Country music became a commercial product almost 100 years ago. It happened after the so-called Bristol Sessions of 1927 with the Carter family and Jimmy Rogers. That is to say, the genre is older than soul and even rock and roll.
However, country singers have long remained something of a limitation. In the sense that they were only listened to by pub-goers for those “over 40” and their occasional younger visitors. So the albums didn’t sell even among fans. They were exclusively songwriting artists.
The album era of the genre didn’t come into vogue until the late sixties and then began to flourish in the seventies. Now country music successfully competes with hip-hop and pop music.
Country singers already have their own legends, many of whom even have stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Dolly Parton, for example. And some are consistently among the top 5 most popular musicians every year. Taylor Swift, for example, has not only become a teen idol, but also one of the best-selling singers in history.
The question “what is country music” has been and will continue to be asked endlessly, and there are many definitions. As a rule, it is always songs about the personal. If you compare it with Russian music, it is close to chanson, but without the prison lyrics and jargon.
The authors of the rating note that there is no alt-country and country-rock. There are albums that can be called classics of the genre.
The best country albums – the top 20:
Dolly Parton – Coat Of Many Colors (1971)
Waylon Jennings – Dreaming My Dreams (1975)
Willie Nelson – Red Headed Stranger (1975)
Ray Charles – Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music (1962)
The Chicks – Fly (1999)
Lucinda Williams – Car Wheels On A Gravel Road (1998)
Merle Haggard – Serving 190 Proof (1979)
Shania Twain – Come On Over (1997)
Randy Travis – Storms Of Life (1986)
Taylor Swift – Fearless (2008)
Johnny Cash – At Folsom Prison (1968)
The Judds – Why Not Me (1984)
Miranda Lambert – The Weight Of These Wings (2016)
George Jones – I Am What I Am (1980)
Patsy Cline – Showcase (1961)
Tom T. Hall – In Search Of A Song (1971)
Loretta Lynn – Coal Miner’s Daughter (1970)
Gary Stewart – Out Of Hand (1975)
George Strait – Strait From The Heart (1982)
Rosanne Cash – Seven Year Ache (1981)