This page indexes the individual pages. Each year is annotated with a significant event as a reference point.
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2000s - 1990s - 1980s - 1970s - 1960s - 1950s - 1940s - 1930s - 1920s -
Pre-1920s
- , Country music's big night at the Grammys .
- , George Strait 's 41st No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' charts (53 including other charts); new host for "''' American Country Countdown '''."
- , Carrie Underwood wins "''' American Idol '''"; '' Walk The Line '' biopic released.
- , Invasion of the MuzikMafia ; death of Opry star Skeeter Davis .
- , Rascal Flatts "I Melt" video and Dixie Chicks controversies; deaths of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash .
- , Toby Keith / Natalie Maines feud; comeback albums from Shania Twain , Faith Hill and The Dixie Chicks ; death of Waylon Jennings .
- , Tributes to those killed in September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
- , Toby Keith 's breakthrough; Vince Gill and Amy Grant marry; Kenny Rogers becomes the oldest singer to have a No. 1 song.
- , Lonestar 's "Amazed" spends eight weeks at No. 1, becomes major pop hit.
- , Deaths of Tammy Wynette , Eddie Rabbitt , Carl Perkins and Gene Autry .
- , Six weeks at No. 1 for "It's Your Love"; ''Come On Over'' released.
- , Marriage of Tim McGraw and Faith Hill .
- , The rise of Shania Twain , death of Charlie Rich .
- , Riding on the coat-tails of Garth Brooks' success, Nashville executives begin pushing more pop influenced country. The rise of Faith Hill, Tim McGraw. Johnny Cash makes a major comeback with the first of several albums with rock influences.
- , Death of Conway Twitty .
- , Hee Haw ends first-run production.
- , ''Ropin' the Wind'' by Garth Brooks debuts at No. 1 on pop album chart, death of Dottie West
- , Resurgence in multi-week No. 1s ("Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart," "Love Without End, Amen")
- , chart debuts of Garth Brooks , Clint Black , Travis Tritt and Alan Jackson ; death of Keith Whitley .
- , chronicling the history of country music on compact disc (among the first being the Country USA series).
- , Reba McEntire wins unprecedented fourth Female Vocalist of the Year award from the Country Music Association ; K. T. Oslin becomes a star in her late forties, a first for a country female vocalist.
- , Debuts of Randy Travis , Dwight Yoakam and others reinvigorate country music.
- , '' New York Times '' declares country music "dead."
- , Willie Nelson , Julio Iglesias duet "To All the Girls I've Loved Before."
- , CMT , The Nashville Network premiere on cable television; The Judds sign a national recording contract.
- , Alabama wins first CMA "Entertainer of the Year" award.
- , With the chart debuts of George Strait and Ricky Skaggs , Neotraditional Country is introduced and would feed the success of artists such as Randy Travis , Dwight Yoakam , Keith Whitley , Clint Black , and Alan Jackson in the late 80's and early 90's.
- , '' Urban Cowboy '' premieres, Dolly Parton becomes a major movie star with 9 To 5 , two country songs nominated for best song Academy Award , Parton's "9 to 5" and Willie Nelson's '' On The Road Again ''.
- , Kenny Rogers releases his second signature story song, " Coward Of The County ."
- , Barbara Mandrell 's decade-old career hits new heights with her first number one record; Kenny Rogers releases " The Gambler ."
- , Death of Elvis Presley ; six weeks at No. 1 for Waylon Jennings' "Lukenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love);" Kenny Rogers makes comeback as solo country singer; Dolly Parton begins recording pop-oriented music instead of merely country.
- , The CB Radio -song craze hits its peak; '' Wanted! The Outlaws '' released; Loretta Lynn 's autobiography becomes a '' New York Times '' best seller.
- , Backlash over John Denver being named CMA Entertainer of the Year; Willie Nelson becomes a major star fifteen years after his first recordings with his albun '' Redheaded Stranger ''.
- , Australian pop singer Olivia Newton-John racks up a string of country hits and stuns the industry by winning the Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year award. A group of veteran country performers form the short-lived Association Of Country Entertainers in an attempt to keep country music "country."
- , Grand Ole Opry moves from the Ryman Auditorium to its new house in Opryland, Murder of Stringbean ; premiere of " American Country Countdown ." Johnny Rodriguez becomes the first Hispanic country star.
- , Fan Fair debuts, Opryland USA opens, " Will The Circle Be Unbroken " album issued, 13-year-old Tanya Tucker becomes an overnight sensation.
- , Television's Rural Purge . African-American singer Charley Pride named CMA Entertainer of the Year, Lynn Anderson tops pop charts around the world with her Crossover Music country hit "Rose Garden".
- , Loretta Lynn records "Coal Miner's Daughter;" Conway Twitty "Hello Darlin';" together, their first duet, "After the Fire is Gone."
- , '' Hee Haw '' premieres. Tammy Wynette 's '' Stand By Your Man '' becomes an anthem of country music.
- , Johnny Cash records at Folsom State Prison , Jeannie C. Riley socks it to the charts with '' Harper Valley PTA ''.
- , First Country Music Association awards (non-televised this year only), chart debut of Dolly Parton , who later that year becomes a regular on '' The Porter Wagoner Show ''.
- , Chart debuts of Lynn Anderson , Tammy Wynette .
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- , Plane crash kills Jim Reeves , chart debuts of Hank Williams Jr. and Dottie West .
- , Plane crash kills Patsy Cline , Cowboy Copas , Hawkshaw Hawkins .
- , Ray Charles releases Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music
- , Country Music Association announces creation of Country Music Hall Of Fame , Patsy Cline has her first #1 hit called " I Fall To Pieces ".
- , Only four songs reach No. 1 on '' Billboard Magazine '' country chart during the entire year, chart debut of Loretta Lynn .
- , Buck Owens makes his metoric rise to the top of Country Music. A place he would hold for more than a decade. The peak of the saga song ("The Battle of New Orleans," "El Paso," "The Long Black Veil").
- , '' Billboard Magazine '' consolidates best-sellers and disc jockeys' charts into one all-encompassing C&W chart.
- , Rock-flavored acts – Elvis Presley , Jerry Lee Lewis , Everly Brothers – dominate charts. Patsy Cline debuts on the charts.
- , Ray Price , Marty Robbins , and Johnny Horton emerge and resurrect traditional country music after the influx of Rock n' Roll threatens the heart of country music.
- , Johnny Cash , George Jones , Elvis Presley have first national hits
- , Elvis Presley makes first recordings, one and only appearance on Grand Ole Opry .
- , Death of Hank Williams .
- , The fall of Hank Williams ; Kitty Wells has first solo female No. 1 song
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- , 21 weeks at No. 1 for Hank Snow 's "I'm Moving On."
- , Hank Williams first giant hit, "Lovesick Blues."
- , Eddy Arnold has five of the year's six new No. 1 songs, with "Boquet of Roses" and "Anytime" the biggest of the lot.
- , Hank Williams has first national hit; Eddy Arnold spends 21 weeks at No. 1.
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- , '' Billboard Magazine '' creates first national chart to track popularity of country music records.
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- , Musicians' Strike and ban on recording; Acuff-Rose Music forms.
- , Ernest Tubb 's "Walking the Floor Over You."
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- , death of Jimmie Rodgers
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- , The Carter Family , Jimmie Rodgers make first recordings at Bristol, Tennessee .
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- , WSM signs on; first WSM Barn Dance .
- , "The Prisoner's Song" recorded.
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- , First commercial recordings of country music
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