In defense of country music
Abby Johnson ’17 explains her love of country music.
During the 21st century, it has been recognized that country music tends to be focused around the stereotypes of mostly men in the south. Therefore, it must be true that country music’s only listeners must be folks in the country because, who else would listen to songs where every fifth word is the repetition of truck. In the “Week Magazine”, even country music artist, Collin Raye said, “There appears to be not even the slightest attempt to “say” anything other than to repeat the tired, overused mantra of redneck party boy in his truck…his greatest possible achievement in life is to continue to be physically and emotionally attached to the aforementioned truck.” Although, there are rather multiple songs are about trucks, it does not mean that everyone cannot like country music.
In fact, about 80 percent of my iTunes music library is country music, and the rest of it is split between my main boy Justin Bieber and hopefully one-day best friend, Taylor Swift. Country music is all about the truth, it’s mostly clean, and does not use any ridiculous slang that in the next week teenagers will be integrating into their everyday vocabulary. Contrary to popular opinion, there are many songs about friendships, family members, national pride, fighting cancer and coming back to the girl of your dreams that are in the genre of country music.
For me, country songs are sweet, make me feel hopeful about love and grateful for the life I have. Molly Luther ’17, former disliker of country music said “As I was forced to listen to it by friends (one of them being me!) and family, I heard people talk so much about why they liked it, I realized that it makes me feel so American! There’s something about the words and the tune that are patriotic and exciting to me now. I’m not an avid listener like some but I do have favorite songs on playlists.”
Country music can definitely be enjoyed by all as it does encompass a wide range of topic and hosts a rather uncomplicated and catchy tunes. If you listen to the right songs, I guarantee you will love it.
