3 Country Albums That Marked the Beginning of the Genre’s Most Crucial Movements 

Country music has always been country music, but like all genres, it has transformed itself time and time again. The numerous transformations country music has endured make for an incredibly unique catalog that hosts a plethora of different sounds and styles. However, at the end of the day, it is all still country music, just a different kind. With all that in mind, here are three country albums that marked the beginning of the genre’s most crucial movements.

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‘Songs To Warm The Heart’ by Jim Reeves

It’s worth mentioning that no one person or body of work is the strict starter of a movement, and that doesn’t just pertain to this selection, but the following ones as well. Nevertheless, when it comes to the crafting and popularization of the Nashville sound, this Jim Reeves and Chet Atkins album paved the way for the next decade of country music.

Following the release and success of this album, the Nashville sound became the industry norm. In the 60s, acts who leaned into the sonic tone include Patsy Cline, George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Charley Pride, Tammy Wynette, and even a young Dolly Parton.

‘Shotgun Willie’ by Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson was once a songwriter and musician who toiled in the musical norms of Nashville. However, in 1974, he subverted the musical status quo and created arguably the most influential country album of the 1970s. That album was his 16th studio album, Shotgun Willie.

Nelson’s progressive style on this album showed like-minded artists that there was an audience out there who wanted something new, fresh, and unlike anything they’d heard in country music. Consequently, this Nelson album paved the way for just maybe the most popular country music movement of all time, the Outlaw Country movement.

‘Come On Over’ by Shania Twain

Depending on who you’re talking to, Shania Twain‘s 1997 album might be the best thing that happened to country music or the worst. In reality, it isn’t quite that serious, and needless to say, the 1997 album was a huge achievement for Twain, as well as the industry in general. Again, no one album can be credited for starting a movement, but when it comes to the booming popularity of contemporary country pop music, this album had a lot to do with it.

Without this album, another artist probably would have come along and created something like it. However, Twain was one of the first, so if you want to thank a singular country artist for the current state of the industry, you can thank Shania Twain.

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