The Best Female Country Singers Of 2022
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- Lainey Wilson (born May 19, 1992) is an American country music singer–songwriter. Wilson performed from an early age, before going to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue a career as a country performer. In 2014, she released her first album, followed by a second on the Lone Chief label in 2016. Wilson secured a publishing deal and later released an extended play (EP) in 2019, which included the song "Things a Man Oughta Know". In 2020, it was issued as a single through the BBR Music Group and eventually reached number one on the American country songs chart.
- Carly Cristyne Pearce (born April 24, 1990) is an American country music singer based in Nashville. Her debut single, "Every Little Thing," peaked at number one on the US Country Airplay chart. In 2016, she was a featured vocalist on Josh Abbott Band's "Wasn't That Drunk", which charted in the top 40 of Country Airplay. Pearce also toured with the band to perform the song, including a performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
- Carrie Underwood, a celebrated figure in the realm of country music, hails from Muskogee, Oklahoma. Born on March 10, 1983, she grew up on her parents' farm where she developed a deep passion for music at an early age. Her journey towards stardom began in earnest when she won the fourth season of American Idol in 2005, a victory that launched her into the limelight and set the stage for an illustrious career. Underwood's musical prowess has been recognized with numerous accolades. She is a seven-time Grammy Award winner, with honors that include Best New Artist and Best Female Country Vocal Performance. Additionally, she has received 14 Academy of Country Music Awards, and in 2009, was inducted into the prestigious Grand Ole Opry, a testament to her substantial impact on country music. Her discography boasts multiple multi-platinum albums, including Some Hearts, Carnival Ride, and Blown Away, each one showcasing her powerful vocals and storytelling abilities. Apart from her successful music career, Underwood is also known for her philanthropic efforts. She established the C.A.T.S Foundation (Checotah Animal, Town, and School Foundation) to aid her hometown's educational and animal-related causes. Moreover, she has supported several organizations such as the Red Cross and Save the Children, further showcasing her compassion and dedication to making a positive difference in the world. Carrie Underwood's journey from a small-town girl to an award-winning country superstar is a testament to her talent, resilience, and enduring charm.
- Gabby Barrett (born March 5, 2000) is an American country music singer. She finished third on the sixteenth season of American Idol. Her debut single "I Hope" was the first top ten Hot Country Songs debut by an unaccompanied woman since October 2017. It has since become a top ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and has been certified 3x Platinum by the RIAA. Her debut album Goldmine was released on June 19, 2020.
- Maddie & Tae are an American female country music duo composed of Madison Marlow and Taylor Dye, both of whom are singers, songwriters, and guitarists. The duo was signed to the revived Dot Records in 2014. Their debut album, Start Here, was released on August 28, 2015 and includes the singles "Girl in a Country Song", "Fly", "Shut Up and Fish", and "Sierra". Following the closure of Dot, they signed to Mercury Nashville in 2018.
- Miranda Leigh Lambert (born November 10, 1983) is an American country music singer and songwriter. In 2003, she finished in third place of the television program Nashville Star, a singing competition which aired on the USA Network. Outside her solo career, she is a member of the Pistol Annies formed in 2011 alongside Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley. Lambert has been honored by the Grammy Awards, the Academy of Country Music Awards and the Country Music Association Awards. Lambert's debut album Kerosene (2005) was certified Platinum in the United States and produced the singles "Me and Charlie Talking," "Bring Me Down," "Kerosene" and "New Strings." All four singles reached the top 40 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs. Her second album, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, was released in early 2007. Three of its singles ("Famous in a Small Town," "Gunpowder & Lead" and "More Like Her") peaked within the top 20 on the country songs chart, with "Gunpowder & Lead" becoming her first top 10 entry in July 2008. Her third album, Revolution, was released in September 2009. Two of its songs – "The House That Built Me" and "Heart Like Mine" – topped the Hot Country Songs chart.2011's Four the Record, included the singles "Baggage Claim," "Over You," "Fastest Girl in Town," "Mama's Broken Heart" and "All Kinds of Kinds." Lambert released her fifth album, Platinum, in 2014. The record won the Grammy Award for Best Country Album, and the album's lead single "Automatic" reached top 5 on the Country charts. Her sixth studio album, The Weight of These Wings, was released on November 18, 2016, and subsequently certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
