country music

noun

Updated on: 19 Apr 2018

Definition of country music

: music derived from or imitating the folk style of the Southern U.S. or of the Western cowboy; especially : popular vocal music characterized by simple harmonies, accompaniment by stringed instruments (such as guitar, fiddle, banjo, and pedal steel), repeated choruses, and often narrative lyrics — called also country, country and western

See country music defined for English-language learners

See country music defined for kids

Recent Examples of country music from the Web

On that night, as thousands of fans enjoyed a country music festival, gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel.

— tod leonard, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Tragedy, unexpected success have made Vegas Golden Knights a sports phenomenon," 15 Apr. 2018
Over the past 13 years, Aldean has become one of country music's biggest stars, selling more than 10 million albums.

— CBS News, "Jason Aldean on returning to Las Vegas: "This is the right setting for me"," 14 Apr. 2018
The mother said her daughter is overjoyed with having the same book the country music star once read.

— kathleen joyce, Fox News, "Oklahoma mom 'embrassed' her daughter's textbook was used by Blake Shelton nearly 4 decades ago," 7 Apr. 2018
Across the street, on the stage that stood on the asphalt, singer Jason Aldean was giving a show on the final night of a three-day country music festival.

— charles p. pierce, SI.com, "Win City: The Playoff-Bound Golden Knights Have Helped Humanize—and Heal—Las Vegas," 4 Apr. 2018
One was held in Las Vegas, where a gunman killed 58 people at a country music festival last year.

— hanna krueger, NOLA.com, "Rick Santorum recommends kids learn CPR, rather than protest gun laws: report," 25 Mar. 2018
Some of the music acts to follow feature an '80s cover band called Time Warp, country music artist Buck Yeager Band and variety pianist Russell Boyd.

— julie cornell, Houston Chronicle, "Concert in the Park series makes 2018 debut Sunday," 2 Mar. 2018
Kentucky Fried Chicken announced Thursday night that its newest celebrity to play Colonel Harland Sanders is country music star Reba McEntire.

— grace schneider, The Courier-Journal, "First female Kentucky Fried Chicken Colonel is ... country music phenom Reba McEntire," 25 Jan. 2018
SummitFest is a one-day event offering three national country music artist all in one venue.

— sheila vilvens, Cincinnati.com, "Three country acts to headline new Blue Ash festival," 23 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'country music.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of country music

1942

COUNTRY MUSIC Defined for English Language Learners

country music

noun

Definition of country music for English Language Learners

: a style of music that developed in the southern and western U.S. and that often contains lyrics relating to the lives of people who live in the country

COUNTRY MUSIC Defined for Kids

country music

noun

Definition of country music for Students

: a style of music that developed in the southern and western United States, that is similar to folk music, and that often has lyrics about people who live in the country