2023 has been one helluva year for Country music.
While recently discussing her partnership with Lone River Ranch Water, Lainey Wilson broke down why she believes country music is in such a great place right now with US Weekly:
“I think country music is cooler than it’s ever been…I mean, it has never not been cool. But, I think during the pandemic, people found themselves doing whatever to make them feel grounded and feel at home. And I think country music makes you feel at home.”
Other than crediting the pandemic for helping country music rise back in 2020, Lainey also made comparisons to the excitement the genre experienced in the 90’s.
“I think the same excitement is there in the ‘90s when you think about Shania Twain and Tim McGraw and Faith Hill and Garth Brooks. You think about all those artists and that it was a movement, a real movement.”
She then goes on to speak about her collaboration with HARDY on “wait in the truck,” a song that contains a story-line we don’t see often in the genre:
“I think country radio is not afraid to play a story song. I mean, even the song that me and HARDY got to do together this year – I mean, it’s a murder ballad, but it’s the kind of song that they would’ve played back in the ‘90s….I think people were craving that and longing just to feel something.”
Lainey also says she believes the genre is going to keep growing, adding that she is “proud” to be apart of this generation of country music: “I think years down the road, I’ll be able to look back on it and be like, ‘I was a part of that then.’ And I think that’s probably how many country artists from the ‘90s feel today.”
The 31 year-old singer won Album Of The Year at the 58th ACM Awards for her sophomore album, Bell Bottom Country, earlier in May and just landed her fifth #1 song at country radio with “Watermelon Moonshine” last month. She also made her acting debut as Abby on season 5 of Paramount’s hit show, Yellowstone, continuing to solidify herself as one of the biggest artists in the genre right now.
As far as country music’s late popularity, you’ve seen artists such as Oliver Anthony, Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs and Jason Aldean all reach No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100, all-genre, chart this year, as well as the continuing rise of Zach Bryan and other artists with similar sounds. Whether you love it or hate it, Country music is having a moment right now.