Everyone’s Gone Country

Mainstream music is embracing cowboy boots, twangy guitars, and southern storytelling. In the last few years, a fascinating trend has emerged in the music industry: some of the biggest names in pop, R&B, rap, and rock are turning to country music. From Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” and Post Malone’s covers and collaborations, to Machine Gun Kelly’s rendition of “Sun to Me” by Zach Bryan and Lana Del Rey’s upcoming album, it's clear that country music is having its moment in the mainstream spotlight. But why are all these artists, many of whom primarily stayed in their respective genres their entire careers, suddenly making this switch? And what does this say about the evolving relationship between country music and the broader music industry?

Texas Hold ‘Em: Beyoncé via Dazed Digital Mag

To understand why country music is becoming a go-to genre for mainstream artists, it’s essential to delve into its history and its relationship with popular music. Country music has its roots in the Southern United States and initially drew from rock and roll and blues influences. Throughout the decades, country music has undergone several transformations, blending with other genres like rock, pop, and blues. The "Nashville Sound" of the 1950s and 1960s saw country music incorporating elements of pop, leading to crossover hits that appealed to a wider audience. This era paved the way for future collaborations and genre-blending experiments. The 1990s and 2000s brought another wave of country-pop crossovers, with artists like Shania Twain and Faith Hill achieving massive success on both country and pop charts. This period demonstrated that country music could thrive in the mainstream without losing its identity and laid the groundwork for today’s genre-fluid music landscape. The 2010s introduced the country-rap crossover known as “hick-hop”, with memorable songs like “Cruise” by Florida Georgia Line. This decade also saw the rise of male country artists such as Thomas Rhett, Luke Bryan, and Sam Hunt, while female artists like Carrie Underwood and Darius Rucker made their marks. Despite this, the modern image of country music has been saturated with white men in flannels, snapbacks, and Bud Light.
There’s no denying that country music has an audience, but what that audience looks like is changing, thanks to these major artists. Texas native Beyoncé, for example, has always had a strong connection to country music. Her track “Daddy Lessons” from “Lemonade” had us begging for more, and she delivered with “Cowboy Carter”. We were blessed with collaborations from Miley Cyrus, Willie Nelson, and Post Malone and two gorgeous historical covers of “Blackbird” and “Jolene”. Beyoncé faced major criticism and pushback by this genre shift and even had country stations refusing to play the album because how could Beyoncé be country? The black influence and origins of country music have often been minimized or erased, and while there are smaller artists like Kane Brown, Brittney Spencer, and Zola, who have been reshaping the narrative for years, Beyoncé’s international stardom shed an even bigger spotlight on black voices in the country music-verse.
While most listeners could write it off as music for redneck America, great musicians know how much depth there is to the genre. Country music is renowned for its great storytelling, and as the attention to great lyricism continues to grow in the music industry, it makes sense that today’s biggest artists are grabbing the chance to delve into the genre with a deep connection to authenticity and vulnerability. Country music, at its core, is about conveying genuine emotion and telling stories that resonate with everyday life. This authenticity has a timeless appeal, allowing artists to connect with their audiences on a profoundly personal level. Lana Del Rey, with her strong connection to the American aesthetic, is set to release a country album, “Lasso”, which promises a hauntingly beautiful blend of her vocals with a husky country twist. Meanwhile, Sabrina Carpenter’s new album “Short and Sweet”, is set to debut in the coming weeks, and while “Please Please Please” had echoes of country twang, the videos of her unreleased song “Slim Pickins” gave us major Dolly vibes, and hopefully even more southern influence on the rest of the album! As more artists continue to explore country music, the genre is likely to keep evolving, blending with other styles and reaching new audiences. This trend reflects a broader shift in the music industry, where genre boundaries are increasingly porous, and artists are free to experiment and redefine their sound. For fans of country music, this trend is a testament to the genre's enduring appeal and its ability to adapt to changing musical tastes. For the artists, it offers a new way to connect with listeners and tell stories that resonate across genres. As country music continues to influence and be influenced by mainstream music, it will undoubtedly remain a vital part of the musical landscape for years to come.