Country Livin’
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Last week marked a huge night for country music. The annual CMT Country Music Awards, held at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, brought together all the greatest, most successful, and most beloved country music artists in America. Co-hosted by eventual winner Jason Aldean, who has co-written singles with Reservoir artists John Rich and Kenny Alphin, the awards showcased performances by a mixed-genre lineup of Carrie Underwood, Lenny Kravitz, Hunter Hayes, and Miranda Lambert.
We can’t help but wonder what kinds of music fans were tuned into this year’s show. While one might assume that viewers were all die-hard country fans, artists like Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood have proven that country-pop crossover songs can often win over a greater audience. As Yahoo News says, “with major airtime on both pop and country music stations, Swift is one of the most successful musicians on-air today.” Catch that—one of the most successful musicians. Not country singers.
The lyrics and themes in Swift’s songs are often about her own life experiences with boys, friends, family, and her hometown—life stuff that just about anyone can relate to. Take one of her latest songs, “I Knew You Were Trouble” and notice the far-from-accidental combination of lyrics about lost love—a mainstay in country music’s bluesy roots—and pop-dubstep instrumentation.