[2026] A Guide to Country Music: From the Latest Hits to Classic Favorites
What kind of image comes to mind when you hear “country music”? In fact, country music—which has influenced pop, hip-hop, and more—remains an enormously popular genre today, especially in its home base of the United States.
Taylor Swift, one of the most famous Western artists in Japan, actually first rose to fame as a young country singer.
To explore the appeal of country music, this article will introduce the latest country songs in the first half and classic standards in the second half.
We hope this piece helps you discover great country songs that are not so well known in Japan!
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[2026] A Guide to Country Music: From the Latest Hits to Classic Favorites (101–110)
Half The ManJennifer Smestad
Jennifer Smestad, a country musician who was crowned Miss Arizona.
As you’d expect from someone who has held the Miss Arizona title, she is exceptionally beautiful.
She’s also very popular as an artist and has produced numerous hit songs.
Her voice is remarkably soft and free of quirks, which may be why her music appeals to such a wide audience.
Her latest song, “Half The Man,” has a relaxed tempo and evokes the atmosphere of traditional country music.
YumaJustin Townes Earle
Justin Townes Earle is the son of singer-songwriter Steve Earle, and he was named after Townes Van Zandt, a gifted singer-songwriter.
“Yuma” is a poignantly delicate acoustic fingerpicking ballad.
It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk AngelsKitty Wells
Written by J.D.
Miller in 1952 and released by Kitty Wells, the song is an answer to Hank Thompson’s hit “The Wild Side of Life.” It challenges the stereotype that women are always submissive to men and that men are often unfaithful.
Bad As The RestJessie Murph
Even knowing he’s dangerous, I can’t help being drawn to him…
That irresistible longing is exactly what American singer-songwriter Jessie Murph captures in her song.
What she sings here is the very struggle of a heart that defies logic.
Rooted in country while intertwining trap beats and swelling strings, the sound feels like a cry of the heart rebelling against reason.
Her raw confession—following a debut record that reached No.
24 on the U.S.
charts in September 2024—pulls you right in.
This track is the lead single from her album “Sex Hysteria,” slated for release in July 2025.
On nights spent agonizing over an impossible love, doesn’t it make you feel like you can finally accept your feelings?
Back in the SaddleLuke Combs
This track by American artist Luke Combs made waves after being chosen as the opening theme for a televised sports event.
With its powerful guitar riffs and driving drums, it’s an impressive country rock number.
The lyrics capture the thrill of hitting the road for tour again and a heartfelt longing for home, perfectly complementing Combs’s deep, expressive vocals.
Released in October 2024 and included on the album “Country Comes First,” it has received high praise, including a nomination for Single of the Year at the 2025 CMA Awards.
It’s the perfect song to kick off something new or to belt out at the top of your lungs on a drive!