Country music has experienced many changes over the years. The songs topping the charts today are a far cry from those that helped establish the genre over a century ago. From the Texas tradition to the Nashville sound, country has been able to stay relevant for so long because of its ability to roll with the punches. It will no doubt continue to evolve as long as it can. The three songs below point to a new direction for country music—one that we have trouble defining as country with our current understanding of the genre.
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“Wasted On You” (Morgan Wallen)
Morgan Wallen rose to fame for his take on country music. With frequent collaborators Ernest and HARDY, Wallen heavily borrowed hip-hop tones to inject into his bro-country sound. Wallen seems to have struck the perfect mix between his country roots and newfangled sound, given he has been readily accepted across country’s listenership, unlike some of his peers who have tried to do the same. It’s not what traditionalists would consider country, but Wallen has ushered in a new era of the genre that doesn’t care so much about neat categories.
“Drunk and I Don’t Wanna Go Home” (Elle King and Miranda Lambert)
Elle King got her start in the rock sphere. So, after making her transition to country, there was inevitably some rock tones lingering. They can easily be heard in her duet with Miranda Lambert, “Drunk and I Don’t Wanna Go Home.” From the pounding drums to the anthemic chorus, this song could’ve easily charted on the rock (or maybe even pop charts) instead of becoming a country hit.
“I Had Some Help” (Post Malone and Morgan Wallen)
Circling back around to Morgan Wallen, the next entry on our list of country songs that push the boundaries of the genre is his duet with Post Malone, “I Had Some Help.” Without Wallen’s twang, there is very little that is country about this hit. Without the addition of banjo and fiddle lines decorating this unmistakably pop beat, it’s hard to deem this song country at all. It’s certainly indicative of the new direction the genre is heading in—one that further blurs lines with pop music.
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(Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation)
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