Welcome back to Country Music 4 Ever! The Country Music Hall of Fame has yet to announce this year's inductees, but fans are already speculating who may be joining this year. It recently came to everyone's attention that this is the first year Taylor Swift could be considered for the honor.

The hall of fame inducts artists into three different categories, one of which is the “Modern Era” category. Artists become eligible in this category 20 years after first achieving national prominence in the country music genre. That can mean anything from major chart success to winning major awards to anything else that makes an artist establish themselves in the genre.

Taylor Swift released her self-titled debut album in 2006 that made her the next big thing in country music. She then spent the next several years releasing hit after hit on the country charts including “Tim McGraw” and “Love Story.” However, in 2014, she announced her departure from the country genre with her fifth studio album, “1989” and made it very clear she was leaving country music for good.

Taylor has since gone on to become one of the biggest stars on the planet with 13 number ones and has sold over one hundred million albums in the United States alone. She has since released a few country songs here and there, but never completely moved back in with the country music family.

Since Taylor's debut album came out 20 years ago, it would be possible for her to be inducted into the hall of fame. Keep in mind Dolly Parton is now in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, so it wouldn't be completely crazy. At least Taylor would have a small reason for being in the Country Music Hall of Fame.

However, the hall of fame only inducts one artist into each category each year, so the chances of being the chosen one are not very high, but obviously someone has to get picked. There is such a long list of artists who live and breathe country music and are still waiting their turn to be inducted, so I find it very unlikely they would choose Taylor over a country music legend and if they do it's going to cause major controversy amongst country fans and artists.

Legends such as Clint Black, Crystal Gayle, Brad Paisley, Tim McGraw, Dwight Yoakam, Lorrie Morgan, Martina McBride, Travis Tritt, Trace Adkins, and many others are still waiting their turn for the hall of fame to recognize the hard work they put into the genre, so for an artist who has not been a part of the genre for over a decade to jump right past so many legends would be a poor choice on the hall of fame's part.

The bad thing is, it's going to literally take forever for every deserving artist to get their place in the hall of fame. Some have been eligible for decades and are still waiting their turn because the hall of fame is so far behind. Taylor may get her spot down the road sometime but considering the long list of legends who came before her, I think she should have to wait her turn as well.

Thanks for reading. I'll be back soon!