Courtesy of Mercury and Republic Records

As Post Malone changes his music style from pop to country, his fan base grows even bigger.

Post Malone is a 29-year-old American singer and songwriter who is known all over the world. He defies simple categorization by blending his music into genres that cover hip-hop, rap, trap, pop, R&B, and now even country. Post Malone is not his real name, but instead, his stage name. His real name is Austin Richard Post. Paying a tribute to his first name, Austin, Post Malone released an album in 2023 that created a bridge from his previous rap albums to his newest country album.

In 2015, before Post Malone came to fame, he tweeted, “When I turn 30, I’m becoming a country/folk singer.” If I were to read this tweet before Post Malone’s newest album F-1 Trillion released, I would have thought he was crazy. Post Malone was a hardcore rap singer who caught fame from his hit “White Iverson,” and from there his musical identity grew. From 2016 to 2022, he released three hip-hop albums and created a rockstar aesthetic for himself. But now, Post Malone has fully embraced his true and previously hidden love for country music through his newest album.

Malone’s country album F-1 Trillion is a huge success and milestone, and I love that he has taken a step away from his usual hip-hop albums. Even though Post Malone had already created a big title for himself in the hip-hop world, he was able to make a seamless and well-supported transition into a new genre that he had yet to explore. Malone’s transition to country filled the gap in the diversity of his listeners; he made a smart choice by changing styles. Before this album, Malone’s primary followers were hip-hop and pop fans, but now he has gained popularity in the country world as well.

His transition to being a country singer has allowed his listeners to hear more of his true sound. His album veers away from his previous constant use of autotune and loud background music, and now allows his acoustic music to shine through. It is nice to hear his voice in a raw and more untouched way, giving him more of a narrator role for the stories he is telling through the songs in his album.

Post Malone’s new country identity has not only grown his sense of community with his listeners, but it has also helped him gain sincere connections with other mainstream artists. On just F-1 Trillion alone, he has collaborated with 15 other country artists, including Tim McGraw, Morgan Wallen, Dolly Parton, Luke Combs, Lainey Wilson, and Chris Stapleton.

The collaborations found on F-1 Trillion have benefited Post Malone in many ways. Artists such as Morgan Wallen and Lainey Wilson have helped him catch the attention of younger audiences—who are the biggest music promoters and supporters. The collaborations have also broadened his audience because dedicated country fans like the ones who follow Dolly Parton and Chris Stapleton are now listening to Malone’s country music. Plus, by earning respect from major figures in country music and working with country music legends like Dolly Parton and Brad Paisley, Post Malone has strengthened his legitimacy within the country music world.

The positive attention of Post Malone’s new country identity was confirmed when F-1 Trillion debuted as number one on the Billboard 200 chart and earned a total of 212.86 million on-demand streams in its first week after release. Overall, Post Malone turning country was a huge step in the right direction for his musical career; it was a huge success that excited his listeners.