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Post by Quint on Feb 23, 2023 14:16:26 GMT -6
As a fan of old country (1980s and before, but a little bit of early 90s, and mostly just 70s and prior), I get that there have been some pandering songs here and there, throughout the history of country music, but country music (not as an absolute, but as far as a broadly consumed musical style goes) used to have some great songs that didn't attempt to win you over by appealing to tribal instincts, or by pandering to the lowest common denominator, or by just plain being dumb. Now that's all it seems to be, at least as far as "popular" country music goes. Country songs used to win you over because they had a great story or were compelling in some other way.
There are of course exceptions. Sturgill Simpson, Colter Wall, Charley Crockett, Tyler Childers, etc., but then these guys aren't what I would consider to be a part of "popular" country music anyway, unless the CMAs throw an occasional bone their way to add an air of legitimacy to an awards show that is otherwise just a popularity contest.
Anyway, is there anything good coming out of mainstream country music these days? The two songs posted in this thread are pretty awful. Maybe I'm just blind to it, but I'm all ears if there is. I wouldn't know though. I quit listening to "popular" country music a long time ago.
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Post by enlav on Feb 23, 2023 14:28:15 GMT -6
This always works for me. Here you go: This is actually perfect. I was doing some jazz trios and it wasn't really hitting. Visceral. |
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Post by Quint on Feb 23, 2023 14:40:40 GMT -6
This always works for me. Here you go: This is actually perfect. I was doing some jazz trios and it wasn't really hitting. Visceral. I fucking love Pissed Jeans. On a related note, I went and watched the Jesus Lizard play here in Austin a few years ago. David Yow walked out on stage and said, "We're Jerry Jeff Walker. Suck a dick." before launching into their first song. That statement feels appropriate for this thread. |
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Post by EmRR on Feb 23, 2023 14:42:47 GMT -6
Sonically similar to crushing a beer can.
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Post by Quint on Feb 23, 2023 14:58:06 GMT -6
Sonically similar to crushing a beer can. Funny you mention that. Towards the end of the Jesus Lizard show, a lot of the crowd started throwing empty beer cans (and some full) at the band. Not as a sign of displeasure or protest, but as an act of love. It's a whole thing with that band... |
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Post by EmRR on Feb 23, 2023 15:13:15 GMT -6
Sonically similar to crushing a beer can. Funny you mention that. Towards the end of the Jesus Lizard show, a lot of the crowd started throwing empty beer cans (and some full) at the band. Not as a sign of displeasure or protest, but as an act of love. It's a whole thing with that band... Rockabilly shows too |
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Post by mcirish on Feb 23, 2023 15:13:36 GMT -6
Well, the song may suck, but even with 7 albums out, I have not got that many plays on Youtube. That tells us a lot about the buying public... or at least streaming public.
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Post by Quint on Feb 23, 2023 16:04:44 GMT -6
Funny you mention that. Towards the end of the Jesus Lizard show, a lot of the crowd started throwing empty beer cans (and some full) at the band. Not as a sign of displeasure or protest, but as an act of love. It's a whole thing with that band... Rockabilly shows too Yeah, I've seen a rockabilly show or two where that happened too. |
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Post by lpedrum on Feb 23, 2023 16:52:09 GMT -6
I have a friend that's written a bunch of hits for Nashville artists. He calls these "list" songs--just ramble off a bunch of trigger words that you hope your audience will connect with.
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Post by Ward on Feb 23, 2023 16:59:17 GMT -6
Well, the song may suck, but even with 7 albums out, I have not got that many plays on Youtube. That tells us a lot about the buying public... or at least streaming public. Upon last check, McDonald's 'burgers' are outselling quality steaks 100,000 to 1 Quantity isn't quality |
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Post by Johnkenn on Feb 23, 2023 17:04:34 GMT -6
Nu Country. 65k views in 5 days. Even if the comments are all negative, she’s doing better than me. Edit: 40 million plays ($140k) for one of her songs and 400k monthly listeners. She’s doing WAY better than me and most of us here. Even if the song sucks.  Is it all about money? How about dignity? |
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Post by Johnkenn on Feb 23, 2023 17:07:12 GMT -6
And it’s not viral because some people like it. It’s literally the laughingstock of the world at the moment. $140k doesn’t lay very long.
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Post by yotonic on Feb 23, 2023 17:18:48 GMT -6
This is the impact of the internet. It has put "segmentation" on steroids. People who only want to hear about CB radios can "tune-in" to only discourse about CB radios. The same forces are at work with politics and other areas of interest like music. If you identify with an influencer who is a cute southern girl who loves God, trucks, and beer you can tune into that person and that segment of folks and find more than just the music of interest. My guess is that there's a bunch of her peers who like her fashion style and other "interests" as much as her music. It's the mass tribalization of society. Potentially good and clearly potentially bad. She reminds me of a female Kid Rock.
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Post by ragan on Feb 23, 2023 17:29:17 GMT -6
Worth re-emphasizing that this is more of a can’t-look-away-from-someone-embarrassing-themselves thing than anything else, I think.
Even for the most shallow, bro-country aesthetic, this is not a top tier artist, performance, production, video, etc. It’s getting a bunch of plays because it’s so cringe-y and people (like us) are sending it to each other going “holy shit, this is awful…you gotta see this”.
