Katelyn Benschoter-
Last week at Gustavus was Homecoming Week with the theme of “Giddy Up Gusties” and it got me thinking, is country cool again? As I began to ponder about the resurgence of country music and its style, I started to see country influence everywhere I turned. From Chappell Roan-inspired pink cowboy hats to Beyoncé’s newest album and even rap artists having hits on the country music charts, it seems country is back. I –funnily enough– am not known as a fan of country music, and it is not something I would by choice involve myself in. However, with the current trends, I may need to reconsider. My reasoning for why I am not a country music fan is that it is all so repetitive, and I simply do not find the themes relatable. When Post Malone, who is known for rap music, starts dropping songs in collaboration with artists like Morgan Wallen, perhaps the definition of the country genre and what it represents is changing.
When one thinks of mainstream music, one may think of the typical pop hits with artists such as Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, and/or Olivia Rodrigo. Pop music does stand for popular after all. But in recent history, the charts are filled with songs like “Fast Car” by Luke Combs, “Austin” by Dasha, and even songs such as “Stick Season” by Noah Kahn that have country-folk influence. Not only are new country songs filling the charts, but many mainstream artists have been covering country songs such as Boygenius covering “You’re Still The One” by Shania Twain. Simply put, country music has become mainstream again. One of the biggest examples of this was the release of “Cowboy Carter” by Beyoncé. Beyonce is one of the biggest and most influential recording artists in recent history. When Beyoncé does something, it is recognized. The kick-off to her endeavor in country music started in February of 2024 with the release of her song “Texas Hold ‘Em.” This is a fun, upbeat song that is perfect to line dance to, as it has a steady beat. The song immediately after its release became popular, as Beyoncé’s songs always do. Following this song, she announced an entire country-filled album titled Cowboy Carter. The vibe of this album is very over-the-top and campy. I think part of the reason people have been enjoying the resurgence of country music is because of how fun and different it can feel. I would never wear a cowboy hat in a serious manner, but at a themed event with dancing, I will be the first to admit that it is bound to be a good time.
Beyoncé is not the only artist to explore a new genre of country music. While Beyoncé stepping into country music is new, there has always been some overlap between country and pop. But within the past years, there has become a new subgenre of Rap and Country combined. Post Malone, a rap artist known for songs such as “Circles” and “Sunflower” released an entire country album titled F-1 Trillion this past August. Malone collaborated with many popular country music legends which has helped gain traffic to his new music. These artists include Blake Shelton, Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs, Tim McGraw, and even Dolly Parton. When I first heard “I Had Some Help” by Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen on the radio this summer, that was when I knew that country was back. In my head, Rap and Country are two genres on opposite ends of the spectrum, so now that they have combined the possibilities seem endless. Not to mention the wave of country fashion that has become popular again. From white cowboy boots, denim everything, and pink sparkly cowboy hats; it’s all back. But why has country come back in such a powerful way in 2024?
Oftentimes, when people think of country music, there are many ideological concepts and a certain type of people that come along with the genre. These typically consist of white people, right-winged ideas, and small towns – to put it simply. At the end of the day, these are all stereotypes and no type of music is confined to a singular type of person. Music is for all. But as more and more artists have started breaking that mold, everyone has started to join in. While there was nothing stopping rap artists or people of different opinions from creating country music, it can be difficult to break out of societal norms. Not to say norms have not been broken in the past with artists such as Darius Rucker and The Chicks, but that was many years ago now. It seems once the trend began, it has now become widespread. Country music can be a very comforting genre to be a part of, as it has many deep values. Not to mention that people find comfort in music they can relate to. Media representation is very important. Therefore, in past years when the genre was dominated by hyper-masculine “bro-country,” the audience for that was very small. It simply does not appeal to most music listeners. We have now seen more women like Kacey Musgraves or Meghan Moreny join in and top the charts in this genre. There are even artists that do not look like the stereotypical country artist, such as Jelly Roll or even Lil Nas X.
Country music has been around for quite some time, and it is certainly back. I said it, country is back. But it looks and sounds very different than it has before. Country is changing for the better, in my opinion. Music is for everyone, so why not dip your toe into a new genre? To those who say songs like “Texas Hold ‘Em” are not a country song, why does it matter? Listen to what you enjoy. While I may have said that I hate country music from time to time, that is all in the past now. It is such a fun genre, and I am looking forward to seeing it continue to grow and flourish.