Which Country Chick Has The Best Ass? You Decide.
Seriously though, right? If some country music media outlet posted something like this, it would result in a shit storm of the highest proportions, especially with all the tomato talk going around after radio consultant Keith Hill’s comments. But when the shoe is on the other foot, apparently it is open season.
Just a couple of days ago, Billboard felt inclined to ask what male music celebrity had the best butt, Justin Bieber or John Legend? . . . complete with Instagram pictures and a voting widget. Hey, Billboard does some great work in the music journalism realm so I’m not trying to start a beef, but even the best have to go fishing for clicks in this digital age . . . apparently.
And that’s just where the objectification of men in music begins, and it’s arguably worse in country. In the last few days there’s been a rash of bare skinned country music stories, including the country music internet going ga ga over Dierks Bentley rolling shirtless at a recent concert. Then there was folks getting all hot and bothered over Luke Bryan going shirtless on the beach, and taking selfies with a couple of brace-faced pubescents. Does anyone else find this just a little bit creepy? Luke Bryan’s old enough to be these girls’ father for crying out loud.
Women going crazy over shirtless country music stars is nothing new, and I’d be lying to say that as a man I’m somehow offended by any of this. I could care less frankly, except for when I realized how fundamental this all is to the reduction and objectification of women in country music. That’s right. Though you may see body comparisons to female stars in the pop world, country has always been much more reserved and respectful in that category. So how could oogling at the butts and brawn of male country stars adversely affect the females?
Because once again it puts the women at a disadvantage to the men. What if a mainstream country woman shared a picture of her bare ass or chest on Instagram, what would she be called? My guess is it wouldn’t be “tomato.”
Male mainstream country fans all want to be the stars, and female country music fans all want to bang the stars like a screen door, regardless if they’re 14 ½ with braces, or 47-year-old divorcees. This oversexed environment is what has allowed bad music to foster, and female performers to take a secondary role. It’s the music equivalent of cheering for laundry in sports. It’s not about what in country music anymore, it’s about who. Country music used to be about the power of a song. Now, it’s simply an excuse to crush on hot guys who could be up there singing about laundry detergent. It really doesn’t matter what Luke Bryan’s music sounds like, as long as he’s doing “the move” on stage in his skinny jeans.
Sex has always been a part of the quotient in pop music, and maybe this is further evidence that pop is now country. But think of The Beatles and their screaming female fans. How did they rectify that degrading situation? By presenting themselves as intellectuals, and evolving their music in a more creative direction. And popular music was better off for it. Meanwhile in country, it’s the other way around. Luke Bryan started as a behind-the-scenes songwriter, and not a bad one. Now Dallas Davidson writes his singles, and all Luke is responsible for is shaking his ass.
The women of country can still be sexy. Dolly Parton anyone? She used sex to help sell her music for decades, but she never did it in a manner that gave up her dignity. Her self-awareness and self-deprecation made it the obvious topic she couldn’t avoid. And most importantly, her music was actually authentic and quality, and at times, empowering to her female fans. She used the power of the purse to become the foil of country males.
But when we look at the challenges facing country women today, it is one of not being able to steal attention away from the guys. The guys are already more inclined to pay attention to the guys. But if the girls are focusing more on who instead of what, especially at an early age, it’s going to be a challenge to ever see country music’s female performers win the equality their music deserves.
July 9, 2015 @ 9:59 am
Well said.
July 9, 2015 @ 10:00 am
I wish you had posted this with a different title. Makes it hard to share.
July 9, 2015 @ 10:16 am
Yeah, but it was the best way to illustrate the absurdity of the body worship happening with mainstream country males right now at the expense of the music. I would be lying if I didn’t say I get a sense of satisfaction knowing some people came here to compare and contrast asses only to get moralized to, even if it means I get accused of click baiting myself. Fighting fire with fire, I guess.
July 9, 2015 @ 4:28 pm
I gotta be honest Trig, that was a good write up but that picture is what drew me in to begin with. She has my vote whoever it is.
July 9, 2015 @ 6:44 pm
I agree with him in this case and not you. your readers are going to read what you write; and share it. your point could’ve been illustrated just as effectively, and more “sharably” within the article and not the title. the picture was plenty effective enough. I like this Clint character. he’s like your very own dr. house of country music critics.
