Study Finds the Dislike for Country Music Growing, While Other Genres Are Becoming More Likable
You can’t get away from artists and labels in country music these days telling you that the appeal for country music is greater than ever, and it’s because country is branching out to other genres and simpler themes to appeal to everyone. But in a new study, researchers found that the dislike of country music is is what is growing, even while many other genres of music are seeing greater acceptance by the general population.
The case against even caring about genre distinction these days is made quite often by citing how younger listeners will switch between genres without showing loyalty to any particular one. An example is Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley of Florida Georgia Line explaining how they grew up listening to mixtapes that included country, rap, Christian music, and rock. The result was the mismashed influences found in Florida Georgia Line’s music today.
But even though the appeal for rap, heavy metal, rock, jazz, classical, opera, and Latin music has increased over the last two decades, the favorable viewpoints for country have decreased over that same time period, even as country has incorporated the influences of other genres into its music more and more.
An Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Notre Dame named Omar Lizardo conducted a study recently where he asked a representative sample of 2,250 Americans about 15 different musical genres, and whether they liked, disliked, or had mixed feelings about them. Then he took these findings and compared them with a similar study conducted in 1993 where the same questions were asked as part of a general social survey. The new study conducted its research in 2012, right as Bro-Country was coming into fashion in full force.
The study concluded that the appeal for most of the major genres of music had increased, with only blues, reggae, show tunes, and R&B showing no significant change. But country, bluegrass, folk, and religious/Christian music all saw declines in appeal during the 20-year window of the study.
The study, published in the journal Poetics, was not necessarily interested in genre specifically, but was interested in the sociology and economics behind the appeal for music, and how genres resonated with different socioeconomic sectors in the United States. The study concluded that music that is meant to appeal to disproportionately white, rural, and Southern audiences is falling out of favor. Meanwhile rap and heavy metal saw the greatest gains of all the genres.
It’s interesting to note that even though listeners are more inclined to give rap a chance, they’re not necessarily more inclined to give rap a chance in country. 2011—the year before the study was conducted—was the year country rap was at its height of popularity. Even though country has become quite popular in the last three years since the study was conducted, arguably peaking sometime between 2013 and 2014, it has also never been more polarizing. It is common to see a strong dislike of current country music in a cross section of the population through online comments, reviews, and other commentary. This new study puts statistical certainty behind those observations.
One of the potential factors plaguing country could be the narrowing of themes, eroding its appeal to the greater population. Where country music of generations before would touch on subject matter appealing to a broad spectrum of the population, Bro-Country and it’s vehemence for the country lifestyle, its lists of country-isms, and affirmations of rural living has made country music seem narrow; only speaking to a certain small demographic of people who actually live a rural existence in the South.
This new study is yet another wake-up call that country music could be poised on a precipice, and should listen to the criticisms that the mainstream has become too narrow, and too shallow to be sustainable into the future.
October 7, 2015 @ 8:21 am
Their solution will probably be to crank the autotune up to 10, start using those techno robot beat things, have entire choruses full of “whoahs,” have them scream at the top of their lungs in death metal fashion, and have somebody rap in that robotic, electric way that you can’t even understand.
October 7, 2015 @ 8:31 am
We should call that “Doom Country” for two reasons: country would be doomed, and Doom coined the phrase. I’m coining that phrase right now. If country music becomes what Kale described, it shall be called “Doom Country,” and I shall receive credit for naming it.
October 7, 2015 @ 8:57 am
Didn’t Those Poor Bastards already use that term?
October 7, 2015 @ 9:28 am
“Doom Country” is such a cool name for a subgenre! I would love to say I listen to “Doom Country.” of course for me to do that then “Doom Country” would have to be good.
October 7, 2015 @ 10:00 am
Don’t mean to 11. Because Tyler Hubbard says “That’s one higher than 10.”
October 7, 2015 @ 8:27 am
I am sure this is all the fault of Aaron Watson, the Turnpike Troubadours, and Jason Boland. Because everyone knows that the music is evolving as intended and it is these artists and those like them who are holding the genre back from where it needs to go artistically. Darius Rucker and Thomas Rhett said so and if you can’t trust them, who CAN you trust?
**Need I even add the sarcasm tag?!**
October 7, 2015 @ 10:15 am
” You say you want an EVOLUTION ..well y’know
We all wanna see the band ..
