Our campus is being torn apart by an issue so divisive it can cause the best of friends to go from hot to cold in a heartbeat. It strikes fear in the hearts of many, and can cause even the most mellow to tremble in their cowboy boots. I’m speaking, of course, about the issue of country music.
In my nineteen years of life, I’ve never met someone who can calmly and clearly answer the question, “Do you listen to country music?” There’s always a story to tell, a rambling hate speech to share, or a lyric to dissect. The issue has only been exacerbated in the past few weeks by People naming Blake Shelton as Sexiest Man Alive. Don’t even get me started on that one.
But what is it that makes country music so polarizing? My own relationship with country music is a complex one. I’m from Long Island, so country music isn’t hugely popular. My twin sister has always been into country music, and I always mocked her tastes like any good sister would. But when we went to separate schools, I somehow ended up listening to her music, perhaps as some sketchy coping mechanism. Suddenly, I found myself listening to songs with titles that I would have mercilessly mocked a few weeks earlier. “Head Over Boots”? Are you kidding?
Alas, once introduced to the world of country music it was hard to return to my sheltered lifestyle. Don’t get me wrong; nowadays I listen to what I consider to be “fake country music.” I’m not listening to the Blake Shelton tunes where the chorus is literally, “Re-re-re-re-redneck” (what kind of songwriting is that?), but to the softer country music. And of course there are the occasional country songs that have universal appeal, like “Wagon Wheel.”
Maybe the issue with country music is that it’s sometimes stereotypically viewed as sexist or small-minded. That’s one of the many reasons that Blake Shelton’s title has come under fire (one of many, many reasons). However, every musical genre has songs that seem to cross the line with obscene language or misrepresentations. On the opposite side of the spectrum, many have argued in favor of country music because of its originality and its storytelling capabilities. Country has the power to invoke emotions that I don’t necessarily experience listening to other genres. It also commands a hugely passionate fan base, and its artists truly seem to support each other.
Rap is often bursting with obscene language and sexist portrayals, and there seems to be a new feud within the industry on a daily basis. It’s gotten to the point where I’m fairly certain that all of the major artists have hated each other at one point or another. These points aside, listening to rap is definitely more socially acceptable.
As one who listens to everything from Sinatra to Chance the Rapper to Thomas Rhett in the course of a given day, I’m a huge proponent of musical tolerance. The music world doesn’t have room for any more feuds; I’m still just trying to keep up with Taylor and Kanye.
The good news is that music incites passion, and this is something to be celebrated, even if it manifests itself in a spirited debate or two.