July 9, 2015 @ 4:29 pm
Stop trying to avoid offending people. They’ll get over it. They’re the same type of people who think “Girl Crush” is a lesbian song rather than actually listen to what it says
July 9, 2015 @ 6:29 pm
I’ll confess that I was one of those people when I heard part of the song. I then heard the whole thing and understood though!!
July 9, 2015 @ 10:08 am
I refuse to click on that link — though I’m not above commenting on male beauty (cute, handsome, hunk, nice smile and/or eyes), I suppose such fixation on who’s got the best whatever-body-part among these male artists speaks to a lack of substance in the music itself.
July 9, 2015 @ 10:25 am
You sucked me in with the title, I will give you that haha. But now that I’m here, this makes sense and I never really thought of it that way.
July 9, 2015 @ 10:29 am
Is this really a question? Obviously it’s John legend.
J/K. I’m going with Sara Evans
July 9, 2015 @ 10:43 am
This is a great point that gets ignored. Thanks for shedding this light on this!
July 9, 2015 @ 10:47 am
Great points Trig; regarding the picture of Luke Bryan, “Hey Creepy”
July 9, 2015 @ 10:49 am
I totally agree. There is a way to put yourself out there as a sex symbol but not go over the line. Dolly Is a great example because she knew how to used her flirtiness and humble personality to her advantage. Let’s face it we all like to to look at beautiful people.That is where her granddaughter Miley went wrong. Miley can sing the hell out of some great country songs, but crossed way over the line for fame to the point where her antics and sex appeal overshadow her talent. I think Kacey Musgraves does that well. She can show off some leg but it never really distracts from her music.
July 9, 2015 @ 8:54 pm
Are ha kidding Kacey is a little breeze away from a wardrobe malfunction. She plays up the little girl dresses but wants to be a serious artist.
July 9, 2015 @ 10:51 am
This is just another offshoot of mainstream country music’s obsession with chasing the younger demo. This type of stuff has been going on in the wider pop music scene for decades (minus the social media aspect which really amplifies it) but really was never a country music thing. Think of the images of Strait or Jackson in their prime and they were often wearing sports jackets or at least nice shirts and the women swooned over them.
This is another sign of our devolving culture I’m afraid.
July 9, 2015 @ 11:09 am
I’m still waiting for Luke Bryan’s “Ty Herndon” moment. Its coming…
July 9, 2015 @ 11:25 am
Dude’s got manicured eyebrows and looks to have had work done on his face. Is this one really in any sort of doubt?
July 9, 2015 @ 11:14 am
Too easy, it is Miranda Lambert and it even has a name… Blake Shelton.
July 9, 2015 @ 11:21 am
You win the best comment award!
July 9, 2015 @ 11:26 am
I miss the ‘like’ button. I know it causes site issues but is it a permanent goner?
July 9, 2015 @ 12:17 pm
I’m committed to trying to bring the “like” button back, but at this point the technical issues it is causing are not worth the rewards. It’s a work in progress.
July 9, 2015 @ 12:10 pm
Yea Miranda, I even like that video kerosene, gives me a chubby:)
July 9, 2015 @ 11:18 am
so we’re not gonna talk about hot chicks asses?…lame.
Elizabeth Cook would of been my pick.
July 9, 2015 @ 11:27 am
So because I think Billy Currington is hot, we have to listen to shit like Raelynn? Because women lust over Jake Owen we caused Sam Hunt? Haley Georgia got a record deal because girls like Luke Bryan instead of Sunny Sweeney? Or was it her double d “vocal chords”? Surely not because some MAN in Nashville likes the way she fills out that bikini top that she must live in? If I promise to listen to Brandy Clark while I stare at Brett Eldredge’s washboard abs will that make Nashville record companies sign more quality women and less bimbos or rap star wannabes? Doubt it.
I get your point, women like to look at hot guys and yes we are admitting it more freely than ever, but that doesn’t mean we are to fault for the decline of the country music civilization. Especially when it’s an industry still mostly run by men. Besides you guys have been oogling marginally talented women and their goodies for decades, we’re just playing catch-up.
