We are thrilled to share our list of the top country artists to watch in 2023! Most of these rising stars lean toward traditional country music, and we can’t wait for the world to hear their unique sounds and stories. From heartfelt ballads to upbeat honky-tonk tunes, these artists are sure to capture your heart and keep you tapping your toes.
With their authentic sound and undeniable talent, these artists are sure to make a big impact in the country music scene in the coming year. We can’t wait to see what they have in store, and we’re excited to share their music with you! Keep an eye out for these artists, they are going to be big in 2023!
Country Artists to Watch 2023
Country Artists to Watch Playlist
Sydney Adams
Sydney Adams hails from southeastern Kentucky, where her roots run deep and have greatly impacted her music. She aspires for her music to reach a diverse audience of all ages and genres. The artist’s compositions are influenced by a variety of musical styles including country, blues, R&B, Americana, and bluegrass. Adams has been actively performing in various states across the region, including Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, Ohio, and West Virginia. The artist’s sophomore EP “A Lot Like You” is now available on all streaming platforms, and physical copies can be purchased from their official website.
Bri Bagwell
Bri Bagwell is a Texas-based female artist of the decade who has made a name for herself on the Texas Country scene. With her rousingly fun live performances, trailblazing artistry, and masterful stage presence, Bri has built a loyal and passionate fan base. Her discography spans from her first release, “Banned from Santa Fe” in 2011, to her 2022 release “Corazón y Cabeza (Heart and Head)” and has seen her audience grow and diversify. Born in Las Cruces, NM, Bri grew up with music as a constant in her life, from writing poems in her childhood bedroom to teaching herself to play the piano and singing in her twin brothers’ band. We’re excited to see what’s next for her in 2023.
Chad Bushnell
Chad Bushnell is a country music artist with deep Christian roots. His family lineage, dating back four generations, is made up of cowboys and singers, some of whom shared the stage with Bob Hope. Chad’s music exudes the Americana spirit and is inspired by his childhood singing in church and his great grandmother. He maintains a connection to the western ranch world, working alongside his family and writing country songs. He has opened for many famous country stars, including Dwight Yoakam, Kris Kristofferson, Billy Currington and many others. When not touring, Chad lives in Red Bluff, California with his wife.
Kimberly Kelly
Kimberly Kelly is a country music artist from Lorena, Texas with multiple connections to the Nashville industry. She has been unafraid to defy convention, working hard in Texas before moving to Nashville. She has written songs, put out records, did a radio tour, and played every weekend while earning a Master’s degree. She has a lot of confidence on stage from her sister, who signed to a Nashville label and charted a single in 2012, and got to sing harmony with her on tours with Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, and Alan Jackson. She met with publishers, dove into a process favored by many of the genre’s most successful artists and crafted the independently released “Don’t Blame It On Me” EP, in 2018. She signed to Show Dog Nashville in partnership with Thirty Tigers in 2021 and released the album I’ll Tell You What’s Gonna Happen last year.
Zakk Grandahl
Zakk Grandahl is a traditional country artist from Duluth, Minnesota who fuses traditional and outlaw country styles. He released his debut album Barstool Stories in August 2021 and has plans for a follow-up album titled Living The Dream in February 2023. He also plans to record a live LP in the spring of 2023. He is bringing back traditional and outlaw country with his music. Adding Zakk to our list of country artists to watch was definitely an easy decision.
Joshua Hedley
Joshua Hedley is a country musician known for his deep knowledge of the genre’s history, particularly the beery ballads of the 1950s and ’60s. He puts his own spin on the styles of his mentors, George Jones, Ray Price, and Glen Campbell. His 2018 debut album, Mr. Jukebox, showcases his style, while his latest album, Neon Blue, examines a different era, the early 1990s. He believes that it was the last bastion of true country music and wants to explore what could have happened if the genre had not veered off into pop territory. He finds something exciting in that sound and wants to play up the excitement of bigger-than-life choruses, relatable emotions, and inventiveness of the lively production.
Braxton Keith
Braxton Keith is a 23-year-old musician from Midland, Texas and found his talent in music at a young age, starting with piano and music theory in kindergarten. He has a love for instruments and writing songs, and has not been able to put an instrument down since his early beginnings. His heroes include country western legends such as Marty Robbins, Merle Haggard, Brooks and Dunn, Hank Williams, Bob Wills, George Strait, among others. These artists have greatly influenced him to learn the guitar and leave his mark on country music. Braxton’s love for entertaining people drives him to create good old country music.