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Post by Quint on Feb 23, 2023 20:52:04 GMT -6
Worth re-emphasizing that this is more of a can’t-look-away-from-someone-embarrassing-themselves thing than anything else, I think. Even for the most shallow, bro-country aesthetic, this is not a top tier artist, performance, production, video, etc. It’s getting a bunch of plays because it’s so cringe-y and people (like us) are sending it to each other going “holy shit, this is awful…you gotta see this”. Is it? I honestly have no idea. That's how dumb that popular modern country music has gotten. I mean, it's not Lisa Gail Allred, "Three Second Rule" kinda bad, so one could be forgiven for thinking this was getting real traction, given the state of popular modern country music. |
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Post by Johnkenn on Feb 23, 2023 21:09:01 GMT -6
Worth re-emphasizing that this is more of a can’t-look-away-from-someone-embarrassing-themselves thing than anything else, I think. Even for the most shallow, bro-country aesthetic, this is not a top tier artist, performance, production, video, etc. It’s getting a bunch of plays because it’s so cringe-y and people (like us) are sending it to each other going “holy shit, this is awful…you gotta see this”. Is it? I honestly have no idea. That's how dumb that popular modern country music has gotten. I mean, it's not Lisa Gail Allred, "Three Second Rule" kinda bad, so one could be forgiven for thinking this was getting real traction, given the state of popular modern country music. Country is better than it has been for a long while. This isn’t really representative of how it sounds right now. |
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Post by gwlee7 on Feb 23, 2023 21:28:58 GMT -6
“Country” has become as ambiguous of a term as “Rock” or “Pop” and that makes it hard for me to understand what people are talking about until they list examples of who they are talking about.
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Post by chessparov on Feb 23, 2023 21:33:00 GMT -6
My pick was "Springtime For Hitler". For "worst Country Song".  Chris |
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Post by Quint on Feb 23, 2023 21:33:59 GMT -6
Is it? I honestly have no idea. That's how dumb that popular modern country music has gotten. I mean, it's not Lisa Gail Allred, "Three Second Rule" kinda bad, so one could be forgiven for thinking this was getting real traction, given the state of popular modern country music. Country is better than it has been for a long while. This isn’t really representative of how it sounds right now. Got examples? Genuinely curious. |
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Post by Quint on Feb 23, 2023 21:35:22 GMT -6
My pick was "Springtime For Hitler". For "worst Country Song". Chris Springtime For Hitler > Bro Country Actually, Hitler > Bro Country |
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Post by Johnkenn on Feb 23, 2023 21:37:08 GMT -6
My pick was "Springtime For Hitler". For "worst Country Song". Chris Springtime For Hitler > Bro Country Actually, Hitler > Bro Country I laffed And please don’t insult hitler with that comparison. |
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Post by Johnkenn on Feb 23, 2023 21:42:24 GMT -6
Well, any Stapleton…check out “Cold”…guess that’s not really country though. But freaking awesome.
The new Lainey Wilson record is pretty badass. I like a lot of Hardy’s stuff. Zach Bryan is big right now.
Regardless of whether you “like” the song, the songwriting “craft” has returned from inane crap - like - there’s stuff I hear and think, “shit. Wish I had thought of that.” And the production is really good…Cobb and Jay Joyce are doing fantastic work.
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Post by Quint on Feb 23, 2023 21:44:19 GMT -6
Well, any Stapleton…check out “Cold”…guess that’s not really country though. But freaking awesome. The new Lainey Wilson record is pretty badass. I like a lot of Hardy’s stuff. Zach Bryan is big right now. Regardless of whether you “like” the song, the songwriting “craft” has returned from inane crap - like - there’s stuff I hear and think, “shit. Wish I had thought of that.” And the production is really good…Cobb and Jay Joyce are doing fantastic work. Ok. I'll check those out. I do like Stapleton, though I agree that maybe that's not technically country, but so what. Ever get into Charley Crockett? I really like that guy. Colter Wall too. I'm sure that Tyler Childers and Sturgill are already on your radar, so no need mentioning them. |
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Post by Johnkenn on Feb 23, 2023 21:45:36 GMT -6
Well, any Stapleton…check out “Cold”…guess that’s not really country though. But freaking awesome. The new Lainey Wilson record is pretty badass. I like a lot of Hardy’s stuff. Zach Bryan is big right now. Regardless of whether you “like” the song, the songwriting “craft” has returned from inane crap - like - there’s stuff I hear and think, “shit. Wish I had thought of that.” And the production is really good…Cobb and Jay Joyce are doing fantastic work. Ok. I'll check that out. I do like Stapleton, though I agree that maybe that's not technically country, but so what. Ever get into Charley Crockett? I really like that guy. Colter Wall too. Yeah Colter is cool…Actually, I’d say 95% of what Chris does is country, that particular song just blows me away but it’s more R&B |
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Post by Johnkenn on Feb 23, 2023 21:48:11 GMT -6
Country is better than it has been for a long while. This isn’t really representative of how it sounds right now. Got examples? Genuinely curious. Want to hear one of my latest aimed at getting a country radio cut? |
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