The superstars of today, the ones who are sold as personalities, are in pop or country music.

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"As a longtime member of the vocal quartet the Jordanaires, he helped to influence the sound of gospel, country and pop music with a unique and versatile style while recording with an impressive roster of artists, " said the Recording Academy in a statement.

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His music ranged all over rock, pop and country, and merged them together.

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After Carrie Underwood won her sixth Grammy, the latest for best country solo performance, she made it clear backstage that she's sticking to country music and would never cross over into pop music.

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Composer Him Sophy, who studied in Russia for 13 years after surviving the Khmer Rouge labor camps, has blended rap, religious chanting, rock, his country's ancient music, operatic styles, pop and even added a Khmer Rouge propaganda song as a cell phone ringtone in the production.

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And compared with the rest of his catalog which traverses punk and singer-songwriterly pop the new record features a new sound, one inspired by the country music of his Texas upbringing.

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Swift moves effortlessly between the worlds of pop and country, but considering that the singer won in the Video of the Year category at the CMT Music Awards and that she recently brought country stalwarts like Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw and Ronnie Dunn onstage during her shows in Nashville, we feel comfortable having her on our country list.

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"Born in the U.S.A., " the song he referred to, wasn't a message of hope and pride but of "how this country is going to pot, essentially, and do something about it, " said Lorraine Ali, pop music editor at the Los Angeles Times.

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