Country music is its own ecosystem. The genre boasts some of the biggest and most beloved stars in American history. It's appeal is broad, and long-lasting, so it makes sense that several artists would attempt to get their piece of the pie with a country crossover of a full blown genre switch up.
To be clear, we have witnessed plenty of unsuccessful crossover attempts over the years. Justin Timberlake achieved some chart success with his country/pop hybrid, Man of the Woods, in 2018, but the album is now largely seen as the beginning of the end for the "SexyBack" star.
This list is far more positive, though. This is a compilation of pop and rock artists who leaned into their country obsession, and actually proved to be successful in the process.
The Byrds
The Byrds were the definitive American folk-rock band of the 1960s. They rivaled the Beatles for a few years thanks to classic singles like "Turn! Turn! Turn!" and "Mr. Tambourine Man," but the end of the 60s brought about inner-band turmoil and personnel changes.
Enter Gram Parsons. The musical prodigy joined the band, and quickly shifted their sound with the 1968 album Sweetheart of the Rodeo. It alienated some Byrds fans, but it proved successful, and is now seen as one of the earliest (and best) examples of county rock.
Beyonce
Beyonce's prestige album era, initialed by her 2011 self-titled album, has seen her dabble in several different genres. Renaissance (2022) was an ode to dance music, but it was 2024's Cowboy Carter that turned the most heads. The Texas native dove headfirst into the genre, nabbing collaborations with the likes of Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton.
In short, the genre shift worked. Cowboy Carter was universally acclaimed, and earned a staggering 11 nominations at the 67th Grammy Awards. Beyonce is now the most nominated artist in Grammy history, and her sprawling country masterpiece is what solidified it.
Kid Rock
Kid Rock broke out as a Detroit rapper in the late 80s and early 90s. He found success in the hip hop and nu metal genre, but it was his shift to country that yielded some of his most indelible hits. Cocky, his 2001 album, spawned the crossover smash "Picture," which was a duet with Sheryl Crow.
The album went on to be certified five times Platinum. Unsurprisingly, Kid Rock has largely stayed in this country/Southern rock lane with releases like Kid Rock (2003) and Rock n Roll Jesus (2007).
Post Malone
Post Malone is another Texan who started in the hip hop and R&B lane before broadening his scope and experimenting with different sounds. F-1 Trillion, Malone's 2024 album, was the hardest genre break he's made to date, though. The "White Iverson" star went full on country, teaming up with the likes of Luke Combs and Morgan Wallen to deliver a collection of catchy ballads.
Like Beyonce, with whom he worked with on Cowboy Carter, Malone's switch up was a success. F-1 Trillion debuted atop the Billboard 200, and spawned the single "I Had Some Help," which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
Darius Rucker
Darius Rucker was the frontman of the biggest rock band of 1994. Hootie & the Blowfish blew up the world with their debut album, which sold 20 million copies worldwide. The band petered out a couple years later, though, and Rucker decided to reinvent himself as a country ballader.
Rucker's distinct voice proved to be a perfect fit for the genre. His 2008 single "Don't Think I Don't Think About It" became the first solo single by a Black performer to top the country charts since '83, and Rucker followed it up with three more hits, which helped his album Learn to Live go Platinum.
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga has worn so many hats over the years that it can be hard to keep track. Yes, there was a period where she turned in her art-pop stylings for a stripped-down, Americana style, and it worked out pretty well. Joanne, her 2016 album, topped the Billboard 200, and spawned several acclaimed singles like "Perfect Illusion" and "Million Reasons."
Gaga continued to switch things up with her next album, the dance-pop infused Chromatica (2020), but many country fans still reserve a special place for Joanne, and Gaga's tasteful genre foray.