To start things off with, let’s acknowledge that music is subjective. Everybody has their own taste when it comes to music. Therefore, making a list about music will never have everybody in agreement.
Billboard decided to rank the top 100 country singers of all time. They say that their staff consider nearly 200 artists from the past 100 years, “who have delivered, and in some cases written, the songs … and who have widened the scope of what it means to be a country artist, without every sacrificing the genre’s heart.”
Their list has angered many fans for multiple reasons. Some fans are upset that Taylor Swift (#41) is ranked higher than Toby Keith (#65). Other fans are shocked that Jason Aldean is not even on the list.
Here are the Top 10 from the Billboard 100 Greatest Country Artists of All-Time list…
- Dolly Parton
- Johnny Cash
- Willie Nelson
- Loretta Lynn
- Hank Williams Sr.
- George Jones
- Garth Brooks
- Charley Pride
- George Strait
- Merle Haggard
I will say that for me, artists that left country music (i.e. The Dixie Chicks, Maren Morris, Taylor Swift) and crossover artists who were not country artists over-all (i.e. Elvis Presley) making the list over artists that have been country artists their entire career (i.e. Jason Aldean) puzzles me.
Again, music is subjective. Therefore, check out the Billboard 100 Greatest Country Artists of All Time: The Full Staff List and decide for yourself if you agree or disagree.
By: Buck Stevens
