There are country artists who meandered over to pop with incredible success. They found a welcoming home in the pop space. One megastar comes to mind right away - Taylor Swift. She left country behind and exploded on the pop scene with phenomenal. jaw-dropping success. And there are others who made similar journeys. They did it with obvious commercial and popular approval. Let's take a closer look at their professional paths.
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Taylor Swift
Britannica has dubbed Swift "one of the most influential artists in contemporary music." She had a red-hot country music career at a very early age. Per the outlet, Swift, 35, made the move to Tennessee with her parents at the age of 13. The geographical transition was done so she could be near the hub of country music. It paid off nicely. The young Swift landed a recording deal and her first single, "Tim McGraw" in 2006 That song perched for eight months on Billboard's country singles chart.
The milestones kept on coming for her. She opened for a slew of country stars like Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts, Faith Hill, and George Strait. Swift was also named best new artist by the CMA. Although the country genre accolades steadily came her way in an avalanche, Swift began flirting with more of a pop inflection in her music.
Starting with her 2012 album Red, per the outlet, she "embraced a bold pop-rock sound." Since then, Swift has amassed some staggering evidence of her appeal to young fans. Her now-concluded Eras tour hauled in $2 billion, making it the biggest-grossing concert swing ever. Pop, meet Taylor Swift!
Shania Twain
Twain's story is like something from a Hollywood movie. Per Britannica, She endured a challenging childhood, culminating in the death of her parents in a car accident. Twain got experience singing in clubs as a youngster, then she headed to Tennessee in 1991. Twain's freshman LP sold weakly, but she got the attention of Robert "Mutt" Lange, a producer who worked with Michael Bolton and Bryan Adams. She and Lange began collaborating and eventually wed. Her second album, The Woman in Me, was a huge turnaround for the singer. Per the outlet, it sold "more than 18 million copies and [won] a Grammy Award for country album of the year."
Twain was just starting. In 1997, she released another album, Come On Over. It was a legendary blockbuster whose dazzling singles made it onto the pop and country charts. She has truly earned the nickname Queen of Country Pop.
Dolly Parton
Parton does it all. She is a singer, songwriter, actress, philanthropist, entrepreneur, and author. And she fulfills all those roles amazingly well. She's also in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame! Parton crossed over to pop in 1977 with her single, "Here You Come Again." That was her freshman crossover smash, per wkml.com. The tune "topped the US country singles chart and reached number 3 on the pop singles chart." Parton's versatility was a proven fact - and still is. She make herself right at home in any musical genre she chooses, pop included. Her other pop hits are "9 to 5" and "Islands in the Stream," to name only two of very many.