- Dolly Parton, born on January 19, 1946, in a one-room cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, is an iconic figure in the world of music. The fourth of twelve children, her family was impoverished, but rich in music and love. Her talent for singing and songwriting emerged at a very young age. By the age of 10, she was performing on local television and radio shows in Knoxville, Tennessee. At 13, she made her debut at the Grand Ole Opry, where country music star Johnny Cash encouraged her to follow her dreams. Parton's career took off when she paired with Porter Wagoner on his popular television show in the late 1960s. Their duets became immensely popular, leading to a successful musical partnership that lasted for seven years. In 1974, Parton decided to pursue a solo career. Her decision was met with great success as she produced numerous hits such as "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You," the latter being later covered by Whitney Houston, becoming one of the best-selling singles of all time. Beyond her musical accomplishments, Parton has made significant contributions to literacy through her non-profit organization, the Imagination Library. Founded in 1995, the program mails free books to children around the world to foster a love of reading. Never one to shy away from acting, Parton has also starred in several successful films including 9 to 5 and Steel Magnolias. Despite her fame and success, Parton remains grounded, always cherishing her humble beginnings, which continue to inspire her music and philanthropy.The Best Dolly Parton Albums of All TimeSee all
- 1Coat of Many Colors159 Votes
- 2Jolene188 Votes
- 3Here You Come Again155 Votes
- Lauren Alaina sang with bravado and maturity well beyond her years, which launched her music career and made her one of the most talented finalists on the 10th season of the reality singing competition "American Idol" (Fox, 2002-16). She was born Lauren Alaina Suddeth on Nov. 8, 1994 in Rossville, GA. The future music star attended Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School in Fort Oglethorpe, GA, where she was a member of the cheerleading squad. A devoted Christian, Alaina always loved to sing, but she did not pursue her passion until her cousin, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor, inspired Alaina to pursue her dreams. She began performing at community events, competing in local singing contests, and tried her hand at songwriting. In 2011, Alaina tried out for the 10th season of "American Idol" in Nashville, TN, where she impressed judges Jennifer Lopez, Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler with her heartwarming rendition of Faith Hill's "Like We Never Loved at All" (2005), and then advanced to the semi-finals round in Hollywood.
- A gifted, low-key singer-songwriter, Kacey Musgraves provided a breath of fresh air to the country music industry. Born Aug. 21, 1988 in Sulphur Springs, TX, Kacey Lee Musgraves self-released three albums before she was 20 years old: 2002's Movin' On, 2003's Wanted: One Good Cowboy and 2007's Kacey Musgraves. She finally broke through to the mainstream when she competed on "Nashville Star" (USA Network, 2003-07; NBC, 2008). Although she only took seventh place, Musgraves made a big impression on fans and critics, who showered her singing and songwriting abilities with praise. She placed her song "Undermine" in an episode of "Nashville" (ABC, 2012- ) for Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panettiere) to sing and co-wrote "Mama's Broken Heart" for Miranda Lambert, who turned the clever and catchy tune into a massive country hit. Gaining valuable exposure opening for superstars Lady Antebellum, Musgraves earned her own major label debut with 2013's Same Trailer Different Park, whose debut single, "Merry Go 'Round," reached went country Top 20. As her media profile grew, Musgraves gained further professional momentum when she earned four nominations at the Academy of Country Music Awards, including Music Video of the Year for "Merry Go 'Round" as well as Top Female Vocalist and Top New Female Artist. Musgrave's follow-up album Pageant Material was a solid critical success but lacked the crossover hits of her major-label debut. After the holiday album A Very Kacey Christmas (206) and feeling ignored by mainstream country radio, Musgraves went into a more rock-oriented direction with her next album, Golden Hour (2018), which continued her trend of critical raves and little traction on radio.
- Danielle Simone Bradbery (born July 23, 1996) is an American country singer from Cypress, Texas. She won season four of NBC's The Voice in 2013, becoming the youngest contestant to come in first place. Her debut studio album, Danielle Bradbery, was released on November 25, 2013, featuring the single "The Heart of Dixie".
- Maren Larae Morris (born April 10, 1990) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and record producer. She has released four studio albums. Her 2015 extended play, Maren Morris, charted on two Billboard charts. Her major label debut album, Hero, reached number five on the Billboard 200 chart and number one on the Top Country Albums chart. Her debut single, "My Church", peaked at number one on the Country Digital Songs chart in 2016 and reached the top five on the US Hot Country Songs chart.
