Country Music
by State

8 of 50 states earn an A-range grade for their country music scene and 14 a B, as of May 2026. 25 states have an active honky-tonk culture, and this guide lists 120 notable artists, 118 venues and 81 festivals nationwide.

A-grade states

B-grade states

States with honky-tonk culture

120

Notable artists listed

All States — Ranked by Country Music Scene

#1TennesseeA+Nashville Sound, classic country, modern Nashville, AmericanaDolly Parton #2TexasA+Texas country, outlaw country, Red Dirt (Oklahoma overlap), Western swingGeorge Strait #3KentuckyABluegrass, traditional country, AppalachianLoretta Lynn #4OklahomaARed Dirt country, Tulsa Sound, mainstream countryGarth Brooks #5AlabamaA-Classic country, Southern countryHank Williams #6ArkansasA-Classic country, rockabilly rootsJohnny Cash #7GeorgiaA-Modern Nashville country, Southern countryAlan Jackson #8VirginiaA-Old-time, Appalachian traditional, classic countryPatsy Cline #9CaliforniaB+Bakersfield Sound, country-rockMerle Haggard #10MississippiB+Classic country, Southern rootsCharley Pride #11MissouriB+Country entertainment, show country, mainstreamSheryl Crow #12ColoradoBWestern/Americana, mountain countryNitty Gritty Dirt Band (based here)#13North CarolinaBModern country, Southern countryEric Church #14WyomingBCowboy/rodeo country, traditional country, outlaw countryChris LeDoux (Biloxi MS-born but Wyoming raised and based)#15ArizonaB-Southwest country, outlaw country influenceMarty Robbins #16FloridaB-Gulf Coast country, beach country crossoverJimmy Buffett (Pascagoula MS but Florida-based)#17KansasB-Mainstream country, Western heritageMartina McBride #18LouisianaB-Swamp country, Cajun crossoverTim McGraw #19MontanaB-Cowboy/Western country, traditional countryChris LeDoux (raised and based in Wyoming/Montana region)#20NevadaB-Country entertainment, mainstream touring #21South CarolinaB-Southern country, beach countryDarius Rucker #22West VirginiaB-Bluegrass, Appalachian country, traditional countryBrad Paisley #23IdahoC+Western/ranch country #24IndianaC+Heartland rock/country crossoverJohn Mellencamp (country-rock crossover)#25OhioC+Mainstream radio countryBobby Goldsboro #26PennsylvaniaC+Mainstream Nashville countryTaylor Swift (West Reading)#27IllinoisCCountry-pop, mainstream radio country #28IowaCMainstream country, radio country #29MichiganCWorking-class rock/country crossoverKid Rock (country-rock hybrid)#30MinnesotaCMainstream radio country #31NebraskaCMainstream radio country #32New MexicoCWestern/cowboy, Southwest countryJohn Denver (born Roswell)#33South DakotaCWestern, rodeo country #34WisconsinCMainstream radio country #35AlaskaC-Western/folk crossover #36New YorkC-None organicTaylor Swift (born West Reading PA — Nashville-based)#37North DakotaC-Western/ranch country #38OregonC-None organic #39UtahC-Mainstream radio country #40WashingtonC-None organic #41ConnecticutDNone notable #42DelawareDNone notable #43MaineDNone notable #44MarylandDNone notable #45MassachusettsDNone notable #46New HampshireDNone notable #47New JerseyDNone notable #48VermontDNone notable #49HawaiiFNone #50Rhode IslandFNone

Sources: Country Music Hall of Fame, RIAA, Rolling Stone Country, Billboard Country, ACM/CMA awards, state tourism boards. Grades reflect artist output, live music infrastructure, regional scene depth, and cultural identity. Updated May 2026.

Country Musicby State

All States — Ranked by Country Music Scene

Country Music
by State