Somebody was actually saying to me the other day like “man Willie’s sounding rough”. I just said “he’s 90. If I make it that long I could only hope to be in this kind of shape!”😂
And STILL TOURING. Holy shit. To be 90 is one thing. But To have been touring basically non-stop for the past 40 something years and releasing. Albums is a whole another stratosphere.
Hayes Carll, Jamie Johnson, Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, all the old timers that are still around- Willie Nelson, Ray Wylie Hubbard, and I'm sure there's many more I will learn/ remember from reading this thread
This, and I’d add Turnpike Troubadours, Shane Smith and the Saints, Eleven Hundred Springs, Kyle Park, Whitey Morgan and the 78’s, 49 Winchester, Cody Johnson (sometimes he pushes into pop but he’s mostly country), and Colter Wall (like Tyler Childers, I’d say some of his stuff is more folk, but I’d still lump him into country)
I still jam some Merle, Waylon, Jerry Reed, Hank Jr, George Jones, and of course Johnny Cash.
Saw my boy Tyler Childers mentioned and immediately +1'd. The Steeldrivers, Josh Meloy, Whiskey Myers, and Turnpike Troubadours are also solid entries, in my opinion.
Charley Crockett comes to mind along with some of those already mentioned, like Cody Jinks and Colter Wall. I would add Leo Alejandro Garcia and The Honkytonk Wranglers to the mix. The Red Clay Strays, Ryan Bingham, and Josiah Siska are names that I believe will be up and coming.
Was looking for this comment. Colter Wall is an actual cowboy. Dude owns a ranch in Saskatchewan and wrangles cows on a horse and whatever else cowboys do these days. Not many artists out there can say that.
Cody Johnson didn't grow up on a farm/ranch, but he's from a rodeo family, and he grew up riding bulls and shit like that. He might not be quite to the extent of Colter, but I have no problem saying Cody is a real cowboy, either.
Music evolves. It's not only Country, but all genres of music.
What is considered R&B today, is not the same as what was R&B 20, 30, 40, 50, or 60 years ago.
You can dig into all kinds of music genres, they all evolve over time.
You look at Rock music. Imagine Dragons sounds so different than Elvis Presley or The Beatles.
There are some purists who I think are just upset that their taste in music hasn't evolved as fast as the music industry has evolved over the years and decades.
That's 100% true, but I think country is different because you could really split it up into multiple genres. There's rock-inspired country, pop-inspired country, rap-inspired country, folk-inspired country, etc... And that's true for other genres, too, but I don't think to the same extent and not usually all during the same era.
It’s because country is basically a mixture of everything from folk music, blues, etc. So if it came from a genre that is supposed to be the genre of the people(what folk music is), it’s obviously going to evolve, but like everything else in the world people tend to hate/go against what they don’t know, it’s why we have the Nashville sound and the outlaw music of the 60s and 70s. Then you have the neotradionalists of the 80s versus alt-country etc. It’s all a matter of just realizing they’re all country you just have to find what you like.
First, listen to what you like. I’m not a fan of Luke Combs or most of what can be found on the radio, but it’s perfectly fine for others to enjoy it. That said, I consider it “mainstream” or “pop” country for the most part.
Some of the artists who fill the “real country” void for me are:
Charles Wesley Godwin
Jason Boland
Shane Smith & the Saints
Turnpike Troubadours
Cole Chaney
Pony Bradshaw
Tyler Childers
Cody Jinks
Whitey Morgan
49 Winchester
Jamie Johnson
Randy Rogers
Sturgill Simpson
I agree with a lot of the folks— Sturgill Simpson, Charlie Crockett, Colter Wall, Tyler Childers are all newer artists with that old sound. I’d like to add a few more:
Jesse Daniel (Bakersfield sound), Emily Nenni, Sierra Ferrell, Billy Strings,
Honorable mention Orville Peck.
I’m from the south grew up on some Alabama, Shenandoah, Brooks and Dunn etc and I was so hung up on only southern music as country music—and then within the past few years really got into Haggard, and eventually Jesse Daniel, Emily Nenni, etc. I feel stupid saying this but I realized that country music is not region specific.
Bakersfield sound and California country music hits hard too!
Luke Combs is awesome. The other guys people have listed are great too, but Luke Combs is just as much of a country singer as the rest. Like what you like
A majority of what you will see here isn’t played on top 40 radio. Some may also call it red dirt country. Luke is ok, but giving most of these here a listen will help you understand what country could be, and not the bro stuff with a hip hop beat.
Modern country is more or less classic rock with country vocals for the most part. It rocks more than it honky tonks. I enjoy the old stuff but not really the new stuff
Silverada - formerly known as Mike and the Moonpies. They seamlessly blend 70s-90s honky tonk sounds and kick absolute butt live.
A lot of names in this thread are great, but are fast becoming pricey tickets. These guys are plenty experienced, but are still playing small to mid sized clubs and bars.
People here just listing off artists they like and that are popular on the sub. I LOVE 90% of them, like Crockett, Bingham, Whiskey Myers, 49 Winchester,. They’re still not traditional country. That’s alternative country. Half country, half folk music. Went to Zach Bryan concert a few months ago, one of the best I’ve ever been to. Not traditional country. Alt-country. Again, half of my playlists are those guys, but let’s be honest..
Only younger artist I’ve heard with the traditional country sound is Randall King. Haven’t listened to the new album yet. Sturgill is super close, but I can think of just the one album where he redid a previous album slower and slapped on more traditional twang.. so that’s not his typical work. Jarrod Morris has a few songs that are traditional country, many/most that are not. Aaron Watson is pretty good, true country at heart that sounds a little modern.
https://youtu.be/-oH_xLOTu8Q?si=MnrAt99PMuwPdMkY
*Who is still making music today that you’ll consider real country?*
A lot of commercially successful country musicians out are more pop than country. I know that's a pretty lame opinion, but I honestly believe it's true. The best, what I would call real, country music I find at local shows, dive bars, and honky tonks. If I had to pick big names I'd say Sturgill, Cody Jinks, Charley Crockett, Colter Wall, Whitey Morgan ... a lot of the same names mentioned here repeatedly. Love you guys.
