As we wade into 2025, we at the Scene are proud to bring you our fourth annual Country Music Almanac, a look at the state of Music City’s biggest cultural export now and in the year ahead.
In this issue we catch up with phenomenal songsmith Fancy Hagood about how he’s found his voice within country music. We also check in with Saaneah, who was featured on Alice Randall’s My Black Country and made her debut on the Grand Ole Opry, seemingly the first Nashville-born Black woman to perform on the show. We consider what the CMA Awards giving Beyoncé a cold shoulder — for a second time — says about the industry. We recommend 10 artists to keep an eye on this year, and we hand over the mic to journalists and historians for their take on the highs, lows and in-betweens of country in our survey. It’s a big table; pull up a chair and dig in.
Talking with Fancy Hagood about the journey to his stunning LP ‘American Spirit’
The Nashville native’s banner 2024 is just the beginning, if she has anything to say about it
Reflecting on the Country Music Association’s second rejection of Beyoncé
From Wyatt Flores to Angie K and beyond, our writers have 10 new picks to keep an eye on
Writers and broadcasters weigh in on the present and future of country music
Fancy Hagood
