<p>I think sometimes it is the presentation of country music - the twang of the singer’s voice, the slide guitar or banjo - it’s just not appealing to everyone. Particularly when that supposedly down-home sound of country music is in reality slickly produced and packaged and marketed (Shania Twain, Faith Hill, whatever else they’re playing on the radio these days). </p>
<p>Just like some people hate the conventions of hip-hop music, or classical music, or metal, some people hate the conventions of country.</p>
<p>I’ve grown up listening to country music (no, I’m not originally from TN, so don’t let my location fool you). It’s not my favorite genre, but I do listen to it and enjoy it. :)</p>
<p>Moral qualms aside, Hip hop is a thousand times more muscially sophisticated than country. Hip hop attracts some of the greatest session players and best, most innovative producers in the world. The fact that hip hop is offensive to some proves that there is something culturally relevant about it. It also has international appeal and the respect of most musicologists as the natural progression of black music.</p>
<p>I agree, hip hop is much more quality than any rock or country I have heard. The lyrics are not repetitive. I will admit, some of it is garbage. Dem Franchize Boyz have good beats, but their lyrics are terrible. Listen to Jay-Z, Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, or Dead Prez for some quality music. Much hip hop is also very political, which is also why I like it.</p>
<p>Country music isn’t supposed to be complex. It’s more about singing about universal feelings and themes, some of which are “off-limits” in other genres of music. That’s not to say though that some country artists aren’t gifted musically. There are a lot of artists out there who get less radio play but can play the **** out of their instruments.</p>
<p>Edit: Some of you have said that country music is part of an America that is dying. You obviously have never lived in the South. I live in Austin, considered probably the most liberal city in Texas and it’s surrounding area, and I’d say that at least 50% of my high school class likes country music.</p>
<p>While I was growing up, my parents pretty much listened to nothing but country music. Now, they have expanded to listening to country music on the radio in the car, and listening to obscure bluegrass at home, going to bluegrass festivals, etc. At least the radio country music is somewhat catchy, but the bluegrass sends me hunting for ear plugs. </p>
<p>I liked it when I was little pretty much because that’s what I’d grown up listening to and everything else sounded foreign, but when I got old enough to actually start getting into music I switched to rock. I think it really only appeals to people with a certain lifestyle, and also people that are a bit older…most songs in other genres are written about things that younger people can relate to, but not so much with country songs.</p>
<p>Country music is very misunderstood by mainstream audiences. It is a very wide genre. On one hand there are mainstream country artists (not really sure you could call them artists) who appeal to the redneck, flag-waver, nascar types. On the other hand there are many indie alternative country/Americana artists that are wonderful. They tend to borrow from folk, blues, and even beatles and byrds influenced pop. It tends to be more organic and earthy. It appeals to a very sophistocated audience and the lyrics tend to be highly literate and topical (unlike mainstream/traditional country, it tends to be much more liberal). Under the alt. country/Americana umbrella are artists such as ryan adams, patty griffin, Wilco, Nickel Creek, Gillian Welch, the jayhawks, Emmylou Harris (who pioneered country-rock), Bob Dylan (nashville skyline era), Lucinda Williams, etc. Most of these artists are based out of places like austin, portland, L.A., New York, Seattle,etc. Nashville refuses to embrace this genre.</p>
<p>I don’t understand people’s dislike of country music, but then again I’m sure most of my peers don’t understand why I can’t stand hip hop music, it’s all about personal preference. I like country music because it tells a story, I find the lyrics so much more powerful than other genres to the point where I listen to more mainstream (at least mainstream NY z100-esque music) I find it lacking. </p>
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They may not be traditional country but they’re bringing a lot of attention to the genre and I think making country as a whole more “cool”. <em>huge Carrie fan rant =P</em> The Nashville scene isn’t stupid enough to not embrace these kind of popular acts. </p>
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That’s why I’m so excited by the possibility of going to school there next year! Get out of this silly NY where I know a handful of country fans.</p>
i don’t think that’s the issue…for one, i think there are genres that address “universal” themes much more completely than country. especially indie music, which deals with an entire slew of universal themes…just one example off the top of my head is Arcade Fire…on Funeral, they addressed childhood, maturity, lost loves, etc. and at that, on the whole, i think other genres are much more emotional than country. country can have really sad songs and really sad stories, yes, but it doesn’t compare to the emotional range that indie/alternative and even classical have.</p>
