Country Rock is a subgenre of popular music that combines elements of rock and country. It was popularized in the late 1960s and early 1970s by artists like The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers, who blended rock's electric instrumentation and rhythmic drive with country's lyrical themes and acoustic elements. Signature sounds often include pedal steel guitar, fiddle, and close-harmony vocals. This genre significantly broadened the audience for country music and played a pivotal role in the development of Southern rock and heartland rock.