Contemporary Country

Contemporary country is essentially a new traditionalist movement of Country that incorporates both heavily Pop-influenced styles, and the more pop-averse movement of Neo-Traditionalist Country, with the common thread between them being modern styles of production and instrumentation. In the late 1980s, and early 1990s, Country artists such as Lee Greenwood and Hank Williams Jr. began to experiment with the modern equipment and updated sound production techniques of the new traditionalist movement but added more danceable rhythms and a Pop Rock sensibility to a country spirit. While initially, this type of music didn't have very much pop crossover, throughout the 1990s, artists such as Garth Brooks, Shania Twain and Dixie Chicks brought the style to a radio audience. As more traditional and Contemporary Folk-inspired styles of country died out in the late 1990s and early 2000s, contemporary country began to completely dominate the country radio stations, and brought a whole slew of new country artists, such as Toby Keith, Alan Jackson, and Keith Urban.