What Happened To Country Music?

Well, I made this blog for many reasons. My main goal is to help promote real country music made by genuine country artists. Nashville got so off the beaten path that Country music's future doesn't look too bright. Right now I'm listening to the "Today's Country" station on Pandora radio to help fuel my anger with modern country music. (I told myself I would change it when I finish writing this and Florida Georgia Line just came on, so I'm gonna hurry.) Well I will begin with the fact that Blake Shelton stirred up controversy earlier this year by saying "Nobody wants to listen to their grandpa’s music. And I don’t care how many of these old farts around Nashville going, “My God, that ain’t country!” Well that’s because you don’t buy records anymore, jackass. The kids do, and they don’t want to buy the music you were buying." What he said was true for the stereotypes:  older people like older music, kids like modern music, but they aren't always true. I know of some older people who like mainstream radio. Then there are kids and teenagers who like "their grandpa's music." I'm one of them.

 It used to be cool to meet people at school who listened to country music no matter what kind because it was so rare. These days it seems like most people love country music. No wait I mean most people love "country" music. Most "country" fans these days don't know the difference. If I went up to any of these country fans at my school and asked them what their favorite Roy Acuff song was, well let's face it, they'd look at me funny. I was in my school's bathroom stall on the verge of tears when I found out on Twitter that George Jones died. I walked out to a world where girls have conversations about what they are wearing to the Luke Bryan concert in a couple of weeks. They  talk about how cute their new high heeled cowgirl boots they bought from Target will look with their tied up plaid and short shorts. (They have to look extra country because they were seeing a huge country superstar who sings super awesome country songs!) Then their boyfriends are gonna pick them up ( in their pickup trucks of course) and bring them to the concert. People like them had no idea. They had no clue that the music they claim to love just lost one of the greatest voices it had ever seen. I mean why would they care, it's just some old guy, right? Are those the "kids" you want to sell your music to Blake, really? I'm glad everyone worries about kids like them instead of kids like me.

 I guess I always just thought Country was different. I thought you had to respect those that came before you because they paved the way for today's generation. Today who cares about that, it's all about money and fame. They just ripped the roots right out of the ground. No one is lonesome, no one has regrets, no one has heartbreaks, because sad country music? That's crazy! It's all partying and drinking and having a good time out in the field behind your Grandpa's house with a couple of your buds and some hot girls in cutoff jeans sitting on the tailgate of your truck drinking some store bought moonshine in the moonlight, duh. I guess I'm an old fart for saying this but "that ain't country!" There are many people out there who are trying to preserve the greatness that country used to be. Even though it has to evolve with the times, I guess, I think this "evolution" has gone way to far. I guess right now country music is just a dying plant that got ripped out of the ground. It's so shriveled up it's hard to tell what kind of plant it is anymore, but you know what? I think there is still hope somewhere for country music. Its future relies on Underground Country, Texas/Red Dirt, Americana, Bluegrass, and all these little sub-genres of country music. Today the artists in those sub-genres make real Country music. Country music that is way "too country" for mainstream Pop-Country music. I don't think it's fair that any teenage kid making Pop music could add a faint banjo sound in the background and boom it's good country music. I also don't think it's fair that any old Rock or Pop star who wants to be relevant again can just "go country." If they are infusing Rap, R&B beats, and Pop and Rock elements, they should give real country a chance too. I mean Texas has it's own music and it's a lot more country, and people still like it! I think if they gave the lesser known artists a chance the public could start to actually enjoy real country again. I just think everyone deserves a fair shot. Of course that couldn't happen until a change is made. People are gonna get bored of the cliche "countryism" songs eventually. If enough attention is given to the roots artists then who's to say they can't be the next big "thing" in country music. I'm a teenager and I love their music. If other young people get on board it would make us "old farts" proud to call ourselves country fans again. I think these roots artists can take the seeds from the old plant and replant them and start again. They could make it grow again, and grow into something amazing. Who knows maybe some sort of modern day outlaw-esque movement could happen today like it did in the 70's. If there are enough people out there who put the music above everything else, it could be possible. In the meantime I'm gonna do my best to help promote real country music, because I do believe there is hope left and that's why I made this blog.