You’ve seen the headlines. You’ve probably heard the stats. "Women aren't getting played on the radio." "It’s a boys' club." Honestly, that’s only half the story in 2026. If you look at the actual charts, the ticket sales, and the way fans are consuming music right now, female country music singers aren't just participating—they are basically the ones keeping the genre's soul alive.
But there is a massive disconnect.
On one hand, you have Lainey Wilson winning her second consecutive ACM Entertainer of the Year in May 2025. She’s a certified powerhouse. On the other hand, a 2024 study showed women still only got about 8.4% of country radio airplay. It’s wild. How can you be the "Entertainer of the Year" but struggle to get a spin between two different Luke Bryan songs?
The New Guard vs. The Radio Ceiling
Let’s talk about the "Emo Cowgirl" herself, Megan Moroney. She’s the perfect example of why the old rules don't apply anymore. In September 2025, she made history as the first-ever winner of the MTV VMA for Best Country with "Am I Okay?". She didn't need a decade of radio grooming to get there. She used sharp, vulnerable songwriting that actually sounds like a real person talking to a friend.
Her sophomore album Am I Okay? debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard 200. It was huge. And now she’s gearing up for Cloud 9 in February. Moroney’s success proves that if the music is good, fans will find it on TikTok or Spotify, radio be damned.
Then you have Ella Langley. She basically broke the internet (and the charts) with "You Look Like You Love Me" featuring Riley Green. It was the only song by a woman to hit number one on the Billboard Country Airplay chart in 2024. Think about that for a second. One song. Out of the whole year.
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Who to Watch in 2026
If you’re looking for the next big thing, keep your eyes on Elizabeth Nichols. She’s a 22-year-old former law student from Kentucky who went viral with "I Got a New One." It’s witty. It’s cheeky. It’s got that early Kacey Musgraves vibe where she isn't afraid to poke at societal norms.
She made her Opry debut in late 2025, and her EP Tough Love is already pulling serious numbers.
Kaitlin Butts is another one. She’s been grinding on the road with Sierra Ferrell and Lainey Wilson for a couple of years. She isn't a "newcomer" in the sense that she just started, but 2026 is looking like her massive breakout year. She’s got this magnetic stage presence that makes you feel like you're in a honky-tonk in 1975, even if you’re at a massive festival.
Why the "Tomato" Theory Still Stings
Back in 2015, a radio consultant named Keith Hill said women were the "tomatoes" in the country music salad—the garnish—while men were the "lettuce" (the main ingredient). People were rightfully pissed.
Fast forward to now. Is it better? Sorta.
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The 2025 Mediabase numbers showed a Top 10 dominated entirely by men like Morgan Wallen and Luke Combs. The only woman in the Top 10? Jessie Murph, and that was as a feature on a Koe Wetzel track. It feels like a loop. Programmers claim "women don't test well" with female listeners, but the data says otherwise. Women like Miranda Lambert and Carly Pearce have audiences that are 80% female. Those fans are buying the merch. They are buying the tickets.
The Cost of the Road
It's not just about getting played on the radio, though. It’s about staying sane. Morgan Wade recently announced she’s taking a break from touring in 2026.
She’s played something like 500 shows in three years. That’s insane. She’s been open about needing to "experience some life" outside of a tour bus. It’s a reminder that the pressure on female artists to be "on" 24/7 is different. They often have to work twice as hard for half the recognition, and that leads to burnout. Wade’s decision to step back to focus on personal projects is a bold move in an industry that usually tells you to "strike while the iron's hot."
The Legacy Builders
We can't talk about the current state of things without acknowledging the legends who are still outworking everyone. Dolly Parton is... well, she’s Dolly. She’s a brand, a philanthropist, and still a hitmaker.
Reba McEntire is still mentor-in-chief, recently performing at the ACMs with Lainey Wilson and Miranda Lambert. It felt like a passing of the torch, or maybe more like a "joining of the forces."
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And then there's Kacey Musgraves. She basically told the radio industry to kick rocks years ago and decided to win Grammys on her own terms. Her collaboration with Zach Bryan, "I Remember Everything," showed that she can still dominate the mainstream when she wants to, she just doesn't want to play the "station games."
Real Talk: What's Actually Changing?
The biggest shift isn't coming from the boardroom in Nashville. It’s coming from you.
Streaming has leveled the playing field. When you look at engagement rates, artists like Dasha (who blew up with "Austin") or Faith Hopkins are seeing numbers that the old guard would kill for. Hopkins, a Belmont grad, is blending California pop-ease with Nashville storytelling. It’s a sound that shouldn't work, but it does.
How to Support Female Artists Effectively
If you actually want to see more female country music singers on the charts, "thoughts and prayers" won't do it. The industry reacts to money and metrics.
- Request them on local radio: It sounds old school, but stations still track requests. If they hear enough people asking for Megan Moroney, they have to play her.
- Buy the physical vinyl or merch: Streaming pays fractions of a cent. Buying a t-shirt directly from an artist’s site helps fund their next tour.
- Show up to the early sets: At festivals like C2C or Stagecoach, don't just show up for the headliner. The 2:00 PM slot is where you’ll find the next Elizabeth Nichols.
- Share the "non-singles": The best songs are often buried deep in the album. If you find a track that hits home, post it.
The "tomato" era is over, whether the gatekeepers like it or not. The talent is too big to ignore, and the fans are too loud to be silenced. 2026 is shaping up to be a year where the "lettuce" finally gets some real competition.
Next Step: Check out Elizabeth Nichols' Tough Love EP or dive into Megan Moroney's Am I Okay? to hear what the modern Nashville sound actually feels like when it's done right.