Kacey Musgraves makes this list of great country women because she was a powerful influencer at a time that one was sorely needed.

The singer found a potent mix of traditional country themes and pop melodies that endeared her to fans of both. Songwriting is her greatest talent, with no disrespect meant to her singing and performance skills. Singles like "Merry Go 'Round," "Follow Your Arrow" and "Biscuits" were sharp and catchy, but never shallow. Musgraves' music is a diversion when it's played on the radio, which is both why she's so popular and why she has yet to have that big radio hit.

Dig deeper into her two (so far) studio albums to find what are perhaps her best and most dynamic songs. "Late to the Party" shows a sweeter side to her personality, while "Family Is Family" finds a way to capture an honest love for friends and family. She doesn't censor — ever — and since her introduction has encouraged listeners to follow their hearts and be who they are, no matter their color or creed. The songs from Pageant Material step away from the small-town malaise she so accurately portrayed on Same Trailer, Different Park. At 24 years old she was an old, wise soul.

Musgraves' bucking of the system has created space for women in country music to thrive when radio ignores them. Cam and Ashley Monroe live here. Do we have Maren Morris without Musgraves stepping up first? It's a difficult, but fair question. All thrive as album artists that refuse to sacrifice art for the sake of commercialism. One could say the same thing about many of the artists who top of this list of country music's most powerful women, which is being revealed one great woman at a time, all month long.

Is Kacey Musgraves the next Miranda Lambert? Here's to hoping.

It's the Ultimate Women In Country Music Playlist!

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