You see you got a BRO SOLUTION ..well y’know
Keep your solution in your pants “
October 7, 2015 @ 8:59 am
Bluegrass, too? Collateral damage, perhaps?
October 7, 2015 @ 9:16 am
Nah, Bluegrass is a victim the same way Nikola Tesla was a victim. He was too smart for the world to comprehend, likewise Bluegrass is too authentic, organic and honest for people to comprehend. Everything is so fake now that people are actually offended by something real. PLUS Bluegrass is guilty of having some really clowny bands that need to go away. It’s not that they’re bad musicians, it’s that their great musicians who aren’t doing anything original. Infamous Stringdusters come to mind…
In fact Bluegrass is overflowing with great musicians and singers, but it suffers from a massive lack of great writers, a lot of Bluegrass songs are either musically or lyrically unremarkable, or they just aren’t very exciting; I equate it to smooth jazz, it just doesn’t accomplish anything musically.
October 7, 2015 @ 10:28 am
“In fact Bluegrass is overflowing with great musicians and singers, but it suffers from a massive lack of great writers,”
I can’t dispute this Fuzzy . I would contend , however, that real BG gets away with this because of its respect for and commitment to simplicity ( Hank Williams’ lyrics ), its adherence to 3 chords and the truth and its understanding that SOMEBODY has to ensure the survival of REAL TRADITIONAL bluegrass as a reference . And they do …unlike the ‘ country genre ‘ . Even the most simple ‘ underwritten’ bluegrass lyric has something to say and an inoffensive way of saying it , if over-simplistic at times . I’m a fan of ‘ grass , obviously , It has it all …..the best vocalists , the best and the hardest working ( least acknowledged ) musicians , the best -sounding productions and often THE BEST LYRICS . Its all honest playing and singing ….no tricky-dicky machinery outside of a good condenser mic and no trend-chasing straw-grasspers need apply. Long Live Bluegrass !
October 7, 2015 @ 11:17 am
I think the writers in Bluegrass suffer less from creating good lyrics than they do from creating good melodies. I hear a lot of Bluegrass songs that are just jagged, uncomfortable melodies. The best Bluegrass bands are the ones with great lyrics AND great melodies because that’s when the musicianship and material can unite.
October 7, 2015 @ 10:56 am
Bluegrass is real trouble because…
1) the acceptable traditional song catalog consists of what? 30 or so songs?
2) “New”grass (Bela Flack, String Cheese Incident, etc) was\is boring
3) Trampled by Turtles fans (the new Dead/Phish heads)
4) those all too wholesome Christian family bands
5) and least we forget… .357 Stringband is no more
October 7, 2015 @ 11:02 am
Bluegrass suffers from a lot of the same insular perspective that mainstream country, Americana, and underground country does. The speedgrass of bands like .357 String Band, Split Lip Rayfield, and The Dinosaur Truckers would have totally infused that scene with a much needed boost of enthusiasm, but it would have never happened. Del McCoury’s hair would never accept that mess.
October 7, 2015 @ 11:20 am
I think Bela Fleck is a great artist, but I generally associate him more with jazz than with honest-to-God Bluegrass. BUT yeah, a lot of his stuff, to the general Bluegrass fan is abstract, nonsensical, and yes, boring. The Christian family bands are great, but I would rather hear sacred music performed by secular artists, because when any artist does nothing but play sacred music it becomes rote, and habit, and becomes just as soulless and uninspired as everything else bad on radio. The best “Jesus songs” in my mind are written by artists who generally don’t write gospelly stuff. Split Lip Rayfield is/was a fantastic band, although their material is not Earthshatteringly profound.
October 7, 2015 @ 11:22 am
I think Bela Fleck is a great artist, but I generally associate him more with jazz than with honest-to-God Bluegrass. BUT yeah, a lot of his stuff, to the general Bluegrass fan is abstract, nonsensical, and yes, boring. The Christian family bands are great, but I would rather hear sacred music performed by secular artists, because when any artist does nothing but play sacred music it becomes rote, and habit, and becomes just as soulless and uninspired as everything else bad on radio. The best “Jesus songs” in my mind are written by artists who generally don’t write gospelly stuff. Split Lip Rayfield is/was a fantastic band, although their material is not Earthshatteringly profound.
