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Country music has always had women at the center of it, even when the industry didn’t always make it easy for them. From legendary songwriters to modern chart-toppers, female country artists have helped shape what the genre sounds like today.
One of the biggest names is obviously Dolly Parton. With a career spanning more than six decades, Dolly has become one of the most recognizable figures in country music. Her songwriting helped create classics like “Jolene” and “9 to 5,” with “9 to 5” becoming her only solo No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also topped the country and adult contemporary charts.
Then came artists like Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Faith Hill, Martina McBride, and The Chicks, who proved that women could dominate country radio while also crossing over into pop.
Carrie Underwood brought another generation of fans into country music after winning American Idol in 2005. Her first country single, “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” became her first No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart, and she eventually earned 14 No. 1s on that chart.
Today, country music is getting another wave of female stars. Ella Langley has become one of the biggest new names in the genre. Her song “Choosin’ Texas” became a massive hit, reaching No. 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs charts and making Langley the first female artist to simultaneously top the Hot 100, Hot Country Songs, and Country Airplay charts.
Artists like Lainey Wilson, Megan Moroney, Kelsea Ballerini, and Ella Langley are showing just how much variety there is in country music right now. Some lean traditional, some bring in pop influences, and others are creating something completely their own.
The best part is that country music’s female stars aren’t replacing the legends. They’re building on what artists like Dolly, Reba, Carrie, and Shania created. And if Ella Langley’s recent success is any indication, the next generation of women in country music is going to be pretty exciting.
