One Of Country's Biggest Legends Ranks 'Best Country Artist Of The 2000s'

The early 2000s marks an era of country music packed with unforgettable hits by some of the genre's iconic artists.

That was the era that Carrie Underwood made her debut when she won the fourth season of American Idol in 2005, and released her first studio record, Some Hearts. The album included "Jesus, Take the Wheel," "Before He Cheats," "Wasted" and more, and now, Underwood is returning to her Idol beginnings as a judge 20 years after her victory on the show. iHeartCountry previously took a stroll down memory lane to reminisce on Underwood's music and more - including anthems by Brooks & Dunn, Faith Hill, LeAnn Rimes and Kenny Chesney, to name a few - as those songs turn 20 years old in 2025.

The Top Tens, a reference site that includes hundreds of thousands of Top 10 rankings, also took a stroll down memory lane as it revealed the Best Country Artists of the 2000s.

The No. 1 artist of that era, according to that ranking, is a late legend from Oklahoma whose decades-long career earned the artist an induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. See the Top 10 Best Country Artists of the 2000s below.

Editor's note: This story originally published in March 2025.

10. Kenny Chesney