Country music has always had a rebellious spirit, but nowadays it’s been breaking all the rules—incorporating unexpected genres, collaborating with unexpected artists, and dropping tracks that keep everyone on their toes. Goodbye to the traditional “trucks and heartbreak” sound. Modern country music is bold, diverse, and unapologetically experimental. Artists are pushing the boundaries of new styles and sounds like never before. Here are 10 of the best collaborations that demonstrate just how bold and exciting modern country music is today.
10. Cristina Vane and the Indie-Folk Wave
Cristina Vane may not be a household name just yet, but she is definitely one of the most promising new voices in country music. Her unique style combines elements of blues, indie-folk, and Americana to create music that is both fresh and authentic. Having shared the stage with legends such as Bob Weir and Wynonna Judd, Vane pays homage to the country music tradition of storytelling while also putting her own unique twist on it. Vane often sets out to capture a particular time and place in her songs, and her genre-bending style demonstrates just how far country music can stretch without sacrificing its essence.
9. The CMT Music Awards: Nashville’s Experiment Lab
If there’s any event that enjoys tearing down boundaries, it’s the CMT Awards. The show has leaned heavily into mashups and genre-hopping duets in recent years. The 2021 show treated us to Chris Stapleton with H.E.R., Mickey Guyton with Gladys Knight and BRELAND, and Carrie Underwood with NEEDTOBREATHE. These evenings don’t only entertain—they demonstrate the ways that country fits into dialogue with every part of music.
8. Johnny Cash and Nick Cave: A Dark Union
When Johnny Cash and Nick Cave teamed up for a haunting cover of Hank Williams’ “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” it was the convergence of two realms—country heritage and gothic rock ferocity. Cave attributed Cash with altering his approach to songwriting, and the two created something untamed and indelible together. It’s testimony that country emotional gravity resonates much farther than Nashville.
7. Kacey Musgraves and Noah Kahan: Indie Heartbreak Meets Country
Kacey Musgraves has never been afraid to color outside the lines, so it felt like a no-brainer when she teamed up with indie-folk darling Noah Kahan on “She Calls Me Back.” Musgraves’ country background combined with her indie sensibilities made her the ideal collaborator, bridging two fanbases. It’s the type of crossover that not only sounds good, but also opens up the possibilities of who country can talk to.
6. Luke Bryan and Jason Derulo: Country on the Dance Floor
Luke Bryan has never shied away from experimenting, and his fun pairing with Jason Derulo proved how much fun country-pop can be. Bryan himself has claimed these crossover collaborations unite different cultures in music, making music greater than the genre constraints it’s been put into. By collaborating with mainstream pop artists, Bryan assisted in pushing country further into the global streaming spotlight.
5. Luke Combs and Good Charlotte: Stagecoach Chaos
Luke Combs is the country’s everyman superstar, but he’s also a wildcard collaborator. Case in point: his mashup with pop-punk icons Good Charlotte at Stagecoach, blending “The Anthem” with his own “Where the Wild Things Are.” Add in his collabs with Leon Bridges, BigXthaPlug, and even the Backstreet Boys, and you’ve got an artist who thrives on smashing walls between genres.
4. Morgan Wallen and Lil Durk: Country x Rap
Morgan Wallen is central to the country’s era, and his collaborations with rapper Lil Durk (and Moneybagg Yo and others) are one of the prime reasons why. Critics have pointed out the common Southern DNA between country and rap—narrative, heartache, and toughness—and Wallen’s ventures have bridged those spheres. Love him or despise him, he’s made country sound relevant in ways few others have.
3. Post Malone Joins the Party
Post Malone has been toying with country for some time now, and every time he takes the plunge, the chatter gets louder. Whether collaborating with Luke Combs or tapping into outlaw energy on stage, Posty’s boundary-pushing makes country feel wide open to new fans. His influence has inspired other acts to follow in his footsteps, showing the doors to country are not only cracked—they’re open wide.
2. Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter
When Beyoncé released Cowboy Carter, she didn’t dip a toe in the water—she cannonballed headfirst into country. The album made waves but eventually won out, pushing back against age-old notions of who should be allowed to call the genre home. Aside from its high-energy music, Cowboy Carter compelled country to deal with its past while dreaming up a more expansive future.
1. Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus: The “Old Town Road” Shockwave
And then there’s Old Town Road. When Lil Nas X’s viral hit was booted off the country charts, he went double-or-nothing with Billy Ray Cyrus on the remix—and made a cultural earthquake. Featuring hip-hop rhythms, banjo twang, and braggadocio for days, the song didn’t just rule the charts; it redefined the rules. Hate it or eye-roll, you can’t argue that country music has been changed forever.
Country music’s recent past is full of artists refusing to stay in their lane—and fans are better for it. These collaborations prove that country isn’t shrinking into tradition, but getting bigger, bolder, and more unpredictable. And if the last couple of years are any indication, the wildest collabs are yet to come.