July 9, 2015 @ 11:41 am
I’m not blaming women for the decline of country. If anything, the finger of blame here is pointed at country media for focusing on such stories, but even that seems a little out of place. This is simply a think piece meant to create a broader perspective, hopefully. In the end, the reason country music is in decline in regards to quality is an extremely complex problem with many factors that all must be addressed individually. But in my opinion, this issue is one of those factors.
July 9, 2015 @ 11:51 am
It does create a discussion. Another discussion worth having is why the female acts that we are offered are all in their early twenties singing about teenager stuff. Then we wonder why women don’t relate to, or support them.
July 9, 2015 @ 12:02 pm
Because that is the demo that they are targeting. They don’t think 16-25 year old females want to hear about the stuff that Pam Tillis, Patty Loveless and Lorrie Morgan were singing about in the 1990s so they don’t produce it. Even Reba McEntire has to release singles about going clubbing and she’s around 60 years old.
Agree or disagree but that is a major reason why we are getting Raelynn, Kelsea Ballerina, Haley Georgia and the like.
Plus, I’ve noticed in the women in my life that more of the 35-50 year olds listen to the same music as their teenage kids which in my youth of the 1980s was very rare.
July 9, 2015 @ 12:18 pm
I guess that’s my point. We older gals, that refer to our guys as men, instead of boys, are pretty much ignored as a genre. I miss having women on the radio that have more life experience than the senior prom.
July 9, 2015 @ 12:19 pm
There is no more generational gap, not like their was for many generations before. You look at the crowd of a Luke Bryan concert and it is 12 to 14-year-old girls and their moms. The generation before would never even want to be seen in public with their parents, especially at a music concert.
I think Taylor Swift has a song that mentions that.
July 9, 2015 @ 12:48 pm
My grandmother sat out in the car for hours while my aunt and her fellow teenage friends attended a Beatles concert. Never crossed her mind to actually go in and my aunt would probably have been mortified if it was suggested.
July 9, 2015 @ 12:07 pm
I’ve never heard of Haley Georgia, but if I heard someone say “Haley Georgia will be appearing on the main stage,” in no way would I think they were referring to a country music concert.
July 9, 2015 @ 12:11 pm
That’s Ri-dic-dic-dic-ulous!!!
Look it up it’s really something.
July 9, 2015 @ 12:17 pm
I still wanna see a Trigger rant on that song.
July 9, 2015 @ 12:20 pm
It could very well encapsulate everything that is wrong with mainstream country in one song.
July 9, 2015 @ 12:37 pm
As I have said before, pasty white girl rapping with a valley girl accent over a token banjo and drum machine. The absolute worst thing I have EVER heard.
July 9, 2015 @ 12:44 pm
And a reality show contestant. Would have been awesome if that were a country radio hit!
July 9, 2015 @ 2:44 pm
Still more country than Sam Hunt
July 9, 2015 @ 11:27 am
Nice selfie there at the top of the article, Trigger! 8-P
July 9, 2015 @ 11:50 am
Now that I’ve really started looking, it’s not as easy as it sounds to find pictures of country chicks’ butts. Carrie Underwood seems to have cornered the market.
July 9, 2015 @ 12:15 pm
It is interesting that, at least with lead performers, there remains an entrenched rôle reversal when it comes to selling sex on country radio compared to other radio formats.
Granted the music vid̩os of these male entertainers are r̩plete with the status quo: lots of scantily-clad physically Рattractive women in bikinis and not as many physically attractive men.
But Gretchen Wilson is the most recent example that comes to mind of a female entertainer with measurable mainstream success who struck me as selling sex (at least at one point).
July 9, 2015 @ 3:15 pm
Most of them do it on some level. Not sure if it’s because they want to or they feel pressured to, but not to be a jerk but I’m sure it helps Kacey Musgraves is young and pretty and has nice legs. I love her music, but I wonder if she would as “hot” right now (as an artist) if she was older and looked like Kathy Mattea or Patty Loveless.
Let me be clear that both of those women are incredible artists and so is Ms. Musgraves, but I have to think it helps her career some to show off her legs and have a pretty face while she writes and sings those songs.