On the hair bit: I remember seeing a show with Tom Adams, Michael Cleveland, Jesse Brock, Rhonda Vincent etc. Anyway Jesse Baker was there, and Tom Adams had joked about his attempt to grow his hair like Del McCoury’s. And then Jesse Baker comes out all curly-haired and not McCouryish in the slightest.
October 7, 2015 @ 11:29 am
The speedgrass of bands like .357 String Band, Split Lip Rayfield, and The Dinosaur Truckers would have totally infused that scene with a much needed boost of enthusiasm
Those bands ain’t no part a nuthin’! – Bill Monroe (from the grave) 😉
October 7, 2015 @ 12:26 pm
Bluegrass music , as with most other genres in these times, probably suffers from the fact that its easy to write and play BAD ‘grass and still find exposure outside of mainstream ….and arguably INSIDE of mainstream .
On the upside , though , the ‘net is teaming with talented young ‘grassers totally familiar with and respectful of tradition . As such , those traditions seem safe and can be witnessed at countless very well-attended festivals throughout North America. Tradition takes president – instrumentation , musical and lyrical style , and sheer talent and ability all work to maintain the emotion and the overall spirit of the music . Yes it is also a ‘jumping off point’ for artists who may feel they need to push the envelope to express themselves ( Bela Fleck ) but it is never done in a disrespectful way and never marketed as Bluegrass when an artist pushes that envelope.
As far as songwriting is concerned , there are LOTS of very popular and successful BG bands writing some wonderful tradition-centered BG music ( Balsam Range , Claire Lynch , Alecia Nugent , Steeldrivers , Blue Highway , to name a few ) as well as the McCoury’s , the Daily and Vincents and many more traditional “names” who , to my ear , up the songwriting anti a little more each time out while reamining true to the genre….a difficult balance to maintain. My ultimate point being that great new songs and great vocals CAN and do exist in a genre like Bluegrass while still remaining true to tradition . There’s simply no reason why that can’t be the case with mainstream ” country music ” where a near – complete disrespect for tradition permeates the soundscape .
October 7, 2015 @ 1:07 pm
I think Christian music suffers from the real factor too. I prefer old fashioned hymns myself, but Christianity as a rule doesn’t fit in with the everything/anything goes in our culture today.
October 7, 2015 @ 2:31 pm
Heavy Metal is some of the most real stuff I’ve heard and Trigg said himself in the article, the number of people that like it has gone up, so that argument is not 100% valid Fuzzy.
October 8, 2015 @ 5:38 am
Hey Fuzzy Two Shirts- This is kind of way off topic but…. I just picked up an Infamous Stringdusters CD at the library, on a whim, having never heard of them. I don’t really know much about bluegrass, but am interested in giving the genre a listen. So- this maybe wasn’t the best CD to grab, I haven’t listened to it yet (I also picked up the Christ Stapleton CD, and have been just playing that over and over.) Could you recommend something to check out? I’m sure I SHOULD start with the basics and the history and whatever, but I’m going to be honest, my interest stems from loving the Up on the Ridge album, and I was thinking I might ease into bluegrass the backwards way, by finding stuff that appeals to my more modern sensibilities and working toward the more traditional stuff. Maybe that’s a bad plan, lol.
October 8, 2015 @ 6:17 am
I don’t have it, but Alan Jackson’s bluegrass album has gotten a lot of good reviews. Also, maybe Alison Krauss and Union Station’s latest album.
I really enjoy Jim Lauderdale’s bluegrass efforts, some of which are collaborations with Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter. Strongly rooted in tradition but still fresh sounding because of the strong songwriting.
October 8, 2015 @ 6:17 am
If you want quality bluegrass music, I would recommend either “Leavin Town” or “Fired Up” by Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper, “Ancient Tones” by Ricky Skaggs, “Brothers of the Highway” by Dailey and Vincent, “Flatt and Scruggs live at Carnegie Hall” “Should have Seen it Coming” by Split Lip Rayfield or “When Times are Hard” by Glenn Gibson. Except for Flatt and Scruggs these are all more recent albums, with a lot of original material, and a great cover of “When I Stop Dreaming” on “Brothers of the Highway.” the Glenn Gibson album is the most sedate, and “Fired Up” is probably the most intense. If you want Bluegrass Gospel then try Bill Monroe’s “I Saw the Light.” Hope this helps you find something you like.
