Each year, a fresh crop of new talent steps into the spotlight in country music, and they get mixed in with the artists who have been around for a long time. Plenty of these artists — who have led the pack in recent years when it comes to releasing new music, showing growth and reaching milestones — haven't even reached age 25 yet!

As part of the annual Hot List, Taste of Country has compiled its 2020 list of Hottest Artists Under 25, with Maddie & Tae making the cut for the third year in a row. The female country duo featured on the list in 2018 and 2019, have evolved many times since their 2014 debut “Girl in a Country Song," and this year is no different. Over the past few months, they released a new album, gotten married and dropped a new video featuring footage from their respective wedding ceremonies.

Temecula Road, meanwhile, return for a second year. The trio — who appeared as newbies in the 2017 Hottest Artists Under 25 list — gained a lot of steam in 2019 and 2020 after taking a year off in 2018.

The remaining three artists are newcomers to the list in 2020 and include Gabby Barrett and Laine Hardy, who got their career starts on separate seasons of American Idol. The two have brought plenty of heat since making their television debuts. Payton Smith rounds out this year's young and hot list, after proving that risks do pay off.

2020's Hottest Country Artists Under 25:

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