Alex Key
Alex Key is a country musician from Wilkesboro, North Carolina. He grew up on a multi-generation family farm and was raised listening to various musical inspirations, like George Strait, Alan Jackson, and Randy Travis. This is where Alex believes his love for classic country began. His album Neon Signs and Stained Glass debuted at #1 on Amazon music and was a best seller. In 2021, his album release Barstools and Saddles hit the top 40 on iTunes worldwide country charts multiple times, after songs like “The Fool That I Am,” “Sleep Talking,” and “The Cowboy Stayed” went viral on TikTok. His music has now been streamed over 11 million times.
Donice Morace
Donice Morace, began his journey at the age of six when his father bought him his first guitar. After college, he moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he sang five nights a week at Cowboy’s Dance Hall and opened for national acts such as Lonestar and Kenny Chesney, as well as his hero Merle Haggard. He brought his brand of country music back to Texas five years later, opening for Kevin Fowler, Aaron Watson, and Cody Johnson. His self-titled EP released in 2017 included the top 25 single “Good Hurt Comin’ On” and “WD-40 and Duct Tape” which was accompanied by a music video and peaked at number 15 on the Texas Regional Radio Report. He continued to grow his stock with the release of his debut album ‘Long Live the Cowboy’ in 2019, unashamedly putting the cowboy back in country music.
Landon Parker
Landon Parker, a rising country musician hailing from Yadkinville, North Carolina, is making waves in the Nashville music scene with his unique blend of traditional country sounds and contemporary lyrics. With the release of his singles “Up For Anything,” “Good Beer Drinkin'” and “Caught Me at a Good Time,” Landon is introducing fans to his own brand of country music. His upcoming debut project, produced by GRAMMY award-winner Blake Chancey and co-written by Parker himself, is highly anticipated and expected to showcase his honky-tonk twang in a fresh and modern way. Represented by CAA and managed by EM.Co, Landon is signed to Tim McGraw’s publishing company Free Dive and TriScore Music.
Dallas Remington
Country artist Dallas Remington is a force to be reckoned with. From sequins to camouflage, she knows who she is and what she wants. Hailing from Kentucky, Dallas has a passion for music, life, and her faith. She began playing the guitar and performing at the young age of nine and has been working hard to establish herself in the country music scene. Dallas also has original songs like “Uncommon Man” and “Huntin’ Season” which have charted on the Billboard Country Indicator and MusicRow Breakout Chart respectively. Her current single, STEAL YOUR DAD” is a catchy, must-listen track.
Emily Ann Roberts
Emily Ann Roberts, a young country artist from East Tennessee, has worked hard to make her mark on the music scene. Her career took off when she was a runner-up on The Voice and since then, she has amassed more than 19 million streams. Growing up listening to Smoky Mountain music, bluegrass players, and country artists from every era, she is determined to bring the country back to country music. She’s now working with producer Trent Willmon and some of Nashville’s most prolific songwriters to make country music that will make its mark in the studio and on the stage.
Josiah Siska
Josiah Siska is a rising country artist with a passion for storytelling and songwriting. His debut EP “Three Chords at a Time,” released last year, showcases his talents as a songwriter and storyteller. He co-wrote five of the seven songs on the EP with his “Nashville family” and featured some of Music City’s best songwriters on the other two. The EP includes his hit single “3 Tequila Floor,” the title track, and fan favorites “HonkyTonk” and “Come On Down.”
Kasey Tyndall
Kasey Tyndall is a rising country singer-songwriter known for her edgy, rock-infused sound. She first picked up the guitar in sixth grade and fell in love with the craft of songwriting. Tyndall moved to Nashville from a small town outside Greenville, NC after winning a radio station contest to duet with Keith Urban. Tyndall’s musical influences range from Miranda Lambert and Alison Krauss to Avril Lavigne and Joan Jett, which reflects her ability to resonate among hard rock and roll and country fans alike. She continues to write and record new music in Nashville, with recent singles such as “Jesus and Joan Jett,” “Place for Me,” and “Babies.”
Erin Viancourt
Erin Viancourt, an emerging singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Cleveland, has been signed by Late August Records. Erin is set to release her debut album in May 2023. The label is excited about this signing and shares that, “Erin is a badass with every possible skill one needs to make it in this business. Beyond that, her independence, dedication, kindness, confidence, coolness, determination and ‘it’ factor are just a few of the extras she brings to the table. The perfect debut artist for Late August Records.” Erin now calls the road home and is dedicated to supporting independent artists.
Country Artists to Watch: Fan-Voted Spot
The Texas Tenors
The Texas Tenors consist of Marcus, JC and John. The trio won the first fan-voted spot on the country Artists to Watch list. They are considered the most successful touring group in the history of America’s Got Talent, and have performed over 1400 live concerts in the last 10 years.
