BILLBOARD – As solo country artists continue to dominate the genre, in the last 12 months there has been a return of bands peppering the country charts. And while groups have long been a pillar of the genre, this rising crop of country acts often operates outside the traditional genre lines, with the bands’ sonic explorations leaning heavily into rock, blues and Americana.

At the 2025 Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards, the nominees for group of the year featured not only mainstays such as Old Dominion and Little Big Town but also two groups outside the country mainstream: Texas Americana band Flatland Cavalry and soulful Alabama act The Red Clay Strays. Meanwhile, the new duo/group of the year category featured both The Red Clay Strays and the rock-influenced Texas outfit Treaty Oak Revival.