Wheeler Walker Jr.

Wheeler Walker Jr. is country music's loudest outlaw—a hard-drinking, foul-mouthed hellraiser determined to drag the genre back to its outlaw roots, whether Nashville likes it or not. Backed by top-tier session musicians and a total disregard for industry rules, Walker built a cult empire on brutally honest songs full of sex, bad decisions, and unapologetic Southern swagger. Blending honky-tonk, outlaw country, and Southern rock, albums like Redneck Shit, Ol' Wheeler, WW III, Sex, Drugs & Country Music, and Ram made him one of modern country's most controversial—and entertaining—figures. Walker exploded onto the scene in 2016 with the infamous Redneck Shit, full of tracks mainstream radio wouldn't touch but fans couldn't get enough of. While Nashville chased influencers, sponsorships, and algorithm-approved heartbreak, Wheeler won a fiercely loyal fanbase by saying what everyone else was too scared to. He was the first artist to simultaneously chart on Billboard's Country (#9) and Comedy (#1) album charts, and his five albums all hit #1 on Comedy, two cracked the Country Top 10, racking up a billion-plus streams and PLATINUM and GOLD certifications. Now Wheeler is PULLIN' OUT of the redneck Vegas Music City has become, announcing his retirement. His final album drops September 25, with a farewell tour this October. Whether he lands in rural isolation or federal custody, his sold-out tours and rabid fanbase prove his impact on outlaw country's resurgence will live on.