October 8, 2015 @ 6:29 am
Looking forward to looking into these, thanks!
October 7, 2015 @ 10:06 am
We have to appreciate that this study is queried the general population, not just music fans, so I would say there’s a lot of close approximating of bluegrass and even folk with country, but I was surprised to see bluegrass slumping as well. There’s a lot of intellectual folks on the two coasts that wouldn’t ever come close to listening to anything labeled as “country,” but think bluegrass is the best genre ever. In the end though, those folks may be a very small segment of the population.
October 7, 2015 @ 4:07 pm
Not that I don’t love bluegrass I just rarely listen to it. Isn’t a genre as much for listening to me anyways via Sirius or other outlets, even in cd form. I will say there isn’t a better genre for the live setting and performing in front of you than bluegrass. Certainly I would go see it live and try to any chance I get- bar or a festival setting. It’s been five years since I’ve ever checked the billboard bluegrass album sales charts but when I did the top album seller was if I remember correctly 412 by cherryholmes. It seems that even the better sellers like Allison Krauss would be moved to the country charts for genre or chart purposes. Just my observation and two cents.
October 7, 2015 @ 9:27 am
Well,well now
You mean the “tailgate parties and dancing in cornfields while drinking a
fifth of JACK DANIELS” is no longer cool to listen to? Haaaa! Guess the skinny jeans and “hat to the back wearing” won’t save the ever lovin BROS. Surely fading. I give all of the Bro, and Metro crap 1 more full yr.
Let the scramble begin on Music Row. Their machine is rusted.
October 7, 2015 @ 9:27 am
Country Music’s biggest problem is that so many of it’s biggest hits are stupid. “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy,” “Hillbilly Bone,” “Fire on the Rooftop,” “Sam’s Place,” And that’s to say nothing about the travesties of the last few years. It’s hard to appreciate a genre when the “cream of its crop” is a pretty poor product. Country Music has always had some of the strongest offerings across genres, but just like today, the best material is shoved to the side. “Amarillo By Morning” is King George’s signature song and it never even climbed to number one!
Clint has written a great “Underrated Country Singers” list. I know he isn’t particularly well liked but he knows a lot about Country Music and that for me transcends anything personal or political, and I wish everybody would go read the list and try out a new singer or two.
Gary Morris is a great example of Country Music’s lifelong obsession with obstructing its performers chance to shine. The guy was a skilled enough vocalist to sing the lead role in “Les Miserables.” That takes massive range AND a lot of control, but he struck out on Country Radio.
This all goes back to a previous comment of mine about not being crazy over hits compilations in Country Music. In every other genre a hits compilation is some of their strongest work, but in Country and Bluegrass a hits compilation comprises some of the artist’s weakest songs, and this has been true for decades, as evidenced by the fact that Waylon’s hits include “This Outlaw Bit’s Done” and the extremely stupid “Clyde.” (which, though stupid is a lot of fun.) The hits don’t hold up well when compared to the filler tracks on “Singer of Sad Songs.”
And the problem is–error: maximum comment length exceeded
October 7, 2015 @ 10:08 am
Mama Don’t Get Dressed Up For Nothing, Chattahoochie, Sold (The Grundy County Auction), Goodbye Earl… Yeah I think you are onto something here, certainly in the 90s some of the DUMBEST but catchiest songs became popular Man! I Feel Like A Woman… Ugh.
October 7, 2015 @ 12:20 pm
What Made Milwaukee Famous Made a Fool Out of Me.
October 7, 2015 @ 1:04 pm
What happened to Clint?
October 7, 2015 @ 3:55 pm
Clint’s most recent post was over a month ago, and it was a top ten list of underrated country singers, you’ll have to go to the SCM archives to find his comments in order to visit his webpage, in the interest of remaining neutral I wish not to post the URL here. The list is very interesting and I encourage everybody to read it. I did and then went right over to Amazon to order some CDs. Clint may not be popular, but he knows more about Country Music than just about anybody. In a perfect world that would guarantee popularity on a Country Music website, but politics got involved.