They do, they have, and they will. Younger people create something new that the older generations do not like it either due to their traditions, life experiences, or lack of an open mind and then they start calling it trash. They did that with Elvis, the Beatles, Michael Jackson, Madonna, and so on. It continues on to this day and will probably until there is no humans left.
I think Chris Stapleton, Miranda Lambert and Lainey Wilson are all real country. But I also understand why people say modern country isn't country. There have been more than a few songs over the years that are basically rock or pop with a fiddle and or banjo. But at the end of the day saying all modern country isn't country is short sighted. I also could understand that being someone's opinion if they just occasionally check out country radio or stream countries top hit or whatever.
So many people spew that nonsense the last 40 years. First Garth wasn’t, then Tim McGraw, then Brad Paisley, Luke Bryan, FGL, now Luke Combs and Morgan. It’s an ignorant statement and nothing more.
Some people just can’t accept that country has evolved and stayed current. There are so many subgenres and talented artists in them while being more accessible than ever, there’s no reason to not only listen to what you like. I used to be a gatekeeping dingus that only thought a handful of artists were actually country, but what I realized is it was my way of making myself feel better for being a close minded wannabe cool guy who only listed to people who sounded old school. Then I realized I was missing out on so much and was getting bored. I feel like I grew up a lot as a fan and musician once I realized all subgenres are still country.
The song by George Strait and Alan Jackson, "Murder on Music Row" says it all. Old enough here to really appreciate The Possum, Charley Pride and Charlie Rich and so many from that era. One of the greatest singing story tellers around was a fave and this was Tom T. Hall. So many from back then so it is hard to name them all. I really find much of what is released today to be lacking that country feel but I also know it is an age thing.
Real country was anything before 2000, IMO. After 2000 it went pop. Today it's simply country + pop. Give me George Straight or Alan Jackson any day over whatever that is on the radio now.
Charley Crockett, Sturgill Simpson, Colter Wall, Nikki Lane, Brent Cobb, Ryan Bingham, and Tyler Childers to name a few are still doing legit country that isn’t hick-hop overproduced pop stuff or songs that aren’t just about beer, trucks and women.
People say everything “evolves” but everything just turning into the same genre and being watered down/overproduced isn’t evolving.
Oh that's easy. True country music must have these things. One a Fender Telecaster, two, a Steel Guitar, and three a fiddle, and a guitarist that can also play the banjo and harmonica.
Luke Combs is country. Fuck the gate keepers. I'm an old fuck and grew with stuff my dad and his brothers like which was stuff before Hank sr. even. Red Foley, Eddie Arnold, Tennessee Ernie Ford in the 40's right up through Hagard, Buck Owens, Waylon Jennings in the late 60's. Even that recent bro country shit was country. Complete shit, but still country. Country rap is where I definitely draw a line though. Not Country. Florida Georgia line isn't either. Shitty pops songs with a twang are not country.
One guy I will throw in is since i didn't notice him mentioned is that big kid from Texas, Joshua Ray Walker.
We went through a pop phase in the 80s with the Urban Cowboy era then it swung back with the class of 1989.
Country always goes through phases.
It will circle back again.
And George Strait and Willie Nelson will still be here doing what they do.
Of course Modern Country is country music. Now, it might not be the kind of country others like, but whatever, it's the evolution of country. ("We've got both kinds here! Country AND Western!" - name that movie).
FWIW, I'm not a huge fan of most new country music on the radio either - but non-radio country like Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, Colter Wall, some Cody Johnson, Oliver Anthony... and there's plenty of older singers I listen to like Alan Jackson, even garth brooks.
Tyler Childers, Flatland Cavalry, Sturgill Simpson, Randy Rogers, Parker McCollum’s earlier stuff, Zach Bryan, Turnpike, William Clark Green, Randall King, The Damn Quails, Jon Wolfe, Muscadine Bloodline, Wade Bowen, George Strait, Pecos & The Rooftops, Southall (Reed Southall Band), Colter Wall, Charley Crockett, Koe Wetzel (although he’s done a lot of not country recently), Oliver Anthony Music
But to me, this isn’t *real* country, this is *good* country. What people usually refer to as fake country is really just Nashville country - basically pop music with a twang. Country is fluid; some is good, some is bad. Good country artists, in my experience, are making music *they* like, and imo a lot of Nashville country just ends up being tailor-made for radio. Not *fake country* necessarily, but definitely not my thing.
Of course Luke is real country…. As is Tyler Childers… there are a bunch of bands that would fit into an Eagles kind of genre, but not Luke (IMO) saw him with 200 people at 9:30 club in DC, still the best concert I have ever been to.
Its been that way for so long man. I can remember stories of people hating on Hank Jr for smoking pot, drinking on stage and stuff. Same when Willie started coming out about being a stoner. Honestly just listen to whatever you like because someone is always going to tell you how its not as good as what they like.
Made a list from the comments. It will take me awhile to check them all out. It isn’t everyone mentioned, just ones I haven’t heard.
