Country Music (lyrics, great song, heavy metal, genre)

[Oildog]

Like all genres there are differing opinions on what real country/pop/hip hop etc music is. Anyhow I was in a discussion with some friends about Rascal Flatts being country music. Are they country, or are they pop country, or even a boy band version of country.

My preference in country is stuff like Waylon and Willie for reference.

[averagejoe76]

Theres a big debate over whats "real country" and what isnt...
When i ask specifically how to define "real country"noone can tell me.
Rascal Flatt's is pretty pop sounding most of the time.

[FlaGrrrl]

Yeah.. I don't listen to much country but my family is all into it.. some of my cousins dig Rascal Flatts and have been to concerts, etc. Lol.. I can't relate but they seem like a poppy version of country to me.. if I were to go for any music from this genre I think it would have to be of the 'outlaw' variety :-) Gimme some Hank Williams Jr. or Willie or Johnny Cash.. ok.. I like Patsy Cline, too.. yeah and I like kd lang.. she was once considered country.. hmm.. Bonnie Raitt is good.. lol.. maybe I'm not one to talk....

[Secret Samadhi]

I can't be of any help here. I've never had any opinions as to what makes any genre "real". I do have to say that I never really thought of anything as pop country before lol. You could be right, though.

[desertsun41]

There was some chatter about trying to kick Rascal Flatts out of the country music circles a couple years ago. Because they are not country at all. I never heard of pop country but the proper modern term is "Todays Country" and now what we know or knew as country is now called Classic Country. Sorta like Rock is is now known as Classic Rock while all that other trash they call music like hippity hoppity and wrap have the kids interest. Poor kids.

I never developed a liking for Rascal Flatts despite their and other country music is always around me. They just never thrilled me but I cant say any bad thing about them. No doubt about it they are good but it's just not my thing.

Since real music is no longer played anymore, some of the old Rockers have turned to country because of it's popularity. There are many Country music haters out there who have changed and now love it. Me included. But I will never turn my back on the greatest music this universe has ever known. Too bad todays kids will never know what in hell Im talking about. Poor kids. And double shame on their parents for not exposing them to it.

[cuebald]

I would divide country music into two distinct slots.

First is the old-time, bluegrass (pre speed demon), folk, and honky tonk stuff played on acoustic instruments that predates Phil Spector's Wall Of Sound concept. Call it "Classic" for lack of a better term.

Everything else is L.A. country with electric guitars and a back beat instead of a fiddle and a doghouse bass. This is distinctly modern and the songs are normally formulaic.

There are exceptions to both sides, but this is loosely the way I see it splitting.

Who has other ideas about how to classify it?

[jdavid93225]

Originally Posted by cuebald

Who has other ideas about how to classify it?

I am just guessing, but I have a philosophy about why some music is called country, when many folks would disagree (as in the case of Rascal Flatts).

I believe that the record companies have certain genres of music they market. These include Hard Rock, Rock, Hip-hop, Rap, Heavy Metal, Classical, and so on. Anything they can't categorize into one of those pre-defined genres, gets labeled as country. How else can you explain Rascal Flatts, Hank Williams III, Shania Twain, Kid Rock, Chris LeDoux, George Strait, George Jones, The Kentucky Headhunters, Alison Krauss, and Dwight Yoakam (to name only a few examples) all being called country?

There is such a great diversity in musical style among the artists listed, that I would say they prettty much cover the spectrum. Yet all are called country. For the life of me, I haven't figured out why, save for my explanation given here.

I pretty much consider Rascal Flatts as being Country Pop, just as Shania Twain, Sylvia, Marie Osmond, and Barbara Mandrell were in their time, and as many other artists are still today.

Alison Krauss, Patty Loveless, Rhonda Vincent, and Ricky Skaggs are artists who have recorded what I would call Bluegrass, though not exclusively in every case.

Many modern artists fall into what I would consider the adult contemporary category, yet are labeled as country. Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw, The Mavericks, and Faith Hill fall into this category in my opinion.

The country rock category has its share of artists, too. Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert come to mind. The Kentucky Headhunters do, too. I believe some former rock artists would fall into this category if their music were released today. The Eagles, Elvis Presley, and John Mellencamp are some examples that come to mind.

There are several other categories of music that fall under the country umbrella, but I can't think of all of them at the moment. Thankfully, I like most of it, so it is pretty easy for me to listen to anything that is considered country nowadays. I like a lot of other music, too, though.

[Bazzwell]

Country music today is equal to the Big Mac. Designed to appeal to the largest common denominator. Cooked quickly using generic ingredients with little or no lasting value. Easily forgotten.

Traditional country music is equal to dinner at Grandma's house. Lots of old fashioned recipes put together with care and love. Priceless with memories to last a lifetime.

[thriftylefty]

I think after Buck Owens (RIP) popularized the "Bakersville Sound"and then came Gram Parsons, and next The Eagles, Country and Rock where forever fused, the same way "country" and "Western" were fused together in the 30's. so I agree, what we call country music can be catogorized as IMO four types of music, Traditional or Country( highly Instrumental) Western( vocal) C&W, and Country Rock, there is even "Country Blues" which I think is a catogory most "Blues Musicians" fit in as apposed to "Urban Blues." I have found that a lot of Blues and country sounds like a modern type of Rockabilly. country music is as diverse as Jazz IMO

[desertsun41]

Originally Posted by Bazzwell

Country music today is equal to the Big Mac. Designed to appeal to the largest common denominator. Cooked quickly using generic ingredients with little or no lasting value. Easily forgotten.

Traditional country music is equal to dinner at Grandma's house. Lots of old fashioned recipes put together with care and love. Priceless with memories to last a lifetime.

Ouch !! I want to argue with you what you said but I cant. There is some truth to it. But is that not what it's always been about? Even in the days with real music in the late 60s through the 70s?

I will never forget what Tommy Shaw from Styx said once during an interview. He said there is one thing he hates is when they call his music "Corporate Rock". And critics also called bands like Boston, Forienger, Kansas and Journey "Corporate Rock". Meaning music just thrown together with catchy choruses with a few catchy gimmicly catchy lyrics.

That's not so bad to me. If a song is good it's good. It gives us the opportunity to identify a great song from a masterpiece of a song. As long as it's not hippity hoppity fruit cake or wrap crap it's all good.