Country…Worth A Second Listen
Growing up throughout the late 80s and early 90s the music that I grew up with was always put into categories such as Pop, Rock, Alternative, Country, Rap and R&B. As music has grown since the mid-90’s and into the 2000’s, we’ve seen a shift into less, if any, true categories.
It was songs like This Kiss by Faith Hill breaking through the 
category barrier in 1998 and gaining airplay on traditionally Top 40 or “Pop” stations that set the stage for what is happening currently with country music.
New artists like Jason Aldean, Brantley Gilbert and Scotty McCreery, are taking the country world by storm with a new sound. They still have a bit of the “twang” of traditional country, but there is something about this new sound that is catching the ears of more and more listeners.
If those three are still a bit too “country” for you, check out the new songs by Taylor Swift and Rascal Flatts. They’ve both been around the country music scene for several years, but their new sound is bringing in more and more fans by the day.
It may not be the easiest thing to dance to, but if you are sitting around with a few friends having a beer, it’s hard not to connect with the lyrics. If you haven’t given country a chance in a while, listen to a few songs. I bet your opinion will change.
Matt
Matt Hannaford works as a headlining emcee/DJ for Klock Entertainment in addition to his full-time position in the radio industry.
Occasionally American Music Theatre asks other professionals to share their thoughts about music, entertainment, the region, and more. This is the first of, what we hope will be many, such blog entries.