How To: Understand Country Music
When I was in high school we'd get asked a lot of icebreakers (most of which were really stupid), but one which I always appreciated was "What's your favorite kind of music?", because I think that it's possible to discern a lot about a person through what they listen to. A common answer to this question was, "I like all music EXCEPT COUNTRY!", and I think that even I answered that same way a few times. Well a lot has changed since those days, and now Country music is arguably my second favorite genre of music, currently duking it out with rock/metal. I used to cite the joke, "You know what happens when you listen to a country album in reverse? You lose your drinking problem and your wife comes back to you!" a lot, but now I find that joke rather derivative. Now, you'll catch me listening to Luke Combs, Brooks and Dunn, The Forester Sisters, or any number of other Country musicians at any given time during the day.
Perhaps the thing that is most alluring about Country is that it seems to come from a genuine place in the heart. True, a lot of modern country music is about the same things; beer, women, pickup trucks, and beer, but I could say the same thing about modern rap music, which seems centered around drugs, women, and money. The only difference is that while Country is constrained by a limited set of instruments, lest they lose the genre altogether, rap has literally every instrument in the world at the producer's fingertips. And if you can't find an instrument, then make the noise with your mouth (I'm looking at you, Roddy Ricch). True Country music reflects on the lives of the artists, and it's a wonderful thing. It's raw, in the same way that 90's hip hop is raw. It's just the truth of some people's lives, and it's beautiful for that.
What frustrates me most about people who hate Country is that they hate it blindly, without any knowledge of what the genre is really about. They say, "I don't wanna listen to that hick music about pickup trucks, guns, and beer." What's so annoying about this is that all of those things are just a microcosm of what Country music actually is. It'd be like saying, "I don't wanna listen to music about gangs, murder, and drugs" about rap. There's so much more to the genre than those things, and it's disappointing that people can't see that.
Take "My Maria", by Brooks and Dunn (one of my favorite country songs), for example. It doesn't have any of the genre cliches in it. It's simply a love song, and it's got a great southern lick and a nice electric component to back up great vocals. Even songs which somewhat fit in the box that most people put country in, like "Hurricane" by Luke Combs, or "Neon Moon" by Brooks and Dunn, are deeper than just those tropes, and while they do sometimes talk about bad relationships, trucks, and booze, the good stuff will have a reason for mentioning all of those things, whereas the bad stuff (which even I can't stand), will say it just to say it; just to get a few views, plays, and dollars.
All of those songs, and a lot more, come from a genuine place. True, much of the genre has fallen into ruin with artists chasing money rather than making songs because they have something to say, but that's true of all music. Rampant commercialism and the digital age have brought on a need to stay competitive in the music industry, and that means changing your beliefs to make a dime. It's sad, but it's the truth. And it doesn't just apply to Country Music.
Now if you've listened to several country songs from diversified artists and realized that it just isn't the sound you like, for whatever reason, that's fine. Not everyone has to like the same music, but all I ask is that you at least give it a chance before loudly claiming that the whole genre is for stupid hicks. In Country music you'll find love songs, breakup songs, and everything in between, including some great pieces on what it's like to walk in the shoes of the artist. But like I said, even if after listening to it semi-thoroughly you still hate it, then that's ok. Just don't hate blindly. Hate is a dangerous thing at the best of times, and hating blindly is like covering yourself with chum and diving into a group of sharks during mating season. It's dangerous.
So at this point, if you're willing to give Country music another go, then here's some song recommendations, to help you make an informed decision.
Neon Moon - Brooks and Dunn
My Maria - Brooks and Dunn
Hurricane - Luke Combs
Play it Again - Luke Bryan
Daddy's Hands - Holly Dunn
Mama's Never Seen Those Eyes - The Forester Sisters
Living - Dierks Bently
Jolene - Dolly Parton
Back Where I Come From - Kenny Chesney
Rearview Town - Jason Aldeen
Remember, I can't guarantee that you'll suddenly love Country like I did, and my journey into the genre is an ongoing one, but I just want to provide some good material for people to understand Country music at least. Now if you listen to some of these songs and realize that you like them, I can send you my constantly evolving Country music playlist on Spotify. And like I said, if you listen to these songs and you hate Country more than ever, then that's all cool. At least you now have a basis for your hate.