LIST: The Most Talked About Country Performances Of 2024
on Dec 29, 2024
2024 was jam-packed with memorable moments from country artists, including surprise collaborations, on-stage mess-ups, and tear-jerking performances.
The passing of country music icon Toby Keith, Post Malone’s cross-genre breakout, Lainey Wilson and Jelly Roll’s meteoric rise, and the continued success of artists like Brooks & Dunn and Reba McEntire made for some memorable performances that will be talked about for years to come.
We’ve compiled a list of 11 of the most talked about performances of 2024—the good, the bad, and the ugly. While the year was overwhelmingly full of positive onstage moments, there were some not-so-great performances we would be remiss not to include in the list due to the attention they received at the time.
Enjoy our list of The Most Talked About Country Performances of 2024 below.
“Hammered” Elle King Pays Tribute To Dolly Parton At The Opry (January)
2024 got off to a fiery start when Elle King took the stage at the Ryman Auditorium to pay tribute to Dolly Parton. King’s performance was part of the Opry Goes Dolly event to celebrate the music legend’s 78th birthday.
The performance turned into a profanity-laced set that caused outrage among Dolly fans and those who thought King’s behavior in the Mother Church was disrespectful. Parton urged fans to forgive and forget and King has expressed remorse about her behavior in the months since.
RELATED: ELLE KING SAYS SHE’S “A DIFFERENT PERSON” AFTER CONTROVERSIAL OPRY PERFORMANCE
Reba McEntire Sings The National Anthem at Super Bowl LVIII (February)
One year after Chris Stapleton literally made grown men cry with his Super Bowl National Anthem performance, Reba McEntire had the opportunity to do the same. The “Fancy” singer became only the 10th country singer in the Big Game’s history to have the honor of singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” prior to kickoff.
The performance marked a full-circle moment for McEntire who got her big break nearly 50 years prior after Red Steagall heard her sing the anthem at the National Finals Rodeo. For her Super Bowl performance, Reba paid tribute to her late parents by wearing her father’s 1961 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association World Champion Steer Roping belt buckle and a bracelet that belonged to her late mother.
Reba McEntire Makes Surprise Appearance During Miranda Lambert’s Stagecoach Set (April)
Miranda Lambert closed out her headlining Stagecoach set by surprising the crowd with legendary country artist Reba McEntire. McEntire joined Lambert to sing the latter’s 2011 hit “Mama’s Broken Heart.”
The duo then sang Reba’s own mega hit, “Fancy,” before concluding with Lambert’s “Gunpowder & Lead,” a Top 10 hit from 2008.
Two queens of country @mirandalambert @reba
— Stagecoach Festival (@Stagecoach) April 28, 2024
Tune in to the @AmazonMusic Stagecoach livestream, hosted on @PrimeVideo and the Amazon Music Twitch channel. https://t.co/f1vz7Ez3bl pic.twitter.com/Amh3v9KBou
Miranda Lambert brings out Reba to perform “Fancy” at Stagecoach.
— 90’s Country Chord (@90sCountryChord) April 28, 2024
(🎥: lovelikecheyenne on tiktok) pic.twitter.com/ul6a5qQeNS
Reba’s Stagecoach appearance came 15 years after her first and only time to headline the festival.
Emmy Russell Pays Tribute To Her Grandmother With “Coal Miner’s Daughter” Performance On American Idol (April)
Emmy Russell, the granddaughter of country music legend Loretta Lynn, appeared on the 22nd season of American Idol. Emmy earned a Golden Ticket after her emotional performance of an original song titled “Skinny.”
The judges fell in love with Emmy’s sweet, quiet demeanor and ability to tell stories through song. Week after week, the judges advanced her through the rounds until the show went live and her fate would be determined by America’s votes. America loved Emmy as much as the judges did and voted her through until she was ultimately eliminated in 5th place.
During her Idol run, Emmy strived to earn her spot on the show without relying on her family name. But, when the opportunity presented itself for her to sing her grandma’s signature song, “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” Emmy took it. Her emotional performance of the song moved her fellow contestants and judges to tears.
Jason Aldean Remembers Toby Keith With Somber “Should’ve Been A Cowboy” Cover At The ACM Awards (May)
In the months following Toby Keith’s death following a courageous battle with cancer, tributes came in droves. From song covers posted on social media to televised performances from Toby’s colleagues, each and every tribute remembered Toby as a prolific songwriter and masterful storyteller.
