Much of what I hear on FM “Country” stations today is a lot more Pop than country, and not because it’s “new”, either. There is a lot of really good country music out there, recorded in the past few years. But almost none of it is on the radio because it doesn’t come from Nashville, is not formulaic, and thus can’t easily be marketed with ads for trucks, beer and fast food.
I call it “crock” country-rock. I saw some doofus, self-acclaimed country singer with a rooster spiked hairdo singing the anthem at a football game Sunday. I muted the tv. Today’s “country star” wears skinny jeans, untucked shirts, and is basically acts that could not make it under a R&R label so they rebrand themselves country.
I haven’t bother to buy or “download” a song by anyone who has entered the “biz” in the last 15 years aside from Zona Jones and Aaron Watson. The rest are absolutely hideous. I haven’t listened to FM radio in 10 years.