Saving Country Music’s WORST Songs of 2015 So Far
I know the sense is that music is always getting worse and there will never be any improvement, but the end of 2014 had some promising signs with the decline of Bro-Country. Unfortunately though, where Bro-Country ended, Metro-Politan began, and now we have a new generation of artists and songs to contend with in the effort to saving country music. Here are some of 2015’s worst offenders so far.
NOTE: Except for in rare circumstances, a song has to be released as a single to be considered. The songs are in no particular order.
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READ: Saving Country Music’s BEST Songs of 2015 So Far
Thomas Rhett – “Crash & Burn”
Like Mephistopheles himself gorged on a diet of the most grotesquely valueless souls, and then 36 hours of insidious churning in the innermost bowels of hell amidst unholy gastric juices eventually putrefied a malevolent impaction to be shot out of the Satanic anus like a worm-riddled disease baby, Thomas Rhett has unleashed a new single on the planet called “Crash and Burn.”
May the ghost of the great Sam Cooke kick Thomas Rhett’s ass eternally for ripping off the iconic rhythm and cadence from the classic American standard “Chain Gang” in such an open and arrogant manner that even a villainous bystander like Vanilla Ice would give this the hairy eyeball. “Evolution” in today’s country music is simply a code word for filching something from another genre as the result of the relative vacuum of new ideas in the country medium, and Thomas Rhett and producers Dann Huff and Jesse Frasure left so much of their DNA over the crime scene of this caper it would make a rape kit envious of the swabable masses lingering behind this messy and haphazard ruse. Someone rustle up the bulldog legal team for Marvin Gaye and get them under retainer for the Sam Cooke estate post haste. (read full review)
Bret Michaels – “Girls On Bars”
Well look what the cat dragged in, it’s Bret Michaels from Poison with his Maybelline eyes giving a new definition to the term “coyote ugly” with his caustic and aggressively-unoriginal song “Girls On Bars.” Congratulations country music, your hair metal phase has just graduated from figurative to literal.
He pretty much just released the worst country song ever. It’s not as much sick as it is sad, like it’s a musical illustration of the onset of America’s torpid devolution. Even the video looks like it was made by a bunch of grabasstic high school stoners using 20-year-old deprecated public school media lab equipment rented from the public library as a stop gap solution to a local ISD’s budgetary shortfall. When the camera goes all POV and starts twirling round on the top of a bar, I thought I was suffering from motion sickness. Then I figured out that no, it’s just that this song really really blows to the point of causing debilitating gastrointestinal direst. (read full review)
Sam Hunt – “Take Your Time”
Can’t Sam Hunt just move on to being one of those people who is famous for being famous and get bounced out of the third round of Dancing with the Stars or box Tonya Harding on Pay Per View or something? Why does Sam Hunt even exist in anything resembling the country music world? He’s the country music equivalent of a malapropism. “Take Your Time” is the worst song that could have been chosen for Sam Hunt’s second single from and album chock full of bad ideas and boiling over with non-country influences and arrangements.
Some will tell you Sam Hunt and “Take Your Time” is simply country music “evolving,” yet once again the theory of evolution in the minds of country music’s powers that be has to do with dredging up a 30-year-old antiquated and outmoded form of expression in a misguided attempt to pander to the trends of today. Gee I can’t wait until country music’s “evolution” gets to the mid 80’s and country stars are dancing around on stage in spandex onesies with televisions on their heads. (read full review)
Randy Houser – “We Went”
Some bad songs make you angry that such a monstrosity would ever be released under the country banner. Some make you sad for what country music has become. This one? Randy Houser’s entry into this new R&B sexy time Bee Gees-inspired country music disco craze? This thing had me laughing out loud so hard from being so embarrassing and absurd, I had milk shooting out of my nose. And I wasn’t even drinking milk at the time.
To hear the festively plump, bordering on 40-something Randy Houser pseudo-rapping about running from the cops through cornfields with his hot lover had me in stitches to say the least. If you need any more validation that modern country music is nothing more than escapism of the mind for bored suburbanites with shallow understandings of rural life, look no further. Randy Houser could never put enough hair gel and highlights in his 40-year-old’s faux hawk to make this thing seem either respectable or relevant. This songs’s got more pander in it than the Beijing zoo. (read full review)
Chris Jansen – “Buy Me A Boat”
Brilliantly crafted to be fiercely relevant during Bro-Country’s utmost height in 2013, Chris Janson has country music pitching a tent in its pants after peaking on the iTunes charts due to country radio scourge Bobby Bones spinning this frapish timewaste on his syndicated radio show, and mindless consumers rushing out to buy it because it reminds them of the good ol’ days of Brantley Gilbert, and more importantly, because they were told to by the domineering voice emanating from their speakers.
As Bill Parcells once said, put the anointing oil away. This is a Florida Georgia Line starter kit with a drum machine beat, Stratocaster-fueled wank-off guitars, ultra cliché über laundry list lyrics, all compiled in a most unfortunate and shallow audio offering that profiteered off the fact that American radio ownership has been allowed to unfairly consolidate into these gargantuan juggernauts that can turn a play or two on a radio show into historic mountain moving events. Chris Janson becomes the perfect pitchman for exuberant and unhealthy American consumerism in the wholly-unoriginal, culturally-deprecated, and easily-forgettable Bro-Country track. (read full review)
Sam Hunt – “House Party”
From an artist who’s consistently offered the most blindingly non-country songs in the entire 70 year history of the genre, “House Party” is Sam Hunt’s most non-country song overall, if you even can believe that’s possible. What about the banjo you ask? That’s the biggest giveaway that this song is nothing more than a calculated ruse. In an absolute vacuum of country influences, Sam Hunt was forced to add the banjo track or risk exposing the song and the entire calculated project for the sham that it is.
The record scratches, the overt use of Auto-tune as an audio filter, the references to “blowing up phones” and “rattling roofs,” and the Ebonic annunciations are enough to not just alarm country fans, but fans of the integrity of culture in all of its forms, especially black artists who are getting sold out by country carpetbaggers that would appropriate and water down everything cool in their culture until there’s nothing left to pilfer in the bankrupting of American culture at large. I would call this the worst country song ever, but even that would endow it with a modicum of potential country music affiliation that it is not qualified to carry. (read full review)
Dishonorable Mention:
” Luke Bryan – “Kick The Dust Up (read “Why ‘Kick The Dust Up’ Is More Than Just A Bad Song“)
” Cole Swindell – “Ain’t Worth The Whiskey” (read review)
” Zac Brown Band – “Beautiful Drug” (read review)
” Brett Eldredge – “Lose My Mind” (read review)
” Granger Smith – “Backroad Song” (read review)
” Kelsea Ballerini – “Love Me Like You Mean It” (read review)
” Eli Young Band – “Turn It On” (read review)
” Gary Allan – “Hangover Tonight” (read review)
” Hunter Hayes – “21”
…and many more to come.
June 8, 2015 @ 8:38 am
I’m glad to say I haven’t heard most of these songs, thank the good lord.
June 9, 2015 @ 5:13 am
Guess I’m even luckier, can’t say I’ve heard any of them!
June 11, 2015 @ 6:14 pm
I think some of these are really harsh critiques. Crash and Burn has grown on me. Thomas Rhett definitely can do better as far as making a country song. For example “The Way Things Go”is a great song and pretty much anything he does acoustic is amazing. Just YouTube his acoustic performances. But wow… I really think the song is fun and fresh. At least it’s not about a bonfire.
June 8, 2015 @ 8:39 am
I would also nominate Jake Owen’s “Real Life”. Owen goes on a media blitz when “What We Can’t Have” was released, saying he wants to cut deeper, meaningful songs and then releases a song with 90’s pop production and terrible lyrics.
June 8, 2015 @ 8:46 am
I second Jake Owens. That song is even worse than Beachin’, and that’s saying something.
June 8, 2015 @ 8:50 am
Gonna have a review of that shortly.
June 8, 2015 @ 4:34 pm
🙂 🙂 🙂
June 9, 2015 @ 1:47 pm
Just listened to that song, actually.
Holy fuck, is that shit terrible or what? If you’re going to release garbage like that, at least have the courtesy to take the Joe Nichols route and admit that it’s garbage that you’re only cutting so that you can do what you want with the rest of your album.
June 8, 2015 @ 8:41 am
Yeah. ZBB has let loose a horrid album. Never thought I would say that. Always saw them as a southern rock band that could play most anything. They can’t play what they put on the record well, though. I have pulled my support of them.
June 8, 2015 @ 8:53 am
The constant stream of shit-poor ‘country’ music spewing from my speakers over the last several months has dulled my senses. These are all horrible, but none seem to affect that soul-crushing disappointment I felt with songs like, say ‘Donkey’ or ‘Talk About Me’, or any Kenny Chesney song–ever.
November 3, 2016 @ 10:59 am
Never heard of this song so can’t commend
June 8, 2015 @ 8:55 am
Surprised to not see Luke Bryan’s new one on here, although I know it’s on the list!
June 8, 2015 @ 9:24 am
I forgot to add that in the “Dishonorable Mention.” I didn’t do a review for it, though I may in the future.
June 8, 2015 @ 6:38 pm
I’m surprised you narrowed it down to a number less than 300.
June 8, 2015 @ 8:56 am
Y’all forgot Little Red Wagon by Miranda Lambert. Good God, it’s awful.
June 8, 2015 @ 9:54 am
Agreed. The lyrics are absolute nonsense and the music is just…Well…I have no words for it, honestly.
