25 Moments That Rocked Country Music in the Past 25 Years

Country music sure has been busy since the year 2000.

The past 25 years have been filled with some very high highs and some truly devastating lows for the genre (and the world at large). In between, there have also been many touchpoints that forever shaped the music.

Some of the moments on this list are world events, such as the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 and the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the scope of both of those extended far beyond country music, they also forever changed this genre, inspiring enduring ballads of patriotism and altering the way live music takes place.

Then there were some events that were specific to the genre. Those include awards show moments, unforgettable song releases, retirements and deaths.

On this list of big country music moments, you’ll find one country crossover song release that changed the whole game for what it meant to be part of the country genre. You’ll also find an unforgettable joint tour for one of the format’s great husband-and-wife acts, a sweeping American Idol win and the rise of an artist who’s still one of country music’s most polarizing figures.

Read on for Taste of Country’s roundup of the 25 moments that most impacted the country music genre over the past 25 years.