So I was listening to a country song tonight

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by gfsark

For what’s it’s worth, I have one of my radio station buttons set on a country music station...to see if I can bond with the sound. And my conclusion after several years of trying to like it, is that modern country seems like total drivel to me. A bit harsh, but I really like some of the older country music. Now Sturgill Simpson is fantastic. But I never hear this type of music on the radio.

So what’s going with modern country, at least what’s played on the local station? My 2 cents: The sound is totally over-produced. Maybe its the Nashville sound, but every darn song is so professional, harmonies ever perfect (electronic harmonization of course), the baritone so resonant, the session players so accomplished, the compression so intense, the melody line so lacking in melody and the lyrics so canned, trite, cliched and void of creativity that I fail to see the attraction.

I also listen to a couple of hip-hop stations. Now I am never, ever going to perform hip-hop, but once in a while, I am turned on by really great lyrics. OK, almost no melody, lots of rhythm but at least sometimes the hip-hoppers have something to say.

This post should be moved to a different sub-forum...

Yes, and don't forget the totally unpredictable key change hook. I dislike this stuff; like you say it's over-produced and formulaic. I guess as long as there's a big hat, references to a dog or 'mah baby', with a truck for the garnish, that's all we need.
Funny you should mention hip-hop. A young (22), friend was visiting today and she played me some really interesting stuff that I would usually have arrogantly dismissed as unworthy of my 'sophisticated' taste.

[LHawes]

Originally Posted by AndrewG

Yes, and don't forget the totally unpredictable key change hook. ...like you say it's over-produced and formulaic. I guess as long as there's a big hat, references to a dog or 'mah baby', with a truck for the garnish, that's all we need.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY8SwIvxj8o

[rwmct]

I hope a few people expand on the OP and skip the stuff about what is good or not.

I don't have the musical knowledge to break down the songs. One approach, I suppose, would be to take the same song and break down country and non-country versions of it. Take "Move it on Over" recorded by Hank Sr. in 1947, and then covered in the 70s by George Thorogood.

Hank Sr:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t681jFKHOs8

Lonesome George:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlV3zeWnWZY

[Steadfastly]

Originally Posted by RussL30

Good Country (not the current pop radio garbage) is my favorite type of music right now, and it’s about telling a story and being relatable.

When guys like Merle, Waylon, Hank Sr. and Hank Jr. etc are singing about their life stories I relate to that and feel something real there. When Chris Ledoux is singing about his experiences of life on a ranch in the West or his rodeo career that’s something real. Loretta Lynn singing about life growing up as the daughter of a coal miner in rural Kentucky, that’s real.

When Luke Bryan is singing about “knock goes the diesel”, “blue jeans painted on tight”, or Sam Hunt is doing that awful creepy talk thing with every other word being “girl”, that stuff is fake and contrived and marketed to sell to teenage and 20 something girls. They’re doing a good job of making money off of that, so more power to them, but it’s not country and while the studio musicians are really talented, it’s not meaningful music.

There are good newer country artists out there, they just aren’t on the radio. If you like George Strait and Randy Travis type of late 80’s or early 90’s country, a talented young guy I’ve been listening to a lot lately is Randall King.

Here is another new one that you may like. He does a lot of covers and does them well but this is one he wrote.

[rokdog49]

I liked it.

[SongwriterFan]

A couple of songs from friends of mine about the current state of country music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DC8uAxlRi80




Kevin Fowler released the song (it's his video), but Zane Williams wrote it. He's the guy in the white "wife-beater" in the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ltfLFwPUDw




And here's a great one from Zane that started as one of his "Ten Random Word" songs . . . he would have fans send him words on Facebook and he'd take the first 10 he got and and write a song using them:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqdbULQ-c6Q



That was the official release of the song, in which he changed some of the 10 random words to make the song more appropriate for his CD. He played this live at the Opry (and I was lucky enough to get to be there to see it).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTDtBSv4If4

[frankmcr]

[QUOTE=rwmct;5981740]<>One approach, I suppose, would be to take the same song and break down country and non-country versions of it. <>/QUOTE]

"Misty"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM1Fqi7JiQQ

"Misty"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d5Qpmwq4bE

[takamineGD93]

I grew up in sweden and country was practically non-existing. But a few songs crossed över, Joleen, stand by your man and for some reason harper valley pta was played a lot on the radio when i grew up.
I always thought country was more epic and more grown up lyrics.