June 8, 2015 @ 10:50 am
Particularly since Little Red Wagon has some meaning In Southern Christian culture that the song ignored in favor of nonsense. I tuned in expecting a well crafted song about the nature of judgment, faith and the relationship between the two, and got…..is it a metaphor for her vagina? I hope not, because if it is she’s way behind Kesha who has a gold trans am between her thighs. Though, it might explain how Miranda got stuck with Blake.
June 8, 2015 @ 1:26 pm
It wouldn’t be eligible anyway seeing that it was released in 2014.
June 8, 2015 @ 1:43 pm
From what I saw it was January 2015, but I don’t care. Awful, AWFUL song.
June 8, 2015 @ 1:56 pm
I think what I hate most about that song is Miranda’s voice. It’s hard to explain, but for most of that song she sounds like she is yelling and considering Miranda is a pretty talented vocalist, she should not be going all Craig Morgan on a song.
June 8, 2015 @ 8:57 am
And what about the horrible songs of Piggy Aldean and Luke BryanT (as says Shania) ?
June 8, 2015 @ 9:04 am
Agreed. I couldn’t believe the first track, it’s practically a pop dance song. The best song on the ZBB album is the Jason Isbell cover.
June 8, 2015 @ 9:07 am
I’m so proud to say, that I have not heard any of these songs. I just read the articles.
June 8, 2015 @ 9:09 am
I’d add Kip Moore’s “I’m to Blame” and Frankie Ballard’s “Young and Crazy.”
June 8, 2015 @ 10:34 am
There’s nothing immediately wrong with either of those songs…As a matter of fact, they’re probably two of the better songs on mainstream radio right now. That’s kind of sad, but I sense you just dislike the artists and therefore won’t give credit to the songs. I’m not a fan of either but “I’m to Blame” and “Young and Crazy” are definitely their best major singles, considering “Mary Was the Marrying Kind” never made it big.
June 8, 2015 @ 2:27 pm
Tell me you get lonely from Frankie was his best single. Hit mid thirties on the charts but didn’t make major headway. Could never even tell it’s the same person with what he’s releasing now
June 8, 2015 @ 1:29 pm
I veto.
I like “Young & Crazy”. The self-awareness in the lyrics are refreshing to hear, and while Ballard is not one of the more charismatic vocalists out there on the airwaves, he still puts enough effort in his performance to convince me he’s aspiring to make this song a mission statement of his.
I’m indifferent on “I’m To Blame”. I do like the gruff Mellencamp-esque rasp of his vocals here, but the arrangement, production and lyrics are lackluster. It’s ironic that the lyrics scream “I’m a badass, so take me or leave me!” yet the production is anything but that. Still, it’s FAR from the worst this year has offered.
June 8, 2015 @ 2:54 pm
I’m also very frustrated by his new vocal technique that essentially rips off Ryan Bingham, but it is what it is, I guess. It’s like he heard “Southside of Heaven” while passing through XM channels and said, “I can do that!”
June 8, 2015 @ 2:57 pm
Both songs brag about how stupid the singer is. Country music is about a rural lifestyle. It does not require ignorance, nor should it glorify it. Kip Moore’s is especially bad, with intentionally bad grammar, cussing just because, and him trying to sound as dumb as possible. Frankie Ballard, to me, simply is not country. The song itself isn’t poorly written or performed, I just dislike the topic, and it doesn’t belong on country radio. I consider him in the same class as Sam Hunt, just to a lesser extent.
I also tend to excuse songs I’ve never heard, while excessive airplay will move an otherwise mediocre song further into the worst songs list. Both of these suffer that penalty, as I’ve heard each of them on the radio more than the combined totals of “Girl Crush” and “She Don’t Love You, ” despite the latter two being much better songs that were released earlier.
Edited to add: While neither song goes through the typical checklist, I think both songs have a solid bro-country feel in their attitudes. I suspect they are most popular with people under the age of 22 or so.
June 8, 2015 @ 9:55 pm
How does Young and Crazy talk about how stupid the singer is?
The song is about grabbing life by the balls and not being afraid to be wrong now and then. It’s about LIVING a life and not falling into some boring work-a-day existence that doesn’t stretch the imagination.
He talks about sitting on the porch and passing on his knowledge to his grandkids – knowledge he’ll gain by living one hell of a life.
Sorry, disagree completely with your assessment.
June 8, 2015 @ 6:25 pm
I actually don’t think “I’m to Blame” is that bad. Don’t get me wrong, it’s no prize-winner, but it’s not horrific and offensive either. Given all the other choices, it’s not bad enough to be considered one of the worst, but also not good enough to be even close to being one of the best. It’s a song that will basically be forgotten in a few months time by the time the album rolls out. I don’t expect much chart success for it.
June 8, 2015 @ 7:48 pm
That Kip Moore song isn’t bad….and the Frankie Ballard song is well written. Both good Pop country songs
June 8, 2015 @ 9:11 am
I don’t think I’ve heard any of these except the Granger Smith one in the “dishonorable mentions”… :\
June 8, 2015 @ 9:38 am
I mostly agree with this list, but Kelsea’s song should be higher on the list. It is worse than a dishonorable mention, in my opinion.
June 8, 2015 @ 9:47 am
The worst part is that this post could be retitled “Some of the Biggest Country Hits of 2015 So Far.”
June 8, 2015 @ 9:51 am
Like Clint said, I haven’t listened to any of these songs I just read the reviews….except, unfortunately, I have heard the Luke Bryan atrocity. I only listen to my own music on my iTunes library and music suggested by Trigger.
June 8, 2015 @ 10:04 am
Trigger must like Sam hunt because he got rid of my joke
June 8, 2015 @ 10:09 am
No, you were being verbally abusive to other commenters, so I cut you off. You want to be part of this community? Then show respect to the other commenters. Otherwise go to YouTube to conduct your trolling expeditions.
June 8, 2015 @ 3:20 pm
I saw you get rid of Scott comment thanks I don’t like other people getting bullied
June 8, 2015 @ 10:17 am
I actually don’t find “Crash and Burn” to be that bad. I think he should have credited Sam Cooke in the song writing credits but other than that I have no problem with the song. I think it sounds like Meghan Trainor but without her annoying psuedo-Iggy-rapping. Lyrically, it’s nice to hear about a love gone bad other than another, “Hey girl, let’s hook up” song.
But I think his vocals sound very uncomfortable on the track. I think Chris Young or Billy Currington could have killed that track.
Can somebody explain to me what’s so wrong with the song besides ripping off Sam Cooke? I’m really curious why people hate it so much.
June 8, 2015 @ 10:20 am
I’ll add that usually country pop is 10 years behind actual pop music in terms of doing what’s trendy. At least “Crash and Burn” doesn’t sound like it’s ripping of a pop fad from 2004 like so many other country songs are (like ripping off Nickleback, 3 Doors Down or Nelly). “Crash and Burn” feels like it’s borrowing from current pop trends. It seems less pathetic to me if you’re at least current when you’re chasing pop trends. Chasing a trend that died 8 years ago is a losing battle.
June 8, 2015 @ 10:39 am
Alternatively, you can argue its similarity to current pop makes it more problematic.
A lot of the rock country and country bros borrowed from dated rock and pop influences, but none of their music really fit into the current pop scene. We can label Luke Bryan “not country,” but you can’t really call him “pop” – his music doesn’t fit into pop radio at all. I mean, he’s a guy with superstar charisma, tons of popularity, a good voice and a marketable look – and he’s never come close to a legitimate crossover hit.
Even Cruise, which was FGL’s poppiest single, needed a production overall and a rap verse to truly click with the mainstream.
We might not have LIKED it, but at least these guys were contributing to a unique identity for country radio. What you heard there, however bad and rooted in dated influences, was distinct from what you’d concurrently hear at pop.
If Thomas Rhett is making the same kind of music you hear on pop radio – then he really is proving country to be “pop with a southern twang.”
June 11, 2015 @ 6:00 pm
I actually love Thomas Rhett and Crash and Burn. Chris Stapleton wrote the song. This is one of the first times that Thomas Rhett recorded a song that he didn’t write. He liked the funky vibe. A lot of Thomas’s own writing is very gritty and raw. “I ain’t ready to quit” the acoustic version and some of his other acoustic stuff is crazy good. He enjoys mixing it up and making a fun song thrown in there from time to time. I see nothing wrong with TR’S song. Because, his unreleased stuff is the real deal and I just wish it could get played, but sadly it won’t with radio the way it is.
June 8, 2015 @ 12:34 pm
Crash and Burn is not country music. Period.
Having said that, as a pop song, I don’t think it’s that bad … I hated it at first, but now I kind of like it …
As six strings said, lyrically, it is better than a lot of crap on the radio, although given how low the bar is set, I guess that is not saying a lot.
June 8, 2015 @ 1:42 pm
Oh, I’ll gladly tell you why!
You actually answered the first part of why I loathe “Crash & Burn” with every fiber of my being. It shamelessly appropriates the melody line from Sam Cooke’s “Chain Gang” without giving credit………………..already a massive strike against it.
Secondly, we all know by now that Thomas Rhett has an obsessive man crush with Bruno Mars. Absolutely nothing wrong with that, per se, since Bruno Mars is unquestionably a charismatic entertainer with personality and throws himself aplomb in the moment. But when you’re obviously trying so hard to be the Bruno Mars of country radio…………….at the very least sound like you frickin’ care! And Rhett’s lazy drawl moves right onto my final point.
