There are so many incredible women in country music who have become certified legends through the years. Many of those iconic women are female country stars who opted to break mainstream rules in one way or another. Let’s take a look at just a few such stars who deserve some serious props!
1. Shania Twain
Country-pop wasn’t exactly a new concept by the time Shania Twain arrived on the scene. However, the Canadian star took the genre to new heights in the late 1990s. Country purists and traditionalists weren’t exactly happy about how she took over country radio, but one can’t deny that Twain’s chart-topping tunes are absolutely incredible. She sold over 100 million albums, took home countless awards, and boasts three consecutive certified diamond records.
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2. Loretta Lynn
Female country stars come and go, but legends like Loretta Lynn are revered for decades after their heyday. And there’s no legend quite like Loretta Lynn. Many would say she was the very first female country music superstar with her hit “Coal Miner’s Daughter”. However, we included her in this list because of her controversial and powerful song “The Pill”.
That song was written and recorded by Lynn back in 1975 during a time when singing about women’s rights and birth control was almost unheard of. The song was banned by many conservation radio stations upon its release, but that didn’t stop “The Pill” from becoming Lynn’s most recognizable anthem of her career. Lynn even said that several rural doctors thanked her for the song, as it shined a light on the availability of birth control to more women in rural areas than any literature they had released at the time.
3. Lainey Wilson
Is it possible to be “too country for country?” Apparently, that’s what some people thought about country star Lainey Wilson. The Louisiana-born singer/songwriter has made an incredible name for herself in the last few years, complete with a Grammy Award and a number of ACM awards for her work.
Wilson wasn’t interested in fitting into the cookie-cutter country-pop image that is often enforced on young women in the industry. Instead, she chose to be shamelessly herself. And we’re glad.
4. Dolly Parton
What would a list of female country stars who broke the rules be without including the queen of country herself? Dolly Parton came up at a time when modesty and staying quiet were the norm for women, even in the music industry. She showed up with her huge blonde hair, vibrant makeup, eye-catching outfits, bright soprano voice, and incredible songwriting ability.
Through the years, Parton has continued to break the rules. She released the country-pop rock album Rockstar in 2023, which landed her in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
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