The Best Country Singers Of All Time Ranked

Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated with blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, old-time, and American folk music forms including Appalachian, Cajun, Creole, and the cowboy Western music styles of New Mexico, Red Dirt, Tejano, and Texas country. Its popularized roots originate in the Southern and Southwestern United States of the early 1920s. Country music often consists of ballads and dance tunes (most commonly known as “Honky Tonk music”) with generally simple forms, folk lyrics, and harmonies often accompanied by string instruments such as electric and acoustic guitars, steel guitars (such as pedal steels and dobros), banjos, and fiddles as well as harmonicas. Blues modes have been used extensively throughout its recorded history. Here are all of The Best Country Singers Of All Time ranked.

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20. Luke Bryan

“I never liked country until I listened to Luke Bryan. Part of the reason I like him is because he sings about the realities of a country boy. As a hunter and fisherman that aspect is a huge deal. No doubt. Luke has been great for country music. He seems to have integrity and loves doing his music and remain a family man.”

19. Kenny Chesney

“He has many catchy and relatable songs that also have plenty of humor thrown into them. He sings from the heart, and has never changed. He is still that same old country boy he use to be.. In my opinion, he almost has what it takes to keep up with Cash, Hank, Willie, and Strait.”

18. Ray Price

“Ray price had respect for country music and most of all his fans. Not like some of the so called new country singers. Isure hope we keep real county alive it was in my life growing up and still is every day. Invented modern country music in 1956, and had the biggest voice of any singer in the genre.”

17. Brad Paisley

“The amazing scope of topics covered in his emotive songs, peppered with witticism and backed with his strong and sweet vocals absolutely brings him into the discussion of the GOAT! Let’s not romanticize the old greats for old time’s sake, Brad has DOMINATED country music for the past 20 years, and long may that continue!”

16. Alan Jackson

“Alan Jackson is one of the most respected country music singers there is today, but he could also very well be the most underrated one as well. Garth Brooks always got the limelight is one of the most respected country music singers there is today, but he could also very well be the most underrated one as well. Garth brooks always got the light despite being absent for 13 years and winning entertainer of the year 2016, simply by putting out one album.”

15. Conway Twitty

“Conway’s songs were all unique from each other, unlike the generic same ole sound of today’s so-called country singers without talent. Conway was a master in performance, having voice variety, classic personality and a gift in music communication. He was and is unbeatable!”

14. Patsy Cline

“Definitely the best of the best. She possessed a wide vocal range, power, technical skill, and emotion. She was the full package and she paved the road for not only female vocalists but for all artists as far as getting paid first and business etiquette. She was only 32 when she died and made it farther than any other female artist of her time.”

13. Blake Shelton

“Unlike any other country artist, this King has had number ones across all the different lanes of country music. He is the best country music vocalist in terms of vocal craft. His ability to play with vocal delivery techniques in a way complementary to the message of the songs he sings sets him apart from the rest. Blake’s songs are very diverse, not only in terms of theme but also style.”

12. Dolly Parton

“Her voice and song writing are legendary as is her longevity. Not to mention what a smart business woman she is. Today’s singers don’t have the unique style or voice that Dolly, Loretta, Tammy and others have. Today the singers all sound the same – men included.”

11. Carrie Underwood

“Carrie Underwood has such a powerhouse of a voice within her. Though people are always trying to sing just like her, no one can sing the way she does. She turns ordinary songs into incredible voice masterpieces. She is such a real person, too – her faith and her values shine through her music.”

10. Taylor Swift

“Taylor Alison Swift is simply amazing with wonderful songs including Shake it Off, Mean, End Game and also Gorgeous, and my personal favorite A Place in this World and Invisible. Taylor Swift is my role model with her great singing voice.”

9. Tim McGraw

“I must say, Tim McGraw is definitely one of my favorite country singers of all time!. He is a noble christian, a devoted husband and father, and even has a remarkable wife with the same soothing voice. He is also a wonderful actor as well as an artist. If you haven’t heard any of his songs, I highly suggest you do.”

8. Willie Nelson

“He might not be the most conventionally beautiful nor does it have the most polished but his voice is the greatest in music. It is raw and it is natural. George jOnes said that he tried to bring forth memories that made him feel the way his narrator felt, Willie doesn’t have this technique but he has the same finished product, a voice that portrays all the emotion his song has to convey.”

7. Waylon Jennings

“Waylon was a giant among men. He changed country music (for the good) forever. He didn’t fight the system for anything other than the right to play his music his way. He payed a very high price for standing up to the powers that be in Nashville. Waylon Jennings was a modern day David against Nashville playing the part of Goliath. I am certain no one else on this list sang with the passion Waylon did. His music had him and that’s a quote from the man himself.”

6. George Jones

“George Jones was the best pure singer. Every note and word felt authentic and he had a beautiful voice. His singing was as smooth as silk and his phrasing is innovative and captivating. I bet if you asked most of the singers on this list who was the best singer, they’d pick George Jones. Many of them did.”

5. Garth Brooks

“Here’s the thing about Garth Brooks. He isn’t just a one note performer like some supposed “King of Country”. He has more than just the stereotypical country songs and he is more than just a stereotypical country singer. He infuses his songs with a sense of realism and truth. His performance adds another layer of authenticity that is rarely seen in country from the nineties on.”

4. Hank Williams

“Ole Hank poured his heart into every single song he did, with the solemn urgency of a country preacher. He delivered every line as if your soul depended it. He could write, play, and sing his own music, and he did a mighty fine job of it. He is regarded as the “Hillbilly Shakespeare” by many today. Hank could write a rollicking song such as “Move it on Over” filled with wit and humor, and just as easily write country standards of heartbreak and sorrow such as “I’m so Lonesome I Could Cry”. His songwriting aptitude was only matched by his electrifying stage performances that made him a Rockstar before existed. “

3. Merle Haggard

“The Hag is the poet laureate of country music. His writing is superb and transports you to his world of song with each verse and chorus. An example is Silver Wings, here Hag wrote a song that has no verse. It is Chorus, Bridge, Solo, Chorus, end. Nobody can pull that off but The Hag. No writer in Nashville would dare even try that. Country music is where it is today because of the gift The Hag brings to the world.”

2. George Strait

“George Strait songs are the best, most accurate country songs in existence to my knowledge. Songs like “Today My World Slipped Away” show what real true country is and George has the most of those by far. Although, I would say that the best real country song is “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” In addition to contributing to and arguably saving country music for a few more decades, he also fed to the later great country artists that have admitted that George Strait’s voice is their inspiration such as Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson.”

1. Johnny Cash

“The most imposing and influential artist in the history of country music. He created his own genre, consisting of the blunt emotional honesty of folk, the rebelliousness of rock & roll, and the world-weariness of country. When it comes to country music, Johnny Cash stands alone at the very top and will remain there as long as this old world keeps on turning”