It'd be an understatement to say that a younger audience eats up Spotify's 90's Country playlist. The streaming site reports that a whopping 89 million playlists from Gen Zers (listeners born since 1997) contain '90's Country tracks, with monthly '90s Country playlist listens by that age range increasing 89 percent globally since 2019.
More mind-bogglingly, there's just as many listeners of the playlist between the ages of 19 and 24 as there are above age 45. As a press release puts it, "interest in '90s Country is just as prevalent amongst fans who were just born or not born yet than it is amongst fans who were young adults at the time, showing the timeless nature of these songs."
Spotify launches a campaign today (Sept. 21) for its young fans of good, ole country music with three covers of '90s classics by contemporary artists plus a microsite that'll turn listeners on to some of the greatest hits by Alabama, Brooks & Dunn, Shania Twain, Reba McEntire and others.
The trio of Spotify singles features three Nashville artists born in the '90s, with each paying homage to one of the beloved decade's top stars.
Parker McCollum delivers a true-to-its-original cover of fellow Texan George Strait's "Carrying Your Love With Me," upping the chances that younger old souls discover McCollum's 2021 album Gold Chain Cowboy.
"George Strait has been my favorite country singer my whole life," McCollum said in a press release. "I wasn't going to pass on the chance from Spotify to cover one of his songs. This song is such a classic staple in country music so I was really hoping we could get it right and do the song justice. I think we did. I sure hope he and (producer) Tony Brown would think so too if they heard it."
Tenille Arts contributed a gorgeous, acoustic-driven take on The Chicks' "Wide Open Spaces."
"I am thrilled to be a part of the Spotify Singles program," Arts explained in a press release. "I was inspired by 90's country classics growing up, and 'Wide Open Spaces' is particularly relatable— I can see myself in those lyrics. I am so grateful to Spotify for including me, and for empowering me to carry this special music forward for the next generation of music fans."
Lastly but certainly not least, Breland's "Strawberry Wine" rendition introduces him to new ears that, to paraphrase the song in question, really do think 30 is old.
"One of my favorite things about country music is how beautifully the stories are told," Breland added in a press release. "I can still remember my first love, and even though 'Strawberry Wine' is from a young woman's perspective, the heart of the story is so universal. I wanted to be able to help give new life to such a timeless song."
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The rollout also includes a microsite that'll introduce listeners to a six pack of '90s country songs. Spotify users pick a '90s country ride-along buddy and answer questions about hair height and western wear preferences en route to a personalized playlist.
Read on for more stats reflecting how a streaming service has shaped a new wave of fans' listening habits.
Top 10 '90s Country Albums with With Listeners in the US overall
- Come On Over - Shania Twain
- Down The Road I Go - Travis Tritt
- Everywhere - Tim McGraw
- The Woman In Me - Shania Twain
- Fly - The Chicks
- Out With A Bang - David Lee Murphy
- Strait Out Of The Box - George Strait
- A Lot About Livin' (And A Little 'Bout Love) - Alan Jackson
- Wide Open Spaces - The Chicks
- A Place In The Sun - Tim McGraw
Top 10 '90s Country Albums with Gen-Z Listeners in the US
- Wide Open Spaces - The Chicks
- Strait Out Of The Box - George Strait
- Fly - The Chicks
- Come On Over - Shania Twain
- Pure Country - George Strait
- A Lot About Livin' (And A Little 'Bout Love) - Alan Jackson
- Everywhere - Tim McGraw
- The Woman In Me - Shania Twain
- Who I Am - Alan Jackson
- Blue Clear Sky - George Strait
Top 5 Most-Shared '90s Country Songs by Gen-Z listeners
- You're Still The One - Shania Twain
- Man! I Feel Like A Woman! - Shania Twain
- Amazed - Lonestar
- Chattahoochee - Alan Jackson
- Cowboy Take Me Away - The Chicks
Most-Discovered (ie First-Time Listened To) '90s Country Songs in the US in the Past Three Months
- Something Like That - Tim McGraw
- Man! I Feel Like A Woman! - Shania Twain
- Chattahoochee - Alan Jackson
- Any Man Of Mine - Shania Twain
- Amazed - Lonestar
- Dust On The Bottle - David Lee Murphy
- Strawberry Wine - Deana Carter
- She's In Love With The Boy - Trisha Yearwood
- Independence Day - Martina McBride
- Check Yes Or No - George Strait
Most Discovered Artists in 2021 From the '90s Country playlist
- Billy Dean
- Alison Krauss & Union Station
- Ricochet
- John Anderson
- Tracy Byrd
