what do you think of todays country music? the good and the bad.?

I tend towards the old style or traditional; country I grew up with in the sixties, and seventies. I can be as hard core country as they come, when I want traditional country western, the new pop/country soft rock sound doesn't work.

I would call it more early Rock & Roll, than country. Back in the sixties the Beatles who were clearly Rock, had a song called Yesterday, or even "Rock Around the Clock," by Bill Haley. By today's standards for country it could easily be classed as a country song. Because I cross of the various genres of music, I can pick up the differences. The general tempo of what the industry wants us to accept as country doesn't have that sound or feel. The Eagles also considered either as rock or southern rock with a country influence had hits that by the standards set by the recording labels would easily be country, yet they miss many elements of what is the traditional style of country. Yes country is known for it drinking tearjerker songs, but look deep enough and you'll find the humorous, and happy times, songs celebrating life and having fun.

In as far as today goes there is still a lot of good, and true traditional sounding music, along with what is mislabeled and passed off as country music. The stuff aimed at the Generation Y crowd (under 25) has been given a more pop and rock beat, and even a bit of rap or hip hop sound. That's not country.

You don't need a slide steel, pedal steel, dobro, banjo, fiddle, or auto harp, to be country music. Just the feel has to be there that comes out and says this is country, and not pop or rock. Those instruments could easily be used to believe it or not create a rock band, just as easily as all electric instruments can be, and are used in country. It's all in how they're played. There is always going to be a market for the traditional sound of country western music. Whether the recording industry wants it or not.

Country music today has moved closer to pop music than country music of the past. It moved away from bluegrass and swing roots. This has been done to increase the number of people listening to the music especially among the teen crowd.

There are some good and bad points associated with this change. The music is a bit more upbeat than traditional country even the songs about lost love. It gives more people a chance to hear country music. However, it doesn't have the same feel as traditional country music.

To tell the truth there has always been pop country it wasnt just tehese days, in the 50's country turned to pop in order to compete with rock and roll, with people like Chet Atkins, and Eddy Arnold, and the music then SUCKED. Most of the people remembered from the 60s and 70s like Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Buck Owens, etc. Were outsiders of the nashville scene. Nashville didnt want anything to do with them. But they are remembered today, Bakersfield was the headquarters for real country then. But in The 80's and 90's, Traditional country was cool again. And everybody wanted to play traditional country (Neo-Traditional Era) But by the end of the 90's pop country had come back again. But there still is traditional country on the radio today. People like George Strait, and Alan Jackson can still make hits in a traditional style.

I prefer modern country, there are only three older artists I can stand; Johnny Cash, Ricky Skaggs, and Merle Haggard...In my opinion, a decent amount of today's Country music is still country, though a lot of it has changed more towards pop, rock, and even rap.. It changed a bit to much really, though like you said about Zac Brown Band a lot of those pop/rock/rap country artists managed to put out some more traditional country hits.

As a "Music Buff"..in general, I would have to say "Quality Singers"

have nearly Disappeared....As has "Real Talent"..... But I assume

it is because "todays listening public" has NO CLUE how very good

past singers HAD TO BE TO SURVIVE....!!!! Ya don't need talent today....

For example...can you picture any country singer today,

who would not feel "INADEQUATE", trying to be the Follow-up

act to Marty Robbins ??? That man had "no equal"....

traditional country music blows modern country out the water - Emmylou Harris, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton.. how can any of the modern country musicians now compete with them

Harlan howard said: 'County music is three chords and the truth'

I personally don't feel todays country music complies with that, so I guess I'd have to say no, it's not truly country music anymore :(

edit: Jacob Edwards - there's loads of happy traditional country music http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPfdWvMO0nU

In the last ten(?) years country music has gone down hill like a snowball headed for h3ll! I have none of the more recent years of country music in my extensive collection of music!

I think today's country is a lot happier compared to the depressing old country music. I personally like modern country because I don't like sad songs lol. I think today's country is the closest thing to rock we have in the 21st century, so it's not really country anymore. Hope it helped.

I think todays country music is better, more modern, and pop country. Way better! But that's just me I'm 15.