On Feb. 20, Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” launched at number one on the Hot Country Songs Chart while “16 Carriages” launched at number nine. Beyoncé is the first Black woman to have a song reach the top of the Hot Country Songs Chart. In a recent Instagram post announcing her newest album, “Act II: Cowboy Carter,’’ Beyoncé says she created the album due to an experience that made her feel excluded from country music. That experience came in 2016 during her Country Music Association (CMA) Awards Show performance where people complained and some even made racist remarks. A user on X referred to her as “a cop hating, anti-American racist” while another wrote that “Kenny Chesney doesn’t look too pleased that the Queen is performing at the CMAs …” As an important hub for country music, I want to say something to Nashville. “Park your Lexus and throw your keys up” as I dive into why country music needs to continue reaching new audiences.
A CMA study looking into country music’s multicultural audience found that, when asked why they don’t listen to country music, Black, Latinx and Asian participants felt that the industry doesn’t market to people of color and doesn’t have enough diversity in artists. This is an alarming realization for the country music scene since the diversity of the United States is ever-increasing — this means that Nashville needs to find ways to reach out to diverse audiences if it is to continue succeeding. I think country music needs to align more with multicultural artists as the potential is there for networking between different artists inside and outside the sphere of country music. Beyoncé’s “Act II: Cowboy Carter” features collaborations with Dolly Parton, Post Malone and Miley Cyrus, and these artists alone are guaranteed to bring fans in. In addition, the CMA study found that increasing collaboration between artists in other genres is a way to relate to multicultural audiences. Multicultural listeners want this inclusivity when listening to music and therefore, a collaboration between country artists and artists from other genres would target that audience and make them feel included. Lil Durk’s supporters reacted positively after Morgan Wallen appeared on Lil Durk’s 2021 trap song “Broadway Girls,” which one fan labeled “a game changer.” Collaborations similar to “Broadway Girls” will likely continue to bring in a diverse audience and break barriers.
For country music to reach new audiences, country artists must also take advantage of what’s currently working. Country songs tell stories while providing a relaxing vibe to the listener and even making some want to dance. I can name some songs on the top of my head that fit the criteria I just described:
1. “Fast Car” by Luke Combs (BOLD)
2. “Country Girl (Shake It for Me)” by Luke Bryan (BOLD)
3. “Hey Driver” by Zach Bryan (BOLD)
I’ve listened to these songs and fallen in love with them because of their ability to tell stories and the mood they can provide. Spoiler — I tend to enjoy Luke Comb’s and Bailey Zimmerman’s songs with some Morgan Wallen on the side — I’m more of a new country listener.
For example, “98 Braves” by Morgan Wallen compares a past relationship with the 1998 Atlanta Braves, since the 1998 Braves had a 106-win season with arguably the best first three starters in the pitching rotation in Major League Baseball (MLB) history but fell short in the National League Championship Series (NLCS) to the San Diego Padres. Morgan’s relationship with his ex-girlfriend had hopes of marriage, but it didn’t happen, similar to the 1998 Braves who had hopes of winning the World Series, but fell short. This song relates to people whenever they experience an event resulting in a crushing defeat with the lyrics — “Yeah, you win some, and lose some, it ain’t always home runs / And that’s the way life plays.” These lyrics tell the listener that life isn’t fair and that there will be bad times, which is relatable to a lot of people. The point is that people are flocking to country music due to a strongly developed connection with listeners and the relatability of the stories told.
Nashville and the country music industry must keep reaching new audiences due to the obvious potential to draw in people from various backgrounds while also making music that can impact said people’s lives. Wallen’s album, “One Thing at a Time,” reeled me into the genre last year after listening on release day — I was depressed, new to college life and had difficulty navigating Binghamton as I started a semester late. I dreaded my first semester, as I felt I didn’t fit into Binghamton’s academic culture. In other words, I felt guilty for taking breaks after class and my mind told me that I needed to be at Glenn G. Bartle Library doing work all the time while having difficulty meeting new people. Thankfully, my first year ended on a positive note as I passed all my classes and learned not to stress too much while finding ways to put myself into the campus world to meet people. I’ve got Wallen’s album to thank as I could relate to a song while having good vibes when listening to music. Country music needs to keep reaching out so that everyone can experience this feeling.
Christian Bongiorno is a sophomore majoring in political science.
Views expressed in the opinions pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only piece which represents the views of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the Staff Editorial.