Out of every music genre in the world, is there another genre that’s produced more legends than country music? The first commercial country music song dates back to the early 1920s. The sound of this particular genre has certainly been around for a while. Back then, record companies were ready to jump on board with country music and its honky-tonk sound. Most people who enjoy country music love it for the guitars, harmonicas, banjos, and fiddles.
Some of the most beloved country music artists in history have been Dolly Parton, Shania Twain, Patsy Cline, and Reba McEntire. They’ve got careers that are highly respected and revered. When Carrie Underwood won the fourth season of “American Idol” in 2005, she helped non-country music listeners gain a greater appreciation for the genre as a whole. Before turning the tables in the music industry by going to pop route, Taylor Swift started as a country music icon strumming away on her guitar as well. Her earlier songs like “Picture to Burn” and “Stay Beautiful” still exist as country music gems.
While it’s easy to love country music stars like the ones we just mentioned, several country music singers don’t have the best reputations in the world. It’s often assumed that country music lovers are kind-hearted people with traditional values. Still, not every single Country music star is easy to root for. On the topic of country music, click here to meet 10 of the biggest musicians from Oklahoma since most of them happen to be country stars.
To gather this list of the most hated people in country music, 24/7 Tempo consulted several entertainment sources. These include LA Weekly, Cody Wolfe Music, Pulse Music Board, and Rolling Stone.
Maren Morris
- Hometown: Arlington, Texas
One of the reasons Maren Morris is considered a hated individual in the country music industry is that fans feel like her music is too overly produced. People believe her songs don’t necessarily fit into the category of “real” country music. Plenty of people are convinced that she’s doing her best to follow the same exact path Taylor Swift took to land where she currently is today.
Some of Morris’s noteworthy songs include “The Middle,” “Chasing After You,” and “The Bones.” If Morris’s music started blending into the country genre more than the pop genre down the line, it’s possible opinions about her would start to change.
Kenny Chesney
- Hometown: Knoxville, Tennessee
Kenny Chesney is a well-known country music singer with a long list of songs to jam out to. By now, most fans who are interested in country music have heard “When the Sun Goes Down,” “Somewhere With You,” or “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy.” The reason Chesney rubs people the wrong way is that he’s been known to be a bit rude to his fans.
When fans try to ask him for pictures or autographs, he loses his patience and gets quite snippy. Celebrities who want to maintain a good reputation with their fan bases understand that patience is key regarding the people who pay for their concert tickets.
Willie Nelson
- Hometown: Abbott, Texas
Willie Nelson has been around in the country music realm as a songwriter, guitarist, and singer since the 1960s. Songs like “Funny How Time Slips Away,” “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain,” and “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before” have cemented him in stone as a country music icon.
That doesn’t mean some of the decisions he’s made in his personal life haven’t impact and the way the world views him. His struggles with the law have done quite a bit of damage to his reputation. He was caught with illegal substances in the 70s and it happened again in 2010.
Rascal Flatts
- Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
Rascal Flatts is a country rock band that originated in Columbus, Ohio. Back in 1999, they came together with one massive goal in mind – to release epic country music. Their first self-named album dropped in 2000 for everyone to tune into. At the time, they garnered tons of positive attention.
Things have changed since then, though. Some people are convinced, they’ve only made it as far as they have because of the timeframe when they got started. Country music fans have shared thoughts on Reddit and Twitter stating that if the Rascal Flatts tried to launch a fresh music career today, they’d fall flat on their faces.
Luke Bryan
- Hometown: Leesburg, Georgia
Country music fans aren’t as obsessed with Luke Bryan as he might hope. That’s because he makes mistakes on stage that fans struggle to forget about or forgive. One of those mistakes was when he attempted to cover a Macklemore song during a concert. For those who’ve never heard of Macklemore, he’s a rapper who releases music that fits into the hip-hop genre.
When Bryan went out of his way to tap into the realm of rap music, his country music fans were left feeling disappointed and confused. People still complain about Bryan’s desire to dabble with rap music in the first place.
Dan + Shay
- Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Dan + Shay is a country music duo consisting of two musicians named Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney. Smyers is from Wexford, Pennsylvania and Mooney is from Natural Dam, Arkansas. They came together for the purpose of creating new music in Nashville, Tennessee.
Their professional connection to Scooter Braun (who happens to be a manager) is one of the huge reasons country music fans aren’t loving them as a duo. As a reminder, Braun was involved in some messy drama with Taylor Swift back in 2019 regarding her masters. Braun’s reputation has never recovered. In turn, Dan + Shay’s connection to Braun has been just as negative for them.
Natalie Maines
- Hometown: Lubbock, Texas
The Chicks, once known as The Dixie Chicks, consists of five women with musical talent. Natalie Manes is one of those women, and she joined the band in 1995. In 2003, she made an inappropriate comment about former President George W. Bush. She said she was ashamed to be from the same state as him.
Her controversial words have haunted her ever since. Country music is often enjoyed by conservative people who tend to vote for Republican leaders. Even though Bush is no longer president, members of the Republican Party have never been able to forgive her.
Alan Jackson
- Hometown: Newnan, Georgia
There are tons of songs that country music lovers know and adore from Alan Jackson. Some of his most popular tracks include “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” “Small Town Southern Man,” and “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow.” Still, Jackson has had his fair share of negative hits to his reputation.
In 2016, he offended people by walking off stage during Beyoncé’s performance of a song at the Country Music Awards. His unwillingness to give Beyoncé’s music stylings a chance wasn’t a good look for him. It made him look close-minded and non-inclusive.
Faith Hill
- Hometown: Ridgeland, Mississippi
It might be hard to assume someone like Faith Hill would have a bad reputation in the country music world, but that happens to be the case to some degree. Over the years, Hill has taken home the Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance, the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Female Artist, and the Academy of Country Music Award for New Female Artist.
Her impressive accolades haven’t prevented people from forming negative opinions, though. When Carrie Underwood won a trophy instead of Hill at the 2006 Country Music Awards, Hill was seen screaming, “What?!” while throwing her hands up. The scene made her look like a sour loser who was incapable of celebrating other people’s successes.
Jason Aldean
- Hometown: Macon, Georgia
Jason Aldean has been releasing music since the early 2000s. His debut single “Hicktown” hit radios in 2005, putting him on the map in the country music world. These days though, he’s recognized for being sort of a hothead. He faced a jaw-dropping cheating scandal when he was caught having an affair behind his wife’s back. He also dealt with allegations of racism in 2023 after releasing a racially charged song called “Try It in a Small Town.”