There are a few reasons why country music is more popular than ever. First, the lyrics tend to be about real life and everyday problems. This is relatable to a lot of people, who can see themselves in the songs. Second, the beat is usually pretty catchy, making it easy to sing along to.

Mr Wallen is both an embodiment of country's broader appeal and a driver of it. Country-music streams in America rose by more than 20% in the first half of 2023 compared with the previous year; Mr Wallen propelled 40% of that growth, according to Luminate, an analytics firm.

Though country music has historically lagged behind rap and pop on streaming services, the genre has caught on in a big way - even on Gen Z-favored platforms like TikTok - and is looking to have another big year with the popularity of cross-over collaborations.

For those looking for the best states to kick up their boots in, the top five states for country music lovers are:

• Tennessee.
• Nevada.
• Montana.
• Nebraska.
• Missouri.

The vast majority of country songs take the form of ballads that tell a story. Most often these are tales of love, heartache, hard work, or personal pride.

The U.S. is known for its "country music" culture. Do other countries around the world have a similar "country" music genre? Why is country music so popular in America (Canada, and Australia) but not in the rest of the world?

With all these trends and rise in popularity, the country market is expanding and has its eyes set on a future beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, with big names planning to tour across Europe and beyond, and festivals like the British Country Music Festival and many others like it outside the US looking forward to a return ...

The most popular genre in the U.S. is rock and indie music, with 45 percent of respondents who listen to the radio or digital music content saying that they listen to it. Country music and pop music also score highly, listened to by 42 percent and 40 percent of respondents, respectively.

Iain Snodgrass, former vice president of international marketing for Universal Music Group and founding partner of marketing company 1634 Music International, said the genre is most popular in the U.K., Canada and Australia - the markets that have country music festivals and feature the format on television and radio.

After comparing all 50 states, it's clear that the best state for live country music was no surprise with Tennessee - the country music capital of the world. Vivid Seats' data also revealed the top five venues for country music fans, with NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas coming in at number one.

Hit country songs touch on popular themes like love, family, values, drinking, and having a good time. Of course, you can deviate from these themes, and there's a lot of variety within each, but take some time to get to know the themes that resonate best with audiences and become hits.

Nashville, TN 2022's Best Cities for Country Music Fans