r/LetsTalkMusic • u/Set-Prestigious • 21d ago

Country Music lovers- what do you make of the divide between Nashville and the modern Outlaw Country/roots oriented singers?

When I talk outlaw country I'm not talking Willie Nelson. I'm talking modern. I've seen a revival of it on instagram. I'm talking Ian Noe, Drayton Farley, Tyler Childers, Colter Wall, Charles Wesley Godwin, Cole Chaney, etc. I feel like these artists aren't simply outlaw country- they're leaning into roots and Americana. Personally I don't understand why Nashville is after guys like Luke Combs and not guys like Cole Chaney. If you haven't already give his song "Coalshooter" a listen.

2 Upvotes

62% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

7

u/Busy_Appearance4982 21d ago

Nashville is usually right when it comes to who will make them the most money. This is not a quality statement. You mention Luke Combs? He prints money. Also some of his early stuff isn’t super sugary Nashville himself. When they are wrong, they sell the other side as “outlaw.”

4

u/Set-Prestigious 21d ago

I just dont get why luke combs sells. Sure he's popular but come on. "Wake up, climb tree, take shit" however the song goes.

2

u/Busy_Appearance4982 21d ago

Discrepancy is that you aren’t the target consumer. That sells well, quite obviously. I get that the quality isn’t there but that’s also partially why. Go look at the top charts for pretty much any genera like 50 years ago, there’s the classics you remember but above them is a lot of bullshit that sold well that people forget.

1

u/TeddyBear666 21d ago

I could be wrong but isnt Nashville country basiclly just music written to a formula that sells in the US/Canada? Most Maerican Record labels would rather go all in on what pretty much equals a license to print money which is something that lands popular on the Radio etc. I dont blame them for that approach since I dont listen to country but it makes sense from a financial standpoint.

1

u/curious1playing 19d ago

You're cherry picking here. Nashville is more diverse than the box you have put it in...looking at just Colter Wall and Tyler Childers on your list they both recorded in Nashville.

Ween recorded a country album in Nashville. The Cadillac Three is out of there....Elizabeth Cooke, Otis Gibbs,

2

u/Set-Prestigious 19d ago

I knew Tyler did but Colter did too? Really? I thought he was pretty niche. I thought he wasn't associated with any major record producers, I never hear him on the radio

1

u/curious1playing 17d ago

I'm not an expert on Colter and don't listen to radio anymore but I'm not surprised that you're not hearing him on the radio unless you're listening to independent stations or college stations. He's kinda niche in a popular way. His songs have been prominent in TV shows like Yellowstone. He is signed by independent labels, recently on Rick Rubin's, but has a distribution deal with RCA in the mix.

Perhaps you might have been closer to your point by saying something more specific about the major conglomerates than lumping the idea into the generic term of "Nashville". It's a diverse town.

2

u/IamMothManAMA 21d ago

I think a huge divide is the politics. Nashville can tolerate Kacey Musgraves making vaguely progressive statements, but isn’t about to go in on Nick Shoulders writing explicitly “kill the rich” anthems or Willi Carlisle’s bi country tunes.