Country fans undoubtedly have their favorite hit songs and small-town anthems.

Some beloved tracks date back through the decades: Dolly Parton’s “9 To 5,” Garth Brooks’ “Friends In Low Places,” Shania Twain’s “Man! I Feel Like A Woman,” and Kenny Chesney’s “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy,” to name a few.

Other popular picks are newer, as country artists — from the staples to the up-and-comers — continue to churn out new tunes. Chris Young, Lauren Alaina and Dan + Shay are all gearing up for new album releases soon. Tayla Lynn released an album putting her own spin on beloved songs by her iconic grandmother, Loretta Lynn. Plus, Thomas Rhett released “What’s Your Country Song,” rolling up references to countless hits into one song.

That said, some states bring country songs to life more than others.

That’s according to Zippia, a career research hub that sought the states most like a country song and published its findings earlier this year:

“Sure, it’d be easy to assume it’s in the South, but as the poet Brantley Gilbert once said, ‘in every state there’s a station playing Cash, Hank, Willie (and) Waylon.’”

With Gilbert’s “Country Must Be Country Wide” in mind, Zippia researchers found that the west actually “dominates” the list (which doesn’t include Hawaii and Alaska).

So, how does Georgia rank?

The Peach State comes in at No. 27 of 48 on the overall list of the most country states.

These are the Top 10:

Idaho
Nevada
New Mexico
Oregon
Missouri
Montana
North Dakota
Wyoming
Arkansas
South Dakota

For the full report — including the entire list and how researchers figured it out — visit Zippia here.

Podcasts