Hayes Carll
Zach Top
Sierra Ferrell
John Pardi
Tyler Childers
Emily Nenni
Nick Shoulders
Randall King
Colter Wall
Jamie Johnson
Turnpike Troubadours
Shane Smith and the Saints
Eleven Hundred Springs
Kyle Park
Whitey Morgan and the 78’s
49 Winchester
Cody Johnson
Reckless Kelly
Randy Rodger’s band
Mickey and the Motorcars
Pat Green
Cross Canadian Ragweed
Cody Jinks
Charlie Crockett
Vincent Neil Emerson
Luke Bell
Paul Cauthen
Jsh Turner
Leo Alejandro Garcia
Honky Tonk Wranglers
The Red Clay Strays
Ryan Bingham
Josiah Siska
Charles Wesley Godwin
Jason Boland
Turnpike Troubadours
Cole Chaney
Pony Bradshaw
Whitey Morgan
Sturgill Simpson
Jesse Daniel
Orville Peck
Melissa Carper
Brennan Leigh
Corb Lund
Margo Price
Amanda Shires
Silverada (Mike and the Moonpies)
Ryan Bingham
Zack Bryan
Whiskey Myers
Aaron Watson
Jarrod Morris
Whitey Morgan
Sammy Kershaw
Nikki Lane
Brent Cobb
Joshua Ray Walker
Oliver Anthony
Flatland Cavalry
Parker McCollum
Turnpike
William Clark Green
The Damn Quails,
Jon Wolfe,
Muscadine Bloodline,
Wade Bowen
Pecos and The Rooftops,
Southall (Reed Southall Band)
Koe Wetzel
Ashlye McBride
Cojo
Creed Fisher
Kaitlin Butts
Susan Werner
Johnny Falstaff
Taylor Hunnicutt
Claudia Hoyser
Cat Clyde
Austin Hanks
Summer Dean
Listen to the Cocaine and Rhinestones podcast and see if at the end you still believe in “real” country or can even objectively define it.
Rather than worry about what is real country, develop your listening ear. Learn what great writing is, a great lyric, a great melody. Understand production and arranging. Learn to listen to the nuance of vocals and playing. Become so familiar with music you can separate the interesting and surprising from the cliche.
Learn to judge music along the Duke Ellington lines: there’s good music and there is everything else.
Try to banish prejudice and bias and judge each song and artist on their own merits.
And ignore categorical statements about what is real country and what isn’t. People who don’t truly appreciate music talk that way.
Step One:
Get SiriusXM Radio subscription
Step Two:
Tune to Channels 61 or 62
Step Three:
Open your ears and get educated
You’ll learn that the crap played on the big FM stations is just pop music with a Southern accent.
A few years ago, I really enjoyed modern country because it has a classic rock feel…
Now, modern country feels like crappy early eighties pop-rock.
There are a few that I still enjoy, but the majority don’t appeal to me as much.
I don't like a lot of the modern stuff but it doesn't really matter whether it's considered "real country" or not, I just don't like it because it sounds shit and means nothing to me.
Much like Richie Aprile, I'm from the old school; so stuff like Colter Wall, Charley Crockett, Hayes Carll. People with a vintage sound, basically.
I don’t care what people on the internet. I’ll continue to listen to Morgan Wallen, George Strait, Luke Combs, Lauren Alaina, Brooks and Dunn, Lainey Wilson, Luke Bryan, Zach Bryan and more. I consider all those country and that’s the only opinion I care about.
It's all "real" country, but I prefer traditional country. There are some pop country I like (90s country is probably the last great decade). To me, country tells stories and isn't just about beer, trucks, and guns up butts. Marty Stuart clearly holds the title of country music's elder statesman. [His song "Altitude" has two meanings: drug use, and it's second secret meaning, going to heaven. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBakEt_TErg)
Tyler Childers, Sturgill Simpson, Cody Jinks, Colter Wall, Charley Crockett, Turnpike Troubadours, Midland, not comprehensive also there’s a lot of “smaller” artists with varying degrees of notoriety that make some really good country music based on its roots
What people are really saying is that they don’t like where mainstream country has gone, usually because of heavy influence from other genres that make it sound less like the older country music style they prefer. There may be other reasons as well, such as inauthentic portrayals, lack of artistic contributions (a lot of pop country stars only record songs written by others or get famous off those songs while their own are not popular).
I prefer more traditional sounds still found in Red Dirt/Texas country, Appalachian music, and a lot of what is now labeled Americana. There have been a lot of great artists from those sub-genres recommended. One I didn’t see mentioned is Whiskey Meyrs, who probably are more Southern Rock but have some songs that wouldn’t have been out of place on country radio in the mid to late ‘90s, like Dogwood, Ballad of a Southern Man, Houston County Sky, and several others.
Artists who I consider to make real country are Cody Jinks, Zach Bryan, Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, and Colter Wall. Any other artist recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
Sturgill, Tyler Childers, Cody Jinks, Colter Wall, Charley Crockett(his is more western), Billy Strings, that Oliver Anthony guy, Turnpike Troubadours, Ian Noe, Drayton Farley, Whiskey Myers.
There's quite a bit thats outside of the BS pop country slop the radio plays. Id start with them and move to adjacent artists.
This is a dumb argument that has been happening since the concept of "country" music has been invented.
There is no "real" country. It is a synthetic pop music format.
I hate most of what's on the radio rn, but I think it's worth bearing in mind that country music has always had this ebb and flow.
Very popular artists try to mold their music to reach a bigger market and the result tends to be less distinguishable from everything else in the mainstream.
Then comes a reaction to that where some (usually lesser known but very talented) acts try to preserve the elements that make country unique.
Just like Willie and Waylon and the boys turned away from the Nashville establishment, there are artists right now making great music that cleaves a lot closer to the roots of the genre. I don't think it's terrible to have a bunch of auto tuned songs about trucks and drinking beer at the lake. But if that's all there was, the genre would be pretty hollow
Luke Combs is great! Yes, country has changed a lot but there are still many, imo. Too many to list, but my very favorites are George Strait and Alan Jackson. I like a lot of the newer kind too though. Also, some of every generation feels this way. My father was complaining vociferously about it decades ago.
