Country music's 20 most exciting stars

Chris Stapleton might be the only country star today that everyone can agree on. Whether you like arena-style bro country, outlaw country, pop-country, or a more bluegrassy tone, it's hard to find fault with Stapleton and his songwriting skills.

For folks who only follow country music casually, Maren Morris came out of nowhere last year with hits like "80s Mercedes" and "My Church," but she already has four studio albums under her belt, and has been making music for over a decade. She's already dominating the airwaves and there's no reason to think she's slowing down.

Though he is sorely missed by legions of Drive-By Truckers fans, Jason Isbell's star has soared since his departure from the band. He's now one of country music's most exciting stars, injecting the genre with a heavy dose of soulful southern rock.

Now that Sturgill Simpson has himself Grammy honors, maybe he'll finally be able to shake off his severe case of who-the-heck-are-you-itis. His unique brand of psychedelic country is not to be missed.

Sam Riggs must be one of the hardest working people in country music today. 2016 saw the release of "Breathless," his second studio album, which was only able to be produced because Riggs ran a successful campaign on Kickstarter. The record debuted at #12 on the country charts, setting Riggs up for more mainstream success.

Cody Johnson is no slouch, having released six albums in just over a decade. But it seems like he's finally breaking into the mainstream – 2016's "Gotta Be Me" debuted at #11 on the Billboard Hot 200, despite the fact that he hasn't signed with a major label and (still!) self-releases his own albums.

"Mr. Misunderstood" is one of the best country albums in years, and it has only bolstered Eric Church's spot as one of the genre's biggest stars. 

Kaitlin Butts hasn't been active as long as many of the others on this list, but she is definitely one of the genre's rising stars. The Oklahoma native has been touring and performing nonstop for pretty much all of 2016, but fans of her lilting, emotional voice hope that she'll be able to settle down and crank out a new album soon.

Cody Jinks's emergence as a country music star was a bit unlikely – he got his start in music as the frontman for a thrash metal band. Back in 2005, however, he traded in his electric for an acoustic, and never looked back. He's toured with Sturgill Simpson in the past, and his most recent album broke the top five on the Billboard country charts. You'll be hearing a lot more of Jinks' name this year.

Tucker Beathard comes from a pretty successful family; his dad is Casey Beathard, the man behind hit country songs like Kenny Chesney's "Don't Blink" and Eric Church's "Like A Wrecking Ball." If that weren't enough, his brother, C.J. Beathard, was the starting quarterback for the Hawkeyes, and will be looking to sign on with the NFL this year. That's a lot to live up to, but Beathard has done his best to do so – and he's started off strong with the single "Rock On," a country rocker that he wrote with his dad.

Clare Dunn is another relative newcomer to the country music scene, having first garnered fame for providing backing vocals to Luke Bryan's hit "Country Girl (Shake It For Me)." Since then, she has released a smattering of singles, a studio album, a solid EP late in 2016, and oh, by the way, she made her debut at the Grand Ole Opry last year to boot. Get up to speed on her discography before she rockets to stardom.

Like many Nashville artists, Caitlyn Smith cut her teeth writing songs for more established artists like Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. She's poised to break out on her own in 2017, however, having promised her fans her first solo full-length album.

Fresh off releasing the jam-packed 6 song EP "Only To Borrow," Clayton Anderson has really made the best of winning Kenny Chesney's Next Big Star competition. Anderson's infectious, danceable hit "In the Dark" just got a brand-spanking-new music video this February, and it bodes well for the rest of 2017.

Jaime Wyatt's story is wild. At 17, she developed a devastating drug problem, which resulted in her actually robbing her dealer and spending eight months in jail – she's as outlaw country as it gets. A mix between Chrissie Hynde and Stevie Nicks, with a healthy dose of country flavor thrown in, Jaime Wyatt is a name you should know.

If you had a Taylor Swift-sized hole in your heart when she left country music behind and went full-on pop princess, allow me introduce Bailey Bryan, who is doing her best to become the new face of fun pop-country.

Sure, he may have a kind of Kevin Smith-style look going on, but don't be fooled. Mike Ryan, for fans of classic heartland country in the style of Jason Aldean, Alan Jackson, and Florida Georgia Line, is more than just a rugged beard and a backwards trucker cap.

Though Rogue + Jaye aren't as well-known as many of the others on this list, they're gaining popularity fast. Rolling Stone describes them as what would happen if Belle and Sebastian weren't from Glasgow, but from Laurel Canyon. 

Sam Hunt might be the king of crossover artists. Not only does he effortlessly blend elements of R&B and pop music into his country songs, but his entire career is something of a crossover – he used to be the starting quarterback at UAB, before he got injured and taught himself how to play the acoustic guitar to pass the time.

Luke Combs has only been making music for a little bit under 3 years, but he has already charted with 2015's "This One's For You" EP. It might seem as though he's been relatively quiet recently, but that's only because he's preparing to kick off a whirlwind spring and summer tour.

You may not know Ryan Hurd's name, but you know his songs. He wrote (and won a Grammy for) the Blake Shelton hit "Lonely Tonight," and is finally striking out on his own, performing his own songs. In addition, he's currently dating superstar Maren Morris – the smart money is on them becoming country music's next big power couple.