July 9, 2015 @ 4:59 pm
It absolutely helps her career and she knows it. That’s why she wears those impossibly short poofy skirts and stuff like that see through dress she wore when she performed with Loretta Lynn. Kacey just happens to actually have the talent to fill her daisy dukes, unlike a lot of them, who are only signed because they’re cute. I can promise you this though, if she was a size 14 with a homely face, no one would would have ever heard of her arrow.
July 9, 2015 @ 12:21 pm
This is so spot on and everything I’ve been saying to my friends. I would call my friends “country lite”. They are much more likely to go with the flow of current radio than I am. About a week ago, one of my friends said that she wishes LB would come to our town. I told them that I would be sitting that one out. I explained that I just can’t patronize the horrible songs that he’s been recording. My friend then said “I know…but I like to look at him.” Enjoy yourselves, ladies! And I was the one who told “them” about LB back when his first album came out (when he was involved with the writing).
July 9, 2015 @ 12:33 pm
Whose picture is that at the top of the page? THAT is one sexy ass!
July 9, 2015 @ 12:59 pm
I’d be lying if I said Dierks Bentley shirtless wasn’t appealing, but the main appeal has been and always will be his MUSIC. I have as much desire to look at Luke Bryan and his ilk – shirtless, clothed, whatever – as I do to hear them on the radio. Which is nil.
July 9, 2015 @ 1:51 pm
I don’t know about best ads but Jason Aldean has the biggest vagina.
July 9, 2015 @ 2:07 pm
Probably Mickey Guyton, right? Because, you know, they always tend to have big old bootys. (Girls from Texas)
July 9, 2015 @ 2:11 pm
I think there is a difference between the male gaze and the female gaze (as in ‘the obvious ogling of the opposite sex.’) Women constantly live under the male gaze. We feel the pressure of it so heavily that women spend hours and thousands of dollars trying to adhere to mainstream beauty standards, some even going as far as to starve themselves to be accepted by men. We also feel the pressure of the male gaze too when we walk alone at night, perhaps pass by something ogling us, and we actually worry for our safety. Society wants sexy women, & then scolds us for being too sexy – we can’t win. We can never win. That’s because women are 2nd to men in this country and almost everywhere else in the world. If you don’t agree, then…don’t even bother reading past this point.
The reason that I think the female gaze (in this case sexualizing male country stars) is not always a bad thing is because women are often the victims of objectification – and the mere fact that it’s making you annoyed or uncomfortable, Trigger, means it’s of value, because men are saying, “Wait a minute…” and seeing how fucked up it is.
On the other hand, it also gives women the opportunity to acknowledge that they are sexual beings (which as I said, women acknowledging their sexuality are scolded or called sluts). This is a scary thing to some people, but it helps destroy the stereotype that women are sexually reserved and less horny than men, which is just not true.
I agree that in the end, no one should be sexualized when we should focus on their inner qualities, or in this case their music, but ultimately I think it’s pretty much unavoidable. I don’t think there should be an actual difference between a bare men’s chest and a bare women’s chest but I think that ship has sailed.
July 9, 2015 @ 2:20 pm
Women do that to impress other women. A good looking girl looks good in sweatpants and a t-shirt with no makeup. All of the hair products, make-up, clothes, purses, shoes, jewelry, etc. are so they can stack themselves up against other women. Most guys don’t give a shit what type of designer dress she is wearing or how she does her hair (within reason.)
July 9, 2015 @ 2:24 pm
I’m not talking about just make up. I’m talking about dieting, working out, skin care, maintaining body hair, etc. You just said a good looking girl doesn’t have to try. What about girls who don’t pass your standard for good looking? They would feel pressure to alter their appearance (via makeup, dieting etc) to get to your standard. Yes, a lot of women’s fashion is for ourselves but to say that none of the primping is to satisfy men’s taste is just not true. You said most guys don’t care about what she’s wearing but they do care about her ass, her face, etc and for a lot of women, that means extensive work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyeTJVU4wVo
July 9, 2015 @ 2:28 pm
Get in where you fit in. I would call those unreasonable expectations. Most people fall somewhere in the middle. I’m not the best looking guy or the worst looking guy. I’m somewhere in the middle. I married out of my league because of my cheery disposition and positive outlook, but I’m the exception.
