Country Music of the 1980s to the 2000sCountry music has recently become more radical. In the past, country tunes were slow and slow, but a group of promising artists would revolutionize the music industry forever. These new artists have done more for the southern/western genre than anyone in the past. They have sold millions of records. In total, they made billions of dollars! Artists gave gigantic concerts that attracted hundreds of thousands of spectators. Their songs began to do something no country artist had done before…top the pop charts. The 1980s produced some of the most dominant and influential country singers of all time, while seasoned veterans, who had enjoyed success in other decades, continued to create great music. In the 1990s, the money began to flow. The artists composed albums which became Diamond (sold more than 10,000,000 units) and filled stadiums. The “good times” singers of the 2000s sang songs about love, drunkenness and party life. These topics appealed to ordinary people and attracted new followers. Overall, this period of country music shined a spotlight on the genre and brought great wealth to its artists. The country artists of the 1980s are the most famous in the history of country music. The 80s was a time when older singers from past decades, like George Jones, Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, etc., continued to produce hits. Their style was popular but new faces were emerging. George Strait, "the King of Country", came to Nashville and stubbornly wore his Western clothes (cowboy hat, Wranglers, etc.) which in the 80s were being phased out, but with the help of M . Strait, they were brought back into the country. style! He sang western cowboy music and barroom swing music that became v...... middle of paper ...... traditional, clean-cut, and highly acclaimed singer. The '90s were a boom for country music, when rock-a-billy artists and singers were commonplace and drew huge crowds. Finally, the year 2000 and newcomers came to sing the country style and connect with the people who love the genre so much. From George Strait to Garth Brooks to Tim McGraw, these names have appeared not only on the country charts but also on the pop charts. Additionally, they attracted a substantial amount of wealth. They changed more than just their genre but the entire music industry. Works Cited Dooley, Sean. “Top 10 Country Artists of the 2000s.” About.com. Np, and Web. November 12, 2013. Kallen, Stuart A. The History of Country Music. San Diego, CA: Lucent, 2003. Print. Kingsbury, Paul and Alanna Nash. Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Country Music in America. London: DK, 2006. Print.