Luke Combs is the Kind of Leader Mainstream Country Needs
Yeah yeah, I get it. All of you purists out there aren’t going to ever let up on Luke Combs. Each time you hear one of his radio singles playing over the speakers at the supermarket, you profess you can’t tell the difference between his stuff and anyone else in the pop country mainstream. But I’m here to tell you, there is a difference, and not just in the music, but the leadership and character Luke Combs continues to display in his career.
It’s not that Luke Combs is ideal, because he isn’t. Hell, who is? And for many independent fans, he will never compete with the likes of Cody Jinks or Tyler Childers in their hearts. But who would you rather have being the face of mainstream country at the moment. Maren Morris? Luke Bryan? Morgan Wallen? As much as the response to the Wallen “n-word” incident has been an gross overreaction, he clearly did a very dumb thing, and brought tons of heat on the entirety of country music it didn’t need or deserve. The last thing we need is Morgan Wallen as the face of the franchise, which is what much of the media is attempting to enact for their own designs and purposes.
Meanwhile Luke Combs is out there doing all the right things. When Margo Price came after him for appearing in a video with Confederate flags in it earlier in his career and tried to turn it into Morgan Wallen Part 2, he handled the situation with grace. Luke Combs has been one of the biggest proponents of worthy songwriters in the mainstream this side of Miranda Lambert, using his platform to elevate guys like Brent Cobb and Adam Hood, Rob Snyder and Channing Wilson, even going out of his way to praise The Wilder Blue, while collaborating with people like Billy Strings, Amanda Shires, and Leon Bridges.
In fact a couple of months ago while attending the Key West Songwriters Fest, it was crazy how many times the name of Luke Combs came up when some of country music’s most creative behind-the-scenes contributors were playing acoustic sets, and explained how Luke Combs had cut or co-wrote this song and that song from their catalog.
And then there’s this recent case from the Faster Horses Festival in Michigan where three young men died. No, this was not one of those instances like we saw a few years ago where there was a rash of deaths, injuries, and arrests at mainstream country festivals that were regularly making headlines for out-of-control incidents. 20-year-old Dawson Brown, 20-year-old Richie Mays II, and 19-year-old Kole Sova died while sleeping in a camper, and inhaling deadly fumes from a generator. Two other men found unresponsive luckily survived.
Though Luke Combs has made no public statement about it and no press release was ever drafted, it has been confirmed by the families of the deceased young men that Luke Combs who headlined Faster Horses the night before had reached out to pay for the funeral expenses for the three young men.
“For him to reach out and do that, I don’t even have the words. I wish I could just give him a hug,” said Meeka Sova, the mother of Kole Sova to the AP.
Yes, Morgan Wallen continues to have the #1 album in country music with Dangerous: The Double Album, due in part to the fact that there’s 30 tracks racking up spins, putting the title at a metadata advantage. But the #2 and #3 albums in country music at the moment are Luke’s What You See Is What You Get and This One’s For You. And if you listen beyond the sometimes sappy or simple radio singles, you’ll hear some really great songs, done in a country style, and often written or co-written by some of your favorite artists.
You don’t have to love or even like the music of Luke Combs to love the kind of example he’s setting for the rest of the genre. Sure, lots of big country artists do charitable things … and then they send a press release out about it, and pose for a photo op, and use it to ultimately promote themselves. Luke Combs is the kind of guy that just does it, whether it’s working with a songwriter he respects, or quietly paying for the funeral expenses of some of his fans. Luke Combs is the type of superstar, and the type of leader mainstream country music needs. He’s also the one that the media should be portraying as the current face of country, because that’s what Luke Combs is.
July 26, 2021 @ 11:01 am
And the CMA Entertainer of the Year goes to…
Luke is a mensch and I think he’s as much of a businessman as Garth. His brand is strong and he’s growing as a person (mentally, not as in fatter!!!).
July 26, 2021 @ 3:49 pm
He better watch how he sings. Some of that live footage makes me surprised his voice lasted more than an hour.
August 1, 2021 @ 12:12 pm
You are great love your smile a music ????
