Country music has been around for a long time; it began at the dawn of the 20th century and since its inception has been on an upward spiral; continuously evolving and changing for the better.
If asked why they love country music, fans and followers of the genre may give you several reasons. What we have compiled below are some of the attributes that characterize country music and that country’s fans have come to love.
The Lyrics
The lyrics of country music are easy to recognize and identify with, and usually depict images of everyday life. The lyrics are created and sung in a way wherein it seems like a story is being told. The story can be about life and loss or pain and failure and what you learn from life’s experiences. This personal style of creating the lyrics (and, of course, the delivery) is what sets this music genre apart from anything else. The lyrics endear the song to the listeners more than anything else about the song because they can tell the story of a life or experience in a way that the audience can relate to.
The Instruments Used
The instruments used in country music are what really defines it and sets it apart from other genres. The instrumental lineup can range from a single guitar to fiddles, banjos, dobros and a full orchestra. But no matter how many instruments are being used, country music always has a definite flavor to it that catches the listeners’ ears.
full orchestra…
Somehow, a lone country artist who plays the guitar and sings his heart out about the legends of the West is more heart-warming than a professionally-trained pop singer blasting out an epic aria with a full orchestra in the background; the charm of country music comes from its fans knowing that even if a country song is stripped of everything but a guitar and a voice, it will still be true to life and touching. Sometimes it’s not the instrumentation that defines the music; sometimes it’s the lack of it.
The Twang
The twang is the most distinguishing factor of country music whether it be classic country or the modern kind. But somehow, with the changing of the times, the twang is becoming less and less apparent in some of the newest country music being created, making the country songs harder to distinguish from the other genres of music, especially for those with an untrained ear. But if the twang is lost, does it make it less of a country music? Does it mean that it is no longer country? That is for you to decide (and for everyone to debate in the online forums). Fortunately, the twang is not the only distinguishing factor of a country music; where the twang is lacking, the lyrics and the instrumentation will pick up the slack.
These are just some of the things that we love about country music. Combine all of these attributes, and you have the perfect recipe for a good country music. But even if you take one aspect out of the equation—like the twang—you can’t deny that country music has already made its mark and will not be slighted or pushed aside because of its evolution. Whether it’s mainstream or classic country, fans everywhere will continue to be charmed by the music.
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