Country music isn’t for everyone, but maybe it can be

I’ve always been hesitant to say I like country music. It’s an unexpected character trait for someone like me who was born and raised in San Francisco, but I grew up listening to artists like Johnny Cash, Brooks & Dunn, and Garth Brooks. Admittedly, I’ve attended about a dozen country concerts, despite the slightly judgmental comments from my country-averse friends. So, when Beyoncé and Post Malone came out with country albums this past year, it surprised me when these albums suddenly peaked my friends’ interests in country music. 

Perhaps I wouldn’t listen to country music if I hadn’t been listening to it my whole life because I can’t always relate to common motifs in country music. After all, although I enjoy singing about dirt roads in the car, I will say that I usually stick to city streets. I also don’t always agree with the political views of some country singers, and often need to separate the music from the singer. Even though I’ve loved country music my whole life, I must admit that I haven’t always felt completely safe when attending country concerts.  

This new era in country music’s popularity made me think about the importance of representation in music. Although country music has evolved over time, as highlighted by this blog post from February 2023, I’ve never seen a country artist who looks like me. In 2021, a study found that only 4% of the commercial country music industry identify as BIPOC. Beyoncé’s new country album, Cowboy Carter, reminded me of how exciting it can be to hear country music that wasn’t made by a straight, white man.

Modern country music, or what some might consider “pop country,” has made country music accessible, or more digestible, for people who historically despised country music. Pop country has also opened the door for more people to be represented through country music. As someone who appreciates both classic and pop country music, I am happy that more people are embracing and feel included by this new take on country music. For example, a 2024 article by Ebony Wiggins from The Tennessean highlighted how Beyoncé’s album had an emotional impact on her, stating: 

She’s made people like me, a Black woman, come full circle by including me in something I once felt excluded from. She’s not only opened the door, but she completely knocked it down for Black people to enter unabashed.

Wiggins recounts how Beyoncé’s album “turned [her], a non-country music supporter, into not only a fan of country music, but a fan of Beyoncé’s form of country music.” 

Unfortunately, Beyoncé’s album has not been without its critics. Candice Norwood noted in her article entitled, “With ‘Cowboy Carter,’ Black country music fans are front row and center, at last,” that an online commenter stated, “[Beyoncé] is on a mission to take country music away from us, hardworking white people!” Norwood recounted: 

This moment in music history, while high profile, is not surprising—particularly for Black fans who have been navigating this dynamic for years. Though country music is an art form developed from the sounds of Black musicians, the commercial country music industry was explicitly created to court rural, White listeners in the 1920s. 

Norwood’s article also highlights the struggle that Black country artists have experienced due to criticisms that their music does not “represent ‘authentic’ country music” because they “mix country elements with blues, soul, or hip-hop.” 

The changing demographics of country music and its fans were also highlighted in an article by Alexander Gelfand of the Berklee School of Music, who wrote: 

Much of the current demand is coming from Millennial and Gen Z listeners; and there are signs that the country music industry, which has historically sidelined women, people of color, and the LGBTQ+ community, is becoming more inclusive. 

Gelfland noted Beyoncé’s becoming the first Black female artist to top Billboard’s country album chart as well as Nigerian American artist Shaboozey making history by topping the country, pop, and rhythmic radio charts. Country artists like Luke Combs have also used country music to make a statement about the racial divides in the United States by covering Tracy Chapman’s song, “Fast Car.” 

The rise in inclusivity within the country music genre may represent a shift in how we think about country music. By holding space for artists who have unfortunately been kept out of the country music spotlight, the country music community has the opportunity to expand and diversify its audience. And, perhaps if we all listen to the same music, maybe that will make it easier to have difficult conversations with one another when it comes to politics. On a different note, I am definitely excited to have more friends who would be willing to attend country concerts with me.