As the mainstream recording industry struggles with an uncertain future, with fragmented audiences relying on social media and streaming services, country music continues to buck the trend with strong growth in record and concert sales. In fact, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry’s “2025 Global Music Report” revealed that country artists Zach Bryan and Morgan Wallen were among the most profitable performers, across genres. Meanwhile, USA Today reported that Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter tour broke records in 2025 earning $400 million. What makes country music so resilient through changes in consumer tastes culture over the last century?
How Technology And Profit Sharing Boosted Country Music
Bristol, Tennessee was recognized by the United States Congress in 1998 as the birthplace of modern country music due to the early commercial recording conducted there. In 1927, Victor Talking Machine Company producer Ralph Peer, who was using new electronic recording technology throughout the South, organized what became known as the Bristol Sessions featuring the commercial debuts of the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers, among others.
Peer created a foundation for future record labels by offering an advance and royalties from sales, while leveraging new technology like the electric microphone. Previously, artists were typically given a flat fee to record with all sales revenue going to record companies. This ensured artists were invested in their own sales, and success.
Both of these unique factors helped take country music from the mountains of Appalachia to the rest of the country. Leaders today should stay informed and learn to utilize new technologies, like artificial intelligence, to help position their organizations to remain at the forefront of their industry, regardless of sector. Even traditional fields benefit from the use of new tools. As organizations embrace these technologies, sharing increased revenue streams can encourage loyalty, employee engagement, help employees feel invested in the success of the organization, and calm anxieties around new innovations.
Maintaining Roots As New Branches Grow
For decades country music was seen as southern or rural music with limited appeal outside of these areas. Rock and roll influenced country music, plus helped Memphis and Nashville become centers for the recording industry. Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, and Johnny Cash all emerged from Memphis’ Sun Records in the 1950s while the Nashville sound brought Jim Reeves and Patsy Cline to the mainstream in the 1960s.
Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, and later, Dwight Yoakam represented the Bakersfield Sound which was partially influenced by artists that had moved west due to the dustbowl and had a rawer sound than its Nashville counterparts, popularizing honky-tonk. Latin flavored country music originating from the Southwest emerged with artists like Freddy Fender blending American Country and Tejano music.
Country music’s malleability invites intersections with other genres. This includes Country Rap and Pop Country, which embraces more recent musical trends with a country sound. These intersections along with the evolution of older subgenres like Outlaw country, popularized by Haggard, into “Bro Country” has helped it remain popular without abandoning its roots.
The country music industry has maintained a fairly traditional approach in the way its music is accepted and distributed. Country music still relies heavily on radio to determine trends in listening and promote artists. This is supported by country music being the most popular terrestrial radio format and country music crossing over into other radio formats including Top 40 and Classic Rock.
Organizations thrive when they grow while maintaining connections with their foundations and roots. As leaders, look ahead to new opportunities and markets. Leaders must ensure they do not leave behind what, or who, originally made them successful. As tastes shift, the clients, employees, and networks that helped you be successful in the beginning should not be taken for granted since their loyalty can help endure changes in trends.
How Country Music Artists Practice Resilience In The Face Of Resistance
Attempts to maintain authenticity and insularity in country music may have ensured continued success, it has also led to gatekeeping and accusations of discrimination. In spite of its roots in African music and Black American culture, historically Black artists face discrimination. Ray Charles’ groundbreaking 1962 album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music was banned by some country stations, even as it rose to be considered one of the greatest country albums of all time.
Charley Pride was the first Black superstar in country music, reaching his peak of success in the late 1960s and 1970s, navigating the racism in the industry. In recent years Beyonce, Lil Nas X, Kane Brown, Mickey Guyton, Shaboozey, and Darius Rucker have all faced racism and push back from their entry into country music in spite of their southern roots.
Women have succeeded in spite of receiving less airplay and support than their male counterparts, exemplified by the success of early pioneers like Cline and the Carters, who became legends in spite of obstacles. They inspired later artists like Parton and Loretta Lynn who in turn inspired recent successful artists like Kacey Musgraves and Lainey Wilson.
The industry’s insular history has not kept artists from various backgrounds from producing country music. Post Malone’s 2024 country crossover, F-1 Trillion hit number 1 on the charts, a feat also achieved in the same year by Beyonce’s country album Cowboy Carter. Beyonce’s album featured a number of up and coming artists providing them exposure, including Shaboozey, whose Bar Song (Tipsy) tied Lil Nas X’s Old Town Road for longest run at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Leading employees and stakeholders into new areas of growth may feel difficult. If you branch out into something new, or aren’t the traditional type of company in a sector, your organization may face resistance from established groups. Constructing a strategic plan and having confidence in the talent of your team can position your organization to endure pushback and remain resilient in the face of opposition. This also strengthens your team’s flexibility in navigating any barriers to success in the future.