October 7, 2015 @ 10:09 am
I’d like to know where that sample of people came from because it seems rather small. But anyway I think the point that is missing here is that there are plenty of people out there who listen to say a Carrie Underwood, or whatever branch of bro stuff it may be and dabble in all these artists’ singles as part of their library but don’t actually consider themselves country music listeners necessarily. So just based on the mere terms of genre in a survey, I can’t really take that too seriously. If the questions were based on some artists and more importantly songs, and then basing it just off of what genre those songs are being sold in, and this was the conclusion then I would say its a lot more accurate.
October 7, 2015 @ 10:14 am
But you could say that for any of the genres queried. I think overall, the study validates that people are listening to more genres these days than one. But it also validates that country is not one of them.
As for the sample size, that’s pretty average, if not above average for a survey. Using demographic statistics for the test subjects, it doesn’t take tens of thousands of respondents to measure trends. Most of the political polls you see out there for Presidential candidates survey less than 2,000 people.
October 7, 2015 @ 10:41 am
Right, people are listening to more genres than one. Because genres are becoming more poppy. But POP people have always done that whenever another genre starts to fit into their bubble. Because they listen to popular music. And they have never thought that its “cool” to say they listen to country no matter of how much of it they’ve dabbled in. So to stretch the imagination just to give an idea, 80% of FGL’s listeners could buy their stuff but actually be pop people and never actually consider themselves to listen to “country music” if asked the question as simply as that.
October 7, 2015 @ 11:06 am
You may be on to something there. Hypothetically, one of the good things about anonymous surveys is you get people real answers, not their catered perspective of how they hope the world sees them. But either way, the perception out there is still that country is stupid, and I think that’s an important thing to note.
And it goes without saying that all studies have their limitations. But most also have their valuable insight.
October 7, 2015 @ 4:13 pm
Noted most of the listeners even associated with country think it’s stupid sort of and not good enough. We look at ourselves as a genre as the cool little brother always trying to impress big brother. This happens when our music tries to cater and fit in with other genres. It is also when we do non country covers in concerts, when there is countless classic country covers available to do. Our stuff isn’t good enough to entice fans to dig deeper in the artists eyes.
October 7, 2015 @ 10:43 am
I mean if this is about people listening to what real country music may actually be then yeah, this is probably pretty accurate. But just simply listening to stuff that is actually labeled country, I don’t see how that can be.
October 7, 2015 @ 11:03 am
No doubt when the study says “country,” the people they’re asking are almost immediately thinking about what is played on the radio. 95% of the US population has still never heard of Sturgill Simpson.
October 7, 2015 @ 10:30 am
Not a surprise. I’m a Country Music fan, but it’s harder than ever to admit to liking the genre, at this point I just say I am an “Americana” fan since admitting to liking Country music either means morons love you or intellectuals think you are stupid.
Plus, a lot of modern Country music fans are just unlikeable human beings. I’m sorry, but we all know the 40 something dude wearing the affliction shirt trying to pull in college chicks while bathing himself in Just For Men. Or the college age dude with the thousands of dollars of modifications to his truck who squeals his tires at every stoplight.
Just the worst….
October 7, 2015 @ 10:00 pm
“admitting to liking Country music either means morons love you or intellectuals think you are stupid.”
So? You should take pride in your genre. Just say that you are a fan of “traditional country”.
Here in the Bay Area, there are tons of intellectual types who hate country music. Despite that (actually, because of that), every time a great country song comes on the radio, I turn up the volume and open the windows just to reach as large an audience as possible.
October 8, 2015 @ 7:10 am
Normally I would agree, but it’s become such a chore for me that I don’t even bother. Maybe it’s because of my situation, I am going back to college so trying to explain that you like Country music, but can’t stand modern Country music is a huge pain in the ass to 18-21 year olds. I mean, they think Tim McGraw is “traditional” Country music.
I tried for the first semester back, but since then have just given up and say Americana since that way I can avoid the drawn out conversations on why Luke Bryan is awesome. It’s more a path of least resistance type thing at this point.
October 8, 2015 @ 5:45 am
Yeah, I was thinking it’s like women who are afraid to identify as feminists, because while they may represent all that is good about the word, people immediately think “man hating feminazi.” So women who WILL admit it tend to couch it as “I’m a feminist, but you know, not THAT kind of feminist.” (sorry, probably not a lot here would relate to that, lol, but it’s very relevant in my life.)
