Country music has always been special in people’s hearts. Over the decades, countless bands have mesmerized us with the beauty of country music and its cultural tales, so here we have the 17 best country music groups of all time.
Brooks & Dunn
After struggling to establish their footing as solo performers, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn forged one of the most talented and financially successful duos in country music history. Make your way through their discography, including hits like Brand New Man, New Moon, and the line-dancing classic Boot Scootin’ Boogie.
Alabama
Founded in its home state in 1969 by Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry, and Jeff Cook, it is the epitome of a famous country group. It is widely regarded as the genre’s most successful band, having scored 27 #1 hits and sold upwards of 75 million albums over a multi-decade career, including Mountain Music and If You’re Gonna Play in Texas.
The Carter Family
They have had a significant impact on country music since 1927. From Mother, Maybelle Carter’s pioneering guitar playing to June Carter’s dulcet vocals, the band was one of the genre’s early stars, with successes including Keep on the Sunny Side and Wabash Cannonball.
The Chicks
Natalie Maines, Martie Maguire, and Emily Strayer, a trio from Texas, rose to prominence in 1997 with their massively popular debut album, Wide Open Spaces. After years of popularity and praise, the trio almost disappeared in 2003, when Maines made controversial remarks criticizing then-President George W. Bush and the Iraq War. In 2020, The Chicks returned under a new identity and a hard-driving new record called Gaslighter.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
It is a mix of rock and country, formed in Long Beach, California, in the mid-1960s. From then on, the band had great success performing songs like Mr. Bojangles and they recorded the legendary Fishin’ in the Dark, which was a #1 hit for the band on the country charts in 1987.
The Highwaymen
The original country supergroup was made up of Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, and Waylon Jennings. They changed the world of country music in innumerable ways with just three recordings. From Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys to the album’s manifesto title track, the songs written and performed by these classic country superstars are not to be missed.
Rascal Flatts
It’s practically hard to discuss legendary country music groups without including Rascal Flatts. Whatever your opinion of their music, this band is one of the most popular in country music history, selling tens of millions of CDs and gaining the hearts of countless more fans. Rascal Flatts announced their disbandment in 2020, but not before embarking on a farewell tour.
The Charlie Daniels Band
Even if you are not a country music fan, you have probably heard their most famous song, The Devil Went Down to Georgia. It’s a genuinely catchy melody in the classic tradition of country narrative songs and one of the band’s best recordings. For a more complete picture of their sound, listen to Long Haired Country Boy and Mississippi.
Oak Ridge Boys
They combine country and gospel and claim some of the best voices in country music. Bass Richard Sterban, well known for his classic riff on Elvira, has a rich, deep tone that complements the vocals of singer Duane Allen, tenor Joe Bonsall, and baritone William Golden.
Lonestar
Lonestar introduced country music to one of its most famous love songs, Amazed, in the 1990s, a big crossover success that has spent decades at weddings and anniversary celebrations worldwide. However, dig further into the band’s discography for successes like I’m Already There and No News.
Pistol Annies
They are a contemporary supergroup made up of three country music powerhouses, Angaleena Presley, Ashley Monroe, and Miranda Lambert. They don’t hold back on songs like Hell on Heels or Trailer For Rent. The band’s most recent album was published in 2018, and fans remain hopeful that these three country queens will reunite and record again eventually.
The Highwomen
Amanda Shires, Natalie Hemby, Maren Morris, and Brandi Carlile founded The Highwomen in 2016 after being inspired by the iconic outlaw ensemble The Highwaymen. The band’s first album, which included songs like Crowded Table and Redesigning Women, premiered in 2019 and received high praise from critics.
The Everly Brothers
They blended rock and roll with lots of country influence and began their career in Kentucky before moving to Tennessee to make it into the music industry. After meeting the legendary Chet Atkins, the duo recorded success after hits in the ‘50s and ‘60s, including Bye Bye Love and Wake Up Little Susie.
Nickel Creek
This bluegrass band formed in 1989 but went unnoticed until their 2000 breakthrough record produced by Allison Krauss. The band, which included Chris Thile, Sara Watkins, and Sean Watkins, rose to prominence in the country folk genre with successes such as the Grammy-nominated Ode to a Butterfly.
The Old 97s
This alt-country four-piece from Dallas, Texas, helped establish the alt-country style in the 1990s with albums like Wreck Your Life and the great song Murder (Or a Heart Attack). The band has continued to release songs over the years, including 2020’s Twelfth.
Uncle Tupelo
Uncle Tupelo’s tale, which features Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy and Jay Farrar, as well as Son Volt’s Mike Heidorn, is very tangled. However, the band’s impact on the alt-country scene cannot be overstated. The band’s 1990 breakthrough single No Depression, which spawned the alt-country periodicals of the same name, is an excellent introduction to Uncle Tupelo’s unique sound.
Drive-By Truckers
The band’s lineup has changed several times, but vocalist Mike Cooley and guitar/vocals virtuoso Patterson Hood have been with it since its inception in Georgia in 1996. Drive-by Truckers gained popularity with the arrival of Jason Isbell, who is now an American sensation. Cooley and Hood continue to make music, including the critically praised 2016 album American Band, which defies Southern cliches.
