26 Women Who Deserve To Be In the Country Music Hall of Fame

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Each year we listed more than 60 country stars with Hall of Fame credentials, but no medallion to show for it. Here are the 26 women most deserving of an induction, including Shania Twain, Trisha Yearwood and (now eligible) Carrie Underwood.

June Carter Cash, Patty Loveless and Tanya Tucker are the three solo women most recently inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Inductees are typically announced in February or March. The Medallion Ceremony is usually in October.
Currently, there are 158 inductees in the Hall of Fame.

Not all of these women have an equal shot of induction in 2026 or even the 2020s. For example, Trisha Yearwood and Faith Hill are two contemporary artists long overdue.

Early ’90s contemporaries like Kathy Mattea and Mary Chapin Carpenter made an impact but are likely a bit further back in line.

Remember, a maximum of two artists is inducted each year, as the third inductee is either a songwriter, musician or non-performing staffer.

Terry Wyatt, Getty Images

Country Music Hall of Fame Eligibility Explained:

One artist from three categories is chosen for the CMHOF each year. The Modern Era Artist becomes eligible 20 years after achieving national prominence. The Veterans Era Artist is eligible 45 years after achieving national prominence.

The third category rotates between Recording/Touring Musician, Songwriter and Non-Performer. No specific credentials are listed at the Hall’s website, but they note that 2026 will bring a songwriter.

Country Women Not in the Country Music Hall of Fame

There are 20 solo country women in the Hall of Fame, most in performer categories. The first was Patsy Cline in 1973, and the most recent was Cash in 2025.

The last woman to be inducted in the Modern Era category was Loveless, in 2023. Here is a list of 26 who are eligible. Who would you make a case for?