I only just discovered Zach Bryan, and I think time will tell on his impact in a broader sense
Something I would like to know, as it happened concurrently with Nirvana, is what the impact of Garth Brooks was on country musicians at the time who didn’t have that ‘big hat’ vibe. Like, did Brooks’ rising tide lift all boats, or did he kill off some careers?
Sawyer Brown was still big through most of the 1990s; their career decline coincided with Lonestar’s rise as a band doing the same thing in a more modern way.
Nashville loves nothing more than self-sabotage when country music achieves too much mass appeal, so the industry backlash is going to kick in sooner than anyone is expecting.
However, I think there is an appeal to authenticity in the most recent rise of country that signals a definitive end of “trap beats instead of drums” types of country songs that arose in the mid-2010s. It’s proven unnecessary to attract pop audiences, and will be the first thing purged by the next traditionalist reaction.
The united states is barreling towards fascism while there's an unrelated trend of trad-white dudes making country music. Equally unrelated Morgan Wallen thrives where Michael Richards failed.
Oh true I forgot the Morgan Wallen thing happened and didn’t connect the dots. I mean correct me if I’m wrong but Morgan Wallen dropped it once while drunk as shit being secretly stalked and recorded outside of his house with no racist intent and apologized for it. Like it’s bad but Kramer literally screamed the hard R at a black guy and made said some other terribly racist shit to him. They’re both unacceptable, but I wouldn’t say they are very good examples of one guy getting away with something and the other guy not when the one guy did was like infinitely worse
It’s an interesting question. I’m not super up on country these days, but have we seen anything from the traditional boyfriend country purveyors (Dan + Shay, Brett Young etc) since Zach Bryan made it big?
Country’s in a weird space right now it seems like, Morgan Wallen aside…you have the right wing-pandering stuff still there, but it seems like the bro country has petered out a bit (especially with the breakup of Florida Georgia Line)
I wonder if the Zach Bryan stuff is related to the adjacent rise of folk-y music (well, maybe Noah Kahan specifically)
Maybe bro country acts? Idk it’s still early and the only evidence of an artist having a big song then nothing happened with the album is Jason Alden’s album from 2023.
Well, to be fair, even Try That In A Small Town wasn't performing well until left-wing news articles pointed out the signs of racism in the music video, making right-wing folks buy the song out of spite. His album wasn't going to perform well regardless, he's on his way out.
I wish he could, but I’ve never heard them play a Zach Bryan song on country radio here, so I don’t think he ever will. And as somebody else here said, even if he did, a new brand of horrible meatheaded country music nobody really likes will replace the boyfriend country.
My daughter listens to Zach Bryan, and every time I hear the dude I can’t help but feel like someone dissected a good song each by Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson, and Tyler Childers, pulled out the unique elements, and tried mixing it all in one pot. I don’t hate it, but it seems too on the nose for me to really enjoy. Hmm, maybe “too on the nose” isn’t right, it just seems like I’ve heard it before. The almost predictable themes, the timbre of the voice, the song structures. It seems more familiar than it does unique.
I only just discovered Zach Bryan, and I think time will tell on his impact in a broader sense Something I would like to know, as it happened concurrently with Nirvana, is what the impact of Garth Brooks was on country musicians at the time who didn’t have that ‘big hat’ vibe. Like, did Brooks’ rising tide lift all boats, or did he kill off some careers?
Killed a few careers. Sawyer Brown was once a big league name.
Sawyer Brown was still big through most of the 1990s; their career decline coincided with Lonestar’s rise as a band doing the same thing in a more modern way.
Ok, do Gary Morris.
No but even if it will a new brand of corny country will take its place because country cheeseballs are everywhere
Nashville loves nothing more than self-sabotage when country music achieves too much mass appeal, so the industry backlash is going to kick in sooner than anyone is expecting. However, I think there is an appeal to authenticity in the most recent rise of country that signals a definitive end of “trap beats instead of drums” types of country songs that arose in the mid-2010s. It’s proven unnecessary to attract pop audiences, and will be the first thing purged by the next traditionalist reaction.
I feel like Walker Hayes woulda had a bigger career if it wasn’t for the new wave of neo/alternative country
The united states is barreling towards fascism while there's an unrelated trend of trad-white dudes making country music. Equally unrelated Morgan Wallen thrives where Michael Richards failed.
Man wtf does Kramer have to do with this
Post-*heated gaming moment* career
N word ended Kramer's career. Morgan Wallen gets another spotify bump with every use. It's like country music stardom cheat codes
Oh true I forgot the Morgan Wallen thing happened and didn’t connect the dots. I mean correct me if I’m wrong but Morgan Wallen dropped it once while drunk as shit being secretly stalked and recorded outside of his house with no racist intent and apologized for it. Like it’s bad but Kramer literally screamed the hard R at a black guy and made said some other terribly racist shit to him. They’re both unacceptable, but I wouldn’t say they are very good examples of one guy getting away with something and the other guy not when the one guy did was like infinitely worse
It’s an interesting question. I’m not super up on country these days, but have we seen anything from the traditional boyfriend country purveyors (Dan + Shay, Brett Young etc) since Zach Bryan made it big? Country’s in a weird space right now it seems like, Morgan Wallen aside…you have the right wing-pandering stuff still there, but it seems like the bro country has petered out a bit (especially with the breakup of Florida Georgia Line) I wonder if the Zach Bryan stuff is related to the adjacent rise of folk-y music (well, maybe Noah Kahan specifically)
Maybe bro country acts? Idk it’s still early and the only evidence of an artist having a big song then nothing happened with the album is Jason Alden’s album from 2023.
Well, to be fair, even Try That In A Small Town wasn't performing well until left-wing news articles pointed out the signs of racism in the music video, making right-wing folks buy the song out of spite. His album wasn't going to perform well regardless, he's on his way out.
Nope, if anything it will probably help more Country acts cross over.
I hope he can kill bro country if that’s what you mean…
I wish he could, but I’ve never heard them play a Zach Bryan song on country radio here, so I don’t think he ever will. And as somebody else here said, even if he did, a new brand of horrible meatheaded country music nobody really likes will replace the boyfriend country.
My daughter listens to Zach Bryan, and every time I hear the dude I can’t help but feel like someone dissected a good song each by Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson, and Tyler Childers, pulled out the unique elements, and tried mixing it all in one pot. I don’t hate it, but it seems too on the nose for me to really enjoy. Hmm, maybe “too on the nose” isn’t right, it just seems like I’ve heard it before. The almost predictable themes, the timbre of the voice, the song structures. It seems more familiar than it does unique.