Why do people like country music?
I will admit, there are a few country songs that appeal to me such as "Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash and "Country Roads" by John Denver for their instrumentals, but I really can't see why people like country beyond a few songs. To begin with, the instrumentals are incredibly boring, unoriginal and coupled with beats that are replicated in many country songs. There is no versatility. Each song has a guitar conjoined with a few other instruments such as a harmonica, trumpet or some instrument relating to southern origin. There is no originality in any country song. You are listening to similar beats with similar instrumentals over and over again. The vocals are mind-numbingly terrible. It seriously sounds -excuse the language- like some r*t*rded Kermit the Frog wailing into a microphone. The vocals sound like someone is plugging their nose and having an excess amount of saliva built up in their throat. Do people actually find this attractive? Finally, the part I hate the most, is the lyrics. The lyrics have to be the most bland, uncreative, unoriginal, dull lyrics on Earth. Each song sings about beer, pick-up trucks, farms, the country genre itself or love. You are literally hearing the same thing over and over and over. The lyrics exist on a first-tier level of thinking. They are completely superficial. The lyrics don't stimulate your mind or present a subject from a different viewpoint. They tell a story, (if that), in the most bland way possible. There is nothing creative about them. The lyrics tell the same story from a bland, unoriginal viewpoint like a children's book. Only God knows why somebody would find this crap worthy to listen to. Horrible instrumentals, terrible vocals, mediocre topics and dull lyrics make this genre terrible. This music is literally for idiots that exist on a very literal plane of thinking. Thoughts, comments, ideas?
Can you like country music of you are not white?
Ofcourse you can like country music young lady... Don't take all that stereotyping stuff to seriously. Have fun.... You may not believe it but all this race stuff is not near as big an issue as the very small minority would like you to believe. I have been to Asia,.... Vietnam and South Korea... and I know for a fact that many many Asian folks like Country music... As a Matter of fact.... some of my muscian friends over there don't speak English all that well, and we had a great time playing all the oldies.. we all had much laughter and they devoured every country song lyric I could write down for them.... No.. don't be oversensitive, Americans are rude, (as you well know)..Take it with a grain of salt... And I'll share with you one thing... Country music fans of all races will accept you far more readily than other type of fans, because Country deals with the realities of life around you every day, unlike other genre. That simple fact makes the audiences a bit more inclusive of other people I believe...And ..you are learning something about american culture.....by observation. We generally as a rule don't care that much about what other people think about us, as do other cultures.... It comes with our liberties ..Welcome!!! Ihope you learn to love America as much as we do.....Good Luck
Why is country music so popular in America (Canada, and Australia) but not in the rest of the world?
Country Music is really white man blues. It is fairly one dimensional and aimed at a specific market. That market revolves around the herding lifestyle, guitars and campfires.It is not restricted to that but it lends itself to a romanticized version of it as it is music which is easily shared and sung in a group setting. Other countries and cultures have their own traditions and tastes and therefore this style of music is unable to make inroads.Surprisingly a very strong country music following has developed amongst country and remote Aboriginal Australians. They have a very strong catalogue of singers who sing country music particularly well.
What scales are used in country music?
Plenty!From what I’ve found though, country music is more centered around the story than the composition — the music, while important, is meant mainly as a backing for the story. You’re much less likely to find bebop scales and mixed-mode progressive tonalities in country than in other genres. Folk is like this too, but there seems to be more encouragement to be compositionally whimsical in folk & folk revival music than in country music, which tends toward a more heartland, every(hu)man image. Country songs as a result tend to be built around functional (I-IV-V-centric) major scales and natural minor scales, though in conjunction with its blues influences, blues minor borrowed embellishments are to be expected occasionally in the melody.The song linked here, as famously written by Johnny Cash, alternates in key with each verse to create a tonal progress that while obvious, isn’t overly obtrusive as far as harmonic color. While not considered country, the Who song “My Generation” does similar by going up major keys in steps. It also features a flattened leading note.Johnny Cash - I Walk the Line (from Man in Black: Live in Denmark)
Why does old music always sound better?
