Back to its roots: the global rise in country music
Kyle Smith
I grew up in a small town in a rural county. With that, many of my friends happened to be farmers and trad music was often played at school. I was never really a fan of it, and I thought all country music was similar. As I got older, I realised this view was monumentally wrong as I became aware of all the genres and subgenres that evolved with country music within America and Ireland.
The American country genre can be split into roughly six different generations, starting from the 1920’s and progressing up to today. American country music in its infancy was an amalgamation of several genres: southern gospel, blues, and American folk music. American country music, or what was originally called ‘hillbilly’ music, represented blue-collar, working-class Americans, and often incorporated aspects from minority groups. It was heavily influenced by native American tales, Celtic instruments and the ballads sung by the descendants of American slavery.
With the advent of the radio becoming a household appliance, country music was played across America during the 1920s and 1930s, bringing together communities and leading to the creation of barn dances. Bluegrass came from the Appalachian Mountains with more focus on its roots, with traditional songs being played on acoustic instruments, inspired by Irish ballads. Western songs became a staple of the large genre of country music in the 1930s and 1940s with the rise in popularity of cowboy films in Hollywood. Bob Wills, who was himself an actor and musician, was one of the pioneers of country and western music, as he brought the electric guitar into the fold.
As time progressed, subgenres faded and new genres emerged. Country music has had numerous explosions in popularity due to the different subgenres and their binding to others. The merging of rock and roll and country, creating the ‘rockabilly’ genre, introduced some of the most popular artists of the genre, with the likes of Johnny Cash and even Elvis Presley in his early career. Johnny Cash was a pioneer of the amalgamation of country music and the then extremely popular resurgence of folk music with his collaborations with Bob Dylan.
The rise of country to a global music genre emerged in the 1990s and at the dawn of the new millennium, with stadium country garnering a massive audience. ‘Bro Country’ was also a heavy influence and created a large rift between the musicians of old and new generations because of its major themes: drinking, partying, girls, and pick-up trucks. Whilst it may sound like a parody on country music, it is massively successful and was made popular by singers such as Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton, who I formerly thought represented American country music.
Many disputes emerged over what could be classified as country music, kicking off with Dolly Parton and eventually continuing to the extremely popular Taylor Swift, especially after her hit ‘We Are Never Getting Back Together’. This debate emerged again after Lil Nas X and his number 1 hit ‘Old Town Road’ which was a blend of country and rap. Although country rap is not always held in high regard by fans of both genres, it has struck a chord with many people. Upchurch is one of the genre’s most famous artists who pokes fun at the music whilst also sharing what he loves about it in many of his songs.
I asked Queen’s University Belfast student Ryan McManus his thoughts on country rap.
“I love it, my favourite artists must be Jelly Roll, Struggle Jennings (Waylon Jennings’s grandson), and Adam Calhoun. I like them the most. Those 4 would usually chart well for country rap too. Country has always appealed to me, whether it be Irish or American, they all tell similar stories, ones that are both very personal and can be relatable to many people.”
When I asked him what part of country rap appeals to him, he said,
“It is very relatable to me as I come from the country, they tell very similar stories within their lyrics to what I’d experience in my day-to-day life. Though I can understand why people who aren’t from the country like it, it creates a sense of freedom.”
19-year-old trainee personal trainer, Lee Smith also gave his opinion on the future of country music and why he enjoys it.
“I feel that it’s rich with emotion and it’s expressed more in this genre better than in others. In my opinion, it seems like it’s going to split into more unique and subjective genres because few people can vibe with it as a whole or connect with it emotionally.”
As of today, we are in the sixth generation, where many upcoming artists are moving away from the likes of stadium country and trying to bring back some of the sounds that first popularised the genre. Musicians like the duo Ocie Elliot or singer-songwriter Tyler Childers are prime examples of this shift away from mainstream country music, with a heavier focus put on individual experiences and appealing to the myths of the cowboys working on a ranch or an outlaw travelling the States in search of a new home.
Tyler Childers is best known for his roots in the Appalachian subgenre where he rose to stardom, and artists like him are often classified as the new wave of bluegrass or americana. The revival of bluegrass and americana also brought back western music, with the success of the video game series Red Dead Redemption and its sequel alongside the revival of western films such as Django Unchained and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.
This revival in western and old-style country music is what made me reconsider my generalisation of the genre and overall dislike to it when I was younger. I grew up with the likes of Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson and to hear similar music coming back makes me excited for the future of the genre.
Cover image courtesy of Unsplash
Kyle Smith is a Culture reporter for The Scoop and a second year Film student at Queen’s University Belfast.