Miranda Lambert Says She and Carrie Underwood Deserve Recognition for Surviving Male-Dominated Era of Country Music

Miranda Lambert credits herself and Carrie Underwood with surviving a male-dominated period in country music during the 2010s.

In a clip from an appearance on The New York Times’ Popcast posted on Thursday, Oct. 1, Lambert discussed her career path in country music. She stated that the genre became progressively less inclusive of female acts between her debut and the 2010s. She told hosts Jon Caramanica and Joe Coscarelli that she was a pistol when she started in the early 2000s.

She wanted recognition for her songwriting rather than for wearing crop tops or being viewed as a pretty girl, noting that dressing sexily was the expectation for women at the time.

Lambert recalled that during the following decade, female presence vanished entirely outside of herself and Underwood. The two artists collaborated on the Billboard Hot 100 top 40 hit “Somethin’ Bad” in 2014.

The Texas native noted that she and Carrie Underwood navigated at least seven solid years where country music featured almost exclusively male artists, describing the landscape as off-kilter.

She added that they deserve a ribbon for surviving such a difficult era.

The genre has since evolved, with artists like Kacey Musgraves, Megan Moroney, and Lainey Wilson currently finding success. Ella Langley recently achieved a milestone with the country anthem “Choosin’ Texas,” which set a record as the longest-running Billboard Hot 100 number one by spending its 23rd week at the top before logging a 24th week. Lambert co-wrote that track.

Reflecting on the greater balance in today’s country music, Lambert shared on Popcast that she and Underwood have recently crossed paths professionally. She attended Underwood’s Las Vegas residency, calling it a bonding moment because they had never previously watched each other perform due to the lack of female artists sharing lineups.

Watch Lambert discuss the changes in country music below.