Bro-Country

[Nick Reed]

BRO-COUNTRY: Lets face it, the good ole days are overwith. All this CRAP the younger generation of today listens to, the CMA's, ACM's, and Nashville Record Producers and they have the nerve to call "Country Music" is IMHO BRO-COUNTRY! Prime examples are Luke Bryant, Eric Church, Chase Rice, Rodney Adkins, Corbin Easten, Gary Allen, Florida Georgia Line, Billy Currington, Jake Owen and my least favorite Blake Shelton. Heaven forbid having a Fiddle & Steel Guitar in the band . . . Nosiree, Just 2 Strats with lots of distortion and a Keyboard that don't even sound like a Piano.
All us Ole Farts & Jackasses might at well just kick back, turn our ballcaps around backwards and get ready for some of that good ole BRO-COUNTRY!



To me . . . . this BRO is anything but COUNTRY!

Nick


From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

BRO-COUNTRY . . . the unofficial term for a style of mainstream country music originating in the second decade of the 21st century. It is a general term for styles of country music taking influence from 21st-century hip hop, rock, and pop. Many "bro-country" songs are about partying, attractive young women, consumption of alcohol, and pickup trucks.
The first use of the term was by Jody Rosen of New York magazine in an article published on August 11, 2013. He used the term to describe songs by Florida Georgia Line, particularly their debut single "Cruise". He also cited Luke Bryan as an example of the genre. Artists who have spoken against the "bro-country" subegenre include Alan Jackson, Gary Allan, and Zac Brown, who criticized Bryan's "That's My Kind of Night" as "the worst song I've ever heard." Three months later, Entertainment Weekly also cited "Boys 'Round Here" by Blake Shelton, "Ready Set Roll" by Chase Rice, and "Parking Lot Party" by Lee Brice as other examples of "bro-country".

The "bro-country" movement has been criticized by listeners and music reviewers for its subject matter, namely repeated lyrical themes such as Friday nights, alcoholic beverages, "painted on" jeans, and trucks, as well as its exclusion of female country artists. Traditional country fans and artists have expressed the sentiment that bro-country music is a poor representation of country music. One critic who spoke favorably about "bro-country" was David Horse of The Los Angeles Times, who wrote: "But this music has an appeal not unlike the teen surfing songs of the Beach Boys or the screaming guitar, take-everything-too-far anthems of Bon Jovi and Sammy Hagar…For a young man, the allure of reckless freedom is forever strong. And it’s not just young men. I know I’ve got a 25-year-old bottled up inside my decidedly not young self who still longs for the fantasy."

In July 2014, female duo Maddie and Tae released their debut single, "Girl in a Country Song," which criticized and referenced many "bro-country" songs, particularly the roles of females within such songs.

[Roger Dillingham]

Hey Nick, I agree with you whole-heartedly on that! Most of the stuff coming out of Nashville these days that is loosely called "Country Music" makes me feel a little nauseated if I listen to it very long before changing the station. I try to be quick on the draw, but sometimes I end up searching frantically as I go down the road just trying to find anything that resembles traditional country and western music! Maybe that's a sign of old age, but I can't help it...too much exposure to that bubble-gum country just has a tendancy to make me both sick and angry! JMHO but I had much rather listen to anything coming out of Texas now than Nashville. Roger

[mtulbert]

Hi Nick,

Could not agree with you more; but occasionally a good song does come down the pike.

If you really want to see how bad it has become go to You tube and you can find the cma music awards shows broadcasted there. Listen to 2003 or 4 and then listen to 2013 2014 if has been broadcast yet. Yikes and Yuck all at the same time.

Also, it is possible to take one of these and get it more country. We do You and Tequila Make me Crazy and while there is no steel in the original the song really does lay well with steel.

Also, I do see a fiddle every once and a while on these idiotic shows. I think it is just a prop!!!

[b0b]

My nephew pointed out to me that most male country hits have exactly the same chord progression: 1 5 6m 4 over and over. I grabbed a top ten list and he's right - six of them had that progression. To me, it's almost like songwriter malpractice.

Nick, I'm afraid that the term "bro country" has been around for the past year or so. Our singer in CopperMill proudly states that his favorite music is "bro country", and he identifies with the singing stars a bit too strongly (in my opinion). They are his imaginary bros.