July 26, 2021 @ 11:14 am
Some of the albums cuts are really good. Like Dear Today is top quality music and definitely his best song in my opinion
July 26, 2021 @ 11:21 am
Luke Combs is a total sellout thats removed all elements of danger and rebellion from his music and makes shitty pop love songs. Thats “the face of the franchise?” How sad.
July 26, 2021 @ 12:22 pm
Previously it was Florida Georgia Line, Luke Bryan and Sam Hunt. And before that it was Taylor Swift. They were the ones setting the pace. They were the ones reshaping the paradigm. Sorry, but I’ll take Combs all day.
July 27, 2021 @ 6:23 am
Agree completely. The “Leader of Mainstream Country” certainly does not mean the favorite artist of most folks on this site. While SCM readers may have other favorites ranked higher, Luke Combs is appealing to the masses while remaining at least somewhat appealing to people who prefer music a little more geared to what SCM highlights.
July 28, 2021 @ 3:57 pm
The most horrendous award ever given was Taylor Swift as female VOCALIST of the year over the likes of Martina Mc Bride and Reba.
July 30, 2021 @ 3:53 am
Taylor Swift country singles (I mean the ones she sent to country radio) were in most cases more country than 80% of the rest and had some solid songwriting you don’t find in any of Luke Combs’ singles.
July 27, 2021 @ 2:37 pm
He, the best hands down C M singer around .
July 30, 2021 @ 1:06 am
just imagine if ronny from skynyrd groveled about the rebel flag what a pussy! of course the cover band that pretend to be lynyrd skynyrd now apologized and groveled for it. funny I was watching a skynyrd documentary and because they were a country band with rockin guitars, it said they paved the way for brantley gilbert, jason aldean, and luke combs. LOL so maybe it was better if they never existed if this was the shit we would end up with??
July 26, 2021 @ 11:32 am
Very good thing to help these families like he did. Truth is some of Mr. Combs music is country and written by or with a lot of good talent. I never have figured out why some folks seem to think he isn’t the real deal just listen to more than the singles there are some fine songs there.
July 27, 2021 @ 8:34 am
People think he’s a sell out because he is! Country my ass, if you want some country go get you some Upchurch ,the one who put this chubby snowflake on the map????
July 27, 2021 @ 11:06 am
See, a lot of this anti Luke Combs sentiment is coming from Upchurch Stans.
July 29, 2021 @ 12:00 pm
What’s an upchurch?
July 26, 2021 @ 11:48 am
Juat tell him to trim his dang beard. Otherwise, I would rather have him as the “face” than others Trig mentioned, and didn’t mention. Can’t argue he is a bit more authentic while still straddling the fence between authentic and commercial. Not an easy thing to do.
Shame about Wallen. That double album does have some good cuts, relatively speaking. He blew his chance in the leader status. However, the leftist media would have found someone else to potrait, and he just them an easy out – dang it Morgan! World we live in.
July 26, 2021 @ 12:57 pm
I could never figure out his appeal, but I think I have it narrowed down to his vocal style. He has a sort of vocal fry that you would hear from rock music in that sort of Hinder/Three Doors Down/Goo Goo Dolls era. I think that sound gets the 37-42 year old chicks all hot and bothered. At the same time, a lot of the traditionalists don’t hate him and the younger people will listen to what ever they are programmed to listen to.
July 26, 2021 @ 2:23 pm
Good call RD he might be the foremost artist in the fabulous n 40/divorcee country genres at the moment
And Im glad to see your handle back down here bud
July 26, 2021 @ 6:43 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoHjTte7l4M
July 26, 2021 @ 7:20 pm
I’m 19, and I ain’t programmed by nobody! Long live George Strait, and Waylon! I actually like Luke Cindy although all my favorite songs arnt the ones played on the radio. It’s weird they play his worst songs and his best ones.
July 26, 2021 @ 2:01 pm
Combs is fat garbage. His music sucks.
July 29, 2021 @ 6:51 am
You couldn’t just say you think his music sucks? You and everyone that liked the comment are pathetic.
July 29, 2021 @ 7:57 am
Another so called country fan heard from. Typical know nothing.
