Social media is shaking up the music world, and for these country singers, TikTok has been the driving force behind their careers.
For many, the platform has taken them off the screen and put them on some of the biggest stages in the nation. And it’s only just a matter of time before the others are right there with them.
How Has TikTok Changed Country Music?
Back in the old days of country music, artists who wanted to make it in Nashville needed to quit their jobs, load up the car and move. And while this is still one of best ways to be in front of the people who can make your dreams come true, it’s not the only way.
These days, rather than playing in bars and hoping a record executive will take notice, younger artists can share their music on social media. Now, that doesn’t guarantee that your song will go viral, but every so often, lightning can strike. And when the views start coming in, it’s hard to deny you’ve got a hit on your hands.
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There is a downside to TikTok, however. One viral song doesn’t mean a long, steady career in country music. Fans will want to see an artist perform live, and they will want authentic songs that are written with a strong hand. Rinse and repeat.
Keep scrolling to see 13 country artists who have been able to successfully launch their music careers by leveraging TikTok. There’s a good chance these artists will be making music for a long, long time.
Alexandra Kay
Alexandra Kay is an independent artist who has been making waves in Nashville. In the midst of writing her own music, she has posted covers of other popular country songs, one of which caught the attention of Tim McGraw.
Her rendition of “Don’t Take the Girl” led to the country veteran posting a duet with her, which went viral on TikTok, acquiring more than 8 million views.
She was racking up the views and likes long before that, though, with 4 million followers and 70 million likes.
Ashley Cooke
With more than 1 million followers and over 26 million likes, Ashley Cooke has been slaying the TikTok game.
Videos featuring her music have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times. It’s no wonder she won her first ever country award — a CMT Award — this year.
Bailey Zimmerman
Bailey Zimmerman is made for social media. His goofy personality coupled with his talent for songwriting have made him an internet sensation.
His TikTok has amassed 2.9 million followers and nearly 49 million likes. It didn’t take long for his popularity with online fans to get him noticed in Nashville.
Chase Matthew
Chase Matthew was just a guy posting him music on TikTok, and now he’s cutting his teeth in Music City.
What has made him so popular on social media is his numerous duets with fans engaging with his music. It’s why he has nearly 1 million followers and over 10 million likes.
Corey Kent
When Corey Kent shares a song on social media, it catches like wildfire with tens of thousands of views on each.
His popularity on TikTok caught the attention of Nashville, which earned him a single at country radio with “Wild as Her.” His profile has over 4 million likes and nearly 500,000 followers.
Mackenzie Carpenter
Mackenzie Carpenter is just a country girl having fun on TikTok.
Her 150,000 followers are dedicated and have liked her content over 2 million times. Her most popular videos involve her music, which she’s been able to play in front of some pretty big crowds.
She’s opened for Miranda Lambert, Jake Owen, Parker McCollum and more.
Megan Moroney
2024 is already shaping up to be a big year for Megan Moroney.
The country newcomer was nominated several times at the CMT Awards and has a whopping six nominations at this year’s ACM Awards.
Her TikTok has 27 million likes and her 1.1 million followers are not surprised at her recent success.
Priscilla Block
Fans can always count on Priscilla Block to share a song they can sing at the top of their lungs.
Her nearly 2 million followers have given her over 37 million likes, and the videos featuring her music routinely have hundreds of thousands of views. Her popularity with fans earned her a CMT Award nomination this year.
Shaboozey
Shaboozey has built quite the following on Tiktok with over 320,000 followers giving him nearly 2 million likes.
His fresh take on country music and his success on the platform certainly helped him get the attention of Beyonce.
She included him on not one, but two songs for her Cowboy Carter album.
Tucker Wetmore
Tucker Wetmore is a talented song craftsman who has pocketed nearly 14 million likes from more than 900,000 followers.
In addition to his catchy music, his resemblance to Morgan Wallen has certainly helped him catch some eyes.
Most of his videos utilizing his music have been viewed millions of times.
Warren Zeiders
Warren Zeiders took home his first country music award this year when he won a CMT Award, and his popularity on TikTok has only grown.
He now sits at 2.6 million followers and nearly 37 million likes.
His song “Pretty Little Poison” went viral on the platform, launching him into country radio and scoring him his first No. 1 hit.
Zach Bryan
Easily the most successful of the bunch, Zach Bryan made a name for himself on TikTok sharing his music with fans.
He has 2.7 million followers and over 24 million likes with his songs garnering millions of views each.
He’s now selling out tours left and right, with many fans having to submit to waiting lists just to get their hands on a ticket.
Zach Top
Zach Top isn’t your average country artist. The mustached musician has a knack for the classic ’90s country sound, which has made him quite popular on TikTok.
He has over 300,000 followers with more than 3 million likes. His viral videos have put his name on the lips of some of the biggest country stars, who say he could be the next big thing.