Ever since Zach Bryan has burst on the scene back in 2018, country music fans have been comparing him to another super star in the making…
Hell, back when “Condemned” first went viral in 2019, he was already drawing comparisons to a young Tyler Childers, and in some ways, deservedly so.
I mean, Zach’s rabid, organic fanbase was already rapidly growing, with more and more fans captivated by Zach’s rich, authentic storytelling each day… not unlike Tyler Childers.
But as Zach is about to point out, music isn’t about comparison.
Childers is ten fold the musician I am and I will never say otherwise
I can’t express it enough that music is not for comparing, its just stories and people trying to sing what their hearts feel
I’m barely even a musician and my pet peeve is the constant comparison of everything https://t.co/Sog176ISph— Zach Bryan (@zachlanebryan) July 27, 2021
And who could argue with that?
Music is highly a subjective art form where many artists pour their hearts into a song and then the hope is that people relate and connect with your story.
Or you know, sometimes they just ask where the country girls at, but that’s a different story…
The point is, people constantly compare artists to each other, and while it’s pretty insufferable at times, it’s a pretty common method for people (especially non musical folks) to frame a conversation.
So I get it… when somebody is new and exciting, your first reaction is well, who does he/she sound like?
For Zach, it was Tyler Childers. But that doesn’t mean we have to compare Zach and Tyler for their of their careers.
There’s an old saying that goes a little something like this: “comparison is the thief of joy.” I’m not sure who said it first, but it has been attributed to C.S. Lewis, Teddy Roosevelt and other wise, thoughtful people throughout time.
But it’s a good one to remember, especially in instances like this. We’ll all probably be a lot happier if we just listen to what we love, don’t listen to what we don’t like, enjoy country music as a whole for what each artist contributes to it, and stop comparing everything and everyone to each other at all times.
Just my two cents…
Although, barely even a musician? I don’t know if “barely musicians” have crowds that sound like this…