What the hell happened to country music?

I am utterly appalled. Disgusted.

Country music has, for me, been a bane to my ear since I can remember. I am not talking about old school country, the stuff which dealt with real issues, heavy stuff, involved talent and poetic genius, and was not involved in a constant effort to remove its own brain cells via application of whiskey and beer.

No, I am talking of modern country. From the Boot Scootin Boogie, to Time To Take My Drunk Ass Home, the format and content have not changed one iota. The only thing that differs is how familiar any of the participants in making this "music", actually are with hard work, and hard living. It drives me absolutely mad. The repetitive, twee, thoughtless riff structure, the un-imaginative lyrics...

Now, normally speaking, this would not be a problem for me, because I simply would not listen to it. But my best friends man has a taste for the modern country style, mostly because he believes that songs which glorify the ideal of getting blind ass drunk, have a value of their own, and frankly because he really does not give a flying toss about quality.

As a result, whenever I go to see my besty, I am beset by this audiological abortion. Now, her man is actually a top notch chap, and so I do not make an issue out of it, but it's been a very long time since I last sat with my best friend, and listened to some good, hard, sharp, nasty metal. A very, very long time. It may even be the case, that the last time I was sat some place with my best friend, listening to metal, was at the last festival we went to.

This is not right, and let's face it. Modern country cannot compete with hardcore metal. It has no passion or individuality what so ever. The guitar work on one of these modern, frat boy country tracks, is no better, worse, or in any way different to another. It is all, mindless drudgery.

What happened to the style of Cash, that deep, meaningful, and poetic soul? Who makes that nowadays?

a reply to: TrueBrit

Modern country music sounds like the rock music of the 70; and 80's to me. Dunno whether its the music or me?

a reply to: Azureblue

Ok... Compare Time To Take My Drunk Ass Home, with any of the works of Led Zeppelin, or Deep Purple, or Rainbow for that matter.

You will note that the bands I mention, all write much more individual music and indeed lyrics, than modern country artists do. Also, the music of seventies rock bands, and eighties rock bands, tends toward the technically impressive and awesome, as opposed to modern country which seems, as a genre, interested in nothing more than the total removal of all individuality and talent, from the process of both performance, and creation of the music in question.

a reply to: TrueBrit

As a big fan of 90's and earlier country I completely agree with you.

Country music nowadays sounds like some bizarre mixture of pop and rap. I absolutely loath it.

Thank God I still have my metal and punk.

a reply to: TorqueyThePig

That's another thing I cannot understand about modern country, you hit it right on the head.

Its as if they took the worst, most twee, cutesy, diabetes inducing riff structure, all the lamest and least noble elements of country lyrics, and put them all in a food blender with the works of Snoop Dogg, Lion, who ever he is this month. It's all booze and asses, and no brains what so ever?

Kegger? Yes! Music referencing anything of intellectual value what so ever? Nope. Where's the country with backbone, gravitas, and a hobby list which includes more than getting repeatedly shot with the silver bullet?

There are still a few keepers of the sacred flame. Hank Williams III being a notable example.

I have my house, car, girl and dog, so there is absolutely no way I am starting to listen to country again

a reply to: skunkape23

Just listened to a little, and THAT is what I expect when someone wants to put some damn country on.

All that we get round at my buddies place however, is the sort of music which can only entertain a person who happens to be in the middle of causing a bout of alcoholic amnesia. Perhaps I need to expand my buddies horizons a bit. I mean, I generally accept only metal as a decent backdrop to a booze up, but if we MUST listen to country, at least good country would be a better idea, surely?

I AM an Ol Country Boy. But I havent listened to as many country songs that you can count on your fingers in 30 years. And no way does the "New Country Music" even remotely resemble the rock bands of old. Country Music is now down and out and on the way out the barroom door.

What happened to the style of Cash, that deep, meaningful, and poetic soul?

Please dont leave Charlie Pride off that statement.

They took the "twang" sound out of country music.

The new Country music is basically Pop music..Real country music is David Allan Coe,Johnny paycheck,Cash,Merle haggard,Charlie Daniels,etc..

I karaoke to Patsy Kline almost every night; but I hate country music-it all sounds the same. The voices, inflection, sound and content are just auto-tuned blandness.

a reply to: greydaze

Perhaps that's it then.

It's not country music itself, just the noise drowning the signal.

Hank has his thoughts on the subject.

I agree. I call it pop country, or just pop sometimes. I can't stand it. Especially when the just repeat the hook to death throughout the whole song because well the hook is 95 percent of the lyrics.

There are a few good ones out there. Eric Church is very good.

Country artists, if they can be called that anymore, have forgotten their roots.

Bluegrass, mixed with a little blues. Stirred with passion.

Little of what is laughingly called country is truly country. Nashville has sold its soul to record labels, and forgotten the likes of Johnny Cash, Grandpa Jones, Roy Clark, Buck Owens, the Mandrell Sisters (before they went mainstream), and a host of others that I grew up listening to right alongside of LedZeppelin, Kiss, old Van Halen, and all those other rock groups, and solo artists.

Billy Ray Cyrus became rich and famous instead of just being punched repeatedly every day of his life. That says everything you could ever need to know about modern (well, 20 years and younger) country music.

Country music has been out watered, all the beats have been played, all the songs been sung, what is left is the experimental that we hear today...

If you ask me, modern country is the new pop music. The very same "country" that is cranked out now, is the MTV pop music that was out during the mid to late 90's. No individuality, no violin, no banjo, piano, etc. Literally, if you take the words "kiss, love, beer, and truck", and replace them with a few choice urban " thug" words, modern country would sound like every other rap song out there.

I don't know what happened, but it seems to be happening across the board with music. I grew up on country, but now listen to rock and bits of metal, because that is the only thing that has soul. And I'm not even talking about new music, it even seems like that is getting watered down as well.

a reply to: TrueBrit

Crystal meth, i imagine, kills somewhat more brain cells than Moonshine and Whiskey making the process of producing quality tunes somewhat more of an ordeal. Then we have the fact that Dolly Parton is getting a bit long in the tooth. The good old boys just cannot seem to cut the mustard these days.

To be fair country music has always been an acquired taste especially so for today's generation x.