- 12Racheal Lynn Woodward, better known as RaeLynn, is an American singer-songwriter who was a contestant on The Voice in season two. She was eliminated in the quarterfinals.
- Cassadee Blake Pope (born August 28, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. Pope was the lead vocalist of the rock band Hey Monday (on hiatus as of December 2011), with whom she released two studio albums and three EPs. Pope embarked on a solo career in early 2012, and released the EP Cassadee Pope in May 2012. She took part in the third season of The Voice and became the first female winner on December 18, 2012. Her debut solo country album, Frame by Frame, was released on October 8, 2013 to a top 10 Billboard 200 charting. It debuted at No. 1 on Top Country Albums, with 43,000 copies sold in its first week.
- Ashley McBryde is a country music singer-songwriter from Arkansas. Her song "A Little Dive Bar in Dahlonega" was named one of the 54 Best Songs of 2017 by The New York Times. McBryde's debut album Girl Goin' Nowhere is scheduled for release on March 30, 2018.
- Jana Rae Kramer (born December 2, 1983) is an country music singer and actress. She is known for her role as Alex Dupre on the television series One Tree Hill. Kramer began her musical career in 2012 and has released two albums: Jana Kramer (2012) and Thirty One (2015). The albums produced seven charted singles on Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay, including the top 10 hits "Why Ya Wanna" and "I Got the Boy". She competed on season 23 of Dancing with the Stars, finishing in fourth place.
- Hailey Faith Whitters is an American country musician originally from Shueyville, Iowa. Whitters released her debut full-length album in 2015 titled Black Sheep. Whitters co-wrote Little Big Town's song "Happy People", from their 2017 album The Breaker.
- Ingrid Elizabeth Andress (born September 21, 1991) is an American country music singer-songwriter. She first gained prominence when her US breakthrough single, "More Hearts Than Mine" (2019) peaked at number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100. Her single "The Stranger" (2020) peaked at number 49 on Country Airplay and her single "Wishful Drinking" (2021) became her second entry on the Billboard Hot 100. She has released two albums: Lady Like (2020) and Good Person (2022). She has also cowritten songs recorded by other artists including "Boys" (2017) by Charli XCX.
- Tenille Townes (born January 20, 1994) is a Canadian country music singer, from Grande Prairie, Alberta. In 2011, at the age of 17, she was nominated for a Canadian Country Music Award for Female Artist of the Year.
- Tenille Arts (born April 19, 1994) is a Canadian country music singer from Weyburn, Saskatchewan. She independently released an extended play and studio album before signing a record deal with indie label Reviver Records in 2018. Her first album for the label, Love, Heartbreak, & Everything in Between, was released in January 2020. Arts was nominated for the Discovery Artist Award by the Canadian Country Music Association in 2016 and has received multiple awards from the subsidiary Saskatchewan Country Music Association.
- Mickey Guyton (born Candace Mycale Guyton; June 17, 1983) is an American country music artist. Raised in Texas, Guyton was exposed to various types of music at a young age, and her material subsequently incorporates elements of contemporary country and R&B music. Moving to Nashville, Tennessee in 2011, she would later sign a recording contract with Capitol Records Nashville. In 2015, the label released Guyton's debut extended play (EP), Unbreakable. In 2015, Capitol released her debut single, titled "Better Than You Left Me". The song reached number 34 on the US Country Airplay chart and helped her receive a nomination from the Academy of Country Music Awards. The same year, her second self-titled EP was released. In 2020, Guyton released the single "Black Like Me", which speaks on her experiences as a Black woman in country music. It was released in the wake of the George Floyd protests and Black Lives Matter movement. Her debut album Remember Her Name followed in 2021.
- Callista Clark (born September 29, 2003) is an American country music singer from Zebulon, Georgia. She released her debut EP, Real to Me, on February 12, 2021, with the EP's lead single "It's 'Cause I Am" peaking at 30 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
- Priscilla Block (born August 11,1995) is an American country music singer and songwriter. She released her single "Just About Over You" in 2020.
