My coworkers often play country radio and I do my best to live with it. After five hours, I was excited to hear Randy Travis’ “Forever and Ever Amen” come one the radio–until a coworker changed. I think she said it was too depressing. It finally dawned on me that virtually everyone I know that listens to modern (post-1988) country music doesn’t like the old stuff, and the fans of classic country complain about the modern artists. Does this match your experience, and if so how did this change take place?
Well, I match your theory: I like older country and western, and anything new has to be by someone ‘old’, i.e., I’ll listen to new work by established artists. My dividing line is pretty much when Garth Brooks became popular. Even 80’s country holds more sentimental value for me than musical value. Of course, country as a genre is not necessarily my first choice, but I’ve been getting into it more and more (focusing on older music).
Yeah, Garth and the other crossovers are where I would put the change, too.
I like both classic and modern about equally.
Yeah, most people I know who like modern country hate the classic.
Me? I like bits of both, though I lean more towards classic. I don’t listen to radio, so my new music comes to me while shopping, hanging out with friends or driving with my brother.
I can’t listen to new country because it’s too clean and the accents sound too put-on. It basically sounds like mediocre rock and roll with an exaggerated accent and maybe a pedal steel guitar thrown in. I find the lyrics to often be terrible, also, especially when they reference suburban life - we get that you’re trying to sound like the ‘common folk’ or whatever. Fuck off, just fuck off already.
I like certain alt-country singers like Neko Case and Lucinda Williams, and I like the Drive By Truckers even though that might be classified as Southern rock and not country. These people aren’t afraid to have a little bit of an edge to their music, much like Johnny Cash was back when he first did his thing.
When I listen to Johnny Cash, early Elvis, Hank Williams, Chet Atkins, etc, I hear soulful and expressive music. I don’t hear any of that in any country music of recent years.
One pretentious music snob’s opinion, anyway, for what it’s worth.
I HATE modern country. As much as I hate anything on earth. I put the divide at Kenny Rogers; Garth Brooks is just his evil offspring. Kenny Rogers brought Lionel Ritchie into country. Lionel Goddamn Ritchie.
I like a lot of country punk, underground country, neo retro stuff: Robbie Fulks, Toni Price, Jim White, Hank III, Neko Case. And a genre I call Hillbilly Goth: the Geraldine Fibbers, the Blacks, Johnny Dowd, et al.
There is some great music being made, that just happens to have a twang. Just because Garth and Co. suck is really no reason to give up on the genre.
I am a fan of the classics and I will add that throwing in a steel guitar and a violin does not make a country band. Garth Brooks and Shania Twain moved country into pop, but so did Marie Osmond. Maybe I am too old, or too country to appreciate the new acts, but they don’t sound at all like Willie, Waylon, or Hank. Gimme the songs that Hank Sr. inspired every time.
Sgt Schwartz