Country music may have a reputation for being down-home and wholesome, but even in Nashville, some artists have pushed boundaries—and occasionally dropped their clothes to make a statement.
From artistic expression to advocacy, these eight country stars stripped down for photo shoots and appearances that made headlines. Here’s a look at the boldest moments when country music met skin.
In 2003, the trio appeared nude on the cover of Entertainment Weekly—strategically covered by slurs and headlines they’d been called—after backlash over their comments on President George W. Bush. It was both a defiant and vulnerable response to controversy.
The masked singer known for blending outlaw country with queer identity posed nude for Paper magazine in 2024, embracing both mystery and vulnerability in a striking visual departure from his usual fringed persona.
In 2020, Rimes posed nude in a powerful photoshoot supporting World Psoriasis Day, raising awareness about the condition she’s battled since childhood.
Urban graced Playgirl in 2002, posing nude with a guitar cleverly placed for modesty. He later joked, “Luckily I play guitar and not harmonica.”
Never one to shy away from bold statements, Musgraves performed nude (strategically lit) on Saturday Night Live in 2021. She later appeared nude again for an alternate album cover for Deeper Well.
Twain went topless in a 2022 cover shoot promoting her single “Waking Up Dreaming,” marking a bold and stylish return to the spotlight.
The “Have You Forgotten?” singer bared all for Playgirl in 2007. His appearance was a surprising twist for fans used to his patriotic ballads.
In 2022, Ballerini went topless in a teaser for a new song, but only her back was visible. Does that even count?