- A talented singer-songwriter with a powerful voice, Jennifer Nettles became a superstar as one-half of the country music sensation, Sugarland. Along with Kristian Bush, the twosome released hit albums like 2004's Twice the Speed of Life, 2006's Enjoy the Ride, 2007's Love on the Inside and 2010's The Incredible Machine, and notching hits like "Baby Girl," "Something More," "Want To," "Already Gone" and "Stay." Crossing over into mainstream stardom, Nettles dueted with Bon Jovi on the No. 1 country hit "Who Says You Can't Go Home" and, as part of Sugarland, won a slew of awards, including Grammys, CMT and AMA Awards. Their runaway success and shining image were dulled slightly by the tragic stage collapse before their 2011 Indiana State Fair performance that killed seven people and inspired a flood of lawsuits against the band, but Nettles rebounded, with the singer landing a coveted judge's slot on the singing competition "Duets" (ABC, 2012). Beloved both in the country music community and on the larger music scene in general, first-rate talent Jennifer Nettles was poised to ascend even higher as both a member of Sugarland and a solo artist, beloved by fans around the world.
- Caylee Hammack is an American country singer-songwriter from Ellaville, Georgia. In November 2018, Hammack signed with UMG Nashville. In 2019, she released her single "Family Tree."
- Singer/songwriter Brandi Carlile's work incorporated the influences of alt country, folk, and rock. She plugged away for a good while, slowly building an audience, until things finally blew up for her in a big way. Born on June 1, 1981 in Ravensdale, Washington, Carlile began writing songs and singing while in her teens. After coming up on the Seattle music scene, she released her self-titled debut album on Columbia in 2005, but sales were modest. The follow-up record, 2007's T-Bone Burnett-produced The Story, gained a wider audience and higher chart placing, with the title track becoming a minor hit. A decade later, benefitting from Carlile's subsequent success, the album would achieve Gold status. 2009's Give Up the Ghost did better still, hitting No. 26 in the Top 200. Overseen by another star producer, Rick Rubin, the album featured an appearance by Elton John (an early hero of Carlile's) on "Caroline." A big breakthrough came with Carlile's next album, 2012's Bear Creek, which went all the way to No. 10 and gave the singer/songwriter a No. 4 hit on Triple A radio with the single "That Wasn't Me." Carlile earned her first Grammy nomination, for Best Americana album, with her next record, The Firewatcher's Daughter. The album, which marked her departure from Columbia and the beginning of her relationship with ATO Records, included an appearance from Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready, and charted No. 9 on the Top 200 while hitting the top spot on the rock and folk charts. But Carlile's time with ATO was to be short-lived, as she shifted over to hotshot Nashville producer Dave Cobb's Elektra-distributed imprint, Low Country Sound, for her 2018 album, By the Way, I Forgive You.
- 26Cam (born Camaron Marvel Ochs; November 19, 1984) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Her music incorporates elements taken from contemporary pop music. She began her career as a songwriter, composing material for several artists including Miley Cyrus. In 2010, she released her debut studio album on an independent record label. Signing with Sony Music Entertainment, she released her debut major label EP in March 2015, Welcome to Cam Country. The album's second track "Burning House" was played on the Bobby Bones Show and attracted significant attention and became her breakout hit single. She launched her second studio album, Untamed in December 2015 on the success of the song. "Burning House" has since received widespread acclaim, including a nomination from the Grammy Awards.
- Amythyst Kiah (born December 11, 1986) is a Grammy Award-nominated American singer-songwriter. Kiah is a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee and currently lives in Johnson City. She plays guitar and banjo. As of 2022, Kiah has released two solo albums and one E.P. She has also appeared (along with Rhiannon Giddens, Leyla McCalla, and Allison Russell) on the album Songs of Our Native Daughters (2019). Kiah earned a 2020 Grammy Awards Best American Roots Song nomination for her song "Black Myself".
- 28Yolanda Claire Quartey (born July 31, 1983), known professionally as Yola, is an English musician, singer and songwriter. Yola received four nominations at the 62nd Grammy Awards in 2020, including the all-genre Best New Artist category. In February 2020, Variety announced that she had been cast to portray Sister Rosetta Tharpe — "dubbed the Godmother of rock and roll" — in director Baz Luhrmann's film Elvis on the life of Elvis Presley set for release in 2022. In December 2020, she was featured in Ringo Starr's single and video "Here's To The Nights", from his 2021 Zoom In EP. In July 2021, Yola released her latest album titled Stand for Myself. To celebrate the launch of the album, Yola will commence her 2022 Stand For Myself Tour in Boston in February 2022, with opening performances by Jac Ross and Nick Connors; and in Nashville by Devon Gilfillian and Allison Russell. On October 8th, 2021, Yola played a sold out show Madison Square Garden when she opened for Chris Stapleton.
