From seasoned legends to tween newcomers, the country music pool diversified hugely in the first decade of the 2000s -- not only in demographics but also in sound.
We've found a few country stars who've dared to swear ... and then had to go back into the studio to make a family-friendly version of the same song for country radio airplay.
At the start of 2006, Carrie Underwood had an 'American Idol' victory and two No. 1 hits to her name -- but by the end of the year, her career had reached a new height, thanks in part to her mega-hit "Before He Cheats."