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ICYMI: What the Artists Are Listening to All Quarantine Long

Check Out These Playlists with Hall & Oates, Carole King, Toto, Travis Scott and Redferrin

When your days start to feel very, very long because you're stuck at home during the coronavirus quarantine, one of the best ways to get through it is to discover a little music. It could be brand new, it could be from before you were even born, and it could be from a genre that's not typically on any of your go-to playlists.

So with the CMT Celebrates Our Heroes: An Artists of the Year Special just five days away, CMT had the chance to ask some of the artists who will be performing from home during the show what they've been listening to since the quarantine started weeks and weeks and weeks ago.

For Kelsea Ballerini, it's been all about the 70s. For Charles Kelley, it's all about yacht rock. For Thomas Rhett, it's been straight-up 50s. And for Darius Rucker, it's been a little more hip-hop than he's used to.

Let's break it down, artist by artist.

Kelsea Ballerini

"I've really been taking a deep dive study into Carole King Tapesty and Rumours Fleetwood Mac. I can't get enough. And new artists I've been listening to in this isolation? Avenue Beat. I've talked about them a lot, but I'm obsessed with them. They're these three amazing singer-songwriters and their harmonies are just so good."

Charles Kelly

"I'll be honest, the stuff I've been listening to lately, it's just fun. Anybody out there heard of yacht rock? It's just a whole bunch of 70s and 80s fun stuff like Toto and Hall & Oates. I like to kind of -- during times like this -- zone out and listen to positive music."

Thomas Rhett

"I've definitely discovered a lot of new music, but I've also kind of jumped back into some classic stuff that I used to listen to as a kid. My grandmother used to play me nothing but 50s music as a kid. And even when I'm working out or just when we're drinking wine and cooking dinner at night, it's just straight up 50s music. And for some reason, that just puts me in such a really good mood and takes me honestly to a different place and time."

Darius Rucker

"I guess it's not new to a lot of people, but Travis Scott. My son's played a lot for me lately. Drake, he's been playing a lot for me. But I guess I've been getting a little more into hip hop than I usually have been."

Tyler Hubbard

"One of my favorite artists who I've been listening to nonstop: he's an up-and-coming guy here in Nashville. His name is (Blake) Redferrin. He's good as gold."

Brian Kelley

"I think music is helpful always. I found myself listening to a bunch of different types of music. From music that makes me want to work out. Maybe a little jazz during some cooking with Brittney, my wife. Maybe a little worship music to kind of take the edge off and get spiritual and have a moment for a second. And obviously, I listen to country music a lot."

Hillary Scott

"Music has been one of the most comforting places that I've been able to go. Whether it's singing, or praise and worship music with my family, or if it's just listening to songs that just make me smile, it has been such a place of solace and I really believe healing in this time."

The all-star CMT Celebrates Our Heroes: An Artists of the Year Special airs Wednesday (June 3) at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CMT with a three-network simulcast on Paramount Network, Pop TV and TV Land. The uplifting celebration and two-hour virtual tribute recognizes COVID-19 heroes in the following categories: Healthcare, Education, Business, Community Leaders, Food Industry, Infrastructure, First Responders, US Military, and more.

Enjoy these #FlashbackFriday videos inspired by the country artists' quarantine music machine:

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