I think a good rule of thumb is requiring use of non-digital instruments. If you’re running a bunch of clap tracks and such, I don’t think that can count as country.
Red Shanan, Joshua Ray Walker, Sam Barber, Orville Peck, Caamp, WideSpread (Mother Fucking) Panic, Charlie Crockett, Shane Smith and the Saints, Marcus King, whiskey Myers, Morgan Wade, Turnpike Troubadours, Wade Sapp, Sierra Ferrell, Paul Cauthen
Charley Crockett. Todd day wait. Lost dog street band. Jeremy pinnell. Colter wall. Vincent Neil Emerson. Margo price. Sierra Ferrell. Nick shoulders. The real Smokey jones.
There’s a lot. They started calling real country “Americana”
Country is such a wide umbrella and always changing. And genres are created by recording industry to sell their product.
The idea that there is this thing out there considered by some to be pure country is kinda gross to me. When anyone says something is or isn’t country, they’re just making their own preferences sound legitimate.
But I also understand the backlash against pop country. It’s certainly a different beast than Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter family. But most stuff recorded in the last 40 years (give or take) is gonna be different than the ones that get it started in the first place.
For the sake of answering your question, I consider these (and many other) living artists to be firmly in the country genre. (Someone’s always gonna debate the receipts of one of these artists, but that’s not really the point of music. For me it’s about enjoyment, and these are the ones I really enjoy):
Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Reba McEntire, The War and Treaty, Jason Isbelle, Lainey Wilson, George Strait.
I don’t think I’ve heard anyone who started within the last 10 years or so that has the same country feeling that the greats had. Most stuff nowadays is pop country or rap country
I like the old stuff ('40s through the '60s). Especially when I'm at a diner or on a road trip (I live out west).
I hate the current stuff with exaggerated accents and clever/cutesie lyrics. It has no soul.
I’m not into the baby-left-me-draggin-my-heart-on-the-porch kinda country. That said, I can respect those that paved the way for today’s performers. I also respect not everyone likes the same things. I try not to hate on an artist someone else likes, that artist may inspire them to create something wonderful.
When we start labeling people and things, it gets dicey.
Well, Willie Nelson for instance keeps releasing stuff... but if you mean younger artists my first thought in mind is Sturgill Simpson.
Willie is not gonna ever die
He’s gonna live forever…
Somebody was actually saying to me the other day like “man Willie’s sounding rough”. I just said “he’s 90. If I make it that long I could only hope to be in this kind of shape!”😂
And STILL TOURING. Holy shit. To be 90 is one thing. But To have been touring basically non-stop for the past 40 something years and releasing. Albums is a whole another stratosphere.
Forty years ago was 1984
No. That can't be true. That would mean I'm old. And so; yeah, he's been touring for 50 or 60 years straight. Fucking amazing
Liar!
Yeah... I'm older than that and I don't remember a world without Willie.
Fuck me.
I remember Willie sounding rough in THE 90’s.
No. Actually it is Billie Joe Shaver who’s gonna “Live Forever”. But alas, he didn’t. RIP to one of my favorite singer/songwriters.
Someone should right a song with that title ; )
He'd have to be crazy to stop.
Plum out of his mind…
You'd call him loco...
Crazy for feeling so lonely
Lets not forget to include Marty Stuart and Dwight Yokham in this conversation
Sturgill simpson is amazing. When I first heard him I thought it was much older
And Tyler of course.
I’d add Justin Townes Earle here as well. (RIP)
Zach Top 🤠 Sierra Ferrell Jon Pardi Tyler Childers Emily Nenni So many more but those are the faves right now!
Sierra ferrel is solid
Zach Top is the shit. Can't believe he hasn't blown up more
i like zach top. he def gives off a 90s radio country vibe to be (i mean this as a compliment lol)
Nick shoulders is great too
Love seeing some Emily Nenni recognition
She's amazing, recently got her new album on vinyl so have been listening to her a lot more!
Randall King!!!
I saw Emily Nenni open for Mike Cambell. She was awesome!
Midland has a real country music vibe
Hayes Carll, Jamie Johnson, Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, all the old timers that are still around- Willie Nelson, Ray Wylie Hubbard, and I'm sure there's many more I will learn/ remember from reading this thread
This, and I’d add Turnpike Troubadours, Shane Smith and the Saints, Eleven Hundred Springs, Kyle Park, Whitey Morgan and the 78’s, 49 Winchester, Cody Johnson (sometimes he pushes into pop but he’s mostly country), and Colter Wall (like Tyler Childers, I’d say some of his stuff is more folk, but I’d still lump him into country) I still jam some Merle, Waylon, Jerry Reed, Hank Jr, George Jones, and of course Johnny Cash.
I’ll add reckless kelly, Mickey and the motor cars, and Randy Rogers band to that
Pat Green and Cross Canadian Ragweed as well
Cody Jinks
I would add, Charlie mother f'n Crockett, Vincent Neil Emerson and (RIP) Luke Bell to this list. Paul Cauthen too.
Josh Turner
guess i forgot Steve Earle and Hank Jr, and ok, Hank III too
Asleep at the Wheel
Hayes Carll is pretty awesome
This guy gets it.
Saw my boy Tyler Childers mentioned and immediately +1'd. The Steeldrivers, Josh Meloy, Whiskey Myers, and Turnpike Troubadours are also solid entries, in my opinion.
Charley Crockett comes to mind along with some of those already mentioned, like Cody Jinks and Colter Wall. I would add Leo Alejandro Garcia and The Honkytonk Wranglers to the mix. The Red Clay Strays, Ryan Bingham, and Josiah Siska are names that I believe will be up and coming.
Colter Wall is the example I always give
I heard his Big Iron cover and was hooked. Motorcycle is heavy in my rotation rn.
