Were in the middle of a full-on revival.
Blame It On Their Roots
90s country is still the one in Nashville.
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A decade ago, country music of the 90s was treated like a novelty from a bygone era.
Sure, plenty about country music 30 years ago was corny, stylized, overly flashy.
But it was also riveting.
.If You Go Down (Im Goin Down Too), Kelsea Ballerini
.
So does Kelsea Ballerini.
.Neon Blue, Joshua Hedley
Neon Blue is Joshua Hedleys best Garth Brooks cosplay.
Fill Er Up follows all the rules.
Lonely, Midland
One side effect of a 90s-country revival: a line-dancing revival.
(You could say theyre suckers for what the cowgirls do.)
Carly Pearce and Ashley McBrydes duet builds on a tradition that is deep and wide.
These characters are more complicated and nuanced than most mainstream country released today.
The result feels as if it could have been pulled directly from an older era.
TheInspiredCollabs
Artists teaming up wasnt a new concept in the 90s.
But when an established act passed the torch to a rising star, it felt like an event.
Thirty years later, not much has changed.
So its no surprise that the icon is a highly sought-after singing partner for younger stars.
The approach is still a tried-and-true method for country acts to show they know who paved the way.
But rather than just lift lines on the sly, Brown makes sure to cite his influences.
It may not be the most romantic method of courting, but at least its easily understandable!
.Half of Me, Thomas Rhett feat.
These artists are among those pushing the envelope forward now while standing on the backs of their Clinton-era predecessors.
The contrast in dynamics makes the mismatch all the more tragic.
Combs had just the voice to help the format ease away from bro countrys most tepid tendencies.
Since then, Pearce has drawn on her bluegrass background more.