Which is: “How the shucks are we supposed to care that he let another flame crash and burn if he doesn’t sound like he cares at all?” The only conclusion I can draw is 1) he was dumped to begin with because he obviously couldn’t care less about the relationship gauging by his tepid and indifferent vocals, or 2) he was actually the one who dumped her but is now trying to walk it back slightly and say how hurt he is as well, which smacks as disingenuous because, yet again, his delivery is so indifferent.
This about epitomizes everything I hate about country radio right now all wrapped up in a tight package: non-country production and instrumentation, excessive Auto-Tune, lyrics that lack any sincerity or nuance whatsoever and vocals that are so calculated and dry that fail to carry the rarer lyrics that do have weight.
June 8, 2015 @ 2:12 pm
When I listen to “Crash and Burn” I get the vibe of an Adam Sandler type character who is terrible at dating. He’s looking back wistfully and somewhat comically at yet another relationship he screwed up. I think he does care, but he’s a funny guy and probably doesn’t have many serious conversations so he masks his pain with humor. Many comedians learn comedy as a means of covering up their true feelings.
I don’t get the vibe of a douchey, bro guy that doesn’t care about/respect the women who left. I get the vibe of a funny, not-very-serious guy who doesn’t understand women and thus sucks at relationships. He may be more bothered by it then he lets on.
Maybe I just get a different vibe from the production and vocals. Which is funny because I’m definitely not of fan of Rhett’s voice. I maintain that Currington or Young would have killed this song.
June 8, 2015 @ 3:15 pm
But you see, while I respect your detailed take on it and won’t aim to diminish your interpretation……………here’s where the whole Adam Sandler naivete tangent becomes quite a slippery slope.
When you have all these songs running the roost in the meanwhile that have the tone of a Billy Madison-esque breed of arrested development in both lyricism and childish vocal delivery, where do you draw the line? When is it no longer a “Get Out Of Jail Free Card”?
There’s definitely a place for “lovable loser” types of songs, and there’s also a place for stupid sing-alongs that don’t bludgeon you and have a likeable air to them. I mean, after all, I liked “The Waterboy” growing up. It’s unquestionably a stupid film that doesn’t deserve any critical awards, but it still had charm in that Bobby Boucher’s character was affable, gentle and harmless……………..who also so happened to excel in his academics when he found the confidence in himself he previously lacked.
If country radio traded stupid songs that also came across as leering and misogynistic and bereft of self-awareness with stupid songs that had more of a Bobby Boucher brand of personality, I wouldn’t mind nearly as much. I still lament the lack of emotional depth and intelligence in recent country radio, but if we’re going to begin moving in the right direction, the first sure stride would be a step back towards harmless lovable loser songs that are kind of like modern versions of classic novelty or semi-novelty songs; that are corny but also don’t hit you over the head and have some actual ache and realism to them.
June 8, 2015 @ 4:55 pm
Interesting take. I respect your thoughtful answer. I think we are looking at this song from different perspectives. I agree that this song is less enjoyable because it is played on a country radio filled with shallow, immature pop songs. I agree that this is just another less-than-mature country pop single that will be completely forgotten in about 36 months. But I think it is one of the best immature country pop songs of the past two years.
When does the immature, fun charm stop being a “get out of jail free card.” I’d say all of FGL’s singles after “Cruise,” Cole Swindell’s current single, and most of Chase Rice’s music are examples of when the line is crossed. I think Rhett’s past three singles also don’t deserve the “get out of jail free card.”
To me, this is hands down Rhett’s best single since “Beer With Jesus,” so I see this as a big improvement. It may be my favorite song by a bro. So I’ll take what I can get.
I think you are viewing this as being more fuel to country music’s refusal to grow up. I agree that it is. But I think it’s actually enjoyable, unlike most bro songs.
I absolutely agree with you that Sam Cooke should get a writing credit. If this songs hits it big, we might see a lawsuit.
If this song was released by Billy Currington in 2006 I think a lot of us would kind of like it.
June 9, 2015 @ 1:57 pm
I vastly prefer Get Me Some of That as far as Rhett’s stuff goes, but Crash and Burn is definitely better than his other singles.
He definitely should have credited Cooke, though. Just like Miranda credited Steve Earle after she got caught stealing I Feel Alright’s melody for Kerosene.
June 9, 2015 @ 12:34 pm
I also enjoy “Crash and Burn.” I came across Chris Stapleton’s original demo of it and he also uses the Sam Cooke beginning chant. People who are against it shouldn’t blame Thomas, since it appears to be part of the song that Chris wrote and performed. Not saying Sam shouldn’t get writing credit, but I think people find it harder to criticize Chris Stapleton for that infraction than bro-y Thomas Rhett.
June 8, 2015 @ 10:23 am
I noticed in a comment above a poster mention Kenny Chesney as among the worst. I don’t really understand that sentiment. Yes, I can see where his beach songs can become jaded after a while. But, if you look at almost all his albums, he has also put out some very solid material. I never really felt like he deserves to be lumped with the Sam Hunts, FGL, and the rest of the cellar dwellers.
June 8, 2015 @ 10:42 am
Here’s a song you can rant about; Canaan Smith’s “Love You Like That.”
June 8, 2015 @ 2:56 pm
Aside from the cheesy “city boy/nitty gritty boy” line, that song really isn’t all that bad. Matter of fact, if that line were removed, I’d probably like the song quite a bit.
June 8, 2015 @ 3:29 pm
It’s just obviously not country. He’s a pop singer throwing out countryisms so he can look like a country singer. And what’s with the Tom Petty reference? Nothing wrong with Tom Petty, he’s just not a country singer, and country songs should stay within their own genre. When you say “smooth as a Tom Petty track” you are going out of your genre and essentially saying country can’t be smooth. Country is taking a submissive role by having singers talk about listening to rock or rap in their songs instead of country. That’s bad.
June 9, 2015 @ 2:00 pm
Country shouldn’t be smooth, though. It should be rough around the edges and hit you in the gut.
Petty is an awful lot like a smoothed down version of country, in fact.
June 9, 2015 @ 5:34 pm
George Strait is smooth.
June 9, 2015 @ 5:41 pm
Actually, it is the smoothly melodic nature of the traditional country music sonic style that most appeals to me about the genre, even more than the lyricism. As a long-time soft rock and acoustic music fan myself, I found country to be a fantastic alternative to modern pop back in the beginning of 2010 when I first started listening to country radio.
October 15, 2015 @ 4:16 am
So, a country artist (even one that used to be pop) can’t like a pop artist? They’re not allowed to mention them in their country songs? Kenny Chesney did it in “I Go Back”, and other artists have done it, too. Did you notice it then? I Go Back is one of my favs by KC. I don’t pay much attention to chart placement, but I just know what I like. Canaan Smiths “Love You Like That is actually much nicer to listen to than anything by FGL, save for “Dirt”, which I loved.
I am so sick of Brad Paisley, and Chase Rice’s music just sucks, as does Cole, and the man doesn’t have an ounce of rhythm in his body…seeing him trying to dance in his first video was cringe-worthy!
Most of these artist have “evolved” away from what made them famous, including KC, but while we die-hard country fans hate it, we aren’t the ones buying the concert tickets (never again!), so they are going to sell to that crowd, and that crowd loves the craptacular “music” they’re putting out, and if they don’t go along and go with the flow, they’ll be left behind, and their career is done. I don’t think that’s right, but that’s how it is. Music, and entertainment in general are all about the money. If they dont sell tickets, or downloads, they’re finished. It sucks for those of us “old-timers”, in our 40’s and beyond, because we are no longer a target audience. Most of us refuse to buy downloads, don’t own mp3’s, and many can’t even use a computer, much less figure out how to download anything. We might as well get over it, or start listening to indy stations on satellite, because that’s the only way we’ll find the music we love, anymore. No doubt there is a station out there that we can enjoy, with new music targeted to us. If not, then listening to HANK fm works just fine for me when I’m fed up with mainstream.
June 8, 2015 @ 10:53 am
What was this blog’s feeling on Brad Paisley’s early work (through 5th Gear)? To me, that may dictate how you approach Buy Me a Boat – which sounds very much like Eric Church singing one of Paisley’s old comedy tunes (involvement of Chris DuBois probably has a lot to do with that).
I ask because it seems to be one of the more polarizing recent offerings. Usually you’ll see a lot of consistency between SCM and other “country purist” blogger/forums (when it comes to people like FGL, Cole Swindell, Luke’s new song, etc), but I’ve definitely seen a lot of love for Buy Me a Boat outside these walls — from people who notoriously despise bro country.
There is some other disagreement as well, but you can usually trace obvious motives. I’ve seen a good amount of love for Kelsea Ballerini, but that surely stems from the fact that she’s a debut country female crushing it on the charts (without help from a Scott Borchetta-led label). Plus, her song is the best-testing song in the callout reports, so you don’t want to rip a female country artist who’s actually connecting with today’s radio market.
But I can’t really decipher why there’s such a polarizing opinion (among country diehards) when it comes to Buy Me a Boat.
June 8, 2015 @ 12:44 pm
What makes “Buy Me A Boat” so bad is that it is 2 to 3 years too late. Yes, release it in 2012 and it would probably just blend into the background. The reason some critics say it’s a good song is because Bobby Bones told them that. The song is garbage. There’s also a lot of critics behind Ballerini because she’s a girl, but there’s many more girls that are much better and more worthy of the attention.
June 8, 2015 @ 11:48 pm
‘Plus, her song is the best-testing song in the callout reports, so you don”™t want to rip a female country artist who”™s actually connecting with today”™s radio market.’
