Digital Dominance: Morgan Wallen And Lainey Wilson Among The Most-Googled Country Artists Of 2023 In New Study
A new study has unveiled the reigning champions of the country music realm in the digital sphere.
Morgan Wallen; Photo by David Lehr , Lainey Wilson; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
AllAxess, a platform in the music industry, has undertaken an extensive study to determine the most popular trends and artists in country music according to Google search data.
From January to July 2023, AllAxess investigated the average monthly Google search volume in the US for 62 country artists. The result of the study found that Morgan Wallen weighs in as the most searched country artist, with an average monthly search volume of 1,460,500.
Morgan Wallen
This year alone, Wallen has made historic strides within his career. In March, he released his massive 36-track album, One Thing At A Time, which spawned the fan-favorite track, “Last Night.” This tune has seen especially great success as it was most recently named the first song in history to amass 1 billion on-demand audio streams in the United States in a single calendar year, so far.
According to Vulture, his album has also claimed the record for the most weeks at No. 1 on the country album chart in over three decades. The project includes duets with Eric Church, HARDY and ERNEST. Wallen’s sister Ashlyne also makes an appearance within the track list, singing harmonies on the song titled “Outlook.”
On top of releasing this project and being crowned the 2023 ACM Male Artist of the Year, Wallen embarked on his record-breaking One Night At A Time World Tour. This trek marks Wallen’s first time ever headlining stadiums across the globe for multiple nights. The 63-show trek marks one of the largest tours of 2023 and will visit stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters, and festivals across four countries and two continents.
Lainey Wilson
Just under Wallen’s top ranking sits Lainey Wilson with an impressive average monthly search volume of 1,177,667. Each day, the “Watermelon Moonshine” singer continues to impress fans with her natural star quality that’s risen her to the top of her game in country music.
This year, Wilson scored her third career No. 1 single with “Heart Like A Truck,” off her latest Bell Bottom Country Album, and her fourth No. 1, a powerful duet with HARDY titled, “wait in the truck.”
With both songs claiming a spot in the Top 10 at country radio, the “Things A Man Oughta Know” singer was named the first female artist in over a decade to earn two consecutive No. 1 hits within three weeks, according to US Radio Updater.
She also dominated this year’s award shows with her epic performances and stand-out wins. Wilson took home two trophies from the 2023 CMT Awards and wins in four categories at the 2023 ACM Awards.
After wrapping up her headlining Country With A Flare Tour, Wilson hit the road in support of country superstar Luke Combs. Plus, at the start of the year, she took a break from her on-stage performances to hone in on her acting skills as she played the role of Abby On the popular television series, Yellowstone.
Dolly Parton And Shania Twain
Country icons Dolly Parton and Shania Twain follow close behind on AllAxess report in the third and fourth position. Dolly achieved 1,089,833 average monthly searches while Twain notched 894,333, respectively.
In 2023, Dolly embarked on a new chapter as she tapped into a new side of her musical abilities as a result of her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The country legend is preparing to release her first-ever rock album, Rockstar. Fans got a taste of the hard-hitting project through the lead single, “World On Fire.”
Arriving on November 17 via Butterfly Records in partnership with Big Machine Label Group, Rockstar will feature 30 tracks, including nine Dolly originals and 21 covers of some of the most iconic rock hits of all time.
She recently unveiled another portion of the album through her cover of the Queen classics “We Are The Champions” and “We Will Rock You” in anticipation of the Paris Olympics 2024.
Meanwhile, Twain dropped new music this year in the form of an album titled, “Queen of Me” and embarked on a global headlining tour for the first time in nearly five years. This trek will follow her wildly successful Vegas residency.
Produced by and featuring Tyler Joseph (Twenty One Pilots), her “Queen of Me” album also serves as a milestone as it marks her first full-length collection since 2017.
As a result of her resurgence in the genre, Twain was presented with the Equal Play Award at the 2023 CMT Music Awards.
In addition to artist names, the term, “Country Music” has racked up an average monthly search volume of 168,500, while “Country Singers” has a volume of 51,542. This reveals that country music in general, is a driving force within the search engine.
“Country music continues to captivate audiences, not just with its melodies, but with its stories. Artists like Lainey Wilson, Dolly Parton, and Shania Twain are more than just hits; they’re narratives that resonate with listeners, reflecting their experiences, emotions, and dreams. This is the power of country music, and it’s why the genre continues to thrive,” says Joel Smith, CEO at AllAxess.
Written by
Madeleine O’Connell
Madeleine O’Connell graduated from North Central College with a bachelors degree in Journalism and Broadcast Communications before deciding to pursue her studies further at DePaul University. There, she earned her masters degree in Digital Communication & Media Arts. O’Connell served as a freelance writer for over two years while also interning with the Academy of Country Music, SiriusXM and Circle Media and assisting with Amazon Music’s Country Heat Weekly podcast. In addition to Country Now, she has been published in American Songwriter, Music Mayhem, and Holler.Country. Madeleine O’Connell is a member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.