July 26, 2021 @ 2:17 pm
People on here need to chill out. Ok, you don’t like Luke Combs. He’s not somebody that I will purposefully seek out, but you need to understand pop music is going to be pop music. There is pop country, pop rock, pop blues, pop rap…it is for the masses. MOST people like it. Luke Combs is a great representation of what pop country should be in 2021. Jon Pardi, most Brother’s Osborne, Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Maddie and Tae, Caitlyn Smith, Morgan Wade, Mo Pitney, most Kenny Chesney is what pop/radio country should sound like in 2021. It’s getting so off putting with people saying “That stuff is so stupid and I only listen to cool stuff.” I agree, I don’t seek these people out, but this is good pop country.
July 26, 2021 @ 8:50 pm
The simple fact is that ever since the height of Bro-Country, mainstream country has continued to improve, and Luke Combs is a big part of that as arguably the most popular artist in country at the moment. Some people hate anything that’s popular. I get that. But you can’t save country music by just ignoring the mainstream. Mainstream listeners deserve better music too. And they’re getting it with Luke Combs.
July 27, 2021 @ 12:01 pm
You mean they’re getting the same 3 minute love songs and the occassional beer drinking anthem they got during the height of bro country but now with a fat relateable guy singing them instead of the dude with frosted hair from Florida Georgia Line. Like what are you talking about? Mainstream is worse than ever. Look at this current list of top songs and explain how bro country is even dead.
https://www.iheart.com/playlist/country-top-50-312064750-XGn5crADtwCekAuLgzjEa7/
Its all the same crap like Cole Swindell, Thomas Rhett, Luke Bryan, Dustin Lynch, etc. The #2 is Chase Rice featuring Florida Georgia Line. Whats the improvement? Lainey Wilson?
August 10, 2021 @ 1:04 am
First of all, to suggest that Luke Combs isn’t an improvement over typical bro country is absurd. All of FGL’s songs have a hip hop undertone to them. They sound like someone left the album in a studio with Avicii for 48 hours before it was released. That is simply not the case with Luke at all. He’s mainstream, yes, but he still puts out some good songs with solid songwriting that the average music fan can relate to, as well as a sound that is least reminiscent of real country music. Songs like Dear Today, This One’s For You, and Even Though I’m Leaving are all good songs. And yes, you get the typical silly love songs in there, but that’s the whole point of the article. I get that lots of people just hate stuff because it’s popular, but that really doesn’t make you that much better than the people who only like stuff because it’s popular. Luke Combs makes decent music, and is a good step better than any of the other mainstream headliners. No “purist” is putting him at the top of their list, but as a college student I can tell you I’d take hearing Beer Never Broke My Heart at a bar over Cruise or Body Like a Back Road any day if the week.
July 26, 2021 @ 2:23 pm
He is someone to suck Nashville’s ass and be someone he isn’t just so he can fit in to there cancel culture bullshit. He is pop music he is no country boy.
July 27, 2021 @ 11:53 am
You must have the whole country music world figured out. You could start your own website with this insight.
July 30, 2021 @ 1:02 am
this is actually a good comment, ryan upchurch said the same thing. luke combs even sued him to get his name taken off the video with the rebel flag, so not just a fat pussy, but a litigious pussy
July 26, 2021 @ 2:46 pm
I’m ambivalent- I represent Country music, I am the face of it too- in my world. I don’t need, or want media attention, fame or fortune. The “media” (our current host, Trigger aside) doesn’t make decisions for me or mine. Triggers decisions carry a lot more weight than some empty suit or alleged journalist- to choose what music to write honestly and objectively about, which is THE why I visit here and not there. They can kiss my country ass, and if that ain’t country, I’ll kiss yours and give you 30 minutes to draw a crowd of media experts that couldn’t tell you country from rock or day from night unless some empty suit told them to.
July 26, 2021 @ 3:47 pm
Combs doesn’t write depressed country songs, like most of Americana, that people can’t dance to. He’s got skills, he’s both rock and country, and he connects. Young people down at the barn know all the words to his songs.
