Nashville’s historic Grand Ole Opry has found itself in the headlines over the past week following the controversial debut of rising “Boston” singer Stella Lefty.
And while her place within the country music scene may be up for debate, there’s at least somewhat of an argument to be made for the 24-year-old chart-topper’s Opry appearance. However, as for one of the Opry’s most recently announced debuting artists, many country music fans are putting their foot down even harder.
Quickly approaching its 101st anniversary this November, the radio broadcast turned highly acclaimed stage announced just last week that English singer-songwriter Sam Smith would be making his Opry debut on October 21. Yep, I’m talking about the same soulful pop artist that took over every retail store radio back in 2014 with his single, “Stay with Me.”
As expected when the Opry announces any artist outside of the country music genre, the choice raised quite a few eyebrows, with the comment section now flooded with hundreds of fans calling out the decision. It has once again raised the question among fans: What ever happened to the Opry’s original purpose?
Back in 1925, when the WSM radio show was created, they aimed to showcase the leading voices in country, bluegrass, Americana, folk, and occasionally a few comedy bits here or there. Down the road, when they started inducting official members, the honor was one of country music’s most acclaimed achievements (and don’t get me wrong, still is today).
However, over the past couple of years, there’s no denying that the Opry has shifted from highlighting purely country-and bluegrass-leaning acts on stage and has since opened their doors to a broader class of artists. And certainly while there’s an argument to be made about the growing scope of what is classified as “country music” alone, some of their debuting acts are just flat-out nowhere near what the venue was originally intended for.
And of course, that’s where the flood of hate starts to roll in from the internet:
Smith’s debut, in particular, also struck a nerve with fans who couldn’t help but call out his drastic artistic changes since his 5x platinum debut album, In the Lonely Hour, and his previously mentioned diamond-certified single. A few years back, in February 2023, he notably stirred up a lot of controversy following his devil-themed performance with Kim Petras of their song “Unholy” at the 65th Grammy Awards.
Since the devil-horn, fishnet-wearing debacle, Smith has gained every title in the book, seemingly calling him “demonic,” “satanic,” and “hyper-sexualized,” which, given the Opry’s originally “straight-laced” values, doesn’t necessarily pair well in many eyes. This was another major point of contention among frustrated fans:
There were still quite a few supportive individuals who championed the fact that the Opry claims it aims to “provide a platform for diverse music and entertainment in an environment that is welcoming and free of discrimination for all.” However, it also states that after its centennial celebration, it still “continues to be the true home of country music after 100 years,” so can the two really go hand in hand?
As for Smith, whose Opry debut is still a little over a month away, the performance appears to be moving forward despite the wave of backlash. He’ll likely perform a few tracks from his fifth studio album, Hazel Eyes, which was released on August 21 and has since been reported by Forbes as his lowest-charting album to date. The project also failed to appear on the Billboard 200.
So, perhaps the Opry stage will give Smith a fresh shot at an audience, even if it happens to be filled with unsuspecting tourists and a few bored locals.