This may surprise you, but I don’t hate country music. However, despite how down-to-earth and singalong-able, despite all the familiar melodies and all the aesthetic horse photos in the world, I’ve got a problem with it.
A trope about country is that it was invented by white men. It really wasn’t. The genre blends influences that reflect many facets of the American melting pot, sourcing in part from the work of Black musicians. However, despite Beyonce’s “Cowboy Carter” album helping resurface national discussion of these roots, this ancestry is still largely skimmed over. Now any mention of the genre is subliminally associated with trolls. Why?
Because there are, in fact, quite a few trolls.
As its name suggests, shockingly, country is generally tied to rural areas. In 2024, rural Americans are at the nexus of a multitude of national debates. Party lines? 60% vote Republican, compared to 37% in the suburbs, according to a study by Pew Research Center. Gun control? 47% of them report owning one. The same stomping grounds that gave rise to beloved folksy harmonies also hum these days along the fault lines that divide America at large.
Perhaps that’s what has given rise to the phenomenon of “bro country”, a cadre of performers that has commanded a disproportionate share of public and media attention. The category is masculine-centered aaaaaaand apparently naturally sexist.
These men like trucks, they proclaim (that stereotype isn’t a stereotype). They have the same appreciation for their trucks that they have for pretty women: beautiful objects and functional, too! “A girl in a red sundress with an ice-cold beer to her lips,” or so Kip Moore describes. “Begging for another kiss.” He goes on with bawdy allusions to alternative purposes for a truck bed. That’s not flirtatious, that’s just demeaning.
Jake Owen even manages to reduce the female figures in his music to scenery; for example, “Back down a country road / The girls are always hot and the beer is ice cold.” Beer, trucks, women (only aesthetically pleasing ones). This notably unfunny ranking of priorities is iffy but defensible for some. Yet recently, bro country’s camera-trailed stars have plunged headfirst into the culture wars. For some, this was unintentional; for others, it was a conscious effort.
Morgan Wallen, who made headlines in the past year for allegedly throwing a chair off a six-story building, was embroiled in controversy in 2021. Video resurfaced of him using the n-word, leading to outcry and him getting dropped not only by his record label but by his agency and assorted radio stations. Wallen is an innocuous example by comparison, though: at least he apologized.
Jason Aldean, on the other hand, has no such qualms. He and his wife have refused to recant transphobic Instagram comments, and his 2023 song “Try That in a Small Town” (which topped Billboard 100) proclaims his views on rural grievances. “Got a gun that my granddad gave me / They say one day they’re gonna round up / Well, that s*** might fly in the city, good luck,” Aldean sings, referencing the disavowed far-right conspiracy theory that urban elites want to take away citizens’ firearms.
The overtones of “Try That in a Small Town” unsubtly imply a desire to turn to violence against liberals who infringe on “good ol’ boys, raised up right.” Worryingly, portions of the music video were filmed in front of a site in the early 20th century where a Black man was lynched. And in July of this year, Aldean dedicated the song to former president Donald Trump after the recent assassination attempt. That’s somewhat distressing.
These problematic few foster a toxic environment for their compatriots. Maren Morris, of hits like “The Bones,” which for many represent the “good side” of the community, has publicly distanced herself from its negative elements. Though Morris later said she wasn’t abandoning country entirely, the fact that a pillar such as herself experienced such severe doubts should raise concerns.
So, as is all too common these days, a handful of men in the headlines have managed to spoil an entire musical sphere. For me personally, the weight of toxic culture outweighs the benefits of the art. Maybe someday I will declare myself a country fan. But that day will wait, until their establishment finds a way to cut certain fools’ extension cords.
Country music has been present in the creative industry for over a century and deserves every bit of recognition possible. The first time I came across it, I was mind-blown. Who knew songs could ever be so personal and heartwarming to listen to, especially from artists I had never even heard of before I got introduced to the genre?
