellum scored another crossover hit in the summer of 2011 with the song "Just a Kiss", and also during this past year The Band Perry song "If I Die Young" crossed over to pop radio.

Notable country artists:

"King of Country"