This statement actually makes no sense . ‘ Connecting with today’s radio market ‘ makes a female artist worthy of our attention and even accolades ? ….regardless of the crappy songs ?? Connecting with today’s 16 year old girl market is NOT a great feat , I’m sorry to say . This is just about THE most impressionable demographic out there and that statement says absolutely nothing about the quality of a song . .
June 9, 2015 @ 2:02 pm
Yup, which is why I hate that RaeLynn song so fucking much.
June 10, 2015 @ 9:33 am
**First – to correct a misconception, the solid callout scores are not just coming from “16 year old girls.” Her song is also the most popular female song with Men in the 35-44 demographic, and it has really good scores (not just good by female artist standards) with Women 35-44. Her song is currently country radio’s most resonant solo female song, period.**
More importantly, I wasn’t defending Kelsea Ballerini. I was explaining why even snobby/diehard country critics seem willing to give her a pass.
If they’re advocating for more women on country radio, they’re not going to bury the woman who is best connecting with country radio listeners.
That doesn’t make it a good song – but it explains why someone who usually hates mainstream, poppy country would be willing to defend it. It’s also why I’m not shocked that Saving Country Music disagrees with many other country critics when it comes to Kelsea Ballerini.
June 9, 2015 @ 7:26 am
I heard this song on XM Outlaw radio the other day. I hope it was a programming error.
June 9, 2015 @ 8:25 am
Kelsea is receiving favorable treatment because she is a young, blonde, white girl in a genre that seeks out those types of consumers as fans of their mostly male faux country artists. There is nothing musically original about her single. She has about enough talent to make a modest living as a Taylor Swift tribute artist performing for 12 year old white girls who were bummed that T-Swift’s shows sold out and they couldn’t get tickets.
June 10, 2015 @ 11:56 pm
Buy Me a Boat took off because Bobby Bones played it, a big label is pushing it and country radio plays every mediocre male, the worse the singer and song the better. It’s just another mediocre truck song with a boat twist and it’s the lowest ranked song on Callout America. Next lowest is Crash and Burn. If some people who despise bro-country like either maybe it’s because they are sick of hearing the usual misogynistic form of bro-country. Can the bar get any lower?
June 8, 2015 @ 11:07 am
I don’t mean to get off topic Trigger, but have you done a review on 24 Frames by Jason Isbell??
June 8, 2015 @ 12:45 pm
No I have not. Frankly, I think I need to hear that song within the context of the album to totally appreciate and understand it.
June 8, 2015 @ 11:14 am
Nothing on this list is quite at the level of “Donkey” or “Burnin’ It Down” bad, although Bret Michaels and both of Sam Hunt’s offerings come pretty close.
“Buy Me A Boat” is pretty mediocre, but it wouldn’t make my list of worst songs this year.
I’d add “Gonna Wanna Tonight” by Chase Rice.
June 8, 2015 @ 11:19 am
Also, if we’re including songs that flopped on the radio, Doin’ Country Right(-ight-ight-ight) by David Fanning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N05eZUt8axE
June 8, 2015 @ 11:16 am
Can’t argue with anything on here, the problem is that there’s just too many to choose from
Although before I move on, Trigger I’m surprised you didn’t mention this, her name is Haley Georgia and she released a song called “Ridiculous”. It’s not only the worst song of 2015, but probably the worst song ever.
Listen at your own risk:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=snWBHtkmEAE
Anyway, here are my personal picks:
Jake Owen- Real Life
Sam Hunt- Take Your Time/House Party
Thomas Rhett- Crash & Burn
Bret Michaels- Girls On Bars
Raelynn- For A Boy
Luke Bryan- Kick The Dust Up
Michael Ray- Kiss You In The Morning
Eric Church- Like A Wrecking Ball
Brett Eldredge- Lose My Mind
Cole Swindell- Let Me See Ya Girl
Eli Young Band- Turn It On
Canaan Smith- Love You Like That
Also Trigger, Gary Allan’s “Hangover Tonight”? Really? I mean yeah its arguably the worst song of his career, but I don’t know if it quite equates to the horseshit that you and I listed.
June 8, 2015 @ 2:09 pm
Like A Wrecking Ball? Really?
How can you lump that song with “girls on bars” or “real life”
One of the better songs on radio right now because it actually carries a meaning… And if I remember correctly… Trig gave the song 1 1/4 guns up.
Other than that your list i could agree with you
June 8, 2015 @ 2:20 pm
Well first, let me just get this out of the way. I like Church a lot and this song is by far my least favorite from him
Now to my rant:
This song carries a meaning? I highly beg to differ, the theme of this song is that the guy is so horny that when he goes home he’s going to bang the shit out of his wife! Hate to say it like it is, but the song does a great job of sugar coating that happy theme. Seriously though, this song is disgusting and I’ve yet to see the appeal for it. The only difference between it and something like, say, “Burnin’ It Down” is the fact that it has a slow rolling rock groove to it (which I guess Is why people like it). I just don’t get how a song like this is getting praised everywhere. Even if it is meant as an ode to his wife, it just comes across as sleazy a and disgusting, at least to me.
Hey though, if you like it, that’s fine. I couldn’t care less. I was just making MY list.
June 9, 2015 @ 2:04 pm
A) Because there’s nothing wrong with two people who love each other having sex.
B) Because the song itself just sounds really, really great.
June 9, 2015 @ 8:39 am
Oh. My. God. It’s like someone put out a search for a less talented, more disgusting version of Kesha. Good lord what is that?
Honorable mention for this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aCi7Iz4oG8 – You know what makes a karaoke-country cover of Linda Ronstadt even better? Country white girl rap.
October 15, 2015 @ 4:40 am
Ok, why is everyone bashing “Lose My Mind “? I love that song. The end of the video.is hilarious. Many of these songs are beautiful, if you don’t pay attention to the lyrics. That’s what they’re counting on. Most of the target audience can’t afford even count change without the register telling then how much, and I’ve had a few that still needed help, because they just can’t count, period! The industry thrives on this. Government thrives on this, every horrible entity in existence thrives on this! It means they are stupid, they are vapid, and they only care about the money they get for doing a job they don’t even know how to do! That money is spent on those.downloads and those concert tickets, and that is why it’s not going to change any time soon. Because that money goes into the pockets of the artist, producer, label, etc, and they are eagerly awaiting the next pretty face that can’t sing, to mesmerize these fools into spending every dime they have on that face…these idiots don’t even care that these people can’t sing…they just know they’re beautiful to look at…they are hypnotized by these beautiful faces. Forget the lyrics, if it has a great sound! If they can move to it,who cares about the lyrics? That’s all that matters…they can dance to it. Lyrics are secondary. If it doesn’t make sense, all the better, because it becomes a new language for.them to start quoting to their friends and it becomes the latest trend. It be comes big news, and it gets these “artitsts” noticed. That’s where it all comes full circle…the artist is now a household name, mentioned on every talk show, in the news, on every blog, etc…that’s what it’s all about. The lyrics could die complete gibberish (and many songs are), and it wouldn’t matter. They can dance to it, they can quote it, they can make a meme of it, etc. Now this artist’s name is out there…mission accomplished. Let the $$$ start rolling in!
June 8, 2015 @ 11:42 am
Hey SCM! First of all thank you for your hard work to keep country music alive. But can I leave you a friendly comment: You should try to do less article and spend more time to actually talk about country music… I’m afraid your site as become a way to give more views to this crappy music…Never heard you talking about Chris Knight and he is one if not the best songwriter and storyteller out there…
June 8, 2015 @ 12:03 pm
Buck,
I appreciate your concerns. The simple fact is, though many people love to leave these comments, readers interact with articles like this 10 to 1 compared to the articles talking positively about music. Nonetheless, I still post a majority of positive articles on the site, though many fewer people read them. It actually draws more traffic to the site, and to positive music coverage to post an article like this than to post links directly to positive music coverage. In the end, most readers just want their opinions on their favorite music reinforced.
I have talked about and featured Chris Knight on this site many times. A search brought up 20 tags to his name:
https://savingcountrymusic.com/?s=chris+knight
Here’s some specific articles involving Chris Knight you might enjoy:
https://savingcountrymusic.com/chris-knights-little-victories-a-political-album-done-right
https://savingcountrymusic.com/7-songwriters-that-will-change-your-life
https://savingcountrymusic.com/review-lee-ann-womack-selects-chris-knights-send-it-on-down-as-next-single
June 8, 2015 @ 12:09 pm
Thanks Trigger 🙂 Keep up the hard work!!
June 8, 2015 @ 12:16 pm
The only one listed I’d slightly disagree with is Randy Houser’s “We Went”.
It’s still a below-average song by any stretch that is insulting to our intelligence as to what he is truly capable of, but it’s largely par-for-the-course as far as corporate country radio is concerned in the meanwhile.
Songs I’d consider much worse than “We Went” that should be here include Haley Georgia’s “Ridiculous” (a pathetic attempt to create an Iggy Azalea clone for country radio with a head-scratching #Redic promotional campaign, and would be my pick for Worst “Country” Single of 2015 thus far), Jake Owen’s “Real Life” (for a decidedly non-country sound that is trying to rip off Everclear and pathetic lyrics that aren’t any more “real” than Apple Jacks), David Fanning’s “Doin’ Country Right” (the stuttering alone is a deal-breaker), RaeLynn’s “For A Boy” (once again regurgitating antiquated 50s gender stereotypes and clunky production), Olivia Lane’s “You Part 2” (not bad as a pop song, but has no place in country music with almost no country instrumentation whatsoever and a lame rap bridge), Thompson Square’s “Trans Am” (terrible lyrics and an embarrassing performance all around) and Michael Ray’s “Kiss You In The Morning” (#extendedfaceplam).