One of the most memorable and talked about performances came from Jason Aldean. Aldean took the stage during the ACM Awards to sing a slowed down rendition of Keith’s breakout hit, “Should’ve Been A Cowboy.” Aldean admitted that he was nervous about changing the tempo of the beloved song, but his fears were put to rest when Toby’s wife, Tricia, sent him a message of approval after the performance.
Ingrid Andress Goes Viral for MLB All-Star Game National Anthem Performance (July)
Country singer Ingrid Andress faced backlash after her performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” prior to Major League Baseball’s Home Run Derby. The “More Hearts Than Mine” singer struggled through the performance, and fans suspected that she could not hear herself through her in-ear monitors.
But the day following her performance, Andress shared a brief statement on social media. She admitted that she was intoxicated during the performance and said that she would be checking herself “into a facility to get the help” that she needs.
Lee Greenwood Sings “God Bless The USA” To Introduce Donald Trump At Republican National Convention (July)
Less than a week after a gunman attempted to take Donald Trump’s life at a rally in Pennsylvania, the president-elect appeared at the Republican National Convention.
Country legend Lee Greenwood had the honor of introducing Trump to the crowd at Milwaukee’s Fiserv Center. Greenwood told the audience, “Prayer works. This nation is based on faith. Prayer works. Because He was sure, as Donald Trump turned his head just slightly, that the bullet missed him just enough to save his life to be the next president of the United States.”
The star then sang his 1984 patriotic hit “God Bless The U.S.A.” as Donald Trump made his way to the stage, his ear sporting a bandage as proof of what had transpired just a few days before.
Four months later, Donald Trump would be elected as the 47th president of the United States.
Krystal Keith Sings “Don’t Let The Old Man In” To Honor Her Late Father During Tribute Show (July)
More than five months after the death of Toby Keith, his daughter Krystal took the stage at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. Krystal’s performance was part of Toby Keith: American Icon, a televised tribute concert in honor of the Big Dog Daddy.
RELATED: TOBY KEITH MAKES EMOTIONAL RETURN TO THE STAGE TO SING “DON’T LET THE OLD MAN IN”
Krystal wore her dad’s black cowboy hat as she sang “Don’t Let The Old Man In,” a song that Toby wrote and recorded for Clint Eastwood’s 2018 film The Mule. The song also marked a memorable moment in Toby’s career, as it was the song he sang for the 2023 People’s Choice Country Awards, his last televised performance.
John Michael Montgomery Joins Post Malone For “Be My Baby Tonight” During Opry Debut (August)
One of the biggest crossover success stories of 2024 was that of Post Malone. The rapper-turned-country singer was warmly embraced by country music fans. Malone’s debut country album, F-1 Trillion, featured some of the genre’s biggest acts, including Dolly Parton, Blake Shelton, Lainey Wilson, Chris Stapleton, and many more.
While the album was a huge hit upon its release, Post Malone’s Grand Ole Opry debut was one of the most talked about events of the year. For his Opry appearance, Post invited two of the ’90s’ biggest names to join him: Vince Gill and John Michael Montgomery.
Post and Montgomery performed the latter’s chart-topping hit from 1994, “Be My Baby Tonight.” The move was a smart one for Post as his nod to ’90s country further endeared him to country music fans.
Riley Green and Ella Langley Perform Chart-Topping Hit “You Look Like You Love Me” Live At The CMA Awards (November)
One of the hottest collabs of the year came from Ella Langley and Riley Green. “You Look Like You Love Me” was a release from Ella’s debut album, hungover, and has earned more than 270 million streams to date. It also earned Platinum certification and won the duo the CMA Award for Musical Event of the Year.
Riley and Ella took the stage at the 2024 CMA Awards to sing the song live. Ella kicked off the song from a seat in the audience and made her way to the stage where she was joined by Riley to finish the song. The obvious chemistry the two bring to the song has sparked a lot of questions from fans. But, they insist that they are just friends.
Jelly Roll Joins Brooks & Dunn For Powerful Performance Of “Believe” At The CMA Awards (November)
In what has been called one of the most powerful performances of the year, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn were joined by Jelly Roll to sing their hit, “Believe,” during the CMA Awards.
Originally released in 2005, “Believe” got a remake this year as part of a new Brooks & Dunn project called REBOOT 2. The album features some of the duo’s biggest hits with a new twist, including collaborations with some of today’s hottest artists.
Jelly Roll joined the award-winning pair for a new recording of “Believe,” and performed it for this year’s CMA Awards. The live performance brought the audience to their feet. Many were seen with their hands in the air and others with tears rolling down their face.
