MUMBAI: From being one of the youngest country singers to have won the coveted Grammy Award, Taylor Swift has led a steady upward march of country singers. From American Country Award winner Hunter Hayes to ‘The Voice’ finalists, Radioandmusic.com presents to you with a list of some of the best country singers who are 30 years old or younger.
Justin Moore
Aged 30, Moore is one of most sought after inspirational country singers in the world. Two of Moore’s singles ‘Small Town USA’ and ‘If Wasn’t So Far Away’ have reached No. 1 on the US Country Songs Billboard charts. His sophomore studio album, ‘Outlaws Like Me’ ruled the US Country Albums for a long time, and so did last year’s ‘Off The Beaten Path’. Moore won the award for New Artist of the Year 2014 at the Academy of Country Music Awards.
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Chris Young
Aged 29, Young rose to fame when he won the coveted ‘Nashville Star’ in 2006. Three songs from his sophomore album ‘The Man I Want To Be’ viz., ‘Getting You Home (The Black Dress Song)’, ‘The Man I Want To Be’ and ‘Voices’ reached topped the US Country Songs Billboard charts within hours of their release. His 2011 album ‘Neon’ also had two songs which remained on the US Country Songs Billboard charts for a while viz, ‘Tomorrow’ and ‘You’. Moore won the Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the 2011 American Country Awards (ACA). His track ‘Voices’ also won the Singel of the Year at the 2011 ACAs’.
Brantley Gilbert
Aged 29, Gilbert is a well known country singer and songwriter who has written for legendary country singers Colt Ford and Jason Aldean. Two songs from his sophomore studio album ‘Halfway to Heaven’ viz., ‘Country Must Be Country Wide’ and ‘You Don’t Know Her Like I Do’ have reached No. 1 on the US Country Songs Billboard Charts and reached Platinum. His third album, ‘Just as I Am’, which released early this year not only reached No. 1 on the US Country Albums Billboard charts, but it also came second on the Billboard 200. Gilbert won the Top New Male Artist at the 2013 Academy of Country Music (ACM) awards.
The Swon Brothers
After finishing third in the fourth season of ‘The Voice US’, Zach Swon (aged 29) and Colton Swon (aged 26), collectively known as The Swon Brothers have risen to commercial acclaim. Their first single ‘Later On’ made it to five Billboard charts: US Billboard Hot 100, US Country Airplay, US Hot Country Songs, Canadian Hot 100 and Canada Country. The Swon Brothers have signed with Arista Nashville and their first album is expected to be released later this year.
Hillary Scott
Aged 28, Scott is the co-lead singer of the Grammy Award winning country band Lady Antebellum. Scott auditioned for American Idol twice, but could not make it both the times. Soon after she met her now band-mates Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood and formed Lady Antebellum. All four of Lady Antebellum’s studio albums, ‘Lady Antebellum’, ‘Need You Now’, ‘Own The Night’ and ‘Golden’ have landed No. 1 on the US Country Albums Billboard Charts. By August 2013, the group has sold more than 12.5 million digital singles and 10 million albums in the United States.
Kellie Pickler
Pickler, aged 28, gained fame as a contestant on the fifth season of ‘American Idol’, and finished in sixth place. Her first album, ‘Small Town Girl’ and her self-titled second album, both ranked No. 1 on the US Country Albums Billboard charts. In 2008, Pickler’s second single ‘I Wonder’ won three CMT Music Awards for Breakthrough Video of the Year, Tearjerker Video of the Year, and Performance of the Year (at the 2007 CMA Awards). Pickler also won a songwriter award for the song from the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers.
Taylor Swift
Aged 24, Swift is the youngest female country singer to have seven Grammy Awards including Album of the Year for her sophomore album ‘Fearless’. So far, Swift has won fifteen American Music Awards, eleven Country Music Association Awards, seven Academy of Country Music Awards, and twelve Billboard Music Awards. As a songwriter, she has been honoured by the Nashville Songwriters Association and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2013, she became the second person (and first woman) to receive the Country Music Association’s Pinnacle Award. Three of her albums, ‘Fearless’, ‘Speak Now’ and ‘Red’ have topped the US Billboard 200 Albums and US Country Albums on the Billboard Charts. Her new album, ‘1989’ is expected to be released in October later this year, marking her first pop album.
Hunter Hayes
Hayes, aged 22, is a multiple Grammy Award nominee who is known to be able to play up to 30 instruments. Both his self-titled first album and his sophomore album, ‘Storyline’ have ranked No. 1 on the US Country Albums Billboard charts. His second single, ‘Wanted’ was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Solo Performance at the 2013 Grammy Awards. It is the second best-selling song by a male solo country singer in the US as of April 2014. Hayes won the Choice Male Country Artist at the 2012, 2013 and 2014 Teen Choice Awards.
