In July, “Twisters” hit theaters and many people became obsessed with the movie and Glen Powell, who plays Tyler Owens. Considering the movie’s soundtrack is filled with country music, many people fell in love with the music. Luke Combs’ hit “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma” made its way onto TikTok and many people who claim to hate country music were jamming out to the song. Has country music’s presence and popularity always been here, or have different trends increased the listener count for these songs?
Taking a look back, the streaming of country music has been increasing since 2018 according to Luminate. Since this growth has continued over recent years, “Twisters” and other trending media involving country music might not be the only reason behind country music’s popularity.
According to Newsweek, Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy of Country Music, said that country music is a relatable genre and “the traditional genre lines are as blurry as ever.” Essentially, the popularity of the genre could be directly related to new choices made by the artists themselves. When artists leave traditional country music behind, they create more diverse and interesting music that can span generations and connect with many different listeners.
Country is also becoming more modern, which could be driving younger listeners to country music that wouldn’t have listened to it otherwise. Country artists like Keith Urban tend to remain within the narrow bounds of more traditional country music. Opposingly, many artists are merging country with pop to expand the genre and make their sound more unique. This phenomenon has been apparent since the 1950s but has only gotten more popular with time and emerging country pop artists.
Morgan Wallen and Luke Combs seem to be increasingly popular with Gen Z. Variety explains that 50% of Morgan Wallen’s listeners are from Generation Z. Additionally, the top two of the Billboard Hot 100 are country songs. Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” is at number one and Post Malone and Morgan Wallen hold the number two spot with their song, “I Had Some Help.”
Post Malone has only recently decided to shift his artistry towards country music, and other popular artists are also using country in their recent work. Artists like Beyonce are making country albums or incorporating genre stereotypes into their songs, like Sabrina Carpenter’s “Slim Pickins.” Both Beyonce’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” and Carpenter’s song have been trending on social media.
Considering the increasing traction country music is gaining, it is safe to say that country is back. However, there’s a good chance it never truly left. Many country artists, like Dan + Shay and Miranda Lambert, have been releasing music for many years and are continuing to do so. Lambert’s new song was featured in “Twisters” and Dan + Shay became coaches on The Voice, highlighting the importance country music has on the entire music industry.
Despite the stereotype that country songs tend to only revolve around white male ideas, especially songs regarding trucks and women, country music has recently changed the game. Artists are changing their names and country music is bridging the racial gap that has been apparent in the country genre for many years. Lady A, formerly Lady Antebellum, and The Chicks, recognized as The Dixie Chicks, both changed their names along with many other artists to move away from racial bias and move towards inclusivity in the country genre.
All in all, with these efforts and new artists working their way into country music, the genre is back and better than ever. Country music has not left yet and will continue to morph and bridge divides while also entertaining listeners. This genre is not leaving anytime soon, and might become even more popular as songs continue to be released.
