Country Pop Vs New Country Analysis

The country genre has a complex and important past that ties together American political and musical history into an important story telling of the American past and present. During the 1990s, the music landscape was changing across America with the rise of hip hop and the clashes between East and West Coast. Specifically on the country genre, there were two contemporary styles of country: New Country and Country-pop. New Country utilized neo-traditional sounds including fiddles, sharper drums, and a verse-chorus form. In contrast, country-pop carried in new sounds that were not found in traditional/historic country music including electro guitar patterns, a stronger emphasis on rhythm, and a memorable and easy to remember hook. One very popular example

The song opens with electric and steel guitar, instituting a rock beat that was aided with drums and a cowbell. The first verse and pre-chorus compare the two cities of Nashville and Las Vegas, noting Nashville’s importance to the country. As the song continues, the song relies on repeated patterns of 3 chords and the title line, often with a steel guitar audibly alongside. The song clearly lives up to the values of New Country with its use of steel guitar, sharp drums, and a verse-chorus form. In terms of audience and mainstream support, males often had stronger support for the new country genre, where women often preferred country pop. The new country genre often appealed to lower/ middle income audiences and had national popularity, particularly in the south. Overall, I would say that mainstream support helped this song grow into a staple of 90s new country, helping promote a more traditional brand of country in contrast to country pop. With the rise of electronically influenced music in the 2000s, big name pop artists became national media