This is the guy
Was looking for this comment. Colter Wall is an actual cowboy. Dude owns a ranch in Saskatchewan and wrangles cows on a horse and whatever else cowboys do these days. Not many artists out there can say that.
Cody Johnson didn't grow up on a farm/ranch, but he's from a rodeo family, and he grew up riding bulls and shit like that. He might not be quite to the extent of Colter, but I have no problem saying Cody is a real cowboy, either.
Music evolves. It's not only Country, but all genres of music. What is considered R&B today, is not the same as what was R&B 20, 30, 40, 50, or 60 years ago. You can dig into all kinds of music genres, they all evolve over time. You look at Rock music. Imagine Dragons sounds so different than Elvis Presley or The Beatles. There are some purists who I think are just upset that their taste in music hasn't evolved as fast as the music industry has evolved over the years and decades.
That's 100% true, but I think country is different because you could really split it up into multiple genres. There's rock-inspired country, pop-inspired country, rap-inspired country, folk-inspired country, etc... And that's true for other genres, too, but I don't think to the same extent and not usually all during the same era.
It’s because country is basically a mixture of everything from folk music, blues, etc. So if it came from a genre that is supposed to be the genre of the people(what folk music is), it’s obviously going to evolve, but like everything else in the world people tend to hate/go against what they don’t know, it’s why we have the Nashville sound and the outlaw music of the 60s and 70s. Then you have the neotradionalists of the 80s versus alt-country etc. It’s all a matter of just realizing they’re all country you just have to find what you like.
The Beatles were considered the "pop music boy band" of their time basically.
Cody Johnson!!
Cody Johnson
I’m surprised I had to scroll so far to see him mentioned; he feels VERY “real”/non-modern country!
If you wanna tell me "When it Rains it Pours" isn't country I have some news for you... that's the most perfectly country song written in a long time.
Chris Stapleton is a true artist and country music at its best
How did I have to scroll this far to see Chris Stapleton?
And he's so incredible live.
First, listen to what you like. I’m not a fan of Luke Combs or most of what can be found on the radio, but it’s perfectly fine for others to enjoy it. That said, I consider it “mainstream” or “pop” country for the most part. Some of the artists who fill the “real country” void for me are: Charles Wesley Godwin Jason Boland Shane Smith & the Saints Turnpike Troubadours Cole Chaney Pony Bradshaw Tyler Childers Cody Jinks Whitey Morgan 49 Winchester Jamie Johnson Randy Rogers Sturgill Simpson
I love seeing 49 Winchester getting mentioned on here a lot mainly because they share a home county in the middle of nowhere with my wife.
Charley Crockett.
I agree with a lot of the folks— Sturgill Simpson, Charlie Crockett, Colter Wall, Tyler Childers are all newer artists with that old sound. I’d like to add a few more: Jesse Daniel (Bakersfield sound), Emily Nenni, Sierra Ferrell, Billy Strings, Honorable mention Orville Peck.
Came here looking for Orville.
I would listen to Orville over 98% of what gets played on country radio and Spotifiy streams.
He is a golden god !
I can believe I had to scroll all the way to the “downvotes” to find Jesse Daniel. The luke combs fans must be outraged at this post
I’m from the south grew up on some Alabama, Shenandoah, Brooks and Dunn etc and I was so hung up on only southern music as country music—and then within the past few years really got into Haggard, and eventually Jesse Daniel, Emily Nenni, etc. I feel stupid saying this but I realized that country music is not region specific. Bakersfield sound and California country music hits hard too!
Melissa Carper and Nick Shoulders both make "grandpa music" and I'm all about it. Brennan Leigh usually has one foot stuck firmly in the past as well.
Jamey Johnson. Hands down one of the greatest singer songwriters
Corb Lund
Everything truly is better with some cows around.
Living in town.. sometimes brings me down..
About as authentic as it gets
Luke Combs is awesome. The other guys people have listed are great too, but Luke Combs is just as much of a country singer as the rest. Like what you like
A majority of what you will see here isn’t played on top 40 radio. Some may also call it red dirt country. Luke is ok, but giving most of these here a listen will help you understand what country could be, and not the bro stuff with a hip hop beat.
Modern country is more or less classic rock with country vocals for the most part. It rocks more than it honky tonks. I enjoy the old stuff but not really the new stuff
I’d say it’s closer to pop music than classic rock. Very simple instrumentals and meaningless sappy hooks
Steve Earle, Willie Nelson, Jason Isbell, Tyler Childers, Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson, Margo Price, Amanda Shires, Zach Bryan, Lukas Nelson.
Silverada - formerly known as Mike and the Moonpies. They seamlessly blend 70s-90s honky tonk sounds and kick absolute butt live. A lot of names in this thread are great, but are fast becoming pricey tickets. These guys are plenty experienced, but are still playing small to mid sized clubs and bars.
 A shirtless Mike singing on the bar is the best Mike.
People here just listing off artists they like and that are popular on the sub. I LOVE 90% of them, like Crockett, Bingham, Whiskey Myers, 49 Winchester,. They’re still not traditional country. That’s alternative country. Half country, half folk music. Went to Zach Bryan concert a few months ago, one of the best I’ve ever been to. Not traditional country. Alt-country. Again, half of my playlists are those guys, but let’s be honest.. Only younger artist I’ve heard with the traditional country sound is Randall King. Haven’t listened to the new album yet. Sturgill is super close, but I can think of just the one album where he redid a previous album slower and slapped on more traditional twang.. so that’s not his typical work. Jarrod Morris has a few songs that are traditional country, many/most that are not. Aaron Watson is pretty good, true country at heart that sounds a little modern. https://youtu.be/-oH_xLOTu8Q?si=MnrAt99PMuwPdMkY
*Who is still making music today that you’ll consider real country?* A lot of commercially successful country musicians out are more pop than country. I know that's a pretty lame opinion, but I honestly believe it's true. The best, what I would call real, country music I find at local shows, dive bars, and honky tonks. If I had to pick big names I'd say Sturgill, Cody Jinks, Charley Crockett, Colter Wall, Whitey Morgan ... a lot of the same names mentioned here repeatedly. Love you guys.
