Country has a reputation for being simple, homespun music, defined by twangy vocals, moaning steel guitars, and lyrics about dogs, trucks, death, prison bars, and tears in one's beer. But in reality, country covers a surprisingly large amount of territory--everything from Gene Autry's cowboy music to Bill Monroe's bluegrass, from Hank Williams' honky-tonk songs to the slick pop stylings of Faith Hill. It's based in old-time rural folk songs, some of which date back centuries, but as a genre it came into being during the early 1920s, when both radio and commercial recordings allowed regional artists to suddenly reach thousands, even millions, of new listeners. That rural connection remains vital even today, keeping country distinct from its pop-music cousins. These days country's got rock, soul, maybe a touch of jazz, and plenty of the blues, but when you're pining for a lost love or yearning for the smell of a mountain breeze (or your mama's cooking), there's nothing like a good country song to bring you back home.

Notable Artists: Hank Williams, Jimmie Rodgers, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash