Have people always hated modern country music so badly?

[Shuksan]

Originally Posted by Mandobart

Garth Brooks and others came along in the '90's with a rock and roll approach to CW that was hugely popular and successful. This is actually when the "hate" toward new CW began. Our current pop country is "hated on" more than previous incarnations of the genre because it appears to be so completely contrived by the last surviving record label marketing people. You'll note some of the other new CW artists (Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, Chris Stapleton, etc.) aren't recipients of the "hate" because they are seen as more authentic.

I remember distinctly when Garth Brooks showed up and that coincides exactly with when I started to really dislike "country" music. Instead of listening to that stuff, I went down the alt country path and never looked back.

I had a dental implant put in a few years ago and the dental surgeon liked to listen to contemporary country on the office sound system on Thursdays. I was unfortunate enough to have an appointment on a Thursday. That sound track was the most painful part of the procedure.

[ahorsewithnonam]

I like the new stuff much better than that old twangy stuff.

[Davis Webb]

I make money half the year playing country music. So I can say a couple things about what my audiences like.

Modern country is a mix of 70s rock and country songwriting. It features astounding lead guitar work, a strong bottom end and clever turns of the phrase. It is marketed mostly to women driving on their way to work going through the dial looking for something to take the edge off the day. So its not so beer and pretzel any more, it has more width, more diversity. At times it is overproduced, think Shania Twain in the 90s. At times it is more lyrical, think Faith Hill in the 2000's. At times it is more harmonically rich, think SheDaisy in 2003 or so. Note the trend...more female artists, more rock influenced, more female friendly.

I do Merle Haggard but then swap to Luke Bryant. I get my best responses to Luke Bryant and Kenney Chesney. Why? Because they are dance-able. They have a strong groove. Older country was the father, this is the son. Or it was the momma, and new country is its daughter.

Old country was redneck, nasty, mean at times. Willie Nelson, Kris K., Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings started the Outlaw country movement in response to the beer drinking, hippy hating spirit of their concerts. In fact, one story has Willie N. stopping a concert and demanding the rednecks leave the hippies alone or he would stop playing. That moment was probably the birth of outlaw country.

Remember, when Willie and Waylon came along, country was Porter Wagoner and the Nashville sound, with big sweeping string sections and syrupy lyrics.

Then came George Jones, a name we all try to live up to...but....

Then there was the homophobic, hater country. The guys who killed Easy Rider. Shelly Wright was a successful country singer, Canadian, with a huge US following in the 80s, alongside people like Hal Ketchum and Marty Robbins and Hank Williams Jr. She came out as gay.

Within a week all US radio stations dropped her from the playlists, and she got death threats for months. Her career tanked because she came out as gay. That is mean redneck stuff, real hater country.

Now we have Luke Bryant .... huge star with a line from one song..

"I believe you love who you love, nothing you should be ashamed of,
I believe this world ain't half as bad as it looks,
I believe most people are good".

So there you have it. Country has changed, for the better. Its not a get drunk and fight anthem anymore, its George Jones with his bass player "Spike" hitting a solid 4/4 with a hot drummer. And some soaring fiddle solos and some Brent Mason licks on the tasty Tele.

And let's not forget Jonny Hiland.....perhaps one of the best guitarists in the world, a country chicken picker with a Stetson.

[Daniel Grenier]

Is it ok to say I dislike ALL country music- old or new?

[RussL30]

I figured people were more accepting back then because old country was authentic, relatable and told stories. New radio pop country like Luke Bryant and Florida Georgia Line is hollow, empty and seems fake.

“Knock Knock goes the diesel” “Winner winner catfish dinner”. What kind of lyrics are those?

Lyrics from guys like Verne Gosdin and Waylon Jennings have meaning. Fortunately newer guys like Simpson, Childers, Jinks and Stapleton are following in that mode and Stapletons success is proof people truly crave meaningful music. I believe if Nashville put more of those guys on the radio it would actually sell.

[semi75]

Originally Posted by Daniel Grenier

Is it ok to say I dislike ALL country music- old or new?

Sure why not. I was really into country music in high school in the late 80s to early 90s but couldn't stand to listen to country music on the radio for the last ten years or so. I like the Steve Earle comment that country music radio is akin to hiphop. He added a bit more I will leave out but generally I find it lacking.

I drifted towards "Americana" and loved the bluegrass and rock combination of the Avett Brothers and Trampled by Turtles along with Jason Isbell and many others. Along that path I was watching NPR Tiny desk on youtube earlier this summer and saw Tyler Childers for the first time and was blown away. Though he is definitely not mainstream radio in it's current state, there is hope!