I feel like I have to do the same these days with Country music. “I love Country music! But I mean, not like you’re thinking…”
October 7, 2015 @ 11:13 am
The problem with today’s country music is that they try and reach wider audience the alienate the real fans of the genre. This is why guys with no air play can still go to No 1. I’ve been listening to Country fro 40 years and haven’t turned on Country radio in 20 years. I love the legends and the newer acts like Sturgil, Stapleton and Johnson, The guys in Texas like Keen, Creager and Morrow. Every now and then I try a current artist, but IT AIN’T COUNTRY!
October 7, 2015 @ 11:43 am
The “Swifties” of the world ill call them for a lack of better words lol, are making up a huge majority of country-labled stuff that is listened to. These young girls that will buy music for all kinds of silly reasons and whether its FGL, Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood, Sam Hunt, Little Big Town, Zac Brown, Eric Church, and the list goes on and on, they all have their niche in that gigantic pop market.
October 7, 2015 @ 8:53 pm
It’s a shame that Zac Brown went that route. Some of his earlier stuff was just awesome, as I’ve posted here before. “Cold Hearted” might be the most traditional country song cut by a truly mainstream artist in years.
October 7, 2015 @ 12:39 pm
Trig, you should do a “10 Worst Country Singers of All Time” with every single one of them a modern guy, or a “10 Country Singers Who Are Destroying the Genre” post just so we can laugh as the fangirls come on here with “OMG, (insert name) is so hot! Yall is so jellus! I luv u (insert name) <3!" or the douchebags come on here with "All music has to change to stay alive. Yall just wont kuntry 2 sound lyk Hank Williams 4ever, witch is boring." and all that shit.
October 7, 2015 @ 12:51 pm
At the end of every year, I count down the worst country songs of the year. Ironically it’s usually 10X more popular than my BEST country songs.
https://savingcountrymusic.com/saving-country-musics-worst-country-songs-of-2014
October 7, 2015 @ 2:51 pm
Yeah, but how bout worst country SINGERS? Like this:
Cole Swindell: Cole Swindell is the most generic human being that has ever walked the Earth. He’s as boring as watching paint dry etc.
Sam Hunt: The singular symbol of the country music apocalypse. His EDM dance club shit is less country than (long list)etc.
You’d do it a lot better, and so would I if I thought about it for more than 1 minute, but that’s just examples.
October 7, 2015 @ 6:19 pm
Clint has done a most underrated country singers list. It could introduce folks to some great music, it sure did for me, and there aren’t a whole lot of folks that know more about Country Music than me.
October 7, 2015 @ 1:08 pm
I think it is a sad indicator of where our country is headed when you see the occupants of the declining genres list.
October 7, 2015 @ 6:46 pm
My solution for shit country…. Corb Lund- Somerville, MA. In 10 minutes.
October 8, 2015 @ 6:54 am
The broad strokes with this are pretty spot on. But I agree that people are actually listening to multiple genre’s and not being stuck just listening to one. I think that’s what makes the music plain and peoples opinions on said music just as plain. If all you listen to is one thing and not expanding your mind say listening to Miles Davis or Puccini you’re not growing.
Thanks for reading my ramble.
October 8, 2015 @ 2:17 pm
Well to be honest. Music business don’t seem to care for country music like Luke Bryan and Florida Georgia Line because the music business like US music business are anti-country greed. The music business is getting rid of country music like Jason Aldean and Miranda Lambert and stick with other music genres like rock music (like Linkin Park) and pop music (like Katy Perry). Not only that, other music like hip-hop music (like Nicki Minaj) is dominating the music business while country music like Brad Paisley continues to slipping fast. I’m afraid country music like Blake Shelton will have to move to regular music like video game music because the music business will have to stick with mainstream music like R&B music. Not only that, people fell in love with R&B music like Alicia Keys and rock music like Red Hot Chili Peppers. Speaking of rock and R&B, I personally think R&B and rock deserves more love. Pop music like Taylor Swift, hip-hop/rap music like Eminem, and EDM music like Zedd are already big. So how about doing the same thing to both R&B and rock too. Heck, even small artists like Selena Gomez started to become fan favorites. Because country music is still shrinking even with streaming and internet, the only country star that will work with mainstream music for a crossover appeal with pop is Carrie Underwood. Carrie Underwood is a perfect country star for crossover and pop music. That way, Carrie Underwood will stay both pop and country at the same time. 🙂
October 8, 2015 @ 8:08 pm
Country music is less likeable because it is not country. it’s pop and rap which is sadly most likeable music right now.
