If you are a country music fan, there has been a lot of great music for you to enjoy in 2012.
Trade publication Pollstar has released their list of the top 20 grossing concert tours of 2012. There are plenty of country music acts that made the elite list. Here is a roundup of the hottest country music acts of the year.
1. Jason Aldean
2012 was another good year for this top performing country music artist. Aldean ranked an impressive 7th on Pollstar’s list of top concerts for 2012, ahead of fellow country artists Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood and music legends Bob Dylan and Journey. The Georgia native started playing guitar with his father’s encouragement as a boy and was performing live by the time he was a teenager. While he endured some bumpy roads early in his career, Aldean is currently one of country music’s golden boys, having earned numerous country music awards and having great success with both album and concert ticket sales.
2. Zac Brown Band
Coming in at #8 on Pollstar’s top 2012 concert list is another act hailing from Georgia, the Zac Brown Band. With a solid foundation in country music, the Zac Brown Band is not afraid to experiment with other genres, and their unique sound has proven to be a big hit with country music and rock music fans. At first, the band established their career along the independent route, spending a great deal of time touring small venues all across the U.S. until they found commercial success. Since then, the band’s career has skyrocketed, with their songs burning up the charts and receiving a tremendous amount of airplay on the radio. The Zac Brown Band’s loyal and passionate fan base have made the act one of the hottest tours of the year.
3. Brad Paisley
Success is nothing new to country music star Brad Paisley. Over his career the West Virginia native has sold millions of albums, had numerous radio hits and has won an impressive amount of country music awards. Paisley has been a top country tour act in recent years, and this year he ranks an impressive 9th on Pollstar’s list of top tours of 2012.
4. Rascal Flatts
The country superstar trio earned the very respectable 10th ranking on Pollstar’s list of top concerts of 2012. The band released their debut album in 2000 and they quickly became a commercial success. Their fans, who tend to skew younger in age than the average country music fan, rush to buy tickets for their concert performances, which are high-energy affairs with plenty of special effects.
5. Carrie Underwood
The “American Idol” winner from Oklahoma has established an outstanding music career since her appearance on the popular reality show. Her albums have all been huge commercial hits and her concert tours have achieved impressive numbers. This year she also does not disappoint, coming in at No. 11 on Pollstar’s list of top concerts of 2012. She’s also the only female country performer to be ranked in the top 20.
6. Luke Bryan
The Georgia native began performing as a teenager and with the blessing of his family and friends, eventually moved to Nashville to seriously embark on a country music career. He became known as a hit songwriter before landing his own contract. This relative newcomer is already enjoying a great deal of success while establishing an impressive fan base, earning the 14th spot on Pollstar’s ranking of top concerts of 2012.
7. Eric Church
This modern outlaw country singer from North Carolina is known as “Chief” on the road, and his third album, appropriately titled, “CHIEF” has been certified platinum. Church is not an overnight success story, but he has proven to be a smart, charismatic performer who has steadily built a loyal audience. His patience and perseverance has paid off; he ranked 15th on the top grossing concert tour list for 2012.
As seen by the impressive number of country music acts that earned top dollars for their concert tours in 2012, country music is a force to be reckoned with and country music acts are poised to continue their popularity in 2013. It’s a great time to be a country music fan.
Jenny Winters is a professional blogger that enjoys entertainment news. She writes for StubTrader, a leading website to find Carrie Underwood tickets online.
