The American Music Award for Breakthrough Country Artist is an award given to country music artists. It was created in 1989, as Favorite Country New Artist, and was initially discontinued in 2003, before being revived (along with the other genre breakthrough artists categories) in 2026.
Years reflect the year in which the American Music Awards were presented, for works released in the previous year.
Winners and nominees 1980s Year Artist Ref 1989 Patty Loveless Larry Boone The McCarters
1990s Year Artist Ref 1990 Clint Black Cee Cee Chapman Skip Ewing 1991 The Kentucky Headhunters Alan Jackson Travis Tritt 1992 Trisha Yearwood Billy Dean Pam Tillis 1993 Billy Ray Cyrus Brooks & Dunn Wynonna Judd 1994 John Michael Montgomery Clay Walker Tracy Byrd 1995 Tim McGraw Faith Hill The Mavericks 1996 Shania Twain Rhett Akins Ty Herndon 1997 LeAnn Rimes Mindy McCready Terri Clark 1998 Lee Ann Womack Bob Carlisle Kevin Sharp 1999 Dixie Chicks The Kinleys The Wilkinsons
2000s Year Artist Ref 2000 Montgomery Gentry Sara Evans SHeDAISY 2001 Billy Gilman Alecia Elliott Keith Urban 2002 Trick Pony Blake Shelton Jamie O'Neal 2003 Carolyn Dawn Johnson Kellie Coffey Tommy Shane Steiner 2003 –2009 colspan="2"
2010s
Year Artist Ref 2010–2019 colspan="2"
2020s Year Artist Ref 2020–2025 colspan="2" 2026 Sam Barber Tucker Wetmore Zach Top
References