There's nostalgia attached to older songs. Your mind recognizes the song and attributes it to a particular memory. This triggers particular hormones that "reward" your brain...just like how eating sugar (chocolate), or having sex rewards the brain with hormonal releases. It's positive reinforcement. Similarly, if the song is attached to negative memories...the opposite affect happens. Instead of the brain "rewarding" you with hormonal releases, it releases different hormones that reinforce your dislike for the song (and that memory). This is negative reinforcement. Our taste in music isn't exactly shaped by our childhood. Your tastes change as you grow. If you liked Teletubbies as a child, I'm sure you wouldn't find it even remotely tasteful in your 30's. I think it is a matter of the cortex associating the song (which triggers particular nervous system impulses), with past memories that had the same nerve system reaction. Most people's memory is episodic. So their memory recall would play out like a movie scene and what you were doing while listening to that song is recalled from memory (and is therefore associated with that song..causing the same nerve system impulses). So, I think it is a biological reaction more so than anything else. Our personality is a result of nature and nurture. Our childhood experience help shape our personality so you could argue that the personality reflects the stimuli we were exposed to during childhood. BQ: My taste in music changed as my outlook on life changed. As a kid I liked pop songs, mo town, 80's dance hits, etc. In my teens, there was a lot of anger and a lot of need to hang onto the past, my music tastes reflected this. During my pregnancy, I was very whimsical, anxious, needing soothing. I listened to a lot of classical and instrumental music and developed a strong taste for it. (Though, admittedly, I've always liked it, even as a kid). And now, I'm much more laid back and my music tastes reflect this. I listen to rock or soft rock more than anything else. I can't stomach rap or the kiddie pop songs these days. And I still listen to country music. BQ2: No clue. I have an eclectic taste. I couldn't pin point favorites.
Survey Questions India: Why do Indians consider those dumb who listen to old songs and those smart who listen to English/Western songs?
Short ans and this question doesnt require much explanation!!People who categorize others dumb based on so called "old songs" are the "WANNABE AND DUMB" sector of the society!!According to these people listening to "WESTERN" music is "COOLER" & "THE YO THING"!FYI- THIS ABSURD LOGIC IS NOT RESTRICTED TO ONLY OR ESPLY TO INDIAN GIRLS, MY FRIEND!That's why I answer using PEOPLE=BOTH THE GENDERS!!They divide music based on language and country rather than the excitement the guitar gives, or serenity in the piano notes or the heart pounding on the thump, or getting goosebumps due to the lyrics or the uniqueness in the vocals!!People who are SHALLOW, portray such sort of prejudice and hold obnoxious judgements!Music was/is/will never be about language,country or era it is just about the FEEL, how it makes u feel, how it exaggerates ur being!!
Why does country music usually negatively portray city life, unlike other genres which often talk about enjoying cities?
Country music, as suggested by the name, presents the point of view of country people. People living in villages. Even if many country singers live in cities…If you live in a village, you know everybody there, and even people living at the opposite side of the village will know the names of everybody in your household, including the name of your cat, your dog, your cow, and your city cousin who visits you once a year. If you are building a new barn or drilling a well, they’ll come and help you, and you’ll return the favor if you see that they need your help. They will come to your wedding and to your funeral, and you’ll go to theirs.If you live in an urban block of flats, nothing of this sounds familiar. Yes, you can hear through the paper-thin walls when they are cooking dinner, when they flush the toilet, and you hear if they wash their hands after the ceremony or not; you can hear them shaking their bed at night, and you even know when their kid has a nightmare. But it’s possible that you don’t know their faces, their names, maybe not even if that kid is a boy or a girl. You never helped them, they never helped you, and you’ll never know that the nice old lady who let you in a few years ago when you lost your keys, lived two flats above you, and died last year. In many flats you can’t keep a dog or a cat, not to mention a cow… And your country cousin never visits you. He tried once, an got lost between the 723 identical buildings; since then you have to visit him every year.Of course not everything is shiny on the countryside, and living in cities can have its upsides, but that’s not what this question is about.Maybe these examples were a bit on the hyperbolical side, but I think you got the picture. Right?
Why does playlist.com not play songs in the uk?
For the very reason it gives you. They license/contract with record companies for the music they play. In that license is a restriction to the US because copyright laws are different in each country and they've only met the rules for the US so far. What you can do is use a US proxy for a temporary solution.
Are you "musically" well-rounded?
Yes, I listen to every genre, though not necessarily every artist or time period.... Country, R&B, Classical, Gospel, Rock (all types), Instrumental, "World Music" (from places as disparate as Chile, Trinidad, Cameroon, Japan, Tibet, Ireland, etc), hip hop (including hip hop from around the world), pop, jazz, etc. You name it, I listen to it. I prefer old school rhythm and blues and "neo-Soul", but listen to the modern stuff, cherrypicking what I like. I prefer traditional country music or bluegrass to "young" Country, which sounds too much like bad pop/rock/blues amalgamations many times. But I do listen to some modern artists/music. Mainstream hip hop has mostly denigrated to nothing but I will listen to some artists or songs on occasion. Ditto for mainstream pop. The reason why I listen to so many obscure artists in so many different genres is because I studied music (classical and jazz) for many years and know music quite well and most mainstream artists, whether in country, jazz, blues, R&B, pop, etc., tend to insult my musical intelligence. The lyrics are trite. The music sounds like my cat wrote it...Very few mainstream artists catch my eye.