Nowadays, there is a strict dichotomy in country music. People who love Charley Crockett and Sierra Ferrell seemingly tend not to listen to acts such as Morgan Wallen and Megan Moroney. Now, of course, that isn’t everybody, but this picking of a side is seemingly a growing phenomenon in the industry. However, here are three songs that satisfy the tastes of both mainstream country and Americana fans.
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“Starting Over” by Chris Stapleton
Chris Stapleton is likely the most relevant name that bridges the gap between mainstream country and Americana fans. If you like country music, you like Chris Stapleton, and people of different tastes can agree on his talent. Frankly, every song he’s released thus far in his career is loved by many, but we are picking his 2020 single, “Starting Over”.
Released in 2020, people who consider themselves country fans unanimously love Stapleton’s “Starting Over”. Following its 2020 release, “Starting Over” peaked at No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
“Shake The Frost” by Tyler Childers
You don’t have to be a country music fan to love Tyler Childers; you just have to be a music fan. No matter your taste in music, including country music, you cannot escape the soulful manner in which Childer sings. His passion is intoxicating, and as a result, he is seemingly loved by fans on both sides of the dichotomy, and one song that makes him universally loved is “Shake The Frost”.
Like many of his songs, Tyler Childer’s “Shake The Frost” never garnered mainstream chart success. However, amongst fans, it is a favorite. You might not hear this pumping through the speakers on Broadway, but you will hear every type of country music fan belt out the chorus whenever it plays.
“Ramblin’” by The Red Clay Strays
A band that is currently mending the artistic divide in country music is The Red Clay Strays. In the last year or so, The Red Clay Strays have won over mainstream country fans and Americana fans. They did with their 2024 album, Made by These Moments, and their barn-burning track, “Ramblin’”.
You can be an Americana fan or a mainstream country fan, but when you listen to “Ramblin’,” you just turn into a true country fan. The tempo, the grace, the rage, and the fury in this song just make for an intensely pleasurable listening experience, an experience that transcends any allegiances or preferences.
Photo by Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
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