The new country guard is knocking and other 2024 takeaways

Walking the Floor by Chris O'Kelley If you spent any time this year listening to country music, you probably think all you heard on the radio was Morgan Wallen, Jelly Roll and Post Malone, right? Well, that is kind of true, but 2024 was a lot different than you think. We are seeing a changing of the guard in terms of big stars in country music.   Yes, Morgan Wallen had five number one songs and is finally the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year. Jelly Roll was everywhere, sang on everyone’s song and had three number ones of his own. The real headlines, however, were generated by names and songs that might not feel as familiar.  Unexpected country music facts – 2024 edition  The most played song on country radio: “World On Fire” by Nate Smith  Longest run at number one: “A Bar Song” by Shaboozey  The only female to have a number one: Ella Langley  The first number one country album by an African American woman: Beyonce’s “Cowboy Carter.”  The first complete AI Song: Randy Travis’s “Where That Came From”  The first self-released number one song: “She’s Somebody’s Daughter” by Drew Baldridge   Headlines of 2024 included  John Michael Montgomery, Rascal Flats, and Alan Jackson all announced farewell tours.  Country music lost Toby Keith, Kris Kristofferson, Joe Bonsal of the Oak Ridge Boys, Jo-El Sonnier, and Margo Smith.  Morgan Wallen was arrested for reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct after tossing a chair off Eric Church’s rooftop bar in Nashville.  Scotty McCreery, T. Graham Brown, and Lainey Wilson all became members of the Grand Ol’ Opry.  George Strait broke the attendance record for a ticketed concert, packing 110,905 fans into Kyle Field at Texas A&M.  Toby Keith, James Burton, and John Anderson were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.  Morgan Wallen spent 31 weeks at number one on Billboard’s Hot Country charts.  So, while 2024 proved a watershed year for country music, we also saw the tides turn and a lot of new artists enjoying success. Artists such as Nate Smith, Tucker Wetmore, Chase Matthew, Drew Baldridge, and George Birge all had number one songs. None of them had ever charted before. Those are stats that can affect more established and legacy acts. There was already a 2024 dip for artists such as Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, and Darius Rucker.  I think we’ll see more of the same in 2025. We certainly will see Wallen’s star continue to shine. Ella Langley’s song “Broken In” breaking out on Tik Tok should lead to more artists taking a similar approach. We will continue to blur the lines of what is and is not country as more artists such as Shaboozey and Post Malone look toward Nashville. Machine Gun Kelly, for instance, is currently working on his debut country project.   To me, that’s part of what makes country music great. It welcomes fresh faces and different styles of music to the format. That said, the biggest change I see coming in 2025 is a return to more traditional sounds. Count Zach Top, Randall King, and Jake Worthington as artists to watch in the coming months as well as continued trad-country success for artists such as Cody Johnson and Ernest.  I’m marking 2024 as a great year for country music, and 2025 looks even more promising. I can’t wait to see what the new year holds.