Music is all around us. Everywhere we go, we are affected by music. Country music has been around for many years and, according to a 2012 blog post, now holds the position as the most popular genre of music.
The first generation of country music began in the 1920s, and Atlanta’s music scene is credited for playing a major role in launching country’s earliest artists. For some time, country music was dubbed “hillbilly” music. Those who recorded “hillbilly” music began recording blues music into the next decade.
The second generation of country music took place from the 1930s to 1940s. During this generation, many different country music sounds were born, including western swing, hillbilly boogie, bluegrass, folk, gospel and honky tonk. Hank Williams’ career took off during this generation. Williams’ style was eventually referred to as “traditional” country which paved the way for country legends, such as George Jones and even Elvis Presley.
Nashville, Tenn. (Photo taken by me)
The 1950s and 1960s are referred to as the third generation of country music. It was during this generation that Nashville began playing a bigger role in country music’s history. Beginning in the mid-1950s, the “Nashville sound” emerged, turning country music into a multimillion-dollar industry. Names like Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn topped the charts during this period. In addition, the country soul and country rock sounds were introduced.
The fourth generation took place in the 1970s and 1980s. Outlaw country dominated the genre for a while, with artists like Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. This was also the beginning of country pop and Dolly Parton’s failed campaign to cross-over to pop music.
The 1990s are considered to be the fifth generation of country music. Garth Brooks, who recently appeared on the final show of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, is credited for the world domination of country music in the 90s due to his enormous success. Other huge names saw success during this generation, including Shania Twain, Reba McEntire, Clint Black, Brooks & Dunn and George Strait.
Currently, we are in the sixth generation of country music. This is the most success this genre has ever seen. Some industry experts credit Taylor Swift for rekindling the country music genre among teens and young adults, including artists such as Keith Urban and Blake Shelton.
Country music has a clear place in today’s music industry. Now, more than ever, country plays a huge role in mainstream music. So much so that iHeartRadio is hosting its first-ever iHeartRadio Country Festival in March. Following the success of their first two all-genre festivals, iHeartRadio announced the country festival last month. It became an instant sell-out and will take place in Austin, Texas.
Some people rag on country music for being all the “same” (prime example from BuzzFeed) but, while mainstream country music can be repetitive, doesn’t the same apply for all music genres? I’m not going to lie, that video made me chuckle. But country music and its history have a much more relevant place in music history than that. I hope to prove that to my readers with each post I make.
What am I listening to? Raised On It – Sam Hunt
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