Alexa Ford ‘26, Social Media Manager
Country music is gaining more listeners every day. Country music has seen a significant growth in the millennial and younger listeners, expanding the popularity beyond the usual fans. These young artists are contributing to the rise in listeners everyday. They have provided a more diverse approach to the genre, we listeners from all over the world to become more involved in country music. These artists are the up and coming ones to watch:
Ty Myers: Ty Myers is an American country music singer and songwriter who gained a large fanbase and popularity very rapidly. Myers grew up in Dipping Springs, Texas, and entered the music world after suffering a knee injury while playing football in high school. According to Music Mayhem, Myers started going viral when he released his song, “Tie That Binds” in 2023 and went viral on TikTok, gaining him many followers in his music. Afterward, he released his hit song “Drinkin’ Alone,” which led him to many record deals and an even larger fanbase. He began his The Select Tour on Jan. 16, and his crowds keept growing. Myers has won multiple Apple Music Riser of the Month awards and Billboard’s Country Rookie of the Month, demonstrating his successful run so far in the country music scene.
Hudson Westbrook: Hudson Westbrook is a self-taught country music artist from Stephenville, Texas who is currently gaining more and more fans by the day. Westbrook attended Texas Tech University, and eventually discovered his love for music and songwriting during the COVID19 pandemic. All Country News says his debut song “Take It Slow,” quickly gained over 1.2 million views within the first week of its release date. He released his Texas Forever album in July, achieving a larger popularity among fans. He is currently on tour with country music singer Parker McCollum, and is headlining his own shows in large venues like Red Rocks and Billy Bob’s. Westbrook continues to create new music, and often posts on social media to connect with fans, and release sneak peaks of his new music to come.
Waylon Wyatt: Waylon Wyatt is an 18-year-old country music singer from Hackett, Arkansas, and started his musical journey after his brother passed away, and then started playing his guitar in honor of him. Wyatt has been gaining more popularity each day. Billboard says that he started to gain his fanbase when he released his hit song “Everything Under The Sun” which went viral on TikTok. This song now has over 12 million streams. Waylon writes his own songs, and even began writing at the age of 15. This young artist was inspired by alternative-country artists like Tyler Childers and Zach Bryan. He is now creating a song called “Jailbreak” with another newcomer Bayker Blankenship, singer of “Maxed Out.” Wyatt now has record deals signed with Music Soup and Darkroom Records. A friend encouraged him to post a TikTok to one of his songs, which later blew up, gaining a widespread of attention on his music.
Vincent Mason: Vincent Mason is a 23-year-old Nashville-based singer and songwriter from Roswell, Georgia. He was inspired by music from movie soundtracks, which led him to pick up his guitar in college and start singing. He gaining attention when his hit song “Hell is a Dancefloor” was released in 2024. This song now has over 17 million streams. He is most known for his relatability and connection his lyrics have with his listeners. Mason has toured with artists like Riley Green, Parker McCollum, and, according to Ticketmaster, is planning to tour with Gavin Adcock in 2026. Mason’s music has been known for his relatable storytelling, as he gives others inspiration through his own life. He signed a record deal with Interscope Records in May 2024.
The overall rise in country music fans has expanded tremendously with many artists like Post Malone and Beyonce creating more country music as opposed to their usual genres. The newer, young country music artists have been gaining a lot more popularity, using social media sources like TikTok and Youtube to form a more authentic connection between fans, instead of just releasing their music on the radio. This has not only created more personal connections, but also got the attention of new fans, especially among a younger audience. Fan are exited to see where these artist careers take them in the music world.
Lyon Life 