[Nick Reed]

Back in May I attended the Adairville KY Strawberry Festival where the featured entertainment that night was "The Boys from Abroad" might as well been the Backstreet Boys. Anyway, the frontman lead singer came out on stage screamin to the audience "are you all ready to hear some Country Music".
Well, it was just like what I described earlier. sloppy dress, backwards ballcaps, tattoo's & body piercing to the max, and plenty of fuzz, distortion and other rock star effects. Anything but COUNTRY! This is what really PO's me. Makes be totally sick!

Oh BTW, did I mention that I can't stand Luke Bryant, Blake Shelton, & Florida Georgia Line.

[Jay Fagerlie]

Get ready, this is going mainstream:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNSt0u4uq6o


edited to add: I only made it 56 seconds into it and HAD to shut it down

[Jack Stoner]

Sadly, I had to turn the Opry off last Friday night, coming home from a gig (6 to 9PM gig). Its aired on Willie's Place on Sirius/XM. I moved over to the Bluegrass channel for the trip home.

To go along with the chord progression, much of it sounds like the same producer and same session pickers.

The same chord progression thing has been around for a long time. The old rock/doo-wop had a lot of I VIm IV V I progressions. Modify that with a IVm and you have the Sleepwalk progression.

[Leslie Ehrlich]

Well, that does it. Country music has finally become cool.

[Rick Campbell]

Well, that does it. Country music has finally become cool.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwClj37FN9o

RC

[Barry Blackwood]

Well, that does it. Country music has finally become cool.

Yes, Leslie, and it only took Big SMO to do it. How could we all be so blind? Finally, an artist our youth can aspire to…!

[Jason Schofield]

I'm a little late to the "party" on this one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUCnbXWK0EA

The final nail in "country's" coffin? good lord..

[Lee Baucum]

All this talk about the same old chord progressions, the same producers, same session players.....

Isn't that what was going on in Nashville back in the days when they were recording "real" country music?

Three chords, walking bass, fiddle intro, steel takes a ride, fiddle takes a ride with the steel chiming in the background......

On Pandora I have a station set up based on Justin Trevino. That brings in lots of Ray Price, Johnny Bush, Tony Booth, etc.

As much as I love that style of music, it all starts sounding the same after a while.

[Richard Sinkler]

All this talk about the same old chord progressions, the same producers, same session players.....

Isn't that what was going on in Nashville back in the days when they were recording "real" country music?

Three chords, walking bass, fiddle intro, steel takes a ride, fiddle takes a ride with the steel chiming in the background......

On Pandora I have a station set up based on Justin Trevino. That brings in lots of Ray Price, Johnny Bush, Tony Booth, etc.

As much as I love that style of music, it all starts sounding the same after a while.

I have to agree. But I do find that Big SMO is a pathetic excuse for a singer.

[Tony Trout]

All this talk about the same old chord progressions, the same producers, same session players.....

Isn't that what was going on in Nashville back in the days when they were recording "real" country music?

Three chords, walking bass, fiddle intro, steel takes a ride, fiddle takes a ride with the steel chiming in the background......

Yes, sir, you are correct. Even in the 1960s & 1970s you had guys (non-steel players I'll mention) like: Hargus "Pig" Robbins, Weldon Myrick, Jimmy Capps, James Burton (yeah, I know he started out in Ricky Nelson's band - I'm a huge fan of his) and others playing a lot of sessions in just one day (James mentions in an interview that he would work a ton of sessions during the week when he was a studio player before he finally went to work with Elvis in 1969).

So....yes, a lot of the music sounds the same because a lot of the studio players are the same - except on those rare occasions when an artist (for example, Brad Paisley's, "Drama Kings" - love that band name!) or Marty Stuart are blessed enough to use their own bands.

Myself, I'm beginning to think like Brad: "Randall Currie is my steel guitarist. I think it would be odd and misleading if he wasn't also able or if he didn't have the opportunity to shine in the studio on that same track on the CD."

(I hope that all made sense....it's still quite early here in the morning and I'm trying to study for my driver's license exam).

[Barry Blackwood]

All this talk about the same old chord progressions, the same producers, same session players.....

Isn't that what was going on in Nashville back in the days when they were recording "real" country music?

Three chords, walking bass, fiddle intro, steel takes a ride, fiddle takes a ride with the steel chiming in the background......

On Pandora I have a station set up based on Justin Trevino. That brings in lots of Ray Price, Johnny Bush, Tony Booth, etc.

As much as I love that style of music, it all starts sounding the same after a while.

Yes, and the same could be said about Muscle Shoals or the Record Plant in L.A. So what's your point, Lee?