July 26, 2021 @ 3:53 pm
Tragic. Carbon monoxide is no joke. I’ve buried a friend, his wife and two kids who died in a multi million $ rental in Aspen with a malfunctioning furnace and no CO detector. Make sure you have detectors in your house and anywhere you stay, and be sure you aren’t anywhere near generators or other sources in an enclosed area. It’s an easy thing to overlook.
July 26, 2021 @ 8:27 pm
I remember that. Sorry for your loss. If anything good came out of it Colorado passed a law that all rentals are required to have carbon monoxide detectors after that happened.
July 26, 2021 @ 8:12 pm
Luke Combs sucks
July 26, 2021 @ 8:14 pm
Luke Combs is not really a leader. He apologized for being apart of the Upchurch song “Outlaw”. He’s way far from a leader. There was nothing wrong with that song. Upchurch is more of a leader, mainstream Country doesn’t want him. Eventually they will get desperate.
July 26, 2021 @ 8:24 pm
He’s a genuine guy that worked hard for what he’s got. I met him by chance in a Kroger parking lot. He didn’t have to be nice or give us 2 minutes of his time, but he did. He also gives his best every time he steps on a stage. So, for a guy the Voice told he was not interesting enough, and a guy that’s not out of GQ, he’s damned good. You can like Cody, Tyler, and Sturgill and still consider this guy country. He’s a genuine guy, not an ass like Sturgill; I hear Tyler can jerk be also.
July 26, 2021 @ 11:54 pm
”Mainstream listeners deserve better music too. ” ( Trigger )
i believe this is such an important observation for so many reasons . most importantly …how will mainstream listeners ever ‘ get it ‘ if they never hear it ? hearing great songs and artists is the only way a listener can understand the inferiority of the music mainstream has been subjecting her to . educate and elevate . the good stuff WILL find its demographic . just look at the success all of the ”indie” acts are having . yes , virginia , you CAN colour outside the lines and STILL make beautiful art .
July 27, 2021 @ 1:10 am
He uses his steel guitarist like a prop. Can’t be heard live. I saw him a few years ago @ Ryman and you could hear the words of the songs better in the toilet area than in the auditorium, which was way too loud. Sad but true!
July 27, 2021 @ 10:08 am
Aren’t these observations better directed at the FOH engineer than any reflection on Luke Combs?
July 27, 2021 @ 1:45 pm
LC should be aware of the sound; I hate to see a steel guitar on stage and the steelie is playing it, but you can’t hear it due to the fact it’s NOT loud enough and all the other instruments are full blast!
July 27, 2021 @ 6:26 pm
You can’t hear the steel cause the bass drum is louder than everything else.
July 27, 2021 @ 6:31 pm
Is it “Steelie”? I always thought it was “steelist”!
July 27, 2021 @ 2:54 am
A collegue of mine here in Italy who knows nothing about country music came to me the other day saying:” hey, i know you’re into country, i heard this guy on the radio Sam Hunt, i think he’s great and hot as hell, what do you think?”
A million things flashed in my brain but all i could say was:” not country,but he’s ok”.
Still can’t sleep at night.
So yes, it can get worse than Combs.
July 27, 2021 @ 5:55 am
If Luke combs and Morgan wallen survived their so called incidents and Luke especially you say is willing to help others why don’t he step up and do some work with Caleb Kennedy???? His “incident “ happened when he was only 12??? Really he was a kid!! This kid is super talented and is country to the core!!! He writes great songs and was definitely screwed over by American Idol. I literally think they knew he was gonna win so this is what they came up with to get him off the show! I say step up to any of you country artist out there that claim they are all country and give this kid the break he deserves!!!!
July 27, 2021 @ 6:19 am
I agree with this. The truth is that radio will never be filled with artists like Tyler Childers or Sierra Ferrel because they will never appeal to a wider younger audience. Artists like Combs, William Micheal Morgan, Mo Pitney, Justin Moore, and upcoming younger artists like Kolton Moore, Dillon Carmichael, or Morgan Wade, are the types of artists country radio needs. They are playing the type of music that is country, but are also appealing to a wider audience that is more interested in singing along to their favorite song than looking for some deep lyric or individual instrument performance.
