We’ve all heard it said: ‘I’ll listen to anything but country music.’ A statement that completely disregards a culture and alienates it as well. Country music doesn’t deserve that. Give it a chance.

In September 2023, over 150 million Americans listened to country music at least once a month, according to The Economist. Surely, that number has only grown as artists like Morgan Wallen and Luke Combs have increased in popularity.

It’s OK to have preferences in music – we all do – but it is ignorant to disregard an entire genre of music due to misconceptions. 

For example, when people think of country music, what often comes to mind is hillbillies, trucks and talking about farms.

But country music is more than that and can have a softer side, with themes of love, heartbreak and anything you’d find in other genres.

There are great country albums and artists who are sure to change your mind about country music.

Dolly Parton, the singer of “9 to 5” and “Jolene,” is a great classic country singer with 10 Grammys and 54 nominations, according to the Grammys. 

And if you’ve seen Disney’s “Cars” you know – and have probably sung along to – “Life is a Highway” by Rascal Flatts.

Additionally, Lil Nas X’s song “Old Town Road” took over the world and spent 19 weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Roughly 53% of U.S. adults consider themselves to be fans of Taylor Swift, a country-turned pop singer, according to Morning Consultant Survey. Swift’s first three albums were country albums with songs like “Tim McGraw,” “Fearless” and “You Belong With Me.”

Victoria Spejcher, a junior computer science major, believes people tend to not like country music because of misconceptions surrounding the genre. 

“The stereotype I would think kind of, also maybe the material it’s talking about a lot of, it is potentially something that some people can’t relate to,” Spejcher said. “Because if when they’re talking about things that involve more of a country lifestyle, and you’re someone in the city, that’d be hard to relate to.”

Trace Adkins, a country artist, even has a song called “Songs About Me” where he sings about how country music comes from the heart despite the discrimination it sometimes faces.

Ethan Brown, a first-year computer science major, used to dislike country music, but now he’s a fan.

“I was in the Air Force, I was deployed with a bunch of people that listen to country music all the time. So they kind of showed me some older classic stuff, and I kind of came to the conclusion that it’s fine,” Brown said. “I like a lot of classic country but not any of the new stuff that comes out because it’s kinda more poppy.”

Interestingly, Beyonce is the first Black female artist with a No. 1 country song on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart with her song “Texas Hold ‘Em.” Additionally, Beyonce’s “16 CARRIAGES,” sits at No. 9, according to Rolling Stone. 

Beyonce making country music is a good thing because it can break down the stigma surrounding country music and help its popularity by bringing new people, and hopefully new fans, into the genre of country music.

Country music is making big waves in the music world and is here to stay, so instead of fighting it, give it a chance. Embrace it. Who knows, you may actually like it.