Does Country Music Need More Country Music?
Some country music fans express their longing for classic sounds and artists in today’s evolving country music landscape.
George Strait; Photo by Jill Trunnell, Alan Jackson; Photo Courtesy CMA, Cody Johnson; Photo by Andrew Wendowski, Lainey Wilson; Photo by Rich Polk/NBC
Today, we are discussing a simple question: Does country music need more country music?
On Saturday, we asked the Country Now Facebook community what the genre needs more of and the consensus was clear: many country music fans are hoping to see the return of more traditional sounds in country music.
Fans Think Country Music Needs More Country Music
Fans Want To Hear More Steel Guitar
While many people simply commented that country music needs more “country music,” others left more specific answers pointing to the desire to hear more steel guitars in new country releases. While the steel guitar is present in an array of country songs, it’s become less common to hear songs with steel guitar being played on country radio in recent years, so it’s understandable why fans may yearn for its resurgence.
Other commenters said they hope to hear more artists who embody the classic country sound like Alan Jackson, George Strait, Patsy Cline, and Patty Loveless, and less “pop country” with snap tracks, which seems to dominate the country radio airwaves as of late.
Discovering New Traditional Country Artists
If you’re among the majority of people who said they wished to hear more traditional country music sounds in country music, have you ever considered that this kind of music is still being produced and that you’re just not looking in the right places to find it?
In the current country music landscape, there are more artists than ever and music is being released at a pace unlike anything we’ve ever seen. With single releases happening every few weeks, to double albums becoming commonplace, there is more music to consume than ever. Because of this, it may be difficult to discover new artists and songs simply because there’s more music to consume than ever. And with streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music at your fingertips, you can’t rely on the radio as the only platform where you discover new artists.
After reading through the comments on our Facebook post, I thought it would be important to point out that there are still artists making country music that sounds reminiscent of what many people consider to be “classic country music” or “traditional country music.” Some are being played on country radio, like Cody Johnson, Ashley McBryde, Dillon Carmichael, Lainey Wilson, Jon Pardi, Carly Pearce, and Justin Moore, but there are plenty of other artists who continue to create music with traditional country sounds that may not currently receive airplay on country radio.
Which Artists Are Carrying The Traditional Country Music Torch?
If you’re seeking out artists who embody traditional country music, check out singers like Randall King, Ian Munsick, Kaitlyn Butts, Cody Jinks, Tyler Childers, Brent Cobb, Jenna Paulette, and Drew Parker (just to name a few). Newcomer Zach Top has emerged as a trailblazer for traditional country music, shaking up the industry with the release of his debut single, “Sounds Like The Radio,” earlier this year.
This Has Been An On-Going Discussion In Country Music
The longing for the return of the classic country sound is nothing new. In fact, this idea is the premise of the song “Murder on Music Row” which was written by Larry Cordle and Larry Shell and later covered by Alan Jackson and George Strait.
Traditionalists have voiced the desire for the genre to return to its roots for years, but the ever-evolving sound of country music continues to change year after year, which opens the genre up to new artists carving out their own paths. As a result, country music is bigger than it’s ever been, you just have to take the time to seek out the kind of country music you want to hear.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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