Country radio will never be a place for the purists of the genre, and it hasn’t been for decades. What it needs to return to is a place where the music is actually country music instead of some homogenized gender blend of computer generated crap. Luke Combs and artists like him provide that.
July 27, 2021 @ 6:22 am
That should read Genre Blend not gender blend. My spellcheck has gone rouge.
July 28, 2021 @ 5:44 am
Made me think of these words from Henry Rollins back in 2000 (from L.A. Money Train on the Rollins Band album Get Some Go Again):
Now what about that new visionary turned big spender? Taking all those musical genres and puttin’ ’em in a blender? The music shake he makes made the critics get up on their little hind legs and exclaim: “Now THIS is what’s happening!” Aaaaah! It’s just more crap from a culture that’s evaporating. Stealing from here and there. He’s on the cover of every magazine with his dear caught-in-a-primetime-limelight stare. Really cosmic. Pretending to be totally unaware as to what all the fuss is about as the record company moves with ruthless efficiency and lightening speed to attract every last cent from his listenership before they move on to real drugs, sex, and suddenly find his music one hundred percent unnecessary.
The more things change…
July 28, 2021 @ 6:01 am
Haven’t listened to Henry Rollins in a long time, but he was good at wrapping truths in a crazy package. It’s exactly what the record and radio industries do. Grab the latest semi-talented good looking kid, have producers blend them into a mix of everything popular, and ride them until the next cool thing comes along.
July 27, 2021 @ 7:57 am
Scott S, you nailed it! Outstanding comment. Its a realistic take given the demographic of Country radio. Mainstreamers arent looking for Kristofferson songwriting nor are they intrigued with roots authenticity. They like a good beat, a catchy chorus and maybe a good looking performer.
July 27, 2021 @ 2:41 pm
“They like a good beat, a catchy chorus and maybe a good looking performer.”
Which in turns means country radio will be nothing but a good beat, a catchy chorus, and maybe a good looking performer. It’d be nice if radio-friendly performers did something to move listeners toward deeper cuts and artists.
But I’m not holding my breath. Country music is hard to find on Country(TM) radio.
July 28, 2021 @ 6:16 am
Isn’t that exactly what Luke does? Doing a song with Billy Strings, talking about more traditional music in interviews and on social media? I would agree though that these artists would be more appealing to me if instead of releasing an album consisting entirely of radio friendly songs, that they would incorporate at least a few traditional tracks to give their albums more diversity of sound and depth. Likewise, more traditional artists should be able to have a radio friendly type song or two on their albums. Unfortunately, due to record label control and fan cries of sellout, neither usually happens. That’s why an artist like Stapleton who successfully lives in both worlds is such an oddity.
July 27, 2021 @ 8:48 am
I disagree totally
July 27, 2021 @ 9:11 am
“It’s like, ‘No, you create stupid people by pandering to them and assuming that they’re incapable of things,’” she said “That’s what you’re going to get if you keep creating that culture. It’s so patronizing, but it’s a created environment. It’s a self-perpetuating philosophy.” …Yola
further to my comment on trigger’s comment above ….yola sums it up nicely in this quote . if you’ve heard her debut album you’ll know that she walks the talk . people need to have the option of better music but mainstream’s only mandate seems to be to find the lowest common denominator and pander pander pander . the onus is still on us to FIND something better and spread the word , which , of course , is what trigger does 24/7 . we live what we learn . bring on the teachers .
July 27, 2021 @ 10:33 am
Back in the 80s and 90s, I wonder whether he would have had such success with all the competition. In terms of charts his music does stand out, not that I care what is in the charts but maybe it means more will get to hear him which has to be good. I rate him and enjoy his albums. He seems genuinely country to me. Is he the best? Or most country? Everyone will have their own opinion.
July 27, 2021 @ 11:02 am
I don’t love Morgan Wallen or Luke Combs. That said, I do like Morgan Wallen better.