[Joachim Kettner]

I have no problems with typical chord progressions in classic Rock'n' Roll, Blues, Country or Soul, I rarely get tired or annoyed by them, except when I'm not in the mood to listen to these styles.
I only get a little picky when other songs repeat the same patterns over and over again.

[LJ Eiffert]

Like the new face lift of Nashville from it's History has no Spirit to it just like the Mother Church of Country Music and the people who are behind this move are all for the money of making it from the water down folks who care less about what really made Nashville the Capitol of Country Music that is no longer truth. Just like the circle 6 music move of songs being put out today called Country,Nobody really gives a hoot. Uncle Leo J Eiffert jr the God Father Of Southern California Country Music & we can't even fix it here too! I've tried. God knows most Musicians have no balls to stand up for what is right because they know they won't get know work or as they call it,a job to make a living. U just got to love it.

[Lee Baucum]

All this talk about the same old chord progressions, the same producers, same session players.....

Isn't that what was going on in Nashville back in the days when they were recording "real" country music?

Three chords, walking bass, fiddle intro, steel takes a ride, fiddle takes a ride with the steel chiming in the background......

On Pandora I have a station set up based on Justin Trevino. That brings in lots of Ray Price, Johnny Bush, Tony Booth, etc.

As much as I love that style of music, it all starts sounding the same after a while.

Yes, and the same could be said about Muscle Shoals or the Record Plant in L.A. So what's your point, Lee?

The point I was trying to make is, this is not a new phenomenon.

[mtulbert]

The chords today may be the same as the old days, but the songs in the old days had character for lack of a better term.

Today's country is much more homogenous and most of it sounds the same to me.

We were much more entertained musically in the old days. Today not so much...

Not sure if this really explains it but it is as close as I can come to explaining it.

[Mike Neer]

Everything that I know about Bro-Country I read here on the SGF. I think I can safely say that I have never listened to it, ever, by choice, but only when it happens to be background music at some barbeque establishment.

My point is, life is too short to listen to music that you don't want to listen to.

The absence of steel guitar and fiddle in the music signals a conscious effort by the artists & producers to move away from the classic country sound. Move on. Nothing left for you there.

If you think that the seismic shift in country music is noteworthy, what about what happened to Soul and R&B? From Tavares to Cameo to Ice-T to Kanye West.

[Barry Blackwood]

If you think that the seismic shift in country music is noteworthy, what about what happened to Soul and R&B?

Indeed. What happened to music in general?

[Jerome Hawkes]

the music biz is no different than any other manufacturing business - be it washing machines or CDs - they have to produce what people are willing to buy. i don't have to buy it, but there are a lot of 15-30 year olds that will gladly. i don't know where people get the idea that its an art form or public service to a certain segment of america. i haven't bought a new (major label) release CD is probably 15 years, as i bet many here fall into that same category.
think about the typewriter or TV repair business - what business genius would stick to that in this day? its gone.

i'm beginning to think there is just no market for new 'real' country - if there was, certainly someone would be stepping in to fill the void and i just don't see it. i have known a few guys trying to promote themselves as traditional country and they don't last very long before they are back to playing street festivals and county fairs.

[Curt Trisko]

i don't have to buy it, but there are a lot of 15-30 year olds that will gladly. i don't know where people get the idea that its an art form or public service to a certain segment of america.

My theory is that target age of the audience is the biggest reason for the direction of the genre. It seems like country music in the past was written by world-weary adults for world-weary adults. How could an 18 year-old ever relate to that kind of music?

Plus, I get the impression that adults today don't follow new music like they used to. My mother purchased new albums well into adulthood but it seems like most people anywhere near my age (about 30 years old) are too content listening to the music they already know to follow new music... aside from pop hits. That's why ticket prices for formerly-famous bands are so high and ticket prices for new acts are so low.

It'd be neat to know if any of the Nashville songwriters responsible for the crap out there today have pet side-projects where they make music that they're actually proud of.

[Joachim Kettner]

It seems like country music in the past was written by world-weary adults for world-weary adults. How could an 18 year-old ever relate to that kind of music?

Instead of world weariness I would call it melancholy.
I was lucky to find a Buddy Emmons/ Buddy Spicher a few days ago, and the last song of the album is "Broken Down In Tiny Pieces". That's melancholy, maybe some world weariness too.
Me as an eighteen year old I was listening to the often sad songs of Nick Drake. It depends on your personal tastes, even today.

[Leslie Ehrlich]

I sampled some bro country videos on YouTube just to get a feel for what the music is like. I don't mind the music (very guitar oriented rock, which I like).

However, the phoney southern drawls and the lyrics really grated on my nerves.