Why Bands Are Disappearing from Country Music

Over the last few decades, bands have been disappearing from the country music scene, with a stronger focus on individual artists. With only a handful of popular bands remaining, one has to wonder what led to this dramatic shift in the industry.

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As a longtime country music fan, I've enjoyed seeing and hearing many individual artists as well as groups perform on the big stage. That said, I'd be lying if I said I didn’t almost always prefer the group format. There just seems to be more chemistry on stage, which makes for an amazing show.

Two of my favorites that come to mind immediately are Old Dominion, whom I saw in Tennessee in 2024, and Ricky Skaggs' Kentucky Thunder, whom I saw in Indiana in 2021. While both bands were categorically different in style, they were each well put together, more than satisfying the enthusiastic crowd. So, why do bands seem to be disappearing if fans love them?

Inconsistent Country Music Groups

It’s no secret that, historically, bands in general have a hard time staying together due to disagreements or other personal issues. Several country music groups have been part of that trend, like The Judds, Alabama, and The Oak Ridge Boys, who have gone through numerous lineup changes. Even the popular duo Florida Georgia Line split up in 2022.

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While some of the aforementioned groups have managed to reunite for select performances, the lack of consistency is enough to detract from their overall success. People tend to forget quicker than we'd like to admit. This makes it easier to move on to new flavors of country—like many of the individual artists topping the charts right now.

The Fall of Country Music Bands

The shift away from the band format has happened gradually, but saw a steep rise in the early 2000s. There is speculation that this movement was due to placing a larger focus on individual artists because it's easier to market one person than an entire group. I believe this ties back to the historical breakdown of band dynamics. After all, it’s certainly going to be harder to market a group that may or may not still be together in a year.

The story of the Eagles is a prime example of why groups often lack the longevity of solo artists. The Eagles split in 1980 due to ongoing conflicts between members about how things should be done, a tension that continued into the 1990s when the band reunited. According to the 2013 documentary History of the Eagles, that negative energy appeared to be sparked by long hours of recording and touring together.

Will Bands Make a Comeback in Country Music?

Personally, I believe country music will never see the total absence of groups. However, I don’t think today’s groups will go as hard and fast as individual artists. The duo Dan + Shay has been known to take periodic breaks, which they even attribute to their continued success. The "Bigger Houses" singers claimed on The Kelly Clarkson Show in early 2024 that they were "closer than ever" following a brief break to focus on themselves and their families. Perhaps that is the real secret.