70s, 80s, and 90s: Here Are the 3 Country Bands That Dominated Each Decade

Music is currently in a weird place right now, for a lot of reasons, but the reason we are highlighting is the lack of bands that have acquired mainstream success. Instead of promoting bands, it seems record labels have favored promoting individuals, as it’s individuals who are dominating every genre of music. We miss having a surplus of bands, especially in country music. That being said, here are the three country bands we believe dominated each decade of the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

1970s: Little Feat

In the 1970s, there were only a couple of bands considered to be pure and unadulterated country music, and Little Feat was not one of them. However, Little Feat did lean heavily on country music, and consequently, has been remembered as a fusion between country and southern rock. Regardless, they were a staple in 1970s country music; hence, we are adding them to this list.

The height of Little Feat’s career was in the mid-1970s, around the release of their album, Feats Don’t Fail Me Now. Prior to that album, they released their signature Dixie Chicken in 1973. Subsequently, they went on to acquire loads of success, and their highest charting album was Waiting For Columbus, which peaked at No. 18 on the Billboard 200.

1980s: Alabama

Alabama was not just the most successful country band of the 1980s, but they are also arguably the greatest country band of all time. During the decade, the band had an unprecedented streak of 21 consecutive No. 1 hits, multiple Entertainer of the Year awards, and numerous multi-platinum albums. Frankly, there wasn’t a country band in the 1980s that even came close to matching the success of Alabama.

We could go on and on about their significant accolades, but we’ll just remind you of their rich catalog. Of their many No. 1 hits, some of the more notable singles include “Dixieland Delight”, “Mountain Music”, and “Love In The First Degree”.

1990s: The Chicks

Now, we might be put on blast for this, because we could have featured Brooks & Dunn. However, technically, they are a duo, not a band. Regardless, The Chicks are not a wild take, not in the slightest. After all, during the 1990s, they dominated country music and pop charts.

During the decade, they had seven songs appear on the Billboard Hot 100. On the country charts, they had three No. 1 hits. All three of those No. 1 hits came from their breakthrough No. 1 hit country album, Wide Open Spaces. Also, it is worth mentioning that this album reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200.

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