If you have ever had a conversation with someone regarding music taste, I guarantee that you are familiar with the phrase “I like everything but country.” Generalizations like these are not only overdone, but frankly unfair. Disliking the entire genre seems to be the new norm, but if given a chance, I’m sure that there is something within the extensive world of country music for everyone.
As someone who grew up in Texas, listening to nothing but my parents’ country music during each and every car ride, I can proudly say that I hold the genre close to my heart. Admitting one’s enjoyment of country music in this day and age is a dangerous game to play, unsure of who will be the next to jokingly tease you for liking something that is so commonly trashed. I understand that music taste is based on personal preference, but ruling out an entire genre just because you think you won’t like it is only a disservice to yourself. The anti-country agenda is pushed so strongly that many refuse to go anywhere near the genre at all, but until you’ve formed your own opinions without being swayed by others, your reluctance to listen is really just judgment.
With that being said, I can fully understand why many hesitate to listen to country music, considering the quality of it today. Music styles and technology will inevitably change with time, but that shouldn’t warrant a complete betrayal of what a genre is known for. To me, country music is supposed to embody comfort and tell stories, but nowadays it’s nearly impossible to find anything but incredibly over-autotuned songs that somehow manage to mention trucks, girls and beer in every sentence. When these stereotypes are constantly jam-packed into modern country music, that’s how people are left to perceive the genre as a whole. These negative perceptions draw people away from ever experimenting with the genre again, further contributing to the idea that all country is bad. There are so many hidden gems overshadowed by unoriginal modern music, so I encourage you to look further than Billboard’s Top 100 when giving country music a second chance.
Today, finding original and unique country music feels like hitting the jackpot, as most current artists in the genre seem to be exact clones of one another. My biggest complaint with modern country music is its complete lack of originality and noticeably lazy production. Pop music has seemed to take over the country industry, leaving most songs sounding curated for the radio, with a forced Southern twang singing mediocre lyrics over a generic pop beat. This new style of country music is not only repetitive and unexciting, but it squashes every ounce of variety in the industry. The introduction of new subgenres to country music isn’t always a problem though, as long as it is done right.
Country artist Orville Peck is one of the most notable examples of this, known for putting an alternative spin on country music, referred to as “Y’allternative.” With influences from old school country musicians such as Merle Haggard and alternative rock bands like Sonic Youth, a perfect balance between vastly different genres is created. Peck is still able to portray the traditional “western cowboy” themes of country music while bringing other musical elements to the table. He proves that experimentation within a genre can be done successfully without total abandonment of what the style is known for. If the art of classic country music is truly too far gone, new original styles are what will keep the genre alive.
The decline of country music in recent years has given the genre quite the negative reputation, but a few bad apples in the vast world of country music shouldn’t be enough to ruin it for everyone. Having an open mind about music has no consequences, and if we collectively grew up and accepted country music as being enjoyable, the world would be a much better place.