Here’s my Top Ten list:
*
1: Haley Georgia: “Ridiculous”
2: Bret Michaels: “Girls On Bars”
3: Thomas Rhett: “Crash & Burn”
4: David Fanning: “Doin’ Country Right”
5: Michael Ray: “Kiss You In The Morning”
6: Jake Owen: “Real Life”
7: Sam Hunt: “House Party” (“Take Your Time” was released in 2014, so it wouldn’t be eligible for my list, though trust me it is no less bad)
8: Luke Bryan: “Kick The Dust Up” (kind of shocked it’s not higher, and that’s only because I haven’t been impressed by a Luke Bryan single in ages so it’s less of a letdown when hearing this bullshit from Bryan, but more offensive from the likes of Jake Owen, Gary Allan and others)
9: Eli Young Band: “Turn It On”
10: Thompson Square: “Trans Am”
*
Zac Brown Band’s “Beautiful Drug” isn’t eligible either at this point because it hasn’t been minted a single (yet). Needless to say, it would be guaranteed a Top Five position hypothetically.
June 8, 2015 @ 1:19 pm
For what it’s worth, I’m going to list my Top Five Best Mainstream Country Singles Of 2015 (So Far), as well as Top Five Best Mainstream Country Non-Singles (I’m keeping these lists to five because, sadly, this has been a below-average year so far! =( )
*
*****Best Mainstream Country Singles of 2015 So Far*****
1: Jana Kramer: “I Got The Boy” (Seriously! If you haven’t listened to this yet, do yourself a favor and buy this single! Where Kacey Musgraves and Ashley Monroe have underwhelmed so far this year with singles, Jana Kramer has stepped up and showed true leadership here)
2: Dierks Bentley: “Riser” (This is projected to be his new single, so I’m taking their word for it. Absolutely beautiful song. I’m nervous about its chart run, but please make it a hit, radio)
3: Chris Stapleton: “Traveller” (What more is there to say about this? We already talked about how awesome his album of the same name is.)
4: Tim McGraw: “Diamond Rings & Old Barstools (Featuring Catherine Dunn)”. (Tim McGraw keeps his winning streak intact at three singles with one of his best by far in a decade, if not longer, with the ambiguous lyricism and intimate traditional-ish production)
5: Sunny Sweeney: “My Bed” (Featuring Will Hoge) (Excellent duet. It’s great to have Sweeney back, and Hoge’s contributions are plentiful here.)
HONORABLE MENTIONS
* Love & Theft’s “Whiskey On My Breath”, Eric Paslay’s “She Don’t Love You” and Mickey Guyton’s “Better Than You Left Me” were all released in 2014, so they’re not eligible here. Needless to say, they’re all great and welcome to hear in 2015 as well.)
* Striking Matches: “Hanging on a Lie” (Yes, this did indeed got an adds date, so I’d consider it mainstream. Great charisma and energy abound in this performance.)
* Wade Bowen: “When I Woke Up Today” (Yes, this in fact got an adds date in March too, so it counts! =) )
* Lee Ann Womack: “Send It All Down” (In reality, I should have rated this higher, but felt I needed to give it to some commercial champions that are succeeding better in putting quality back onto mass airwaves. Needless to say, this is a heartachingly beautiful song.)
*
*****Top Five Best Country Non-Singles of 2015 So Far*****
1: Chris Stapleton: “Tennessee Whiskey”
2: Reba McEntire: “Just Like Them Horses”
3: Blackberry Smoke: “Woman in the Moon” (They got a #1 album, so I’m content considering them mainstream in that context! =) )
4: Tyler Farr: “Suffer In Peace” (………………no, you read this correctly! I’m dead serious! His “Redneck Crazy” transgressions aside, I urge you to please try and look around that and give this title track, as well as “I Don’t Even Want This Beer” a try. This is damn solid!)
5: Zac Brown Band: “Bittersweet” (I may not have been a big fan of the respective album, but this was one of a few moments that really did it for me.)
*
June 8, 2015 @ 2:11 pm
Bittersweet brings me to my knees
June 12, 2015 @ 11:08 am
Just recently discovered this site and I’m glad you shared your list of the best country songs so far this year. I had never heard of Chris Stapleton, but wow is he good. I also had yet to hear “Diamond Rings and Old Barstools” and I would agree that is the best song he’s released in at least a decade. The first CD I ever owned was “A Place in the Sun” and I probably still know every song on that album word for word. Oh, the good ol’ days. Can’t believe I’m saying that at the age of 23.
June 8, 2015 @ 12:19 pm
Are we pretending Michael Ray doesn’t exist? I mean, I would be cool with that, but he does deserve a place on this list.
June 8, 2015 @ 12:34 pm
Hey, he’s on my list! 😉
I’d rather pretend Haley Georgia doesn’t exist either (and I’m absolutely confident “Ridiculous” won’t be a hit, thankfully)………………..but the fact she even got a record deal in the first place BECAUSE of tracks like “Ridiculous”, and the fact EMI is aggressively promoting the dead-stupid #Redic campaign is initself blasphemy and no excuse to why she doesn’t deserve to dubiously top my list.
June 9, 2015 @ 4:56 am
Haley Georgia sounds like a porn star name.
June 8, 2015 @ 12:33 pm
My top 10 worst
1. Jake Owen “Real Life”
2. Sam Hunt “take your time” and “house Party”
3. Florida Georgia Line “Slippin’ on fire” and “anything goes”
4. Brett Eldredge “lose my mind”
5. ZBB “Beautiful Drug”
6. Randy Houser “We went”
7. Luke Bryan “Kicking the dust up”
8. Thomas Rhett “crash and Burn”
9. EYB “Turn it on”
10. Chris Janson “buy me a boat”
dishonorable mention:
Cole Swindell and Tyler Farr “c.o.u.n.t.r.y”
June 8, 2015 @ 12:42 pm
I have to disagree about Hunter Hayes new song “21” I really like this song and it is very catchy tune.
June 8, 2015 @ 12:52 pm
It’s not a bad song for pop radio.
For country radio, it must be called out on its stylistic transgressions, however.
June 8, 2015 @ 1:56 pm
yeah you’re right maybe I need to listen to his song more to change my mind. I don’t listen to pop anyway.
June 8, 2015 @ 12:52 pm
If we’re doing singles…
1: Jake Owen- Real Life
2: TIE- Cole Swindell- Ain’t Worth The Whiskey & Sam Hunt- House Party
3: Luke Bryan- Kick The Dust Up
4: Thomas Rhett- Crash And Burn
5: David Fanning- Doing Country Right
6: Michael Ray- Kiss You In The Morning
7: Chris Janson- Buy Me A Boat
8: Randy Houser- We Went
9: Sam Hunt- Take Your Time
10: Kelsea Ballerini- Love Me Like You Mean It
Beautiful Drug, Love You Like That, Lose My Mind, and Yeah Boy all get honorable mentions.
Really, most of these songs have something going for them. I can at least understand the appeal of 10-6 and 4.
June 8, 2015 @ 1:09 pm
I hear there’s folks
Tired of us talking about dirt roads
Tailgates, tan lines and corn rows
It sounds made up but that’s the life I know
We know all about some moonshine
Moonlight, bonfires
Seein’ all the stars on a summer night
Don’t see how that’s gettin’ old
C’mon
Ride with us on Friday night
See if we ain’t jacked em up
See if we ain’t settin’ it on fire
See if we don’t burn it up
See if we ain’t crankin’ Hank
Sippin’ on a little somethin’ strong
Hey man, you’ll see why we can’t
Quit sangin’ that same old song
The same old song
June 8, 2015 @ 2:42 pm
I was going to include Brantley Gilbert’s “Same Old Song,” but there’s some question if it is truly a “single” since it doesn’t appears to have impacted radio.
Here’s the article I wrote on it for anyone curious:
https://savingcountrymusic.com/brantley-gilbert-releases-pro-bro-country-protest-single-same-old-song
June 8, 2015 @ 11:38 pm
mary had a little lamb little lamb little lamb
mary had a little lamb it’s fleece was white as snow
June 9, 2015 @ 12:21 pm
Appropriate song, since you and most of the posters here are just mindless sheep.
June 9, 2015 @ 1:39 pm
Nope ….you’ve got the wrong crowd , greg . The mindless sheep are out there in radio-land sucking up the crap “country” radio keeps spewing out . SCM is trying to inform , enlighten and educate folks to the fact that they don’t HAVE to be plugged in to that stuff . The musical options are endless and are there for the seeking . Thanks , in part , to sites like this providing artists with exposure to listeners and music lovers who CARE , NO ONE has to be a mindless sheep unless they choose to be .
June 9, 2015 @ 10:22 pm
Oh, please. Get off your high horse and quit trying to tell people what’s good music and what isn’t. What makes you worthy of making that judgment? You’re just another sheep that believes country music should be stuck in 1990 and never evolve. Bad news for you, that’s not how it works. Music always changes. Your ultra conservative views toward music are sad, and your belief that everyone should bow down to your tastes is even worse. If you don’t like country radio today, just change the station. Going on a mission about it just seems silly. You and this site’s phony “mission” is really an embarrassment, and it’s also failing. On that note, congrats to Florida Georgia Line on their 7th #1 single, Sippin On Fire!!! Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m bout to go out and sit on my tailgate, sip a little bud light, and crank some hank!!