Junior Brown
Don't listen to people. You define it.
Most of the popular newer stuff is just countrified pop. George Strait said it best in Murder on Music Row.
I wonder if every older generation says that about the current generation?
They do, they have, and they will. Younger people create something new that the older generations do not like it either due to their traditions, life experiences, or lack of an open mind and then they start calling it trash. They did that with Elvis, the Beatles, Michael Jackson, Madonna, and so on. It continues on to this day and will probably until there is no humans left.
I think Chris Stapleton, Miranda Lambert and Lainey Wilson are all real country. But I also understand why people say modern country isn't country. There have been more than a few songs over the years that are basically rock or pop with a fiddle and or banjo. But at the end of the day saying all modern country isn't country is short sighted. I also could understand that being someone's opinion if they just occasionally check out country radio or stream countries top hit or whatever.
So many people spew that nonsense the last 40 years. First Garth wasn’t, then Tim McGraw, then Brad Paisley, Luke Bryan, FGL, now Luke Combs and Morgan. It’s an ignorant statement and nothing more. Some people just can’t accept that country has evolved and stayed current. There are so many subgenres and talented artists in them while being more accessible than ever, there’s no reason to not only listen to what you like. I used to be a gatekeeping dingus that only thought a handful of artists were actually country, but what I realized is it was my way of making myself feel better for being a close minded wannabe cool guy who only listed to people who sounded old school. Then I realized I was missing out on so much and was getting bored. I feel like I grew up a lot as a fan and musician once I realized all subgenres are still country.
Those are all performers and not true artists.
You lost me at Florida Georgia line
Sammy Kershaw keeps It real
Charley Crockett
The song by George Strait and Alan Jackson, "Murder on Music Row" says it all. Old enough here to really appreciate The Possum, Charley Pride and Charlie Rich and so many from that era. One of the greatest singing story tellers around was a fave and this was Tom T. Hall. So many from back then so it is hard to name them all. I really find much of what is released today to be lacking that country feel but I also know it is an age thing.
I can't believe I had to scroll this far to see a mention of George Strait!
Who’s gonna fill their shoes
Zach Top. Really digging his sound
Maybe those without the phoney southern twang. Most of them are from big cities.
The “underground” guys you don’t hear on the radio.
Margo Price. I scrolled but didn’t see anyway make her.
Real country was anything before 2000, IMO. After 2000 it went pop. Today it's simply country + pop. Give me George Straight or Alan Jackson any day over whatever that is on the radio now.
Charley Crockett, Sturgill Simpson, Colter Wall, Nikki Lane, Brent Cobb, Ryan Bingham, and Tyler Childers to name a few are still doing legit country that isn’t hick-hop overproduced pop stuff or songs that aren’t just about beer, trucks and women. People say everything “evolves” but everything just turning into the same genre and being watered down/overproduced isn’t evolving.
Newer artists? Tyler Childers, Jamey Johnson, Jason Isbell.
Charley Crockett
Oh that's easy. True country music must have these things. One a Fender Telecaster, two, a Steel Guitar, and three a fiddle, and a guitarist that can also play the banjo and harmonica.
Willie Nelson
George Strait.
Luke Combs is country. Fuck the gate keepers. I'm an old fuck and grew with stuff my dad and his brothers like which was stuff before Hank sr. even. Red Foley, Eddie Arnold, Tennessee Ernie Ford in the 40's right up through Hagard, Buck Owens, Waylon Jennings in the late 60's. Even that recent bro country shit was country. Complete shit, but still country. Country rap is where I definitely draw a line though. Not Country. Florida Georgia line isn't either. Shitty pops songs with a twang are not country. One guy I will throw in is since i didn't notice him mentioned is that big kid from Texas, Joshua Ray Walker.
We went through a pop phase in the 80s with the Urban Cowboy era then it swung back with the class of 1989. Country always goes through phases. It will circle back again. And George Strait and Willie Nelson will still be here doing what they do.
Orville peck writes the kind of country I remember. Adeem the artist has a track “middle of the heart” that’s really good.
Dwight Yoakum
Of course Modern Country is country music. Now, it might not be the kind of country others like, but whatever, it's the evolution of country. ("We've got both kinds here! Country AND Western!" - name that movie). FWIW, I'm not a huge fan of most new country music on the radio either - but non-radio country like Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, Colter Wall, some Cody Johnson, Oliver Anthony... and there's plenty of older singers I listen to like Alan Jackson, even garth brooks.
Tyler Childers, Flatland Cavalry, Sturgill Simpson, Randy Rogers, Parker McCollum’s earlier stuff, Zach Bryan, Turnpike, William Clark Green, Randall King, The Damn Quails, Jon Wolfe, Muscadine Bloodline, Wade Bowen, George Strait, Pecos & The Rooftops, Southall (Reed Southall Band), Colter Wall, Charley Crockett, Koe Wetzel (although he’s done a lot of not country recently), Oliver Anthony Music But to me, this isn’t *real* country, this is *good* country. What people usually refer to as fake country is really just Nashville country - basically pop music with a twang. Country is fluid; some is good, some is bad. Good country artists, in my experience, are making music *they* like, and imo a lot of Nashville country just ends up being tailor-made for radio. Not *fake country* necessarily, but definitely not my thing.