July 9, 2015 @ 2:39 pm
Oh, and where did I say that “most guys don”™t care about what she”™s wearing but they do care about her ass, her face, etc?” I said nothing of the sort…
July 9, 2015 @ 2:56 pm
Well you said “A good looking girl looks good in sweatpants and a t-shirt with no makeup.” Presumably that means you like her ass and her face? Another way of saying what you said is, “A girl whose body is attractive doesn’t have to make much of an effort.”
July 9, 2015 @ 3:00 pm
That is a wild leap. I love my wife and I think she is beautiful because she is a good person and she is the mother of my children. In your discouraging and dark view of the world is every man a shallow, callous knave? I feel bad for you.
July 9, 2015 @ 3:43 pm
Hahahahaha, what?
Are you just trying to be a dick right now, or do you actually believe that Ramona thinking that you were referring to how good people looked with the phrase “good looking” is “a wild leap.”
July 9, 2015 @ 2:41 pm
In my opinion, the most important lesson that a person could learn about anything related to cultural perceptions is this:
IGNORE what other people think about your way of living
July 9, 2015 @ 2:49 pm
“IGNORE what other people think about your way of living”
Sound advice for the junkie, pedophile, or the guy who likes to not pay off his credit card bill.
July 9, 2015 @ 10:47 pm
Well, RD, I would hope we can agree that women and girls would be much happier if they stopped worrying about other people’s opinions about their appearances or fashion choices.
I know that if I ever have daughters, I will teach them this lesson extensively from an early age, so that they will be immune to peer pressure by the time they reach puberty. In cruder terms, I would encourage them to grow a thick skin.
Here’s a side benefit that you might like: thick-skinned people are much less likely to jeopardize free speech by demanding restrictions on “verbal bullying”, “hate speech”, or other non-PC language.
July 9, 2015 @ 6:47 pm
Ramona Martinez, right on! Thank you for saying all of this here.
July 10, 2015 @ 7:41 am
:3
July 15, 2015 @ 7:43 am
“…it also gives women the opportunity to acknowledge that they are sexual beings.” Glad you commented on this. There’s a tendency, as evidenced in parts of this thread, to immediately reduce female sexuality to opportunism or vacuous, unconscious obedience to the culture’s demands. Of course, the question of self-determination is always a muddy one. Even with Miley I don’t think it’s unambiguous. But it is possible that baring some skin is an expression of the artist’s desire.
Also: an important distinction between the gendered butt ratings is the question of violence: the objectification of women is explicitly tied to the culture of violence and the entitlement men feel to women’s bodies.
July 16, 2015 @ 8:03 am
Yess!!
July 16, 2015 @ 1:05 am
Beautifully put, Ramona. Sad to see the point of Trig’s article was entirely lost on some of the male readers. Feminism still has a long way to go, baby!
July 30, 2022 @ 12:27 pm
We get it. Everything is man’s fault.
Go rant elsewhere.
July 9, 2015 @ 2:14 pm
yawn
July 9, 2015 @ 2:18 pm
What is “Taste of Country” freaking out about? Luke Bryan has the body of a gump. It’s a pudgy, awkward rectangle with skinny arms to boot. Pop country culture makes me sick.
July 9, 2015 @ 5:08 pm
They are trying to sell Luke’s new album and get more website hits.
July 9, 2015 @ 3:16 pm
If a woman country star did I hope she uses the line… “You want tomatoes, I’ll give you two tomatoes right here, sparky!”
LOL! But I think these shirtless bros are doing all they can to distract from their terrible music. LOL! So going shirtless, saying stupid comments, and falling off stage all distract the audience from the terrible sound delivered by the pound.
July 9, 2015 @ 3:55 pm
Jessica Simpson? She’s a country singer right?
July 9, 2015 @ 5:06 pm
Nope, she’s a mediocre pop singer who tried to cross over to country and it didn’t work out. I will say this though, her country album beats the pants off bro-country.