August 13, 2015 @ 7:33 pm
Hey Greg, this self-appointed savior is as full of self-importance as a frustrated moth beating up on light bulbs. I saw somewhere his self-gratifying self-referenc as a Country Music Jesus. Hilarious.
August 13, 2015 @ 8:19 pm
Are you saying I called myself a “Country Music Jesus?” Becuse if that’s the case, I’d like to see the “somewhere” you saw this.
August 15, 2015 @ 7:02 pm
Quote:
“Saving Country Music has learned that the idea behind Eric Church”™s “Country Music Jesus” likely inspired by none other than your humble, lovable Triggerman.”
…feigned modesty veiling a self-gratifying reference of self.
June 10, 2015 @ 2:52 pm
Life’s gonna suck when you grow up, when you grow up, when you grow up….
Life’s gonna suck when you grow up
It sicks pretty bad right now!!!
June 8, 2015 @ 1:24 pm
This list is an improvement over last year’s, for sure.
Believe it or not, I don’t hate “Buy Me a Boat”. As another commenter mentioned, the song features some philosophical humor that reminds me of Brad Paisley. It’s definitely not a typical bro-country song that just lists country-isms.
“Take Your Time” is a fairly well-written song, despite not being country at all. Lyrically, it is a major step above bro-country.
I definitely agree with the other 4, though.
June 8, 2015 @ 2:21 pm
I agree that “Buy Me A Boat” doesn’t make my blood boil. It’s still irritating and I don’t like it, and it’s not as clever as Brad Paisley’s cheeky commentary songs, but there are bigger fish to fry for sure.
Sorry, have to strongly disagree with “Take Your Time”. The lyricism of that song makes me sick. It tries to pass itself off as a refreshing considerate alternative to bro-country, but it’s really nothing more than more of the same (the worst offender being “I’m not trying to steal your covers, I just want to take your time!”). It doesn’t help that the tone is creepy in the verses.
June 8, 2015 @ 9:16 pm
The vocals in “Take Your Time” are grating, for sure. However, I still appreciate the fact that the lyrics tell a coherent story rather than just discussing a fling in a checklist manner.
June 8, 2015 @ 1:57 pm
Hey Trigger!
What do you thing about Tyler Farr’s new song “Withdrawl”?
June 8, 2015 @ 2:38 pm
I may have a review for that soon. Some thought “Guy Walks Into A Bar” should be included here too. I didn’t particularly like it, but I didn’t think it was particularly terrible.
June 8, 2015 @ 2:57 pm
Without the hip-hop beat, Withdrawals is pretty damn good, imo. Farr uses his actual singing voice for once, which I love. I don’t know why he has to mimic Brantley Gilbert’s cookie monster vocals.
June 8, 2015 @ 4:58 pm
I agree with you on that but on the other hand C.O.U.N.T.R.Y is terrible.
June 8, 2015 @ 3:00 pm
I feel like I’m losing it, but I don’t hate “Take Your Time” as much as everybody else seems to. As a matter of fact, if it were promoted on pop radio instead of country radio, I think I’d generally dig it. I like the arrangement, particularly in the intro and verses. The guitar/piano trade off calls some real images to mind and I do think the song has more redeeming value than most others see. Do I hate the spoken word verses? Yes, because I’m a Red Sovine fan. The rest of the song is rather pleasant, though.
June 8, 2015 @ 4:55 pm
I hated it first but “Take your time” grew on me a little. I still don’t really care for that song. It’s not a country song but it is a pop song and I don’t really care for pop music that much.
June 8, 2015 @ 11:36 pm
Its called ‘conditioning’ and that’s exactly what Nashville has done with so many younger ( and older ) listeners through the relentless onslaught of this trite , substance-less crap . After a while , it all starts to sound ….normal ? Then you go get yourself a shot of the real stuff and you come to your senses .
June 9, 2015 @ 2:33 am
I have never heard it on Country Radio, but here in Sacramento they play it on Pop stations and I really kinda like it. When I first heard it, I wasn’t too sure, but then a couple more listens and its good, not really country, just a little bit. I also knew what it was having already read Triggers review.
June 8, 2015 @ 3:12 pm
Sam Outlaw should make this list sooner than later.
June 8, 2015 @ 9:20 pm
Sam Outlaw!? Are you serious?? Maybe you’re being sarcastic? I happen to really like him but I totally understand differences in taste, but I can’t understand comparing his music with the terrible “music” on this list.
June 8, 2015 @ 9:37 pm
I’m curious to know your reason for thinking he will be on this list soon.
June 8, 2015 @ 3:42 pm
Luke Bryan: “… country rock/hip hop mixed tape. A little Conway a little T-Pain…”
FGL: “Mixed tape’s got a little Hank, little Drake…”
FGL: “Rock a little bit of hip hop, and Haggard, and Jagger.”
Canaan Smith: “Smooth as a Tom Petty track.”
What genre is this supposed to be?
June 8, 2015 @ 4:03 pm
Tom petty is pretty good I have to say,jagger looks like a bass,t,pain sounds like broke robot and darke is ok
June 9, 2015 @ 9:02 am
Lady Antebellum: “Fleetwood, Macklemore Coming out the speakers”
Kelsea Ballerini: “Dressed up in their older sister’s clothes, R. Kelly on the radio”
June 9, 2015 @ 3:55 pm
All I can say is, I’m SHOCKED they haven’t name-dropped Spotify, SoundCloud or any other streaming service in a song yet! 😉
I can see it all now:
*
“Streamin’ a lil’ Frizzell, a lil’ Chevelle, on my Samsung!”
“Pumpin’ some Loretta Lynn and Ying Yang Twins on my Blackberry!”
*
-__- -__- -__-
June 8, 2015 @ 3:44 pm
That Bret Michaels song is a sign of the apocalypse. True story.
June 8, 2015 @ 5:19 pm
Real Life is so far the worst song. That song is almost unlistenable. Sippin’ On Fire is a close second.
June 8, 2015 @ 6:27 pm
I agree with those folks thus far that feel Chris Janson’s “Gonna Buy Me a Boat” probably doesn’t belong on this list. The song’s approach to its subject matter is obviously tongue in cheek and it should be viewed as more of a humor song than typical bro-country schlock. Chris is married to a “power-gal” in mainstream country in Nashville and she may have provided some guidance as to what sort of song it would take to get him onto country radio these days. Chris loves and performs traditional country as much as any artist based in Nashville these days, but he was smart enough to record a song that could get him some name recognition beyond regular listeners to The Grand Ole Opry. Just my two cents worth…
June 8, 2015 @ 6:50 pm
What about sundaze by fgl. Unless it was released late last year. Can’t stand that song
June 8, 2015 @ 11:32 pm
Trigger . I’m thinking you may as well drop the ” COUNTRY” from ‘SAVING COUNTRY MUSIC’ . Your list could easily be 50 songs long . And yeah …I’m with Ryan …..SUNDAZE by the Kruise Kids is just the absolute bottom of the barrel . Willie and Merle got it right …It’s all going to pot !!
June 9, 2015 @ 5:01 am
I have not heard any of these songs but clicked on the Brett Michaels video for fun. I honestly can’t believe anyone intentionally pays for or listens to that for pleasure.
June 9, 2015 @ 6:41 am
Where is Waylon and Wille when you need them?
June 9, 2015 @ 7:30 am
Not completely sure if it was released as a single, but “Ride” by Chase Rice is worse than anything on this list. I think it’s deserving of a good hearty rant.
June 9, 2015 @ 11:31 am
It certainly sucks.
That said, it was released in 2014, and also hasn’t been designated a single.
June 9, 2015 @ 3:05 pm
Ride has peaked at #38 on the Hot country songs billboard carts.
June 9, 2015 @ 3:18 pm
That was because of cult popularity that can be primarily attributed to massive airplay on SiriusXM’s “The Highway”.
They’ve become notorious in recent memory for playing songs by established artists that resemble more of the bro-country/metrobro breed despite not being singles at the time.
June 9, 2015 @ 8:07 am
Trigger, thought for sure someone would already have called you out on “relative vacuum of new ideas in the country medium,” but seems not. Maybe “absolute vacuum” would be going too far, but “relative” begs the question relative to what? The other mainstream genres? Well, the ideas country is filching from pop, rock and rap/r&b don’t suggest that they’re in any better shape. Compared to even the lamest Americana acts, and lord knows there are plenty of them, country is definitely floundering when it comes to new ideas. Mind you, I speak as one who has no problem with going back to the post-WW2 era and starting over.
June 9, 2015 @ 9:30 am
I haven’t heard any of these, and don’t understand why some people listen to radio stations that play music they consider bad. Life is too short to be listening to bad music. Turn off mainstream radio of all kinds and seek out the good stuff.
June 9, 2015 @ 11:30 am
I very rarely listen to the radio, and suss out music via SoundCloud and local festivals for the most part.
In fairness, however, I like to pinch my playlist with just a little bit of obviously bad music (the overwhelming majority is surely music I actually love and see quality intact)
Why is this? Because I also don’t want to grow jaded and disgruntled as a listener, and sometimes laughing out loud to the absurdity of some truly awful music is a great way to shake up the oxytocin and shake off the cortisol.
I’m not ashamed to admit that I do like trying to tackle terrible songs at karaoke night. Where acoustic jazz or intimate singer/songwriter sessions at your local cafe are designed to elevate your IQ, karaoke is designed to lower your IQ by pandering to the lowest common denominator. Much like Bruce Springsteen and Jimmy Fallon aren’t ashamed to cover stupid pop hits, I do the same about once every other week.
