05/12/2023
COUNTRY MUSIC HAS BECOME THE FAVORITE STYLE OF AMERICAN POP MUSIC. Country music has catapulted to first choice among styles of American pop music, according to a recent article in Economist magazine, “From H***y Tonk to Tik-Tok,” September, 9, 2023, pp. 74-75. The Economist detects several metrics that show country music has risen to the top in public taste. Streaming of top 50 songs on Spotify for country music has risen from 2% in 2016 to 36% in 2023. Streams of country music for the first half of 2023 alone are now running even 20% higher than last year. Streams of country music in England have risen by 67% over last year. A poll by YouGov shows that, in achieving those numbers, country music has surpassed hip-hop and R&B. Only the field labeled “pop” claims greater popularity. The survey did not have a designation for rock, which must apparently mean that the designation of “pop” must have also included rock. Country probably would have emerged on top overall if pop and rock had been considered separately. This would definitely be more accurate, as rock listeners do not consider that genre as pop, yet the dilemma illustrates the reality the endeavor to pigeon-hole music into a genre or style as being elusive, unstable, and subjective. Musicians who derive influences from a variety of styles become difficult to classify, nor are there precise criteria for making distinctions in a close-call mixture. Whether or not the music called “pop” is still actually more popular than country, the article still suggests powerful evidence of an undeniable surge in the popularity of American country music around the world. The Economist commissioned a survey which showed that approximately 45% of the American public listens to country music at least once a month. Country music now has massive audiences in Chicago, Boston and Minneapolis, and is being pitched to Canada, Europe, Japan, and Australia. The article observes that some of the latest emerging stars of country music have captivated audiences with “modest and sympathetic” personal qualities that are attractive to the public. Some country artists are also gaining wider audiences by borrowing features of other styles, even though country music purists sometimes protest those influences present in country music. Here at Digital Box Records, we try to stay out of controversy surrounding genre or style of music. We report when something interesting is written on the subject without taking sides. Our artists span the full range of musical styles, from kids’ music to original opera and music beyond classification, as well as combining styles, plus inventing new mixed-genre/mixed-media experiences. The perceived rise in popularity of country music coincides with a more general trend we have spotted at Digital Box Records over the past few years. The listening public seems to be exhausted by the over-the-top monotony, obsessiveness, hedonistic insanity and obscure street jargon that has been the driving force in taste for much of the recently past generation. There appears to be a resurgence of interest in songs with memorable melody, tasteful instrumental accompaniment, and good-times rhythmic feeling, while articulating intelligible and accessible lyrics that the new generations of audience can identify with. It is not surprising that country music answers all these desires for an increasing share of music’s public appeal. The recent Digital Box Records release, "Underground Bunkum" by Gregorstan Wolforfox & The Dog Pack, gives a significant example of the trend toward quality content in the fundamental elements of music as observed in some of our other recent posts, as well as the trend toward country music as reported in the Economist article. This particular new album, "Underground Bunkum," features the formidable vocal talent of lead singer, Gregorstan Wolforfox, in a highly innovative set of ten original songs composed by keyboardist, M.J. Berger. The spectacular video tracks by Don Kaufman round out an unforgettable entertainment experience. The songs reflect a combination of influences including rock, country, world, and classical music, with lyrics expounding humorously on dominating social issues of today in a way that will give listeners a light-hearted vacation from the stresses and pressures of modern life. To check out this and other releases from Digital Box Records, check out the YouTube videos below! https://youtu.be/Xl3hD9keHxA https://youtu.be/vxsz-oUwyd8 https://youtu.be/5hUqUod6Pnw https://youtu.be/JNf0UFD-kcE
