15 Country Artists Who Broke Out Beyond Nashville

In 2002, CMT launched "Crossroads", a concert series featuring two artists with different music styles. The show produced unbelievable combinations like Travis Tritt with Ray Charles or one of my favorite performances, Emmylou Harris with Mumford & Sons. Pairings like these introduced people to many country artists who cross genres. Here are 15 country artists, in alphabetical order, who broke out beyond Nashville and songs that made them crossover country stars. (Also read "15 Musicians Who Successfully Switched Genres Mid-Career".)

Brooks started his music career in the 1980s focusing more on rock. Eventually, he transitioned to country and landed a recording contract. In 1999, he created a new persona for a switch from country to rock and released a rock album under the pseudonym Chris Gaines. The song "Lost in You" reached 5. on U.S. Billboard 200 and 62. on the U.S. country charts.

The Chicks' fourth album "Wide Open Spaces" introduced mainstream music listeners to their gorgeous harmonies. While the album hit 1. on country charts, it reached 4. on Hot 200. Their next album, "Fly," debuted at 1. charts in 1999 and introduced the song standing up to abusive relationships, "Goodbye Earl." "Not Ready to Make Nice," a song written about Natalie Maines' treatment after she shared her political opinions, remains popular.

Clarkson's debut album after her "American Idol" win mixed contemporary R&B, gospel, and pop. She didn't start in country, but Reba McEntire became her mother-in-law when Clarkson married. This led to Clarkson appearing on a CMT "Crossroads" concert with McEntire. As a result, Clarkson ended up with a 2. song on Billboard Hot Country Songs and a Grammy nomination for "Best Country Collaboration with Vocals."

Denver's first two folk albums received little notice, but his third album, "Poems, Prayers & Promises" reached 6. on country charts thanks to the popular single "Take Me Home, Country Roads." His fifth album, "Rocky Mountain High," started his shift towards mainstream music, and "Back Home Again" and "Windsong" solidified his country crossover with two albums that reached 1. on both country and Billboard 200 charts.

Many of Hill's singles and duets with her husband, Tim McGraw, have charted on both mainstream and country charts. Her albums "Breathe," "Cry," and "Fireflies" all reached 1. on both charts. The single "Breathe" reached 1. on country charts and 2. on Billboard Hot 200. "There You'll Be" from the "Pearl Harbor" soundtrack made it to 1. on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart.

The band Lady A have crossed from country to pop with several songs. Their debut album reached 1. on country charts and 4. on Billboard 200. The follow-up, "Need You Now," and third and fourth albums all reached 1. on both charts.

Several of her emotional songs have crossed from country to pop charts. McBride has more than 20 songs that charted on Billboard Country, Hot 200, and Adult Contemporary charts, including "I Love You," which was a 1. country hit and reached 25. in the Hot 200 and 21. in Adult Contemporary.

Morris made headlines when she announced she was exiting country music's toxic behaviors, including inequality and negativity. By that point, she'd already proven she could crossover to other genres when her duet with her then-husband, "Chasing After You," reached 2. on Billboard Country Airplay, 3. on Hot Country Songs, and 23. on Billboard's Hot 100. Her 2024 album "Intermission" introduced her new foray into pop.

Nelson is one of the oldest country crossover artists on this list. As a 10-year-old, he formed his first band. He worked as a DJ and wrote one of his first country hits, "Crazy," made famous by Patsy Cline. "Always on My Mind" would become one of his first big mainstream singles, reaching 5. on Billboard 200 and 2. on adult contemporary charts. It wouldn't be the only smash crossover hit. "To All the Girls I've Loved Before" would become an RIAA Platinum song for Nelson and Julio Iglesias.

When it comes to country to pop transitions, Newton-John thrived as she shifted from country hits like "Let Me Be There," for which she won the Grammy for "Best Female Country Vocalist." "If You Love Me (Let Me Know)" reached 2. on the country charts. Newton-John would go on to see incredible success playing Sandy on "Grease" and teaming up with ELO for her song "Xanadu." By the end of her career, she'd released 70 singles and sold around 100 million records.

While most of Parton's career has been in country, she's had several country to pop hits. One of the first was "Here You Come Again," which reached 3. on Billboard Hot 100 chart and 2. on Adult Contemporary charts. She hit 1. on country, adult contemporary, and Hot 100 charts with the Kenny Rogers duet "Islands in the Stream." More recently, she made it to 4. on U.S. Digital Sales with "World on Fire" and 42. with "Gonna Be You," a collaboration with Debbie Harry (Blondie), Belinda Carlisle (The Go-Go's), Cyndi Lauper, and Gloria Estefan.

Rogers is one of the first big country to pop crossovers, but he'd dabbled in several music genres before country. He performed jazz with The Bobby Doyle Trio. The New Christy Minstrels was folk, and the First Edition was pop. After the First Edition broke up, he moved to country music and had several hits. "Lucille" landed him at 5. on Billboard Hot 100. Rogers continued to find success in both pop and country with hits like "She Believes in Me," "We've Got Tonight" with Sheena Easton," and the 1. smash "Islands in the Stream" with Dolly Parton.

There's a lot to be said about Swift's crossover from country to rock, pop, and even folk/alternative with the release of "Folklore" in 2020. Swift became a billionaire in 2023, and she holds several Guinness World Records, including the "Highest-Grossing Music Tour," after surpassing $1 billion. Her hit "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" was her first song to reach 1. on both country and Billboard Hot 100 charts.

Billboard recognizes Twain as one of country's biggest crossover artists. When her then-husband Mutt Lange produced "The Woman in Me," his expertise in rock helped her reach 5. on the Billboard 200. "Come On Over" and "Up!" would do even better in mainstream music. "You're Still the One" was her highest charting single reaching 2. on Billboard Hot 100.

Underwood is the second "American Idol" winner on this list. Her debut album hit 1. on the country charts and 2. on Billboard 200. Her next three albums would reach 1. on both charts. While country is her genre, she continues to crossover to pop with each album and collaborations with artists ranging from Aerosmith to John Legend.

Those are just a few country artists who broke out beyond Nashville. There are dozens of artists over the decades who bounce from country to rock, country to pop, and even rock and pop to country. Collaborations like these often create hits that appear on several Billboard charts. Find out more about them in "17 Unexpected Musical Collaborations That Really Worked".