Then, I turn on my Samsung Galaxy S6 and am right back to researching great music abound from the best of what’s recommended on this site, to jazz, to merengue and cumbia, to electronica, and so forth! =)
June 9, 2015 @ 12:51 pm
Holy crap! You listen to merengue and cumbia also?!? I thought I’d be the only one on this site. I listen to most forms of Latin but not as much Regional Mexican. Are you a Spanish speaker? I’m Colombian so cumbia and vallenato were part of my childhood.
June 9, 2015 @ 2:10 pm
I listen to Proibidão from time to time!
June 9, 2015 @ 2:19 pm
If you like Brazilian music, you should check out some sertanejo stuff. It’s basically country music for Brazil.
June 9, 2015 @ 3:15 pm
I actually do have a little sertanejo queued away! =)
It has actually exploded in popularity since the turn of the decade, I think. Gusttavo Lima has certainly been a major contributor, as well as Michel Telo. But they resemble more of the modernized pop end of the spectrum, for better or worse the Luke Bryans of sertanejo/”sertanejo”, and I aspire to try and approach this genre from a regional perspective (roots sertanejo is markedly different from romantico sertanejo, and so forth.)
It’s difficult, I’ll admit, and if you have recommendations I’m always open to researching new artists! =)
June 9, 2015 @ 3:45 pm
For context, here’s what I’ve already found to be “roots sertanejo” (a.k.a their equivalent of traditional country) that I’ve liked so far:
*
Tonico e Tinico (I think they’re pretty much a definitive example of modern roots sertanejo done right, at least to my ears)
Ivan Vilela (LOVE his instrumentals)
Renato Andrade
Miltinho Edilberto
*
What else would you recommend? =)
June 9, 2015 @ 2:56 pm
I don’t speak Spanish fluently, but if you were to hand me a book written in Spanish, I would be able to decipher about 85% of the vocabulary and understand the tenses and so forth! =)
No, I listened to a lot of world music growing up, and I have a soft spot for cultural diversity and distinction. I’ve got plenty of the greats like Wilfredo Vargas, Ruby Perez, Lila Downs………….vocalists like that on my playlist, complimented with some newer fusion experimentation. Definitely a lot of bossa-nova and samba jazz as well.
Speaking of bad music, in contrast, I purposefully like to slip reggae songs with awkward or novelty-esque lyrics into my playlist as well. They do the trick to help get me out of a rut! =)
June 9, 2015 @ 6:17 pm
Sadly most of the sertanejo I know is stuff I’ve picked up from a few Brazilian friends and it”s primarily the new poppy stuff so I can’t give very good recommendations. On vacation in Miami a few years back I heard a great local band that had a more country sound but I have no clue what their name was. You’re right about Michel Telo being like a Luke Bryan for the genre.
Not sertanejo but axe (accent on the “e” but my way of making accents isn’t working in these comments) is a group called Banda Eva. They’re from the 90s and some of my relatives used to listen to them a lot. They’re kinda poppy but I’ve always liked their music.
You may already know these guys but here are some Latin artists I’m digging right now:
Juan Luis Guerra- brought bachata to the mainstream in the Dominican Republic and abroad. He’s an excellent, well studied musician and adds all kinds of cool influences to bachata. Check out his most recent hit “Tus Besos,” it sort of reminds me of The Mavericks.
Fonseca- Colombian artist, he’s huge down there. “Te Mando Flores” is my favorite by him. He’s kind of a mix of vallenato and classic pop. A little cumbia sound in there, too. Some call it “tropipop.” If you know Carlos Vives he’s sorta similar (I like Fonseca better).
ChocQuibTown- another Colombian act. They’re new and big in Colombia and are starting to get popular in the States. They’re like the Colombian Fugees. Mix of traditional Colombian sounds with R&B, reggaeton, and funk. Pretty “world” sounding, I could see them blowing up huge internationally. Check out “Hasta El Techo,” “Aluien Como Tu” and “El Mar de Sus Ojos.” The latter features Carlos Vives. This is one of my favorite new groups in any form of music, totally original.
Let me know what you think of those! Hopefully at least one of those recommendations was helpful!
June 9, 2015 @ 6:20 pm
And you’re correct that sertanejo has blown up in the past ten years. Just like country, it got poppier and now appeals to the kids. In the past it was something your parents listened to and the kids thought it was cheesy. Now the kids are into it since they brought in pop influences. Same as country in the US.
Also, Pandora is a great way to find Latin music. They allow you to get pretty specific with your preferences. I haven’t tried but it might be really good with Brazilian music, too.
June 9, 2015 @ 8:21 pm
I’m actually most gladdened we went off on this tangent, because it’s actually absolutely consistent with the choice quotation on Saving Country Music’s banner.
The struggles of country music here and sertanejo in Brazil are mirrors of each other. I am sure the explosion of sertanejo’s popularity can be attributed to numerous factors, but I think much of it stems from rapid deforestation and the darker side of globalization constantly taking effect there. I think this has left many pining for a return to relative simplicity and cultural roots again, which otherwise perhaps wouldn’t have happened if Brazil hadn’t emerged as one of the top breadbaskets and producers on the international stage.
We are “saving” country music all around the world. This is a perspective we mustn’t take for granted.
June 9, 2015 @ 11:40 am
Karaoke? Oh Noah, for shame. That stuff needs to be banned. Where is the anti-karaoke candidate for president? Why aren’t our politicians being asked to take a stand on this important issue?
June 9, 2015 @ 2:57 pm
Who said I was running for president? ^__^
June 9, 2015 @ 1:41 pm
Might as well go ahead and add “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16” to this list
Brings so many things to mind that are positive but it’s just EDM crap with generic name drops… Not to mention that whatever beat is there simply doesn’t go with the lyrics.
Such a shame. Urban has never been country but he’s still not a bad artist. This is pathetic however.
June 9, 2015 @ 3:02 pm
I agree.
I just heard that earlier this morning. It’s like a more aggressive form of “American Kids”-esque monogenre pop cultural reference collage, with a sterile production that doesn’t even fit the context of the already embarrassing lyrics.
Oh, and they name-drop a Green Day song in the lyrics too! I mean, I appreciate some of what Green Day has put out (not so much as of late), but if I want to listen to Green Day, just let me turn to SoundCloud to find them! >=(
June 9, 2015 @ 7:55 pm
I heard that song to this afternoon and it was awful and it will be one of the worst songs of 2015.
June 9, 2015 @ 5:55 pm
I’m 17 & I was raised on great country music. My instagram page is _country_classics_. Sometimes I ask my friends what they listen to and they say country, but they show me what they listen to, it’s always either Sam Hunt, Luke Bryan, Brantley Gilbert, or Cole Swindell. Unfortunately everyone in my generation is into that stuff. I feel as if my generation will be the downfall of humanity.
June 10, 2015 @ 4:59 am
Don’t worry so much, dude. Most 17 year olds listen to shitty music, and every generation is called the “downfall of humanity” by the previous one.
June 10, 2015 @ 9:53 am
I heard crank it up by colt ford on the radio the other day and I almost had to pull over, because I was so appalled by what I was hearing. Easily one of the worst songs I’ve ever heard
June 10, 2015 @ 8:53 pm
Oh my goodness…I haven’t belly-laughed like I did reading this post in so long. So thank you for that. It’s just sad that it has to be at the expense of what is passing for country music these days.
June 11, 2015 @ 4:41 am
Any ‘worst songs’ list has to include RaeLynn’s “God Made Girls”. I feel more comfortable listening to Nikki Minaj in the car with my daughter than that tune.
Great site, btw. And since it seems to come up in every comment thread, I have another top 40 country listener ‘genre’ to consider: country people. We live and do all the things that those songs endlessly talk about – raise and ride horses, farm, sit around a pasture bonfire occasionally, drive old trucks, wear boots and hats, haul hay, and on and on. Everyone I know listens to country radio, just because what the hell else are they going to listen to? Not every vehicle has satellite radio, and not everyone can afford it. Not everyone is hip or clued in enough to have a cool alt-country playlist. I know a bunch of old boys who think new country is absolute crap but listen to it anyway because at the very least the music is giving lip service to the lifestyle. Not something you’re going to find on Hot 101 or wherever. I think country radio benefits from a lot of these ‘default’ ratings.
June 11, 2015 @ 8:03 am
Hey Craig,
“God Made Girls” was released in June of 2014, so it doesn’t really qualify for this list. But I agree the song is not very good.
Good insight on the “Country People” thought. I think you’re totally right that there’s many older listeners that have their presets fixed in their vehicles, have been listening to the same stations for years, and just don’t know any better. These are the people that need to be reached if any serious change will come to country music. The silent majority.
June 13, 2015 @ 11:39 am
Amen. Shit like that makes me hope to only have sons, because I don’t want my children to be exposed to shit claiming that their only purpose on this planet is to make the opposite sex feel good about themselves.
June 11, 2015 @ 6:31 am
I love this site, but is it just me or does Blake Shelton get a pass. With the exception of “Boys Round Here,” the last three years he has only released pop songs and they all sound the same. His duet with Ashley Monroe was so “paint by numbers” that I wanted to puke when it went No. 1.
If I was a fan of an act I would much rather have them swing and miss with a new sound like Eldredge for “Lose My Mind” than put out the same song over and over again.
By the way, I’m not saying I like “Boys Round Here,” I’m just saying it isn’t pop. I don’t know what it is.
