So you know about Classic Country, Outlaw Country, Bakersfield Country and Bro Country. Now Billboard magazine has identified a recent trend in country music that they are calling ‘Boyfriend Country.’ It’s certainly different from the “cheatin,’ drinkin’ and drivin’ a pickup” themes that many people associate with country music. The Billboard article describes ‘Boyfriend Country’ as being songs by male artists extolling the virtues of their wives or girlfriends.
Billboard noted several current and recent songs that demonstrate this trend.
“Every Little Thing” by Russell Dickerson
“Prayed for You” by Matt Stell
“10,000 Hours” by Dan + Shay & Justin Bieber
“Beautiful Crazy” by Luke Combs
“Millionaire” by Chris Stapleton
“Remember You Young” by Thomas Rhett
“Blessings” by Florida Georgia Line
Although there have always been love songs in country music, this current slate of songs focus heavily on putting the singer’s wife or girlfriend on a pedestal: saying how amazing and inspiring she is.
Billboard quotes Shay Mooney of Dan & Shay: “Every time I sing [“Speechless”], I think back to those moments of how in awe we were of our wives.” They’re such beautiful people inside and out.”
Producer Dann Huff thinks the change began to take root a couple of years ago with songs like Brett Young’s “In Case You Didn’t Know” and other songs with a positive view on marriage and long-term relationships.
I think a major milestone in the ‘Boyfriend Country’ trend was the overwhelming success of Scotty McCreery’s “This Is It,” written about his then girlfriend and later wife, Gabi. The music video that includes clips of their wedding has been viewed around 55 million times. The song was certified Platinum with sales exceeding 1,000,000 units and was No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart.
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“I Know Country” Q&A from www.IKnowCountry.com
QUESTION: Before they found fame as country artists, both Kathy Mattea and Trishia Yearwood worked as tour guides at which famous Nashville landmark? [a] The Ryman Auditorium, [b] the original Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum, [c] the Tennessee State Museum, or [d] the George Jones Museum?
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Luke Combs second album, What You See Is What You Get, debuted this week on both the Country Album chart and on the all-genre Hot 100 chart. This is Combs first time topping the Hot 100 all-genre chart. Not only that, set a record for the largest streaming week in in history for a Country album. Oh yeah… and his first album, This One’s for You, is No. 2 on the Country Albums chart… and he also won the CMA Male Vocalist of the Year Award at the CMA Awards. Not a bad week’s work!
Lewis Brice is feeling “Blessed” after winning International Song of the Year at the 2019 British Country Music Association Awards, where Brice performed the award-winning single. The British Country Music Association held the annual award show in November at the Concord Centre in Manchester, UK. “I’m so honored to have “Blessed,” a song that is so personal and meaningful to me be recognized by the British Country Music Association. I always enjoy performing in the UK and can’t wait to come back!” said Brice. Lewis’s debut self-titled EP, produced by himself and his brother Lee Brice, was released in July 2017. Since then, Lewis has been named one of Rolling Stone Country’s “New Country Artists You Need to Know” and Billboard’s “Country Artists to Watch in 2018.”
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“I Know Country” Q&A ANSWER:
Kathy Mattea and Trishia Yearwood were tour guides at the ‘old’ Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum before it moved to its new, larger $37 million facility in 2001.
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Billboard’s Hot Country Songs Top 5 for the week of Nov. 25, 2019 [last week’s position in parentheses]
- (1) 10,000 Hours Dan + Shay & Justin Bieber
- (3) Even Tho’ I’m Leaving Luke Combs
- (2) One Man Band Old Dominion
- (4) One Thing Right Marshmello & Kane Brown
- (8) The Bones Maren Morris
On this day in Country Music
Nov. 20, 1956 Marty Robbins was No. 1 on the Billboard Country Singles chart with “Singing the Blues,” and stayed there for seven weeks.
Nov. 20, 1972 Loretta Lynn released “Rated X” which went on to become her sixth No. 1 single. It dealt with the stigma of being a divorced woman
Nov. 20, 2016 Kenny Chesney’s Cosmic Hallelujah was the No. 1 Country album that week.
This Week’s Country Music Birthdays
November 18 TJ Osborne (Osborne Brothers), 1984
November 19 Billy Currington, 1973
November 20 Dierks Benrley, 1975
Josh Turner, 1977
Preshias Harris is the author of “I Know Country” with 366 daily country music questions and answers. You can buy and instantly download your e-book copy at www.IKnowCountry.com.
Preshias is also a music career development consultant with the emphasis on new and aspiring artists and songwriters. Visit www.collegeofsongology.com for more details. Follow her blog at www.nashvillemusicline.com