When I say practicly nonexisting it's a to big subject to cover here. (some country slipped true in other shapes. "This old house" with swedish lyrics is one of the most popular song ever). People liked Elvis, stones and eagles and was exposed more than they knew.

[Rmz76]

Originally Posted by TBman

We were at my neighbors' daughter's wedding and a country song got played by the DJ. So I listened. I wondered while I listened, "What puts the 'country' in a country song."...

The reality of what puts the country in country music
In this post iTunes, Spotify streaming world where tangible music and digital sales have both dropped through the floor there's been a consolidation of genres... Southern Rock and a lot of Pop, lately even R&B has fused into the modern country sound... Chart topping pop Songwriters have moved to Nashville, session players, producers. At a NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International) meeting, I once heard a guest lecturer who was from an established Publisher in Nashville talk about how artist from around the country are coming to Nashville and paying voice style coaches to put "twang in their voices". We are at a point where that slight hint of twang in the singers voice is the biggest thing that defines a song as country. Well, that and of course the signature sound it will have coming from the small circle of Producers, Session Players, Songwriters and Mastering Engineers. Collectively that relatively small group play their part in the product that defines modern country music. As time goes on they slowly get swapped out and the sound evolves as a result.

Fiddle? Steel Guitar? Maybe sampled,but not required! Nashville Songwriters are even using acoustic guitars less and less these days. They are following the Hip Hop process. They often are not writing with acoustic guitar in hand, they are writing with a Native Instruments Maschine rhythm programmer in hand. It's all about the unique beats and melodies, that Hip Hop like lyrical burst in phrasing. Song structures change over time, this is a natural progression. It's just what it is. But if it's not your thing it all sounds the same.

What I think puts the country in country music.
In the giant sea of mainstream country acts occasionally a "throwback artist" comes into the mix like Chris Stapleton. Chris Stapleton paid his dues, alongside Sturgill Simpson and others, the difference with Stapleton is that he had a long list of cuts from mainstream artist spanning a decade or more prior to the industry deciding they might could make some money and market him as recording artist. He really is a great Singer-Songwriter. His songs do chart and get radio play and he cleans up at award ceremonies. The type of country music he creates represents real country music to me.

But they aren't going to let too many Chris Stapleton's into the mainstream mix because an artist who writes all their own material ends up with more royalties and ultimately has more power because they don't need the label, Publisher, etc to keep bringing the songs (the one's written by a half dozen songwriters) to get the wheels turning. They are a bit dangerous to the larger system. I believe he's mostly there to fill an archetype, to reach outside the normal modern country music demographic and try to get people like me to tune in. It seems to be working for them.

If you want to hear great country music today, listen to artist like Jason Isbell and Sturgil Simpson. As usual there's a long list of great Texas country artist like Hayes Carll, Ryan Bingham, Ryan Beaver, Josh Grider to name a few. All making great music, all artist Nashville doesn't know what to do with so they have either tried and failed with them or haven't touched at all.

[rokdog49]

Rmz76 did a great job of dissecting the formulaic approach in country music being used and why it happened. A similar scenario has manifested itself in modern Christian Praise and Worship music. Everybody is in Nashville and while the use of conventional instruments is still commonplace, the songs have become cookie cutter copies of each other. Certain gratuitous elements are required in every song and production. It has become even less spontaneous and real than country music. In fact, most of it, sad to say is downright putrid.
Back to country...
I'm not sure whether Nashville intentionally allows a few performers to succeed for a self-serving purpose. It isn't that far-fetched. On the other hand, artists like Chris Stapleton may have enough power to do want they want and succeed without Nashville. Sometimes, it's better to bite the bullet and let these folks on the bus. It is all about the money.

