country music

noun

: 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

Examples of country music in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Before Meta came to town, the biggest claim to fame of Richland Parish, a community where a quarter of residents live under the poverty line, was arguably that country music artist Tim McGraw was born and raised there. —Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026

Ronnie Bowman’s Expansive Catalog While Bowman earned devoted fans through his own performances, his reach as a songwriter extended far beyond the bluegrass world and into mainstream country music. —Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2026

As this year’s CMA Fest gets closer, the fan-favorite country music festival has revealed the massive lineups for its multiple daytime stages. —Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 25 Mar. 2026

At least 58 people were killed and hundreds more were wounded when a gunman opened fire from the Mandalay Bay Hotel onto a country music festival taking place in a field across the street from the hotel. —Luke Barr, ABC News, 24 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

country music

noun

: music coming from or imitating the folk style of the Southern U.S. or the Western cowboy