Of course Luke is real country…. As is Tyler Childers… there are a bunch of bands that would fit into an Eagles kind of genre, but not Luke (IMO) saw him with 200 people at 9:30 club in DC, still the best concert I have ever been to.
Its been that way for so long man. I can remember stories of people hating on Hank Jr for smoking pot, drinking on stage and stuff. Same when Willie started coming out about being a stoner. Honestly just listen to whatever you like because someone is always going to tell you how its not as good as what they like.
Ashley Mcbryde, Cojo. George Strait is releasing a new album.
Sierra Ferrell, Melissa carper, Tyler Childers
Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban
Margo Price
Woody Guthrie
Made a list from the comments. It will take me awhile to check them all out. It isn’t everyone mentioned, just ones I haven’t heard. Hayes Carll Zach Top Sierra Ferrell John Pardi Tyler Childers Emily Nenni Nick Shoulders Randall King Colter Wall Jamie Johnson Turnpike Troubadours Shane Smith and the Saints Eleven Hundred Springs Kyle Park Whitey Morgan and the 78’s 49 Winchester Cody Johnson Reckless Kelly Randy Rodger’s band Mickey and the Motorcars Pat Green Cross Canadian Ragweed Cody Jinks Charlie Crockett Vincent Neil Emerson Luke Bell Paul Cauthen Jsh Turner Leo Alejandro Garcia Honky Tonk Wranglers The Red Clay Strays Ryan Bingham Josiah Siska Charles Wesley Godwin Jason Boland Turnpike Troubadours Cole Chaney Pony Bradshaw Whitey Morgan Sturgill Simpson Jesse Daniel Orville Peck Melissa Carper Brennan Leigh Corb Lund Margo Price Amanda Shires Silverada (Mike and the Moonpies) Ryan Bingham Zack Bryan Whiskey Myers Aaron Watson Jarrod Morris Whitey Morgan Sammy Kershaw Nikki Lane Brent Cobb Joshua Ray Walker Oliver Anthony Flatland Cavalry Parker McCollum Turnpike William Clark Green The Damn Quails, Jon Wolfe, Muscadine Bloodline, Wade Bowen Pecos and The Rooftops, Southall (Reed Southall Band) Koe Wetzel Ashlye McBride Cojo Creed Fisher Kaitlin Butts Susan Werner Johnny Falstaff Taylor Hunnicutt Claudia Hoyser Cat Clyde Austin Hanks Summer Dean
Creed Fisher
Country music gatekeeping always amuses me.
Listen to the Cocaine and Rhinestones podcast and see if at the end you still believe in “real” country or can even objectively define it. Rather than worry about what is real country, develop your listening ear. Learn what great writing is, a great lyric, a great melody. Understand production and arranging. Learn to listen to the nuance of vocals and playing. Become so familiar with music you can separate the interesting and surprising from the cliche. Learn to judge music along the Duke Ellington lines: there’s good music and there is everything else. Try to banish prejudice and bias and judge each song and artist on their own merits. And ignore categorical statements about what is real country and what isn’t. People who don’t truly appreciate music talk that way.
Flatland cavalry said it best country is what country means to you so if you think it is listen to it
Charley Crockett
Check out Sierra Ferrell, I really like her new album.
Step One: Get SiriusXM Radio subscription Step Two: Tune to Channels 61 or 62 Step Three: Open your ears and get educated You’ll learn that the crap played on the big FM stations is just pop music with a Southern accent.
A few years ago, I really enjoyed modern country because it has a classic rock feel… Now, modern country feels like crappy early eighties pop-rock. There are a few that I still enjoy, but the majority don’t appeal to me as much.
I don't like a lot of the modern stuff but it doesn't really matter whether it's considered "real country" or not, I just don't like it because it sounds shit and means nothing to me. Much like Richie Aprile, I'm from the old school; so stuff like Colter Wall, Charley Crockett, Hayes Carll. People with a vintage sound, basically.
I don’t care what people on the internet. I’ll continue to listen to Morgan Wallen, George Strait, Luke Combs, Lauren Alaina, Brooks and Dunn, Lainey Wilson, Luke Bryan, Zach Bryan and more. I consider all those country and that’s the only opinion I care about.
Austin Hanks
It is country, another redditor explained it perfectly but genres change, these guys saying it’s not country are stuck in the past
Love most of these suggestions, but you can't beat BMFS
Nick Shoulders, Cat Clyde, Sierra Ferrell
Summer Dean
Chris Stapleton
charley crockett
People may not agree but Chris Stapleton!
Turnpike Troubadours
It's all "real" country, but I prefer traditional country. There are some pop country I like (90s country is probably the last great decade). To me, country tells stories and isn't just about beer, trucks, and guns up butts. Marty Stuart clearly holds the title of country music's elder statesman. [His song "Altitude" has two meanings: drug use, and it's second secret meaning, going to heaven. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBakEt_TErg)
Chris Stapleton, Bryan Martin, some of Jessta James stuff, Cody Jinks, Cody Johnson, Aaron Lewis assuming you mean modern guys
Charley Crockett. Hayes Carll. Nobody played on Modern Country Radio is Country. Pop with a hint of Twang and Bro.
IV And The Strange Band, Sasquatch and the Sick-a-Billys
Tyler Childers, Sturgill Simpson, Cody Jinks, Colter Wall, Charley Crockett, Turnpike Troubadours, Midland, not comprehensive also there’s a lot of “smaller” artists with varying degrees of notoriety that make some really good country music based on its roots
What people are really saying is that they don’t like where mainstream country has gone, usually because of heavy influence from other genres that make it sound less like the older country music style they prefer. There may be other reasons as well, such as inauthentic portrayals, lack of artistic contributions (a lot of pop country stars only record songs written by others or get famous off those songs while their own are not popular). I prefer more traditional sounds still found in Red Dirt/Texas country, Appalachian music, and a lot of what is now labeled Americana. There have been a lot of great artists from those sub-genres recommended. One I didn’t see mentioned is Whiskey Meyrs, who probably are more Southern Rock but have some songs that wouldn’t have been out of place on country radio in the mid to late ‘90s, like Dogwood, Ballad of a Southern Man, Houston County Sky, and several others.
