Music has been a well-considered genre of humanity. Specifically, country music which has been regarded as a patriotic form of music; no other genre of music has been so popular in the conscience of Americans as country music (Fay, Molly, 2014). In 2008, Country Music was regarded as the second most profitable genre of music by the Recording Industry of America (RIAA). Garth Brooks and Shania Twain country music artists became two of the best-selling records of all time and Garth, on the other hand, has a third position as the best-selling artist of all time, taking after the Beatles and Elvis Presley (Carville, Claire S. 2011).
In 2009, country music had the most profitable tour which was hosted by Kenny Chesney who performed for over 2 million fans. Country music has also received the most remarkable audience in 2005 over the radio, with 70 million listeners. In digital enhancement also, country music has not been left out, as the all-time top downloaded digital sales and the female artist who topped the highest digital downloaded sales for one week in 2010 was Taylor Swift.
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After the horrible events of September 11, 2001, there was no other way the Americans could express their anger, sadness, grief, and patriotism than to let it out through patriotic music, it was a perfect sound for the mood of the Americans (Fay, Molly. 2014). In 2002, Ed Benson the Executive Director of the Country Music Association mentioned the importance of country music to Americans in a July 2002 USAToday article, when he stated that the music has become a source of solace and encouragement to Americans in the impending shocking events and stories that occur each day. This he stated as country music brings ultimate values of authenticity and believability (Brian Mansfield, “Christian, Country Music on Upswing” USA Today 2002). This was demonstrated in Alan Jackson’s 2002 hit titled Where Were You(When the World Stopped Turning) The lyrics of this song were asking the listeners where they were when they saw the Twin Towers falling at the 9/11 terrorist attack (Fay, Molly. 2014). The song employed many concepts from the Bible and made references to God, the pride of America, and their cultures (Carville, Claire S. 2011). Country Music was used immensely to depict the situation of the Americans after the 9/11 America experience, this was also mentioned in an article in USA Today That buttressed the rise of country music after the experience (Brian Mansfield, “Country Music, in 9/11 Time,” USA Today 2002). The success of Jackson’s hit and Toby Keith’s song titled Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (the angry American) was a result of its patriotic lyrics. With such lyrics as this;
Justice will be served
And the battle will rage
This big dog will fight
When you rattle his cage
You’ll be sorry that you messed with the US of A
‘cause we’ll put a boot in your ass
It’s the American way
This period recorded major song writings from country music artists’ depicting the state of America and they were written for the American cities, as well as their fans in the rural areas. (Fay, Molly. 2014)
In 2002, also, an album was released called Home that included two successful singles titled Longtime Gone and Landslide and a third one that steadily climbed the chart titled Travelin’ Soldier by Dixie Chicks; a success that got lowered after March 2003. (Fay, Molly, 2014) The song tells a love story of a young girl that fell in love with a soldier before his deployment; to Vietnam. Another hit was released two years after the 9/11 attack by Daryl Worley called Have You forgotten; This song was a reminder of the attack after the news of the attack had gone down, this was to remind the Americans of the horrible incident.
Other top hits in country music include It’s America by Rodney Atkins which was released in 2009. This song depicts the things that are America; the American’s Child was also released in 2002 by Phil Vassar, this song was a story of the singer about his childhood.
References
- Carville, Claire S. 'From' courtesy of the red, white, and blue' to' if you're reading this': patriotic themes in country music between 2000-2010.' (2011).
- Fay, Molly. 'City Country: The Paradox of Country Music in Urban America.' New Errands: The Undergraduate Journal of American Studies 2.1 (2014).
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