How many would say they like different genres of music? My guess would be everyone. I'm a fan of Country Music through and through. I can't get enough of it. Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Williams Sr, Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, George Strait, Brooks'n'Dunn.... I could go on and on (ask my wife).
As big a Country fan I am, I still enjoy other genres as well. I enjoy listening to Rock'n'Roll, Heavy Rock, Southern Rock and Metal. You'll also hear me listening to Easy Listening, Jazz, and even some early 2000's Hip Hop now and then.
Now, I'd like to point out that every genre I named, aside from Country, has publicly recognized sub genres. Especially Rock. Back in the 60's the relatively new genre started dividing itself into different categories to better serve its listener. Were you aware there are roughly 200 sub genres of Rock? If you want to listen to Rock there are a surplus of radio stations to find exactly what you want. Anything from some old school Rock'n'Roll to even some of the more "far out" sub genres such as psychedelic black metal. Yes, it's a real thing, check out A Forest Of Stars. My point is that there are many different options radio wise.
The problem is that Country Music has always presented itself as a united community. Yes, there are sub genres but they weren't being used at all until recently among any radio stations. Still not seeing the problem?
I, personally, am not a fan of new Country, which some have starting referring to as Pop Country. I'm not saying it isn't good music, I just don't care for it. I fully believe that any song that tapps into its listeners emotions in some way is a good song. Just like anything else, not everyone likes the same thing.
The problem is that Country Radio (most stations) want to play the newest Country Music to ensure more people are listening. The audience of people like myself are being completely cut out of "the family" if you will. Over the past 6 years I've been all over the United States. I've tracked nearly half a million miles in a pick up and listened to radio stations all along the way. It is extremely rare to come across a station that doesn't play newer Country. Now I have come across a few here and there like KAYQ 97.1 The Lake out of Warsaw, MO or KRAN 103.3 The Range out of Cheyenne, WY. There are a few more I could mention but for the most part everything is new Country.
It is time for Country to make declared sub genres and have stations to play only those genres. It should be more about the people that helped to build such a strong foundation for this genre instead of focusing on the financial benefit of keeping everything under one blanket. What do you think? What would you name some of the sub genres?
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