Sugarland

Hailing from Georgia, the platinum-certified country duo Sugarland arrived in the mid-2000s with a spirited modern sound that drew equally from rock, pop, and longstanding country roots. Comprising singer-songwriters Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush, the act achieved rapid crossover appeal across country and pop rankings, reaching the top spot on both with the 2008 release Love on the Inside. The same accomplishment followed with their fifth studio effort, the 2010 steampunk-tinged The Incredible Machine, which also led the U.K. country chart. Extensive touring and prominent live appearances carried the pair through 2012, prompting Sugarland to enter a hiatus that extended until 2017. Bigger, issued in 2018 under a fresh agreement with Big Machine, included a guest vocal from Taylor Swift.

Sugarland first formed as a trio of Atlanta-based songwriters, each already possessing individual recognition within country circles. Frontwoman and songwriter Nettles had led Soul Miner's Daughter, bringing her gospel roots and soul-infused country style to the forefront. Vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Bush had been one half of the well-regarded Billy Pilgrim alongside Andrew Hyra, a pairing that produced two albums. Songwriter Kristen Hall had put out a pair of solo projects on Windham Hill Records. The three joined forces in 2002 and self-released the demo EP Premium Quality Tunes later that year, offering it online and at early shows.

Live performances generated early interest, leading to a Mercury Nashville contract and a 2004 two-track single pairing "Baby Girl" with "Stand Back Up." That same year saw the arrival of their multi-platinum debut Twice the Speed of Life, produced by Garth Fundis. Hall departed at the close of 2005 to focus on solo work once more. Operating as a duo, Nettles and Bush followed with Enjoy the Ride in 2006, expanding their reach in both pop and country markets. For Love on the Inside, they persuaded Mercury Nashville to allow self-production and recording in Georgia rather than Nashville. The resulting set proved their most natural recording yet and yielded three number-one singles: "All I Want to Do," "Already Gone," and "It Happens."

Sugarland attained major stardom throughout 2009. The year brought platinum certification for Love on the Inside, a prime-time network special titled Live on the Inside that yielded a matching live album, Grammy Awards in the categories of Best Country Song and Best Country Performance, and the holiday collection Gold and Green featuring original seasonal tracks alongside classics.

Their fourth studio album, The Incredible Machine, drew inspiration from the steampunk aesthetic and appeared in 2010. Driven by the Top 20 pop single "Stuck Like Glue," it earned platinum status, topped both Billboard pop and country charts, and marked the duo's initial U.K. number one. Further tours ensued, along with Nettles' 2012 marriage and pregnancy, after which the pair paused activities. Bush issued the solo album Southern Gravity in 2015, while Nettles scored a country chart-topper with her own 2014 debut That Girl. Reunion news came at the 2017 Country Music Association Awards, followed by the chart-topping single "Still the Same" that December. Bigger, Sugarland's sixth album and first on Big Machine, surfaced in 2018, reaching number two on the country charts and featuring Taylor Swift on the track "Babe."