<p>i think country’s actually the opposite of universal. in order to be “universal” you sort of have to have a metaphysical outlook to song writing. that’s not to say you have to be a philosopher, or even all that smart–just that you have to view the world more holistically. but country is “simpler” in that respect in that it doesn’t feel like it has that larger context. a lot of country songs seek to tell a story, whether you relate to it or not…well, that’s up to you, but if it doesn’t it still did it’s job if it told just ONE story. </p>
<p>all that said, i don’t dislike all forms of country…just mostly modern country. but i like my Johnny Cash, Woody Guthrie, and Hank Williams. THAT’s ace country.</p>
<p>It doesn’t have all that much to do with what’s considered “hip,” as someone said early in the thread. I like a lot of music that isn’t popular at my school, but I don’t like most country. I’m glad to listen to an artist if they are legitimately a good musician, have decent lyrics, etc. The problem is that while there are certainly some of them in country, its a genre that you can get into without being very talented and that doesn’t hold too much interest for most talented musicians. When I’m looking for good new music I don’t usually look at country, because your chances of finding anything worthwhile are lower than with a lot of other genres.</p>
<p>Bigotry against the south, southern culture and rural culture is fairly acceptable in mainstream society. That explains a some of bias against country music. Other than that, it’s just not a genre that suburbanites are exposed to much (at least in a lot of areas). I’m not a fan of country music (except for Johnny Cash, I guess), but some of my friends are.</p>
<p>I hate rap and hip-hop. Everything I’ve heard is just people speaking to a beat, and it’s usually all about drugs or whores or whatever. It’s stupid.</p>
<p>And another thing I like about country music is that a lot of it tells a story. Like one of the songs I’ve found I really like is The Last Ten Years, because of the lyrics, as well as the music.</p>
<p>I don’t hate it, I just don’t care for it. And Country has gotten really dumb these years too, “What happens in Mexico” and all of the sexing up.</p>
<p>Rap and Hip hop is not music, Its talking to a computer made noise. maybe karaoke or something like that. Im no even going to consider a few thuggs talking fast, to be music.</p>
<p>Clountry at least they sing and play instuments. = music.</p>
<p>Ok, not to disappoint you about the state of Tennessee and Nashville…but as a Nashville-born native (and now a Vanderbilt student)…I’m here to tell you that a very large percentage of Nashvillians DO NOT like country. If you were to go to one of the many country bars downtown on the weekend, the majority of patrons are at least 35 years old. The youth of Nashville, for the most part, do not like country…personally, for me, probably because I’m surrounded by it 24/7 and expected to like it simply because I’m from “Music City.” The interesting thing about this interest difference due to age is what the future of country is…the youth of today will be the adult community not too long in the future.</p>
<p>I don’t mean any offense, but come on. Songs don’t have to be “metaphysical” to have universal appeal. I also think you’re also being very vague with the whole “holistic” statement. I don’t think you’ve properly been exposed to the wealth of country music out there. I don’t think any other genre has artists who sing about supporting our troops and putting a boot in Osama’s ass and artists that condemn our country’s militant action. I find it hard to picture some pop radio tune or rock tune or rap tune that discusses the importance of family or watching your children grow up. Additionally, just because a song tells a story doesn’t mean it’s simplistic and only ■■■■■■■■ rednecks will listen to it. By your argument, almost every piece of great literature ever written is simplistic because it just tells a story. In fact, now that I think of it, most songs tell stories too. Furthermore, even mainstream country that gets radio play adresses what I assume you would call philosophical questions. Today I turned on CMT and listened to a great Brad Paisley song where he discusses what happens after death. So yeah, there are country songs that discuss metaphysical topics.</p>
<p>It’s true. I don’t have to relate to something in order to appreciate it. Although modern country writing is largely ignorant, macho, tactless, etc, the origins of country (traditional appalachian folk) portrayed the common man (and common experiences) with a sense of dignity and self-respect. It is sad that modern country artists are adopting (not writing. no artist on the radio writes their own songs) anthems such as “redneck woman.” There’s no dignity in that!</p>
<p>“The interesting thing about this interest difference due to age is what the future of country is…the youth of today will be the adult community not too long in the future.”</p>
<p>And their musical taste will change with age. When my dad was college age, he liked the Rolling Stones, CCR, Led Zeppelin, went to loud concerts and whatnot. Guess where he spent the last two nights? Those country bars in downtown Nashville. Pop/rock/hip hop music is inherently geared towards the younger generation. The appeal of it lessens as you grow older and start to settle down.</p>