Country music’s definitely a melting pot these days.
Obviously there are still plenty of people who criticize the genre for not being diverse enough when it comes to both women and minority artists. But it’s hard to argue that the genre looks a lot different than it did even just 20 years ago.
Shaboozey is currently topping the Billboard Hot 100 for the 11th week in a row, the longest stretch at #1 since Morgan Wallen held the top spot for 16 weeks with “Last Night” in 2023. Post Malone just released his first country album, and Beyonce made waves earlier this year with her country-inspired album Cowboy Carter.
Country music is also more popular than ever by just about any metric you look at. From streaming numbers to concert attendance to the radio charts, more people are listening to country music than ever before.
Of course there’s always the debate about just how “country” some of this music really is. But according to Bill Maher, this shift in country music is just proof that the country has changed, and that it’s not fair to see people as your enemy just because they’re from a different part of the country or see things differently than you.
During a segment on his show Real Time With Bill Maher, the comedian and talk show host argued that Americans are becoming more alike – and pointed to country music as an example:
“I’m just saying, it’s not all bullets and mullets out there now. Just look at the music. Maybe that’s the best analogy for where we are culturally.
I used to hate country music, for a very good reason: It sucked. But it changed, because the people making it changed. It’s not some pickin’ and a-grinnin’ bumpkin in a rhinestone leisure suit vaguely longing for the return of segregation anymore. Mostly.”
Now, I’m going to stop for a minute because not only was that pretty offensive, but so were the pictures of artists that he chose to use for that point: Loretta Lynn, George Jones, Patsy Cline, Conway Twitty and HANK WILLIAMS were just bumpkins in rhinestone suits longing for segregation?
Pretty rich that he’s saying that during a segment about how we all need to come together, yet also insulting some of the greatest country artists of all time. Loretta Lynn was one of the most progressive singers of her time, with songs like “The Pill,” “Rated X” and “Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ On Your Mind)” pushing the boundaries for women’s rights at the time. George Jones wrote songs about love and heartbreak and addiction. And Conway was just horny. How were any of these legends “vaguely longing for the return of segregation?” What an idiotic thing to say.
But I digress.
Maher then pointed to artists like Shaboozey and Post Malone as he argued that country music has become a melting pot and an example of Americans with different backgrounds being able to get along:
“A lot of it’s good now. It sounds like The Eagles in 1972.
The #1 song on the country chart this week is by Shaboozey. Does he look like an Oak Ridge Boy to you?
Post Malone is a country star now and you need a bookmark just to make it through his face. Snoop Dogg and Willie Nelson both have the same hobby.
At this year’s Grammy Awards, Luke Combs performed a duet with Tracy Chapman, a queer black woman, and no one ran screaming from the building. In fact they all loved it.
The big hat people, and the big hair people, they don’t hate each other. They like and respect each other. They want to work together. We can’t duplicate this on a grander scale in America?
Why don’t we just resist our worst impulses?”
Now, I get what Maher’s trying to say, and on some level I agree with it. For all of the crying about Morgan Wallen being a racist, the most diverse concert I’ve been to this year was…Morgan Wallen. And not only is it in the audience, but it’s also in his music as he works with artists like Moneybagg Yo and Lil Durk.
Of course the argument is going to be, well that’s not really country music. And that’s true, but it also shows two people with very different backgrounds can actually work together, even be friends, despite the fact that they probably don’t agree on everything.
So I guess that’s kind of the point that Maher was trying to make – even if he was pretty insulting to country music in the process.