I was never a fan of country music until 9/11 when I started listening to Toby Keith’s Angry American song. Then I became hooked. Although for the purists (who talk about Hank Williams, Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash, etc) I do understand. That music is nothing like the pop-country of today. Although, it’s what I like.
Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean, Keith Urban, etc are basically like the pop rock stars of the 70s and 80s. Then the top 40 pop stations started playing hip hop and rap so there was nowhere (but country genre) for the fan of soft pop rock. Hence country pop. IMO
I became a country music fan when I started actually listening to the lyrics in music. The best stuff is in country. Bob Dylon can’t even compete.