Artist Debut Years

This list of country music artists is based on the year they debuted (in the Top 40) on the US country music charts. For you sports fans out there, it is their “Rookie Year.” What year do you think has the best class?

1927

• Jimmie Rodgers

1932

• Gene Autry

1935

• Patsy Montana

1944

• Bob Wills
• Ernest Tubb
• Roy Acuff
• Tex Ritter

1945

• Eddy Arnold

1947

• Hank Williams Sr.

1948

• Hank Thompson
• Hawkshaw Hawkins

1949

• Hank Snow
• Little Jimmy Dickens

1950

• Lefty Frizzell

1951

• Carl Smith

1952

• Faron Young
• Kitty Wells
• Marty Robbins
• Ray Price
• Sonny James
• Webb Pierce

1953

• Ferlin Husky
• Jim Reeves

1954

• Billy Walker
• Jimmy C. Newman
• Porter Wagoner

1955

• Elvis Presley
• George Jones
• Johnny Cash

1956

• Brenda Lee
• Don Gibson
• Johnny Horton
• Leroy Van Dyke

1957

• Bobby Helms
• Jerry Lee Lewis
• Patsy Cline
• Skeeter Davis

1958

• Bill Anderson
• Mel Tillis
• Osborne Brothers
• Stonewall Jackson

1959

• Buck Owens
• Freddie Hart

1960

• Floyd Cramer
• Loretta Lynn
• Roy Drusky

1961

• Claude King
• Ralph Emery

1962

• Bobby Bare
• Glen Campbell
• Willie Nelson

1963

• David Houston
• Dottie West
• Merle Haggard
• Roy Clark

1964

• Connie Smith
• Hank Williams Jr.
• June Carter Cash
• Roger Miller

1965

• Jim Ed Brown
• Johnny Paycheck
• Statler Brothers
• Waylon Jennings

1966

• Charley Pride
• Conway Twitty
• Jack Greene
• Jeannie Seely
• Lynn Anderson

1967

• Dolly Parton
• Jerry Reed
• Tammy Wynette
• Tom T. Hall

1968

• Jeannie C. Riley
• Johnny Duncan

1970

• Anne Murray
• Barbara Mandrell
• Charlie Rich
• Crystal Gayle
• David Frizzell
• Ray Stevens
• Sammi Smith

1971

• Billy “Crash” Craddock
• Tommy Overstreet

1972

• Donna Fargo
• Joe Stampley
• Johnny Russell
• Mac Davis
• Mel Street
• Tanya Tucker

1973

• Don Williams
• Johnny Rodriguez
• Kris Kristofferson
• Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers
• Ronnie Milsap

1974

• David Allan Coe
• Eddie Rabbitt
• Gordon Lightfoot
• John Denver
• Linda Ronstadt
• Mickey Gilley
• Moe Bandy
• T.G. Sheppard

1975

• Asleep at the Wheel
• B.J. Thomas
• Charlie Daniels Band
• David Allan Coe
• Ed Bruce
• Eddy Raven
• Emmylou Harris
• Freddy Fender
• Gene Watson
• Kenny Rogers
• Stella Parton

1976

• Bellamy Brothers
• Helen Cornelius
• Johnny Lee
• Vern Gosdin

1977

• Janie Fricke
• Jimmy Buffett
• Mel McDaniel
• Ronnie McDowell
• The Oak Ridge Boys

1978

• Charly McClain
• Con Hunley
• John Anderson
• John Conlee
• Reba McEntire

1979

• Alabama
• Juice Newton
• Lacy J. Dalton
• Rosanne Cash
• Sylvia

1980

• Deborah Allen
• Earl Thomas Conley
• Gary Morris
• Steve Wariner

1981

• George Strait
• Lee Greenwood
• Ricky Skaggs
• Rodney Crowell

1982

• Boxcar Willie

1983

• Atlanta
• Dan Seals
• Exile
• The Judds
• The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

1984

• Sawyer Brown
• Vince Gill

1985

• Forester Sisters
• Keith Whitley
• Marty Stuart
• Randy Travis
• Restless Heart
• T. Graham Brown
• The Highwaymen

1986

• Dwight Yoakam
• Holly Dunn
• Lyle Lovett
• Ricky Van Shelton
• Steve Earle

1987

• Desert Rose Band
• Highway 101
• K.T. Oslin
• Nanci Griffith
• Shenandoah

1988

• Lorrie Morgan
• Patty Loveless
• Paul Overstreet

1989

• Clint Black
• Garth Brooks
• Lionel Cartwright
• Mary Chapin Carpenter
• Suzy Bogguss
• The Kentucky Headhunters
• Travis Tritt

1990

• Aaron Tippin
• Alan Jackson
• Billy Dean
• Carlene Carter
• Doug Stone
• Joe Diffie
• Mark Chesnutt
• Pam Tillis

1991

• Brooks & Dunn
• Collin Raye
• Diamond Rio
• Hal Ketchum
• Little Texas
• Mark Collie
• Sammy Kershaw
• Tracy Lawrence
• Trisha Yearwood

1992

• Billy Ray Cyrus
• Chris LeDoux
• Confederate Railroad
• John Michael Montgomery
• Lee Roy Parnell
• Martina McBride
• Neal McCoy
• Wynonna Judd (as a solo act)

1993

• Blackhawk
• Boy Howdy
• Clay Walker
• Doug Supernaw
• Faith Hill
• Toby Keith
• Tracy Byrd

1994

• Bryan White
• David Ball
• David Lee Murphy
• John Berry
• Ken Mellons
• Lari White
• Rhett Akins
• Rick Trevino
• The Mavericks
• The Tractors
• Tim McGraw
• Wade Hayes