June 11, 2015 @ 7:47 am
Blake Shelton getting a pass by Saving Country Music? I’m the guy that started the whole “Old Farts & Jackasses” embrolio a few years ago. I might be Shelton’s staunchest critic in history, and ranted on “Boys ‘Round Here” like nobody’s business. But “Sangria” and the Ashley Monroe duet are par material these days. He doesn’t deserve a pass, but I don’t think they deserve to be on this list.
June 13, 2015 @ 11:41 am
I’d even say Neon Light is his best song in years.
It’s not any good, but the lyrics and production are inoffensive enough that I can just enjoy the wonderful voice that he chooses to waste on crap songs.
June 24, 2015 @ 9:19 am
Kick The Dust Up Should be number one worst song of 2015 because it is worst song ever created
auto-tune+banjo+r&b beat+stock country + Nonsense Lyrics = Shit
July 23, 2015 @ 9:24 am
Happy I just found this website, I enjoy it a lot! Thanks for READING MY MIND about Pop Country! 🙂
October 14, 2015 @ 12:56 pm
Ok…worst EVER…
Anything by Tyler Farr (he.sounds like a grunting warthog on helium!
Anything by Luke Bryan in the last 3-4 years
Anything by Jason Aldean same time frame.
Much of Kenny Chesney in the last few years( and I love m some KC!). The latest is OK, the last single was.sweet but boring, though it describes me to a T. Pirate Flag , I thought was the worst I ever heard from him, then I heard Beercan Chicken (10x worse), then I heard something called “Pass me a Copperhead, and thought the man had lost his damned mind! I didn’t listen to the whole thing…just the little.bit i heard was bad enough!
Tim McGraw anything from last few years ( if I NEVER hear “That Girl” again, I will be happy!
Then there’s that stupid song by Scott McCreery…
Anything by Cole Swindle
Anything by Chase Rice
Anything by Brad Paiseley, anymore
Anything by Jake Owen since he married his wife, and now that he’s divorcing, maybe he’ll get back to better music? The Blue Jean night was good. Since that, he’s sucked, majorly.
I guess you coukd say 9/10 mainstream country artists today are horrid. Some didn’t used to be that way, and others started out that way and haven’t gotten any better.
Wrecking Ball.is not something I want to hear on my radio!
I don’t even keep my radio tuned to country, anymore, or.if I do, it’s on HANK FM. Much easier on my ears!
I like Kelsea, I love Mrianda, though Little Red.Wagon left much to be desired.
I also like Sam Hunts House Party. Certainly better than Take your Time
I like a song with a good beat, but if the lyrics suck, I’m changing it. Some I may have liked at one time, then in heard them played ad nauseum and just had enough!
Bobby Bones is annoying as hell, and his.whiny little co- DJ is.worse, then there’s Lunchbox, who sounds.like a.reformed lunchroom bully! Sad part is, someone actually married.him! Has anyone seen what BB looks like? He reminds me of one of Lunchbox’s former very frquent victims!
Sorry for typos. I’m typing on a tiny cell phone!
October 28, 2015 @ 11:22 pm
Trigger;
Been a huge fan of your site, been wanting to chime in for some time — since I actually program this music on the radio now — but also grew up country, and listening to the radio. First off, I find your observations spot on — you basically say everything I’d love to tell the promoters. That said, I get why they do it…
As for the most grating song this year — pretty much anything by Sam Hunt, but ESPECIALLY “Break Up In A Small Town” — I could pull a whole rant on that one, but I won’t. Luckily it may be dying on the vine.
There are two big issues at play here that effect Country music — one which I find gets touched on by you and your readers and the other “untouchable” one — which is actually the bigger issue and needs to be dealt with, but I have no clue how anyone would be able to take it on, lest they be labeled a racist.
Issue #1 — Country music has always sold a “lifestyle” — since the very beginning. Whether it was family values of the Carters, to Hank Sr.’s realism, the Rhinestone Cowboys, the Outlaws, Garth and “Young Country” — Country music has always been a tribe of sorts. Since the 60’s, the marketing skew in general has been to go younger — for all products — because younger consumers have more money, and their buying decisions aren’t set in stone… same with music tastes and radio formats. Country seems to flip between the tastes of young adult females and young adult males — and in the last 15 years, I can tell you that it has shifted from 25-54 to 18-35 as the “prime demo” (emphasis on the 18-24 part of that). Remember, if the crappy music wasn’t selling, they will push around until they find something that does. Right now, it seems like the music is skewed more towards the younger guys… I’m in my early 30’s now — I never try to say “those damn kids these days” — but that’s the reason we have a lot of pure garbage… BUT, I can see why they push it, and why it’s selling, which leads me to…
Issue #2 — this is the hard one and I mean this in the most academic, least racist way possible… but I think this hits the core of the issue. Country has traditionally been a white format. Today’s youth are bombarded with messages that they should be racially tolerant, accepting of everyone else’s cultures and music, and that message has been working. You also have a natural curiosity — your typical rural 17 year old guy who lives in the country is curious and maybe a little fascinated by the “glamorous” thuggish life that has been promoted by hip-hop in the last few years. I know that growing up the country, and being on the younger side of this demo 10-15 years ago, my friends mixed hip hop in with their country mix CD’s all the time — and mainly for this reason. It was fun to listen to “Gin and Juice” while getting drunk and messing around after the game. It was accepted because we were told we should be accepting of other cultures — and it was great music to drink and smoke to.
We grew up with Country, but that city music was always fun to listen to. I did all the bonfire/dirt road/drinkin’ til I puked/muddin/moonlight and tailgate when I was 15-23 and pretty much lived the life of the music I played on air, and I can tell you that at that point I felt GREAT doing it — it was that happy point in my life before “real life” set it — and it set in quick at about 25 when something in my brain just kinda “clicked” — about the time I went from DJ to PD. That said, it was a hell of a lot of fun. So I get exactly what these song writers are saying when they add the country/hip-hop mix to their laundry list of things they “like” when they get Luke Bryan to sing it lol
I can actually pin-point the first album that foretold me what would be happening to country in 2014 and into 2015, about 10 years after — and I was dead on. I’m ashamed to say I owned this album, and played the CRAP out of it at the time — it was “that record” that I played over. and over. and over — I still know all the words to all the songs by heart. It is Big & Rich “Horse Of A Different Color”. We ate that up — it was just such a fun album. When I heard that album, I remember thinking “wow, Big & Rich get me” since it had so many hip hop references, although they were more subtle than what comes out today. I thought it was tasteful — when I was 19 — when I heard “Dirt Road Anthem”, I knew they had finally brought out what Big & Rich had foretold — and since then, all of the artists have been promoting their own take of “country meets hip-hop”, because it SELLS. It gets less and less “country” because “country” is a bad word — being “country” in the traditional sense of the word is equated to being “closed minded” or “racist” — not saying I agree with it, just saying that that is the view I heard from younger people in their late teens and early 20’s. I heard from a young guy who is 20 who told me how he loves Sam Hunt and Florida Georgia Line — so I asked him why — he said “Because they get me” — I asked him if he thought they were really “country” and he tells me that “it’s just good music — if I like it, I play it”. Being around that age when Horse Of A Different Color came out, and catching myself at the time saying “Big & Rich get me”, I can understand it. That said, there is no way to argue with the younger generation that the Country music coming out today isn’t Country — it promotes a lifestyle that they romanticize, and since the world is so PC, you would be considered racist to even dare say that hip-hop has no place in Country.
I really think we are at a point where in the next 5 years there will be a splitting of the format — ala how Alternative and AAA split (another thing I notice as I age is that I appreciate AAA a lot more than I used to). “Country” will include the progression of music targeted from 18-24 that we are currently getting in the format, while a new format “Adult Country” will focus on more “traditional” artists or “traditional” songs from newer artists, without diving head first into “Texas Country” or “Classic Country” — some stations will move more towards the Adult Country side, while others will move towards “New Country” (“Young Country” anyone? lol) — in markets with a station duopoly, one station will skew older than the other in imaging and in general music texture — if you look carefully, there are a number of markets where this is already starting to happen. In 5 years, the branding will tie in with the difference in music and format. In 5-10 years we may have separate charts. If Country doesn’t split, the current “younger” music will merge into proper Pop (as Taylor swift did) and then Country itself will go somewhat more traditional — it depends on how far the shift in the younger music gets towards pop and hip-hop. My gut is that “Country” will basically be “pop and hip-hop with a rural slant” and “Adult Country” will appeal to a broader audience — e.g. Zac Brown’s “Beautiful Drug” would release on “Country” (am I the only one who thinks it sounds like something from Andy Grammer?) while a lot of his other work would move to “Adult Country” — Sam Hunt, Locash, FGL and the like would say on Country, while more standard fare might move towards Adult Country. I just don’t see any way to “bring country back to it’s traditional roots” by de-merging it with pop and hip hop — the “PC” world won’t take it. What you can do is appeal to the age and mind shift that happens at about 25 — and create a separate demo, chart and format to match it. Would be curious what you think.
James
So that’s my take on it — I’d be
March 1, 2016 @ 10:54 am
‘We Went’ didn’t sound that bad.
But I totally agree the non-country comments for Sam Hunt. NON-COUNTRY!
March 28, 2016 @ 4:25 pm
I somewhat agree. Like, the only songs on here I like are Buy me a Boat and Crash and Burn also I like Backroad Song in the bottom list thing. Is it just me or is country music turning pop?!? I LOVE country and it’s turning pop and I hate it. Just sayin. But ya, House Party? What the heck?!? Sam Hunt is NOT COUNTRY. He is making Pop-ish type songs. Does anyone agree? Just wondering.
October 24, 2016 @ 9:18 am
None of these songs suck!