Country’s never had a problem being rebellious, but recently it’s been breaking all the rules—blending with untoward sounds, collaborating with unlikelies, and dropping collaborations that keep everyone guessing. Ditch the tired “trucks and heartbreak” cliche. Modern countries are bold, open-hearted, and open-minded. Here are 10 of the most fearless collabs that have pushed what country can sound like.
10. Cristina Vane and the Indie-Folk Wave
Cristina Vane may not yet be a household name, but she’s one of the freshest voices showing where country might be headed. Her music blends blues, indie-folk, and Americana into something both modern and rooted. Sharing stages with legends like Bob Weir and Wynonna Judd, she’s carrying forward country’s storytelling tradition while adding her own twist. Vane frequently tells us she’s attempting to record a location or a time in song—and her blend of styles demonstrates how much country can extend without relinquishing its heart.
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.