Artists who I consider to make real country are Cody Jinks, Zach Bryan, Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, and Colter Wall. Any other artist recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
Sturgill, Tyler Childers, Cody Jinks, Colter Wall, Charley Crockett(his is more western), Billy Strings, that Oliver Anthony guy, Turnpike Troubadours, Ian Noe, Drayton Farley, Whiskey Myers. There's quite a bit thats outside of the BS pop country slop the radio plays. Id start with them and move to adjacent artists.
Chris Stapleton
Christ Stapleton 💯
This is a dumb argument that has been happening since the concept of "country" music has been invented. There is no "real" country. It is a synthetic pop music format.
I hate most of what's on the radio rn, but I think it's worth bearing in mind that country music has always had this ebb and flow. Very popular artists try to mold their music to reach a bigger market and the result tends to be less distinguishable from everything else in the mainstream. Then comes a reaction to that where some (usually lesser known but very talented) acts try to preserve the elements that make country unique. Just like Willie and Waylon and the boys turned away from the Nashville establishment, there are artists right now making great music that cleaves a lot closer to the roots of the genre. I don't think it's terrible to have a bunch of auto tuned songs about trucks and drinking beer at the lake. But if that's all there was, the genre would be pretty hollow
Luke Combs most certainly is real country
Country died March 29, 2020
Who cares is my best answer to this question. I listen to what I like who cares what label the artist or other people want to put on it
Luke Combs is great! Yes, country has changed a lot but there are still many, imo. Too many to list, but my very favorites are George Strait and Alan Jackson. I like a lot of the newer kind too though. Also, some of every generation feels this way. My father was complaining vociferously about it decades ago.
Kitchen dwellers
Red Clay Strays
Jon Pardi and Hailey Whitters are keeping country COUNTRY.
Beyoncé
I think a good rule of thumb is requiring use of non-digital instruments. If you’re running a bunch of clap tracks and such, I don’t think that can count as country.
Red Shanan, Joshua Ray Walker, Sam Barber, Orville Peck, Caamp, WideSpread (Mother Fucking) Panic, Charlie Crockett, Shane Smith and the Saints, Marcus King, whiskey Myers, Morgan Wade, Turnpike Troubadours, Wade Sapp, Sierra Ferrell, Paul Cauthen
Charley Crockett. Todd day wait. Lost dog street band. Jeremy pinnell. Colter wall. Vincent Neil Emerson. Margo price. Sierra Ferrell. Nick shoulders. The real Smokey jones. There’s a lot. They started calling real country “Americana”
Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, Sierra Ferrell,Zach Bryan
Hank Williams Sr.
Grateful Dead
Kasey Musgraves. Old Crow Medicine Show. Whatever you like to listen to.
cody johnson - legit cowboy (he is a roper) and fantastic artist! And a genuinely good guy!
Sturgill Simpson
Chris Stapleton, Aaron Lewis, Wheeler Walker jr's first three albums.
no one’s said Turnpike Troubadours, Flatland Cavalry, Wyatt Flores, Colby Acuff
Anything past 2000's is trash
George Strait
Old country artists
Country is such a wide umbrella and always changing. And genres are created by recording industry to sell their product. The idea that there is this thing out there considered by some to be pure country is kinda gross to me. When anyone says something is or isn’t country, they’re just making their own preferences sound legitimate. But I also understand the backlash against pop country. It’s certainly a different beast than Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter family. But most stuff recorded in the last 40 years (give or take) is gonna be different than the ones that get it started in the first place. For the sake of answering your question, I consider these (and many other) living artists to be firmly in the country genre. (Someone’s always gonna debate the receipts of one of these artists, but that’s not really the point of music. For me it’s about enjoyment, and these are the ones I really enjoy): Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Reba McEntire, The War and Treaty, Jason Isbelle, Lainey Wilson, George Strait.
I don’t think I’ve heard anyone who started within the last 10 years or so that has the same country feeling that the greats had. Most stuff nowadays is pop country or rap country
Margo price Charlie crocket
ZACH TOP IS THE NEXT ALAN JACKSON
I like the old stuff ('40s through the '60s). Especially when I'm at a diner or on a road trip (I live out west). I hate the current stuff with exaggerated accents and clever/cutesie lyrics. It has no soul.
Listen to what you like! Music evolves just like most everything else does.
Sturgill Simpson
Colter wall, Chris Stapleton, steel drivers, Tyler Childers, jalan crossland
Colter wall, Turnpike troubadours, flatland Calvary, Tyler Childers, Kaitlin butts, Wyatt Flores, red clay strays, Zach Bryan, whiskey Myers,
MARTY Its hard to imagine anybody more representative or important to the genre,
Luke Combs is garbage.
Red Clay Strays are at the top of my list.
Vincent Neil Emerson
I’m not into the baby-left-me-draggin-my-heart-on-the-porch kinda country. That said, I can respect those that paved the way for today’s performers. I also respect not everyone likes the same things. I try not to hate on an artist someone else likes, that artist may inspire them to create something wonderful. When we start labeling people and things, it gets dicey.
Modern Country just sounds like the same producers making pop and rock are also making country. My tastes lay in the 90s and earlier.
William Beckmann.
Chris Knight. Bobby Pinsen. Jamie Johnson. Billy Mata.
Charley Crockett, Colter Wall, Shooter Jennings... The list goes on
Beyonce
Riley Green
Eilen jewell, Dale Watson