July 27, 2021 @ 3:31 pm
Luke Combs is a sell out and the crap yall are calling country isn’t even close to being REAL COUNTRY MUSIC!!!! REAL country artists have been replaced by pansy, liberal, spineless sell outs!!!!
July 27, 2021 @ 5:00 pm
Another Upchurch Stan heard from.
July 27, 2021 @ 6:33 pm
The comment section on this article is mind blowing. Where do you people come from with so much nonsense and stupidity?
July 28, 2021 @ 5:43 am
I have no problem with Luke. catchy songs and puts on a good show.
July 28, 2021 @ 6:21 am
Luke Combs? No. Just no.
July 28, 2021 @ 9:22 am
Yes…Luke Combs is the #1 country artist right now.
Looks like he is a nice guy & he looks like a fan…well…like the cliche of a country music fan, with a red solo cup in his hand, yelling the chorus of an arena-rock-country hit.
Driving home with his buddy in a pickup truck listening to a “country” music radio station playing FGL, Chase Rice & Sam Hunt…gravel roads, backroads, bonfires, moonshine, smalltowns, pink umbrellas…
The australian leader is Lee Kernaghan. For more than 20 years now.
56 year old, more than 30 #1 hits, many became household hits & favourites, 37 Golden Guitars, ARIA & APRA awards, two dozens of gold/platinum records, named the “Hitmaker of the Decade” in 2001 & 2011 (open for aussie & worldwide country artists).
He was named the “Australian of the Year” (2008) for his charity work (support for rural areas).
LK was inducted into the Roll of Renown in 2015 (the most prestigious award for australasian country music artists & members of the country music industry).
Only one hit, one award, one golden record behind is Troy Cassar-Daley…being an australian indigenous artist he became a superstar without playing the race card.
He is well known for his charity work & beside other awards he won 37 Golden Guitars & he is a member of the Roll of Renown since 2019.
July 29, 2021 @ 11:45 am
Luke is not a sell out. He and Hunter Hayes played a small venue (1200 people) on Long Island in November 2019 after driving 9+ hours through the night with their bands in rental vans because their flights were cancelled due to bad weather. Luke could have easily walked away, made same lame excuse like other performers would have. Both Luke and Hunter kept their commitments. That is not a sell out. And Luke was fantastic live.
July 29, 2021 @ 12:11 pm
I prefer him over Sam Hunt aka “Country” music Drake as the face if Mainstream country music.
July 30, 2021 @ 3:59 am
Maybe singing about normal everyday occurrences is more appealing to the average person driving to work than depressing Americana light songs by some Nashville gypsy singing about how hard the Nashville music scene is. Just a thought.
August 2, 2021 @ 10:42 am
Great article. I wholeheartedly respect, understand more than ever & appreciate how even though you might like individual artists as all-around good people for what they do in saving country music industry in general that your album reviews are straight up album reviews on what you see a particular album is doing for country music, good or bad. My perception through interviews of Luke Combs is that he’s going to continue put out music that his core fan base enjoy’s. I personally enjoy the acoustic versions of his songs over the album productions so far, especially in regards to his last album, because his voice accompanied with an acoustic guitar hits home the lyrical part of what makes it country music to the core. So I hope in the future he explores that route on an entire album.
In interviews I’ve read & listened too, I’ve gotten the perspective that he is going to continue to explore more country sub-genre roots such as his mention of a bluegrass project vs the opportunity many artists have taken of sliding over to more pop related possibility, which is why even though his last album may not be produced as I would have hoped, that there’s hope for future albums and these albums so far are just creating a greater fan base not totally in country roots that he can draw into more country roots with his character as an artist shown more within those future projects with better production, similar to what many great country artists of the 80’s and 90’s had done.
August 3, 2021 @ 3:22 pm
Yeah, that’s going to change now that his song “South on ‘Ya” is the official song of the SEC Network. He will sell out for sure.
June 22, 2022 @ 1:52 pm
Luke seems like the sort of chap who’d throw down some suds with his fans,and sounds and looks like a Country singer from the 50’s through the 90’s . Plus,he and his wife had a son a couple of days ago. Put out something new soon,Luke, I never tire of your songs,and congrats on the birth of your son !!!!!!