Chances are, you’ve heard someone describe their disdain for country music, citing the genre’s perceived lack of depth and ties to conservatism. Country music is often reduced to lyrics about guns, God, beer and trucks, written by and for ignorant Southerners.
Many non-listeners stereotype country music as being politically right-wing, militantly patriotic and predominantly white and rural. It’s easy for members of marginalized groups in America to understand country music as an expression of oppressive ideology and reject it as a result.
Samaha Tasnim is a psychology sophomore who listens to everything but country. She loves exploring new genres and has playlists containing songs from Afrobeats, K-pop and EDM artists, but says that country music lacks appeal for her.
“They’ll be singing about drinking beer, being in a tractor or something like that,” Tasnim said. “Maybe that’s me stereotyping the music and lyrics, but it’s very American. I don’t really feel I fit that aesthetic … I’m sure there’s a certain demographic of people that listen to country music more, and I think their values and interests in general probably don’t align with mine.”
There’s a level of truth to these stereotypes, but they ignore country music’s rich history. It originated as an outlet for artists to tell stories about everyday American life and express the struggles of the oppressed working class, representing American folklore and heritage. But this heritage isn’t limited to whiteness. Country music has roots in European folk music but is also heavily influenced by African musical traditions and the many other cultures that comprise the American South.
Ignoring this diversity is reductive. Every genre of music arguably contains and perpetuates oppressive ideology, and contains rejections of that same ideology. At its core, despite the recent ideological domination of nationalism and conservatism, country music is about telling the stories of everyday people.
Dave Junker, professor in the Stan Richards School of Advertising and Public Relations, specializes in issues of diversity and race relations in popular music. He argues that reactions to regionally-specific genres like country can be understood as attempts to assert belonging to particular social groups.
“I think people’s choice of music, not simply what they like to listen to, but what they don’t want to be seen publicly listening to … reflects our polarized times,” Junker said. “Music, genres and different artists can function as a kind of heuristics or shortcuts or an outward symbol of a cultural identity or a political position.”
Many who reject country music are making a statement against what they perceive as its typical audience and their values. However, country music has much more to offer if one is willing to look. There are country artists today making music that may be perceived as antithetical to the genre, telling stories of female rebellion against patriarchy, racial tensions, the struggles of the working class and queer love.
Ultimately, rejecting country music due to its most prominent voices leaves compelling stories unheard and ignores its rich history. No matter your background, country music speaks to every aspect of the human experience — and it can speak to yours.
Tuscano is a government sophomore from Round Rock, Texas.