July 9, 2015 @ 4:57 pm
The most damage to country music is being done by bro-country’s dumbed-down objectifying lyrics, pop music, and radio excluding female country artists. Even if bro-country dies today, all those overplayed songs are out there forever. Everyone should dump the bro-country writers ASAP or at least try to get them to write better songs.
The good news is there are men and women with great music that sold more than many men with mediocre music radio played more.
Dierks Bentley
Chris Young
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood
Miranda Lambert
Kellie Pickler
Kacey Musgraves
I’m sure there are other women who at least equalled the sales of equally played men, and radio hasn’t played others like Ashley Monroe enough to sell. So let’s not give radio another bullsh*t excuse not to play all of those and more women. Whoever radio plays the most gets the most attention and when great country music isn’t playing I’m not listening.
July 9, 2015 @ 5:20 pm
On Yahoo right now lol. http://tasteofcountry.com/georgia-country-singers-cole-swindell-luke-bryan-jason-aldean-kip-moore/
July 9, 2015 @ 6:52 pm
thare yall go agin taken shots at ole luke the drifter. its just that people like yall u no. yall get all yall want so yall reelly dont understand, u no about a life like lukes. I mean, when youve loved and lost the way luke has, then u, uh, u no what lifes about.
July 9, 2015 @ 7:32 pm
Does it have to be “country chicks” who are currently active/alive? If not, I’d vote for Audrey Williams. She may have been an atrocious singer, and turned out to be a complete bitch and gold digger, but I could see why Hank Sr. wanted to hit that.
July 9, 2015 @ 9:55 pm
After careful consideration and a regrettable dearth of photographic evidence, I’ve settled on Kimberly Perry having the nicest ass.
July 9, 2015 @ 10:42 pm
Shania Twain. She had the best ass, the best boobs, and the best belly button in Nashville, and in the eyes of many pop country fans that made up for her vapid music and uninspired singing. It was clear that the real product was sex appeal, and the songs were more like advertisements to sell the sex object. She brought us “bra country” before bro country was cool. Her music has faded away, but unfortunately the business model lives on. The sexy body is the product, the music is just the window dressing.
July 10, 2015 @ 2:59 pm
Shania’s pop country songs stand on their own and blow away bro-country. She didn’t use the same few writers copying the same generic misogynist party song lyrics over and over. Her lyrics are the opposite of bro-country. “If You’re Not In It For Love I’m Outta Here!” burns bro-country a new one. Like most of today’s female country artists, her lyrics are original, respectful, empowering, inspiring, she included plenty of country instruments, her voice and singing is way better than the bros and she didn’t try to rap. She brought kids from the audience on stage to dance. If her real product is sex appeal, millions of women would not have bought her music and they bought it because they relate to her songs with good female empowerment etc. lyrics and good music and radio played them. She’s a best selling artist in the history of country music and it’s a safe bet that most of her music was purchased by women.
July 12, 2015 @ 12:42 pm
Many of Shania’s fans were female, but I disagree that sex appeal did not play a big role in her popularity among women. Many girls wanted to be sexy like Shania, just as many young men want to emulate the sex appeal of the bro country singers. I’ve always thought that many of her songs have this “look at me I’m so hot” vibe, including the song you mentioned “If You’re Not In It For Love I’m Outta Here!”. And the attitude in “Any Man of Mine” said “girl power” to the gals and “come and get me” to the guys at the same time. Let’s just say I don’t think that song would have been a #1 hit if Wynonna Judd had recorded it. Shania’s selling point was her sex appeal.
July 10, 2015 @ 8:41 am
I have given this very issue prayerful consideration for decades now and the paradigm keeps shifting.
I’ll let you know when I have a definite answer.
July 10, 2015 @ 5:24 pm
I too spent a lot of time thinking about this while laying at the pool at The W Hotel in LA drinking jalapeño margaritas this afternoon (how country is that?). I think this question can’t be answered until Trigger gives us the ground rules. For example, do country carpetbaggers such as Sheryl crow and Jessica Simpson qualify to be in the running or is it just true women of country music? We clearly need to understand the parameters here before we attempt to answer this important query.
July 13, 2015 @ 1:40 pm
I would have to research a bit more but Miranda as it stands currently.
August 16, 2015 @ 9:11 pm
The real suprise would be if he made country music.