[Murphy Slaw]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

I'm not sure whether Nashville intentionally allows a few performers to succeed for a self-serving purpose. It isn't that far-fetched. On the other hand, artists like Chris Stapleton may have enough power to do want they want and succeed without Nashville. Sometimes, it's better to bite the bullet and let these folks on the bus. It is all about the money.

They run the top 40 machine. They run the top 40 Radio machine.

Willie and Waylon and "the boys" took it from them once and they didn't like it.

Internet radio is changing some of that, as does YouTube and streaming.

It's fun watching the powerful lose power.

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by Rmz76

The reality of what puts the country in country music
In this post iTunes, Spotify streaming world where tangible music and digital sales have both dropped through the floor there's been a consolidation of genres... Southern Rock and a lot of Pop, lately even R&B has fused into the modern country sound... Chart topping pop Songwriters have moved to Nashville, session players, producers. At a NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International) meeting, I once heard a guest lecturer who was from an established Publisher in Nashville talk about how artist from around the country are coming to Nashville and paying voice style coaches to put "twang in their voices". We are at a point where that slight hint of twang in the singers voice is the biggest thing that defines a song as country. Well, that and of course the signature sound it will have coming from the small circle of Producers, Session Players, Songwriters and Mastering Engineers. Collectively that relatively small group play their part in the product that defines modern country music. As time goes on they slowly get swapped out and the sound evolves as a result.

Fiddle? Steel Guitar? Maybe sampled,but not required! Nashville Songwriters are even using acoustic guitars less and less these days. They are following the Hip Hop process. They often are not writing with acoustic guitar in hand, they are writing with a Native Instruments Maschine rhythm programmer in hand. It's all about the unique beats and melodies, that Hip Hop like lyrical burst in phrasing. Song structures change over time, this is a natural progression. It's just what it is. But if it's not your thing it all sounds the same.

What I think puts the country in country music.
In the giant sea of mainstream country acts occasionally a "throwback artist" comes into the mix like Chris Simpleton. Chris Stapleton paid his dues, alongside Sturgill Simpson and others, the difference with Stapleton is that he had a long list of cuts from mainstream artist spanning a decade or more prior to the industry deciding they might could make some money and market him as recording artist. He really is a great Singer-Songwriter. His songs do chart and get radio play and he cleans up at award ceremonies. The type of country music he creates represents real country music to me.

But they aren't going to let too many Chris Stapleton's into the mainstream mix because an artist who writes all their own material ends up with more royalties and ultimately has more power because they don't need the label, Publisher, etc to keep bringing the songs (the one's written by a half dozen songwriters) to get the wheels turning. They are a bit dangerous to the larger system. I believe he's mostly there to fill an archetype, to reach outside the normal modern country music demographic and try to get people like me to tune in. It seems to be working for them.

If you want to hear great country music today, listen to artist like Jason Isbell and Sturgil Simpson. As usual there's a long list of great Texas country artist like Hayes Carll, Ryan Bingham, Ryan Beaver, Josh Grider to name a few. All making great music, all artist Nashville doesn't know what to do with so they have either tried and failed with them or haven't touched at all.

'Chris Simpleton'? Are you sure?

[Matt McGriff]

Tyler Childers is another of the great country artists of today.

https://youtu.be/oOIJecsnaWg

[KitKat1]

Hijacking the thread I guess, but since Mo Pitney has been brought up maybe its forgivable to cross genres for a second... there's just nothing like good ol' bluegrass for those who crave the old sounds and who love to participate. Jams like this are enjoyed everywhere, although the singing isn't usually this good, and the banjo picker, wow. Ok, apologies for tumbling into a Mo Pitney rabbit hole and wanting to share!
https://youtu.be/Sz7_cYpgshM

[Rmz76]

Originally Posted by AndrewG

'Chris Simpleton'? Are you sure?

That's a bad typo on my part... Not intended.