As someone who prefers authenticity over everything else, country music is simply perfect as it encapsulates the artist’s true personality and tells stories like never before. For example, my all-time favorite country singer, Lainey Wilson, released her new album called “Whirlwind,” which talks about her career and how it was full of twists and turns, just like a whirlwind. One song on the album that captured everything country music stands for is “Country is Cool Again.” The unique acoustics of country music are indescribable as the genre uses old instruments like the mandolin to express emotions that cannot be conveyed in any other genre of music. It also encompasses the whole idea of the genre feeling exciting again as she mentions that “everybody wanna be a cowboy, drive a jon boat and whip a John Deere” in her lyrics. These aspects of the culture associated with country music are written to emphasize that people now want to try going “country,” too.
Each chord strikes differently as the artist tries to discuss their story as authentically as possible and ensures that it is true to themselves and not faked in any shape or form. Even the music chosen to go behind the lyrics seems to be done strategically, as they manage to capture the rawness of the stories being told. Most importantly, it rarely uses things like auto-tune, which, to me, is the key to it being different from its musical competitors. In fact, most country music has been performed acapella many times and has still sounded as magnificent as it does with music.
Not only that, but this genre has also grown immensely over the years by including strong female representation and discussing mental health, self-love, compassion, and friendship — all of which are important topics in our society. These are the kinds of concepts that mainstream artists don’t really talk about, as they often find themselves busy focusing on their toxic exes or trying to figure out who loves Joshua and who doesn’t. There’s absolutely no true purpose behind it, and it simply exists just for the sake of it.
On the other hand, country music will always provide closure and the feeling of being heard. Kacey Musgraves and Lainey Wilson are two great examples of country artists who push themselves beyond their respective comfort zones and write about what they love rather than what other people expect them to write. Every song they put out has an important message behind it. For example, Musgraves’ song ‘Little Sister’ has this one lyric where she says, “She’s the bigger person, my little sister.” This one line can tell a lot about what kind of song this is, as her word choice emphasizes her feelings toward her younger sister. Without any extra words, the message gets across, and no flowery language is used. If anything, mainstream artists need to develop more backbone and try new things rather than spinning around the same few tropes that have already been talked about a million times.
In the age of social media, Gen Z has been influenced by various trends, including country music. Through digital platforms, country singer-songwriter Dasha’s song “Austin” became an overnight viral sensation and was welcomed with a warm embrace as her music seemed “trendy” to this generation and a perfect fit to do a new dance trend. Here’s how the story of the rise of country music started as teens and grownups alike started to give it a try. However, if you haven’t already hopped onto the country side, trying it would never hurt as there are songs that would blend with almost everyone’s musical tastes.
So, even if you don’t enjoy pure country music, there are artists like Avery Anna who write country-rock songs that still pack a punch and cover pretty much anything a regular country song would entail. For example, her song ‘Self-Love’ uses the lyrics “What it must be like to be anybody else but me, I hate the way self-love sounds.” This expresses her disapproval of how she feels about herself and how much he hates being who she is.
Hence, it’s safe to say that no matter whether you choose to give pure country music a try or mixed genre country, you will still have the best experience ever as you venture and notice how relatable these artists’ music is compared to the mainstream music industry.
Not only that, but due to the sudden increase in popularity for the genre, many young artists have slowly come out of their bubble and have taken their first leap of faith as they attempt to mark their spot in the industry. As the popularity of the genre seems to be growing, younger artists feel more confident and comfortable sharing their voices with the world as they now have support from the crowd. A great example of this would be Marynn Taylor, who is an up-and-coming artist. Her music has touched the hearts of millions of people, and she has also been named CMT’s “Next Women of Country.”
To sum it all up, country music is definitely worth your time. Nothing compares to the impactful storytelling in this genre, as every lyric conveys something different and special to each listener. The feeling of connection and uprisal while listening is also significant as relatability and authenticity are present throughout the genre, unlike the mainstream. In other words, country music is the best genre to listen to and should be given a try. I’m sure you won’t regret it!
