Country Music’s Renaissance in Full Swing as Songs Top Billboard

Jason Aldean performs on stage during day three of CMA Fest 2023 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., on June 10, 2023. (Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

It’s not that Country music ever needed a comeback, but with artists like Jason Aldean, Morgan Wallen, and viral sensation Oliver Anthony claiming the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100, the genre is experiencing a revival of sorts.

While the everyman tunes that often refer to relatable topics like long lost love, cozying up with a drink at the bar for comfort, or relishing old pick-up trucks originated from the American South, they have for decades been a musical staple on the radio, performance stages and in homes across the country.

The newer phenomenon involves the inclusion of these artists’ singles frequently taking the title of most popular current song across all genres. That’s what the Billboard Hot 100 measures. Tracked by Luminate, its chart rankings are based on sales, online streaming, and radio play in the United States.

Speaking to Fox News Digital recently, both veteran Country singers Kenny Chesney and John Rich told the outlet that the increase in popularity is actually not sudden.

“People are so drawn to country music all the time,” said Mr. Chesney.

Rich, who recently self-released his album “The Country Truth” on Rich Records and has commended both Jason Aldean and Oliver Anthony for their straightforward approaches in connecting with fans, said that country music resonates with listeners because of its authenticity.

“People are waking up to the fact that what they thought was true is probably not,” Rich said. “So when songs come out that actually speak the truth—they’re not a marketing angle, it’s not somebody came up with something at a big company and tried to hoist it upon the American listener—when it’s real music set in a real way from a real place in somebody’s heart. Well, brother, that’s called the truth.

“And the truth cannot be stopped, and so when people are exposed to truth after being lied to for so long, they respond en masse. That’s why I think you see all these songs at the top of the charts,” he added.

Oliver Anthony’s Success Changes the Game

It was on Monday that singer Oliver Anthony’s viral hit “Rich Men North of Richmond” debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Songs chart, making him the first artist ever to launch atop the list with no prior chart history in any form.

That’s after Wallen’s third album, “One Thing At a Time,” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in March and held the top spot for six months. He currently joins Luke Combs and Mr. Anthony in the top three spots on the Billboard 100.

Wallen’s latest album accounted for almost 10 percent of all country on-demand audio streaming since its March release, and garnered 2.26 billion streams (the highest weekly total ever for country U.S. audio streaming the week ending June 1).

“I think Country music at heart has always been about the heartland, families, where you’re putting your roots and family values,” Holly Baird, a Los Angeles-based artist branding and crisis communications expert, told The Epoch Times.

In regards to Mr. Anthony’s meteoric rise, Ms. Baird said his song questioning how to continue to thrive in America when the government has forgotten about your family and community is why the song has hit home so strongly.

“With Anthony, It’s about ‘I’m raised on this dirt that can’t reap what my grandparents laid out for us’ and about the backbone about what keeps American generations going—that they’re not pumping money back into these communities and it’s destroying middle America. That’s what his song is about,” said Ms. Baird. “Literally all [Anthony] has is his guitar left and he’s singing his soul out. In country music, there’s so much talent and when you mix that with solid lyrics, masterpieces are happening.”

For his part, Mr. Anthony told Billboard: “The hopelessness and frustration of our times resonate in the response to this song. The song itself is not anything special, but the people who have supported it are incredible and deserve to be heard.”

Streaming Changes Everything

Ms. Baird also credited digital technology for Country music’s emergence, which she said is echoing the crossover trends of the ‘90s when artists like Garth Brooks made their mark on pop stations.

“With digital platforms and streaming it’s giving all artists the opportunity to use that indie sound that it always has - you can be your own broker for distributing your music to the world,” said Ms. Baird. “It’s not just Twitter but goes beyond to platforms like TikTok to be able to reach fans globally and create free content to reach fans. I think it helps.”

Country has seen a boom in audio streaming in the last year alone. Luminate Research’s Artist & Genre Tracker showed that the average country music fan spent 7 percent more time listening to music via terrestrial radio than a typical U.S. consumer. That’s as Wallen fans (mostly composed of GenZ and millennials) generally consider streaming as their No. 1 source for music.

Still, Mr. Chesney said he’s witnessed millions of fans belting out his songs at his shows over the last 18 years. The “You and Tequila” singer wouldn’t say country music has become a bigger phenomenon than what he’s known it to already be.

“Maybe because of streaming and a few hot-button songs, it feels like it’s now, but the truth is: I’ve been playing 18, 21, 24 stadiums a summer since 2006,” Mr. Chesney said. “Even when we weren’t, I watched a lot of artists sell a lot of tickets, put a lot of smiles on people’s faces.”

Country Crossover

Ms. Baird also noted the increase in country music artists taking part in reality TV music shows like “The Voice” and “American Idol” and “The Voice” and the number of Rock and roll artists crossing over into the country category.

“So country music is getting a younger demo learning about veteran country music stars, how they got into the industry and how to have longevity in that demographic,” said Ms. Baird about younger viewers seeing those country stars on TV.

Guy Blake, founding member and managing partner at Granderson Des Rochers, LLC, told Fox News Digital that today’s country genre is multifaceted and broader than it’s been in the past.

“There are a lot of different messages at play speaking to people’s culture and upbringing, the challenges they had, and who they loved. These messages are resonating with a younger audience today,” Mr. Blake said. “There are elements of traditional music, but there are also non-traditional styles which incorporate blues like Chris Stapleton or Morgan Wallen, or country pop like Taylor Swift.”

Swift has remained on the Billboard charts for nearly 500 weeks, and recently earned the status of having more No. 1 albums than any woman in history. Her latest re-recorded album, “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version),” officially debuted on top of the Billboard 200 in July. It’s her 12th album to reach the top spot.

Mr. Blake also noted that racially diverse artists are also coming into play like Kane Brown and Mickey Guyton, which he said speaks to a whole other type of audience and brings diversity to country music that can speak to an even broader culture.

Relatable and Real Lyrics

“The bottom line is there is something for everyone in country music, as there always was, but more people are realizing it is not just a two-dimensional genre,” he said.

He added: “Ultimately, the message of country music is real relatable stories. We may not always agree with the messaging and what is said in Country, or any music genre, but it speaks to the artist and their story, which is a beautiful thing.”

Ms. Baird reiterated country music’s special ability to tell interrelated stories.

“It resonates with white and black people. I’m the black girl in the front row at a Keith Urban or Florida Georgia Line concert,” said Ms. Baird. “It’s soul music, blues and from the South.”

“You can have a country music song from last year that’s still charting. It’s evergreen,” added Ms. Baird. “It doesn’t have to fit today’s song—it just has to be good.”