1995

• Alison Krauss
• Daryle Singletary
• Jeff Carson
• Jeff Foxworthy
• Kenny Chesney
• Lonestar
• Perfect Stranger
• Ricochet
• Shania Twain
• Terri Clark
• Ty Herndon

1996

• David Kersh
• Deana Carter
• Deryl Dodd
• Gary Allan
• James Bonamy
• Jo Dee Messina
• LeAnn Rimes
• Mark Wills
• Mindy McCready
• Paul Brandt
• Trace Adkins

1997

• Anita Cochran
• Bill Engvall
• Chely Wright
• Dixie Chicks
• Lee Ann Womack
• Lila McCann
• Michael Peterson
• Sherrie Austin
• The Kinleys

1998

• Andy Griggs
• Chad Brock
• Sara Evans
• The Wilkinsons
• Warren Brothers

1999

• Brad Paisley
• Jessica Andrews
• Keith Urban
• Montgomery Gentry
• Phil Vassar
• Shane Minor
• SheDaisy
• Steve Holy
• Yankee Grey

2000

• Billy Gilman
• Carolyn Dawn Johnson
• Chris Cagle
• Clay Davidson
• Craig Morgan
• Darryl Worley
• Eric Heatherly
• Jamie O‘Neal
• Rascal Flatts
• Trick Pony

2001

• Blake Shelton
• Cyndi Thomson
• Emerson Drive
• Kellie Coffey
• Mark McGuinn
• Pat Green
• Shannon Brown
• Steve Azar
• Tammy Cochran
• Tommy Shane Steiner

2002

• Aaron Lines
• Anthony Smith
• Brad Martin
• Jeff Bates
• Jennifer Hanson
• Joe Nichols
• Kid Rock
• Little Big Town
• Pinmonkey
• Rebecca Lynn Howard
• Rodney Atkins
• Shannon Lawson

2003

• Amy Dalley
• Ashley Gearing
• Big & Rich
• Billy Currington
• Blue County
• Brian McComas
• Buddy Jewell
• Dierks Bentley
• Dusty Drake
• James Otto
• Jimmy Wayne
• Josh Turner
• Rachel Proctor
• Rushlow
• Scotty Emerick

2004

• Brad Cotter
• Catherine Britt
• Gretchen Wilson
• Josh Gracin
• Julie Roberts
• Katrina Elam
• Keith Anderson
• Miranda Lambert
• Shelly Fairchild
• Sugarland
• Trent Willmon

2005

• Blaine Larsen
• Bobby Pinson
• Carrie Underwood
• Danielle Peck
• Hot Apple Pie
• Jack Ingram
• Jamey Johnson
• Jason Aldean
• Ray Scott
• Rockie Lynne
• Ryan Shupe & the RubberBand
• Shooter Jennings
• Trent Tomlinson
• Van Zant

2006

• Ashley Monroe
• Carolina Rain
• Eric Church
• Gary Nichols
• Heartland
• Jake Owen
• Jason Michael Carroll
• Kellie Pickler
• Megan Mullins
• Sarah Buxton
• Taylor Swift
• The Wreckers

2007

• Ashton Shepherd
• Bucky Covington
• Chuck Wicks
• Cole Deggs and the Lonesome
• Eli Young Band
• Halfway to Hazard
• Lady Antebellum
• Lee Brice
• Luke Bryan
• Whiskey Falls

2008

• Adam Gregory
• Chris Young
• Crystal Shawanda
• Darius Rucker
• Dean Brody
• Emily West
• Heidi Newfield (as a solo act)
• Jessica Simpson
• Jewel
• Joey + Rory
• Julianne Hough
• Justin Moore
• Kristy Lee Cook
• Lost Trailers
• Randy Houser
• Zac Brown Band

2009

• Bomshel
• Danny Gokey
• David Nail
• Easton Corbin
• Gloriana
• Jaron and the Long Road to Love
• Jesssica Harp
• John Rich (as a solo act)
• Josh Thompson
• Love & Theft
• Matt Kennon
• Miley Cyrus
• Rodney Carrington
• Steel Magnolia
• The Band Perry
• Trailer Choir
• Uncle Kracker

2010

• Brett Eldredge
• Craig Campbell
• Frankie Ballard
• James Wesley
• JaneDear Girls
• Jerrod Niemann
• Josh Kelley
• Kevin Fowler
• Laura Bell Bundy
• LoCash Cowboys
• Randy Montana
• Sunny Sweeney
• Thompson Square
• Troy Olsen
• Walker Hayes

2011

• Andy Gibson
• Bradley Gaskin
• Brantley Gilbert
• Edens Edge
• Hunter Hayes
• J.T. Hodges
• Kip Moore
• Lauren Alaina
• Ronnie Dunn (as a solo act)
• Scotty McCreery
• The Farm

2012

• Colt Ford
• Dustin Lynch
• Florida Georgia Line
• Jana Kramer
• Jon Pardi
• Kix Brooks (as a solo act)
• Maggie Rose
• RaeLynn
• Randy Rogers Band
• Sarah Darling
• Thomas Rhett

2013

• Austin Webb
• Brothers Osborne
• Cassadee Pope
• Charlie Worsham
• Chase Rice
• Chris Janson
• Cole Swindell
• Dan + Shay
• Danielle Bradbery
• Jamie Lynn Spears
• Jennifer Nettles (as a solo act)
• Kree Harrison
• Leah Turner
• Rachel Farley
• The Cadillac Three
• The Swon Brothers
• Tyler Farr

2014

• Chase Bryant
• John King
• Kristian Bush
• Lucy Hale
• Maddie & Tae
• Sam Hunt

2015

• A Thousand Horses
• Kelsea Ballerini
• Michael Ray
• Mickey Guyton
• Mo Pitney

2016

• Luke Combs
• Maren Morris