[rokdog49]

The elephant in the room is that “country” has absorbed elements of multiple genres to include hip hop, pop, rock, electronica, folk and even R & B.
Since it is an almagamation of many elements, it has become a diluted genre’ that has very little to do with its true origins in a lot of cases.
I recognize that cross-overs have always existed, but the disproportionate share of “country” today is a mass-appealing blend of mush that covers many bases.
That is definitely intentional and would explain the rise in popularity.