Music, like all things in life, goes through phases. We embrace the things and people we love and hold onto them for years at a time, sometimes overlooking what and who comes next because of our tunnel vision. But right now we are knee deep in a country music youth movement that is turning over the landscape and offering up new music to the masses.
And for anyone still holding onto that tunnel vision of the music and musicians they’ve been in love with… it’s time to start looking around at what’s on the horizon.
In Canada alone we could book an entire emerging artists festival with the talent that is piling up with major labels and on the indie circuit. Their songs are earning radio play, streaming at great numbers, and climbing download charts right beside heavyweights that we know and love.
We’ve done the fantasy booking thing before, so we’re not going to do that right now. But we do want to share some of the names that are shaking up the country music world in this country. And we’ll give some love to the artists from the US that are doing the same thing.
We also want to know who you’re loving on the up and coming side of things… because sharing is caring, and one of the best ways to find new music is to be told about it by other people who have discovered it. So leave us a comment, give us a link, tell us what young country artists you’re loving right now.
Across the country, names like Brett Kissel, Jess Moskaluke, Kira Isabella, Madeline Merlo, and Autumn Hill are already becoming well known. Their hit songs, big tours, and great talent have pushed them into the conversation with stars like Dean Brody, Small Town Pistols, Chad Brownlee, Dallas Smith, and High Valley – and they deserve to be there. But… that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Some of you will also know names like Cold Creek County, River Town Saints, Wes Mack, Leah Daniels, Lindsay Broughton, Jordan McIntosh, Livy Jeanne – they’ve popped up on your playlists, on the radio, and on tour with some of the biggest names in the business. Hell, when Wes Mack opened for Shania Twain in 2015 he took a GIANT step forward in his career, but it’s because his album, Edge Of The Storm, that he remains in the minds of fans who saw those shows.
What’s even more awesome is that we’re a full dozen names into this list of emerging Canadian talent in country music and we are nowhere near done shouting out the singers and songwriters that we came up with in a 10 minute brainstorm.
Raise your hand if you’re familiar with any of these names… Runaway Angel, Meghan Patrick, Lisa Nicole, Trinity Bradshaw, Cory Marquardt, Twin Kennedy, Jason Benoit, Abby Stewart, Petric, The Reklaws, Johnson Crook, Leanne Pearson, Robyn & Ryleigh, Tenille, Whitney Rose, The Lovelocks, Lindsay Ell, One More Girl, Yoan, Kaitlin Kozell, Eric Ethridge, James Barker Band, Dani Strong – 23 more country young country acts that are making their way in the business.
This whole group plays rib fests, fairs, small festivals, big festivals (shout out to Boots & Hearts for doing an amazing job of including emerging Canadian talent) and bars from coast to coast. They work hard, they write and play and sing and perform whenever and wherever they get the chance, and each and every time they do, they’re earning new fans.
Note: Nobody asked us to write this post. We weren’t approached by an artist or label or PR team to get someone included. Every artist on this list is here because they’ve impressed us with their work and talent. They deserve every success that they’ve earned so far, and everything that they receive in the future.
Now, go ahead and add these names to the young artists that are tearing up country music south of the border, and we really are seeing the future – and the present of the genre we love. Artists like Maddie & Tae, Kelsea Ballerini, Cam, Dylan Scott, Kane Brown, Maren Morris, etc. etc. etc., are blowing up YouTube and Facebook with their videos, they’re climbing the Billboard charts, and they’re creating their own space among superstars like Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, and Eric Church.
I know that there are a lot of names in this post… 58 if I’ve counted correctly, but they all deserve to be here. They’re either the big names that we’ve loved for years, or the new crop of country that has a chance to be here for a long time.
And as much as we love supporting new music, and the artists that make it, the coolest thing about all of it is this… a year from now, at the start of 2017, there are going to be even more names that have come out of the woodwork and announced that they deserve to be on a list like this.
We love it.
Country music is alive and well.
And Canada is a big part of that. So turn up the speakers, dance in the kitchen, and sing along, because it’s a great time to fall in love with some new artists on the scene.