October 9, 2015 @ 6:46 am
My opinion only, I have fallen for todays country music, I like the style of Colt Ford FGL, Frukey Luke. I guess the style with a little rap and rock flavor has gotten my attention…It always has a good story line and relates about todays life in this shit hole world when live in today…..I can always relate to most of the themes and story lines in todays country music…..The Rock scene has been dead for sometime I do hope Rock makes a return
October 9, 2015 @ 6:29 pm
I someone who is not a huge fan of the genre to start with. I find the rural supremacy argument of Bro-Country to be highly offensive. First off, the industrial/post industrial/information/service based economy is the prime mover. The rural areas are proudly “independent” rural areas are heavily subsidized by the more populated ones.
As someone raised outside of NYC (Southwestern Connecticut) I cannot relate to a life of driving on dirt roads, tailgating, and drinking. I was never young in that respect. I was exposed to many different cultures at a young age. Being the east coast, our religious fundamentalism went by the way side 250 years ago. Bro-country is selling a fantasy to Gen X men/women who miss their youth. I was raised in a home where high academic standards were expected and civic involvement is the standard. I am your typical east coast intellectual elistist and am proud of the fact. If you don’t like it, too bad.
October 10, 2015 @ 2:17 pm
“I find the rural supremacy argument of Bro-Country to be highly offensive.”
Country music, as its name suggests, is meant to represent rural culture.
“First off, the industrial/post industrial/information/service based economy is the prime mover.”
It is the prime mover in moving dollars toward those at the top of the economic ladder. When it comes to creating jobs for regular people, it is pretty much useless.
“Being the east coast, our religious fundamentalism went by the way side 250 years ago.”
Country music has always featured a strongly religious side. Hank Williams and Johnny Cash were prominent gospel singers, for example. Even if you are not religious, the rootedness of country music in religion should be appreciated.
“I am your typical east coast intellectual elistist and am proud of the fact. If you don”™t like it, too bad.”
Then why are you on a country music website?
October 10, 2015 @ 12:01 pm
country never had an identity crisis until Elvis. No one outside of the south listened to country…. but E changed it , and to be acceptable , strings , drums, etc. we’re added. Country has been in a state of flux since then. Americana is just a return to the traditional country that people over 40 know about….Sturgil Simpson is a clone of Waylon…many of these singers are Kentucky natives, where we know our Bourbon, our horses , our women , and more specifically , our music . Bluegrass was invented here after all…. ( Elvis’ first hit
was a bluegrass tune called ……,, ‘Blue Moon of Kentucky ‘ ) ….
October 11, 2015 @ 3:15 am
Well, the hip hop/EDM stuff IS bringing in people who aren’t traditionally fans. The problem is that the changes make the traditional fans of the genre uninterested. Youtube comments pretty much proves this. Look at any bro country song and there’ll be comments saying they hate country music but love this song and other comments saying the song isn’t remotely country and they hate it.
October 12, 2015 @ 10:18 am
If the industry needs to collapse and start over to get back to what is TRUE Country Music….so be it! I quit listening to what they call “country radio” 10 years ago. It’s thinly disguised, syrupy rock with redundant melodies and lazy copycat productions. I quit watching the CMA and ACM awards shows 15 years ago. They’re stacked against real creativity and talent and only award the moneymakers who can afford to promote the trash they shove down the throats of undiscriminating listeners who accept it because that’s all there is. If the industry fails they have only themselves to blame.
October 12, 2015 @ 6:54 pm
“It”™s thinly disguised, syrupy rock”
That’s how it was when you stopped listening to it. I actually loved that style of country, since I enjoy “syrupy” rock.
It has gotten way, way worse in the last 4 years…
October 12, 2015 @ 6:16 pm
Music is mood. I like things categorized by genre so that when I’m in a country mood, I listen to country music. If I am in a mood for classic rock, I want a station for that. The only outlet for writers who want to write traditional country, is Americana stations or Internet Stations”¦ But that is just one of the issues that have changed in the past 15 years of music in general.
Personally I write and sing from traditional country to to light pop (Eagles-ish).