Aer Lingus has revealed that Irish interest in country music and in visiting its spiritual home, Nashville—is stronger than ever. A new survey of over 1,000 adults in Ireland shows that 71% identify as country music fans, with Gen Z emerging as the genre’s biggest supporters. An impressive 87% of Gen Z respondents said they listen to country music regularly.
Reflecting this surge in enthusiasm, 68% of Irish adults say they’re eager to visit Nashville, known as “Music City,” confirming its appeal as a bucket-list destination across generations.
The rise in popularity is being fuelled by mainstream cultural moments, with nearly half (48%) of respondents crediting the trend to pop icons like Beyoncé and her genre-blending Cowboy Carter album. As country music continues to cross genre boundaries, its reach is expanding far beyond the American South.
Aer Lingus is capitalising on this momentum with its new four-times-weekly Airbus A321XLR service from Dublin to Nashville, making it easier than ever for Irish travellers to explore the home of the Grand Ole Opry, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and more music museums than any other city in the world.
While Nashville is synonymous with country, its music scene is anything but one-note. The city boasts a diverse roster of artists across genres, from Jack White and The Black Keys to Taylor Swift and Sheryl Crow.
Visitors are also drawn by Nashville’s acclaimed culinary scene, which has flourished in recent years. Among the highlights is Dubliner Trevor Moran’s Locust restaurant, which was recently named Restaurant of the Year by Food & Wine and earned spots on USA Today’s and The New York Times’ prestigious restaurant lists.
Image Credit: Airports Council International – North America
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