[FLRon]

I’m almost 64 years old and was raised in a home where country music was played all the time. Because of that I developed an ear for what we called country music. Eddy Arnold, Bill Anderson, Hank Williams, Hank Snow, Patsy Clime, and a lot more I cannot remember now. To a large extent I guess I still prefer that sound, because I haven’t listened to country music for a long,long time.

[DenverSteve]

It's pretty simple. Hater's are going to find something to hate. If one dislikes something, then they should avoid it, not hate on it. There are some types of music I prefer not to listen to - so I don't. However, I find no reason to hate it.

[RussL30]

Also I wonder if the popularity of country through its history is different in different locations. I’m sure the South, Appalachia, rural West etc has always liked it more than people in larger urban areas.

[Muddslide]

Originally Posted by DenverSteve

It's pretty simple. Hater's are going to find something to hate. If one dislikes something, then they should avoid it, not hate on it. There are some types of music I prefer not to listen to - so I don't. However, I find no reason to hate it.

Absolutely agree, but to me, while music has nearly always been a commodity used to sell product, there is an awful lot of music these days that seems like 98% product, 2% actual music/creativity to my ears.

So I just don't listen. I try not to ever feel hatred in my heart or mind.

[Wadcutter]

Originally Posted by ahorsewithnonam

I like the new stuff much better than that old twangy stuff.

You better smile when you say that mister. 😂

[ross68200]

One of the video's of Kris Kirstofferson has a women in the back ground yelling that's not country music!
He kindly replied that if it sounds country, man, that's what it is: it's a country song!
I always liked his music.

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by Davis Webb

I make money half the year playing country music. So I can say a couple things about what my audiences like.

Modern country is a mix of 70s rock and country songwriting. It features astounding lead guitar work, a strong bottom end and clever turns of the phrase. It is marketed mostly to women driving on their way to work going through the dial looking for something to take the edge off the day. So its not so beer and pretzel any more, it has more width, more diversity. At times it is overproduced, think Shania Twain in the 90s. At times it is more lyrical, think Faith Hill in the 2000's. At times it is more harmonically rich, think SheDaisy in 2003 or so. Note the trend...more female artists, more rock influenced, more female friendly.

I do Merle Haggard but then swap to Luke Bryant. I get my best responses to Luke Bryant and Kenney Chesney. Why? Because they are dance-able. They have a strong groove. Older country was the father, this is the son. Or it was the momma, and new country is its daughter.

Old country was redneck, nasty, mean at times. Willie Nelson, Kris K., Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings started the Outlaw country movement in response to the beer drinking, hippy hating spirit of their concerts. In fact, one story has Willie N. stopping a concert and demanding the rednecks leave the hippies alone or he would stop playing. That moment was probably the birth of outlaw country.

Remember, when Willie and Waylon came along, country was Porter Wagoner and the Nashville sound, with big sweeping string sections and syrupy lyrics.

Then came George Jones, a name we all try to live up to...but....

Then there was the homophobic, hater country. The guys who killed Easy Rider. Shelly Wright was a successful country singer, Canadian, with a huge US following in the 80s, alongside people like Hal Ketchum and Marty Robbins and Hank Williams Jr. She came out as gay.

Within a week all US radio stations dropped her from the playlists, and she got death threats for months. Her career tanked because she came out as gay. That is mean redneck stuff, real hater country.

Now we have Luke Bryant .... huge star with a line from one song..

"I believe you love who you love, nothing you should be ashamed of,
I believe this world ain't half as bad as it looks,
I believe most people are good".

So there you have it. Country has changed, for the better. Its not a get drunk and fight anthem anymore, its George Jones with his bass player "Spike" hitting a solid 4/4 with a hot drummer. And some soaring fiddle solos and some Brent Mason licks on the tasty Tele.

And let's not forget Jonny Hiland.....perhaps one of the best guitarists in the world, a country chicken picker with a Stetson.

Davis, thank you for this very informative comment, and a few names for me to further investigate. BTW is that Luke Bryan (t?)

[Desmosedici]

Being an old blues rat, I do not even know what "modern country" is or sounds like. Any examples? I guess it is not bluegrass. There is a long list of outstanding bluegrass guitarists, which I admire even though I have no idea how their music works. It simply does not fit my rhythmic and melodic ideas. On the acoustic blues side there are Keb Mo and more lately Eric Bibb, and when it comes to carrying on tradition Tom Feldman and Rory Block, to just name a few of those who I consider the new generation.

[Nymuso]

I was always aware of country music, but didn't pay a lot of attention to it until I became the bass player for a country band in the 90s. Even then there were people who were lamenting that it wasn't like it had been in the "old days."