And pop is better than metal or rap
My dream cable package would include GMT, CMT and exclude VHI and MTV. I grew up in rural Kansas, but when I was young I thought MTV was so cool and listened to my “Top 40” radio station non-stop. But that was back when Britney, Christina, Backstreet Boys and Will Smith dominated the charts. If being able to play music like those artists is your lifelong dream, then sites like Gitarre spielen lernen may be perfect you.
Sure, there has always been racy things going on in pop music – Britney and Madonna anyone? How about Real World? So I am not all “turn off that trash!” There are still some fun songs on pop….but when I get in the car, I immediately turn on my country radio and Pandora has a mix of Miranda, Carrie, Brad, Kenny and Taylor. Yes, Taylor.
What, you still don’t believe me? Here are 10 solid reasons I’m raising my kids on twang and banjos (as long as they will let me):
1. Fashion
Jeans. T-Shirts. Bling and fun natural beauty. No over the top craziness, no “see-how-much-we-can-shock-you.” Country fashion is real fashion and I love it! Plus, I relate to it most. I live out here in the woods, a 15 minute drive to any grocery store or “civilization” so it makes no sense for me to dress in heels and mini skirts. I wear what is functional, but I like to look cute too!
My current fashion icons are Miranda Lambert (thanks for keeping it real!) Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill and Kimberly Perry (The Band Perry).
In fact, my wardrobe is currently wrangler jeans, t-shirts, and custom trucker hats from somewhere like Mato and Hash. Easy, peasy!
2. Lyrics
I can turn it up and sing out loud and not be ashamed! 99% of the time, that is. (10 rounds of Jose Cuervo, while a fun song, not one I play around my kids. So this isn’t 100% true)
But it is still cleaner than almost any other genre. And fun. And funny. (While I don’t want Lizzie singing it, the song “Alcohol” by Brad Paisley did have me laughing when it first came out a few years back)
3. Talent
No auto-tune here. No covering up mediocre vocals with heavy beats. These artists get to the top because they can sing! Have you heard Brad Paisley rip through an awesome guitar solo or Martina McBride nail an impossible note? It blows me away. Here’s a link cyfairmusicandarts.com/ that might help you increase your vocals more and show more emotion through your vocals.
Yes, pop, rap and metal are all talented. They are. But I so love listening to the wicked banjo strummin’ and fiddle flyin’ and high note hittin’ country artists.
4. CMA/CMT award shows
It is just a different culture than MTV VMAs or the AMAs even. Men show up in suit jackets over their jeans and boots. Ladies are dressed with class and (mostly) modesty. And the performances are fun, things I can let my kids watch with me.
5. Values
I realize not every artist and song is like this – but country music is mostly wholesome values. (I know, those drinking songs…..*sigh*) The love songs, the songs about family (one of my favorites is “Front Porch Looking In”) So many songs about family, about country life, about loving what you have.
And here is a photo of me with Lonestar. This band is 100% heart and genuine. In fact, “I’m Already There” was written when lead singer Richie was on the road and his then 4 year old son asked when he was coming home. True story! And then there is the song that gets me every time- Mr. Mom. This band knows how to capture the heart of real life and make it into amazing music.
6. Understandability
I am constantly googling lyrics of pop songs. I just can’t understand what they are saying under all those beats and back up singers. But with country music? I know the lyrics right away.
Sidenote: isn’t Keith Urban dreamy?
7. Relatability
This probably has more to do with where I live, but I relate to so many of the songs! Trace Adkins with his “You’re Gonna Miss This,” and Darius Rucker “It Won’t Be Like This For Long” all grip my heart. I laugh and sing with Jason Aldean’s “Hick Town” (boy do I relate to that sometimes) and Craig Morgan’s “International Harvester” makes me chuckle – I am always behind one on the road!
This music makes me wish everyone could love living the rural life. It is such a peaceful joy.
8. Classics
George Straight, Reba, Garth Brooks, and Faith Hill are just some of the artists I grew up loving and I still listen to today. Their songs will never get old, never go out of fashion.
9. No cussing
I cannot remember the last time a country music song had an edit to go on the radio. Nope. I am sure it happened….I just cannot place one.
10. Love me some boots and cowboy hats
Seriously ladies, who doesn’t love a man in wranglers, a cowboy hat, cowboy boots and a belt buckle? I can’t be the only one!
AMEN!!!!
🙂 Thank you Lisa! Love meeting other country music fans!
i love country music
I’m so with you on this one which is funny because I grew up a country music hater. It wasn’t until my late teens that I found my love for country music.
Same here! LOL!! I wasn’t a country music fan till I was about 21 or so.
