Modern radio country isn't what people mean by country music. Whatever is left on radio is barely indistinguishable from another song or another genre. In the early 00s, labels and stations got big into cross-over play and what exists on radio and billboard charts is the bland monstrosity that trend produced. Top rock albums are not rock music. Country sounds like pop, rock and hip hop. Hip hop stations are playing pop. It's all fucking pop music.
Country eras/styles to listen to:
-The classic era: Patsy Cline, Hank Williams, Marty Robbins, George Jones
-Country Swing: Bob Willis
-Bakersfield Sound: Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, Dwight Yoakam
-Outlaw Country: Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash
-70s/80s big time acts: Kenny Rogers, John Denver, Johnny Lee, Linda Rodstadt, Dolly Parton, Glen Campbell(though he began in the 60s)
-Bluegrass: Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson, John Hartford
This post has spent up all my Super Cac Points.
It's hilarious to me how many folks post about "country music sucks" but they haven't actually heard Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, and the like.
Also you're throwing Dwight Yoakam into this "older" thing: Didn't he arrive on the scene in the early 90's like Garath Brooks? (Checks) Oh, no mid-80's. Huh, I heard a few of his songs in the 90's and he had this "pop"ish feel there.
Modern Country has this pop-ish sound. Garath Brooks was the one to start it, and then someone like Shania Twain got it cross-overed to actual pop-music stations and that's how it's been now a days.
Modern radio country isn't what people mean by country music. Whatever is left on radio is barely indistinguishable from another song or another genre. In the early 00s, labels and stations got big into cross-over play and what exists on radio and billboard charts is the bland monstrosity that trend produced. Top rock albums are not rock music. Country sounds like pop, rock and hip hop. Hip hop stations are playing pop. It's all fucking pop music.
Country eras/styles to listen to:
-The classic era: Patsy Cline, Hank Williams, Marty Robbins, George Jones
-Country Swing: Bob Willis
-Bakersfield Sound: Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, Dwight Yoakam
-Outlaw Country: Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash
-70s/80s big time acts: Kenny Rogers, John Denver, Johnny Lee, Linda Rodstadt, Dolly Parton, Glen Campbell(though he began in the 60s)
-Bluegrass: Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson, John Hartford
This post has spent up all my Super Cac Points.
I dunno, 90's country was pretty good. A little poppy but the lyrics were very clever.
Now it's just honestly... really terrible. I don't know who it's supposed to appeal to.
Speaking of Shania Twain and the 90's: This is the best (Country) song of 1998 IMO
I got a thing for romance songs and duets (I forget if her album version has the duet version that I'm thinking of...) though.

(Fuck "My Heart Will Go On" while I'm on it)