Six Up-And-Coming Country Artists You Don’t Want to Miss

Willa Jutzi, Staff Reporter

Country music is one of those genres you probably feel passionate about — regardless of whether you love it or hate it. If you belong to the first group, here are six newcomers to the country music world who are on the road to making big names for themselves.

1. Drew Baldridge

For fans of: Easton Corbin, Granger Smith, Eli Young Band

Get to know the artist: Singer/songwriter Drew Baldridge is a new voice to the country world, most recognizable for his unique style which embraces elements of both pop and R&B. Currently he has two EP albums available for listening, which include catchy songs such as “Curious Girl” and “Burnt Toast”. You can also check out his current upbeat single “Dance With Ya” on country radio today.

Listen to: “Dance With Ya”

2. Maren Morris

For fans of: Kacey Musgraves, Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban

Get to know the artist: Twenty-five year old Maren Morris finally caught mass attention for her soulful single “My Church”, which broke the top 5 on country music charts in 2016. You can listen to more from this native born Texan in her EP album “Sing”, which includes gritty songs such as “80s Mercedes” and “Company You Keep”.

Listen to: “My Church”

3. Kristian Bush

For fans of: Sugarland, Frankie Ballard, Eric Paslay

Get to know the artist: Fans of the country duo Sugarland may be familiar with Kristian Bush, the formerly silent guitar player and backup vocalist who was previously hidden in Jennifer Nettles’ shadow. Branching out in his own solo career and surprising the world with his singing voice, Kristian Bush’s hit single “Trailer Hitch” can be heard on country radio today.

Listen to: “Trailer Hitch”

4. Kelsea Ballerini

For fans of: Taylor Swift, Maddie & Tae, Lady Antebellum

Get to know the artist: Twenty-two year old Tennessee native Kelsea Ballerini is recognizable for her pop-inspired country songs, which include titles such as “Love Me Like You Mean It”, “Dibs”, and “Peter Pan”. This blonde powerhouse was nominated for both Female Vocalist of the Year and New Artist of the Year at the CMA’s in 2015, and was just announced as the winner of the New Female Vocalist of the Year at the ACM’s this weekend.

Listen to: “Peter Pan”

5. Chase Bryant

For fans of: Hunter Hayes, Keith Urban, Thomas Rhett

Get to know the artist: Growing up in a country music rich household, Chase Bryant cites many classic country artists — including Waylon Jennings, Roy Orbison, Merle Haggard, and Vince Gill — as his first influences. Inspired by Australian country superstar Keith Urban, Chase Bryant knew he wanted to play and compose mainstream country. Check out his unique blend of pop influences and classic roots in his EP album, which includes songs such as “Jet Black Pontiac”, “Little Bit Of You”, and his hit single “Take It On Back”.

Listen to: “Take It On Back”

6. Cam

For fans of: The Band Perry, Little Big Town, Chris Young

Get to know the artist: Breakthrough country singer Cam has been composing for popular artists, such as Miley Cyrus, for years without much public recognition. She is best known in the country music world for her eerily beautiful single “Burning House” from her album “Untamed”, which hit the top five on Billboard country songs, and earned this thirty-one year old a Grammy nomination in 2016.

Listen to: “Burning House”

 

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What do you think? Who are some of your new favorite country artists? Let us know below in the comments!