Country music

Country (also called country and western) is a music genre originating in the Southern and Southwestern United States. First produced in the 1920s, country music primarily focuses on working class Americans and blue-collar U.S. American life.[2]

Quick facts: Country, Other names, Stylistic origins, Cult... ▼

Country
Other names	Country and western
Stylistic origins	American folk and western Appalachian Cajun Creole Hawaiian New Mexico red dirt Tejano Blues Southern gospel old-time
Cultural origins	1920s, Southern United States
Derivative forms	Bluegrass cowboy pop dansband rock and roll swamp pop Tulsa sound zydeco
Subgenres
Alternative Christian gothic honky-tonk neotraditional outlaw progressive truck-driving Western swing (complete list)
Fusion genres
country folk country rap country rock country pop bro-country cowpunk Gulf and western rockabilly gothabilly psychobilly Southern soul swamp rock[1]
Regional scenes
Australia Canada Ireland
Local scenes
Bakersfield Nashville
Other topics
contemporary folk music country music by year country musicians country–western dance radio formats classic country regional Mexican singing cowboy yodeling
2023 in country music

Country music is known for its ballads and dance tunes (also known as "honky-tonk music") with simple form, folk lyrics, and harmonies generally accompanied by instruments such as banjos, fiddles, harmonicas, and many types of guitar (including acoustic, electric, steel, and resonator guitars).[3][4][5] Though it is primarily rooted in various forms of American folk music, such as old-time music and Appalachian music,[6][7] many other traditions, including, Mexican, Irish, and Hawaiian music, have also had a formative influence on the genre.[8] Blues modes have been used extensively throughout its history as well.[9]

The term country music gained popularity in the 1940s in preference to hillbilly music; it came to encompass western music, which evolved parallel to hillbilly music from similar roots, in the mid-20th century. Contemporary styles of western music include Texas country, red dirt, and Hispano- and Mexican American-led Tejano and New Mexico music,[10][11] all extant alongside longstanding indigenous traditions.

In 2009, in the United States, country music was the most listened to rush hour radio genre during the evening commute, and second most popular in the morning commute.[12]