Keith Urban
Four-time Grammy-winning country star and guitar ace known for hits like 'Somebody Like You' and judging on 'American Idol'.
Fame & Public Sentiment
About
Keith Urban is a New Zealand-born, Australia-raised country musician who built a chart-topping career in Nashville.
Fans know him for fleet-fingered guitar work, sleek country-pop singles, and a run of mainstream television roles that brought him to a global audience.
Urban has earned four Grammy Awards and membership in the Grand Ole Opry, reflecting sustained success across albums, tours, and collaborations.
Alongside a steady release schedule, he served as a judge on 'American Idol' and coached on 'The Voice Australia', extending his profile beyond country radio.
In the civic sphere, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2020 for service to the performing arts and charitable work.
How well do you know Keith Urban?
Which Keith Urban single became his first U.S. No. 1 on Hot Country Songs?
Early Life
Urban was born in Whangārei, New Zealand, and moved with his parents to Caboolture, Queensland, at age two. He began music young, receiving a ukulele at four and taking up guitar at six while absorbing the country records his parents played.
As a school-age performer he entered local talent contests, appeared on Australian television programs including 'New Faces', and honed stagecraft at community country music clubs around Brisbane.
In 1990 he won the Toyota Star Maker award at the Tamworth Country Music Festival, a springboard that led to a deal with EMI and the Australian release of his self-titled debut album in 1991.
Key Milestones
Career Overview
After forming the trio The Ranch and issuing a studio album on Capitol Nashville in 1997, Urban launched a solo U.S. career with the Keith Urban album in October 1999. The record yielded his first U.S. No. 1 on Hot Country Songs in 2001 with 'But for the Grace of God', followed by a run of hits through the 2000s.
*'Somebody Like You' from Golden Road was later cited by Billboard as the biggest country song of the 2000s, and 'You’ll Think of Me' earned his first Grammy in 2006; he would claim four Grammys in the Best Male Country Vocal Performance category across 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2011.
Urban was invited to join the Grand Ole Opry in April 2012. He judged 'American Idol' from 2013 to 2016 and coached on 'The Voice Australia' in 2012, returning for the 2021–2022 seasons. In 2018 he won the CMA’s Entertainer of the Year, and he hosted the 55th Academy of Country Music Awards in 2020.
His twelfth studio album, High, arrived in September 2024, led by singles 'Straight Line', 'Messed Up as Me', and 'Go Home W U' with Lainey Wilson. In May 2025 the Academy of Country Music honored him with its Triple Crown Award.
Frequently Asked Questions
Keith Urban is a seasoned country singer, songwriter and musician from New Zealand born on October 26, 1967, and is now 55 years old. He is an acclaimed music artist with numerous awards who has released several chart-topping singles like ''But for the Grace of God'' and ''Who Wouldn't Wanna Be Me.''
Keith Urban has an estimated net worth of $75M. He is a successful country music singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer who has achieved great commercial success with his music. He has also appeared in a number of films and television shows, and is the judge on the music show American Idol, which also contributes to his wealth. Urban also makes money through brand endorsements and other business ventures.