CMA’s Sarah Trahern: ‘Country’s honesty translates anywhere’

In an exclusive Q&A, the Country Music Association chief has given her assessment on the genre's expansion and its next frontier

News By Lisa Henderson | 8 May 2026

Sarah Trahern

Country Music Association (CMA) CEO Sarah Trahern has given her assessment on the evolution of country music, how it found audiences around the world, and what her next step is, in an exclusive Q&A with IQ.

The Q&A is part of IQ’s special country issue, which unpacks how country music became one of the world’s fastest-growing musical genres. Powered by access through streaming and a new generation of fans, a combination of forces has helped develop…

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