alt-country

noun

alt-coun·​try ˈȯlt-ˈkən-trē 

: country music that is produced by performers who are outside the mainstream of country music and that is typically regarded as differing from mainstream country in being less polished, more original, and more eclectic especially in incorporating influences from such genres as rock, folk music, blues, and punk

Examples of alt-country in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Bruce Tull, guitarist and pedal steel player for the Nineties alt-country outfit Scud Mountain Boys, has died. — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 29 June 2026

With a mood board of influences including CD-binder staples like Neil Young’s Harvest Moon and alt-country lifers Blue Rodeo’s Five Days in July, Shabason and Krgovich summon the spirit of a backyard campfire attended by folkies and experimental jazz nerds alike. — Zach Schonfeld, Pitchfork, 18 June 2026

Headliners include San Diego punk band The Frights, alt-country Americana group Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band, Connecticut indie rockers Ovlov, R&B singer Devn Gilfillian, and Shannon Shaw Band from California. — Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 2 June 2026

Red-dirt alt-country band Southall will open. — Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 27 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

short for alternative country

First Known Use

1993, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for alt-country

• backcountry
• countrie
• country
• intercountry