I’m trying to think and it was a pop crossover completely, sheryl crow and ?? someone they bleep out cocaine in ‘picture’.. yeah kid rock (I had to look it up)… not country at all, but played on country radio.. I detest ‘all summer long’ by him because they’re ‘smoking funny things’… line. that’s just me, because it annoys me–they couldn’t come up with a better way to say ‘that’– even toby keith has ‘weed with willie’ but at least it’s not made to sound cooler than it is…(and also didn’t hit the airwaves, but was on the album)–we skip through that with the kids now. Lol. Everyone knows what Willie is into, but it’s never glorified, just what some old coot does on his tour bus, not something you do to ‘get over’ your flame… how about just using your guts and brains and not relying on drugs? Yeah..there’s ‘whiskey river’ and ‘whiskey lullaby’.. but it makes you feel more sorry for them than anything–unlike when pop stars try to ‘glam’ every single thing they do (drugs, clubs, whatever)… just to boost their so called star power.. I guess that’s the difference. are you telling a story with your music or are you using ‘fake/real/seems real’ just to make more money? I always felt like country music was healing and pop music just helped you stay broken..or turn brokenness into something worse…
man I’m completely butchering this comment..
but I’m with you on the music awards and all of that. love how they just dress like real people and it’s not too revealing.
oh yeah I found about one more edit it’s ‘back wood legit don’t take no LIP’ on the radio. well it’s foo-foo if you download it.. I was really surprised since it sounds so natural in the song. Lol.
oh yeah one more thing, when’s the last time a pop song made you cry (that it wasn’t attached to a no kill shelter hotline on tv?!?) now think about country… yeah.. bet you can come up with 1 or 2..
fav song no one’s heard of: ‘not me’ by Keni Thomas blows me away every single time…
LOL I was thinking of “Boys Round Here” when I wrote this….I mean, chew isn’t something I want my son to think is cool so I don’t really want him singing along to it….So yeah, there are things in country music that are not all “The Waltons” pure and innocent….but you are right, it is much more wholesome than lots of things.
And that is another thing I didn’t say but should have – you brought up storytelling. YES! 🙂 Country music has some excellent story lines. Some of them can get sad (The Lights Went Out in Georgia by Reba) but some of them are really really good/funny (I’m Gonna Miss Her by Brad Paisley)
You’re hilarious. I’ve heard some raunchy country songs and sometimes the lyrics are downright silly (albeit understandable) but I still have a soft spot in my heart for country music. (I grew up in Southwestern Virginia.) 🙂
It MUST be a location thing…but then again, as the country song goes, “Country must be country wide.” 🙂
I think country music is so fun! and I would probably listen to it if I lived in the country – and I wish I did! but I don’t know anyone with cowboy boots or who listens to country music, near the city, sigh.
You don’t know anyone with cowboy boots? I cannot fathom that!! (totally kidding LOL!!)
This post was all in good fun – and country music is totally a culture thing. It is my culture, my life, and I relate to it so much 🙂
Blake’s “Boys ‘Round Here” is edited for the radio. Miranda has 2 songs that are edited- “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” and “Baggage Claim.” They always play the edited version of Charlie Daniels Band’s “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” on the radio. Zac Brown Band has several songs on their albums that would have to be edited if they were ever released as singles. Here’s what bothers me… Miranda’s songs are labeled “explicit” on iTunes, yet some of the other songs listed don’t have any kind of warning. Tate is a huge ZBB fan. I bought the albums on iTunes and as we were listening, they very clearly curse. I listen to all kinds of music and sensor it when the boys are with me, but I am usually prepared. That caught me totally off guard. Same with Blake’s song. My father-in-law bought the CD and I downloaded it only to find no warning that he doesn’t say, “spit.” 🙂
Wait – what? ZBB has explicit lyrics? I love that band so much….but then again, sadly, I have to shamefully admit that the only albums I have purchased lately are Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert and Brad Paisley’s…..
And yeah, I totally knew that Blake’s lyrics are “don’t take no sh*t, chew tobacco chew tobacco chew tobacco spit” – If you read any of Blake’s tweets, you pretty much know not to expect anything polite from him.
And I can overlook one b*tch changed to “son of a gun” – I heard him perform that song at country stampede and he even performs the edited version LOL 🙂
Circling around to this point – country music does have faults that I definitely HAVE forgiven/overlooked. Cause I am biased like that LOL!! 🙂 It is all about my love of country music. It rocks cause I love and that is why (said in sing-song playground voice LOL!!!) 🙂
You ABSOLUTELY hit the nail on the head with this post! I 10000% agree with you!
Yessss!!! 🙂 LOL!! I knew you’d love it – your hubby is a hunter like mine….so ya’ll are pretty country 🙂
Yes, and if he had his way, we’d live in the country too! (And I told him that would be fine as long as Target was no more than 20 minutes from home! 😉 )
i didn’t grow up listening to country music, but i listen to it now. (never could get into the heavy twang stuff though.) i think all your points really hit the mark….
I love this! I wish this could be a shirt! I’d wear it everywhere!
So true. Keep it real!!!