Jon Pardi Weighs In On Country Music’s Evolution: ‘I Don’t Know What Country Music Is Anymore’

Country music’s sonic landscape is shifting more than ever. In fact, the shift has been so significant that even artists like Jon Pardi are struggling to define what country music really is anymore.

In a new interview with Esquire, he opens up about his views on the genre’s expansion of sounds and how it has made him take a step back and figure out where he fits in. He called out names like HARDY, Beyoncé, Morgan Wallen, and Jelly Roll as some of the biggest game-changers.

“In all honesty, I don’t know what country music is anymore,” Pardi shared honestly. “We got HARDY heavy-metal country, we’ve got Beyoncé country, Morgan Wallen country, Jelly Roll. Everybody’s bringing in the stuff they grew up listening to, and it’s awesome. If it’s a good song and it’s moving the soul and it has some semblance of country, we’re stamping it country music.”

Joining The Movement

Pardi’s own road to success was led by a traditional-leaning sound that helped pave the way for other artists who tend to steer towards the more classic country stylings like Luke Combs and Midland. However, seeing as how the new era has risen in popularity and welcomed a whole new community of fans from other genres, he’s starting to realize that it’s not such a bad thing.

So instead of trying to fight the evolving state of country music, Pardi has joined the movement by exploring new avenues of creativity while building out his fifth studio album, Honkytonk Hollywood, dropping Friday, April 11.

“I was like, ‘Well, hell, let me do some stuff,’” he says. “Maybe it’s time when I can step out a little.”

Took The “rock ’n’ roll” Approach To Making His New Album

Pardi decided to completely change the way he approached this album, and he couldn’t have done it without Grammy-winning producer Jay Joyce. With Joyce’s influence, the California native was able to grow as an artist and create a new sound for himself.

“When I say, ‘rock ’n’ roll,’ I’m talking about how we made it,” says Pardi. “We didn’t tour, we didn’t move studios. We hunkered down. We drank whiskey after the sessions. It was like how you imagine the records on every poster on your wall.”

He will showcase this personal evolution across 17 tracks that includes previously releases like “She Drives Away,” “Love The Lights Out” and his current single “Friday Night Heartbreaker.” 

Even though he’s definitely leaning into a whole new side to his artistry throughout this project, Pardi admits he’s not worried about whether or not his fans will continue to follow along this journey with him.

“We’re poets, we’re writers—we make you hear what we’re feeling,” he says. “I loved being a ’90s throwback in 2015, because that’s what I loved. But you grow, you make more records. If we keep doing the same thing over and over, we’re not really artists.”

Fans will still get to sing their hearts out to Jon Pardi’s large catalog of party anthems and drinking songs, in addition to some of his new tracks, throughout his HONKYTONK HOLLYWOOD TOUR.

The trek launches on April 25 with stops in arenas and amphitheaters across the US through June. He will be joined by support acts Kassi Ashton and Corey Kent on select dates.