As a young man whose father raised him on songwriters like Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, and John Mellancamp, I should be shocked that country eventually became a part of my life. Many today who write on Nashville's Music Row (as pointed out in the Rolling Stone county issue) were also played these guys by their fathers.
But while my original taste in music hinged more on classic rock (Bon Jovi was one of the first bands on my first iPod), once a started hanging out with a specific group of friends, country music was thrusted into my face with some hesitance at first, but later at least a respect for the craft. Still struggling...
Back to the magazine. I thought they did a really good job with the issue. Biggest profiles were given to Miranda Lambert and Eric Church. Other short pieces were given to Brad Paisley, The Band Perry, Ashley Monroe, Brandy Clark, Kip Moore, Keith Urban, and Florida Georgia Line. They also wrote on segments like The New Stetsons (country stars ditching the cowboy hat), the 25 greatest country songs of all time (Johnny Cash "I Walk The Line" #1), The Rock Transplants, and New Adventures in Country (genre mixing) and finally How To Write A Country Song.
I repeat, I do not know what country music is. I don't think Rolling Stone knows either, but to give them credit I don't think they care. They know what their audience considers as country music. And while a broader and less interesting question is does the industry or the people define the genre...I'll propose a further question: does it matter?
Country music has recently been granting different kind of musicians entrance into their crazy Nashville family for many years now and I think that frustrates people.
When popular music began and genres flared up, people want to pinpoint and corner the sound. And yet today, with genres formats like pop and rock, music of all different kinds can fit any label. Even hip hop could vary its sound and be accepted because it has had various epicenters from Brooklyn to Miami or Compton.
But culturally, country music was supposed to be something--drinking, fighting, cowboys, all that stuff: music for rednecks. But in what way is that the case now? 12 of the top 50 spots on the iTunes charts. Remixes with Jason DeRulo and Nelly. Getting love from Katy Perry, Metallica, and countless other stars from other genres.
Country music is no longer defined by sound, lyrics, or appearance. It is defined by attitude. The country music family never has the guard up, never telling people what can and cannot happened within their genre.
That seems to be the definition of country music now. Anything goes. They should be given credit because this mentality have grown their popularity and opened their music to different groups of people. But does that lend them to enter into their territory of pop and rock where much of anything can fit into the label? Perhaps, but is that a bad thing?
Just like pop, rock, hip hop (I have only been usually they can blanket most of popular music perhaps with the inclusion of folk), country has many sub genres now. You could reference the throwback stripped down country singers like Kacey Musgraves, the rockers like Eric Church and Zac Brown Band, the pop heartthrobs like Luke Bryan and Florida Georgia Line, the leading ladies like Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood.
What I guess I am trying to say, and maybe its just me, is that country music is one of the few genres where some people felt like they had to stick to something--one sound, one lyrical attitude. That time seems to have passed. That's why their audience is bigger than ever now. That's why "country" artists have made their way to stages like Bonnaroo, Outside Lands, and some of the biggest arenas in the world.
At this juncture, I respect it but do not like some of it. For example, as I watch the CMT Awards and ZZ Top and Jason Derulo are on stage with Luke Bryan and Florida Georgia Line, I just kind of think "Huh?" You can make the case that ZZ Top is a band just outside the country genre that many country fans like, but Jason Derulo? C'mon. That sounds like a stretch. Same goes for Nelly when he performs a remix with Florida Georgia Line.
Do what you want, sure, but that just doesn't seem authentic. That seems to be the conflict now (at least in my mind). What is authentic country music? Country music is breaking down barriers left and right but where is the line between evolution of a sound and lack of authenticity? While the answer to that question is wholly subjective, I propose authenticity, not sound determines what is or is not good country music today.
One disclaimer: This is not authentic is the sense of style choice or anything petty like that. I do not judge the authenticity of the person, but of the music. Like I said earlier, is Jason Derulo authentic at a country music awards show? I am not judging the authenticity of the people on stage, but of the sound of the music they are playing.
Now would also be a great time to post another inspiration for this post:
Also, here's the lineup of a music festival who shows a good mix or the country/folk genre: http://www.buckleupfestival.com/lineup-2014
For an actual representation here are a few artists/songs that I would characterize as authentic:
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