Sam Hunt’s Crossing Over to Pop? Good, Then Get The Hell Out of Country!
Sam Hunt’s music makes me sad, because it makes me worry that God hates us.
So his latest single “Body Like A Backroad” is really taking off, and could be a major crossover success in pop? Well superb, I say. Then make like Taylor Swift and get the hell out of country Sam Hunt, you carpetbagging, interloping, country music misnomer, that’s making millions off of gullible country music fans and their aw shucks, good faith attitudes that won’t allow them to tell you to kiss right the hell off like they should. But I will.
Sam Hunt can’t get bent quick enough. We used to use the illustration about how pop music in country was like if a Chinese food critic was asked to judge an Italian entree—as Chinese food. Of course the critic would give the entree a failing grade no matter how good the food tasted because it’s completely mislabeled. If you order a California roll, you don’t want fettuccine Alfredo. But with Sam Hunt, it’s not like ordering a California roll and receiving pasta. It’s like ordering a California roll and receiving a big steaming pile of stool. No amount of wasabi is going to make that appetizing.
We used to make fun of Sam Hunt because he tried to crossover to pop with songs from his debut record Montevallo and it was met with mixed results. It exposed why Sam was ever called country in the first place, because launching this project in pop would have never worked. The music is just not good enough. In country, he’s a novelty—a big fish in a small sea. It’s “country” music for people that don’t actually like country music, like a lot of the folks that work on Music Row. “I never knew I liked country music until I heard Sam Hunt,” they say. Gee, I wonder why that is.
But now that Sam Hunt’s popularity has reached such a critical mass point, people like it simply because it’s the popular thing to do. Over the last couple of weeks we’ve seen story after story about how “Body Like A Backroad” is Sam Hunt’s big crossover moment. That’s because his label, Universal Music Group, is using their cozy relationships with the music media to drive home that narrative.
“The song has been continuing to climb at country and, while we knew it would be big, the numbers are incredible,” says Universal Music Group Nashville’s Senior VP of Promotion, Royce Risser to Billboard. “We didn’t plan to cross it this soon. But, when pop started to [play it], we had to re-evaluate. We quickly saw a good picture forming.”
Don’t let anybody try to fool you that Sam Hunt or “Body Like a Backroad” crossing over to pop is completely by happenstance. Just like Taylor Swift, country music was always seen as a stepping stone for Sam—an avenue to gain attention in music to ultimately launch a pop career. Sam Hunt is using country music as his bitch, and country, like the dog that lays on its back submissively when the bigger dog comes around, sheepishly acquiesced. If Sam Hunt gave any bit of a shit about country, he would actually put some of it in his music. Instead he purposely avoids it. Kelsea Ballerini or Maren Morris aren’t the next Taylor Swift, Sam Hunt is. Sam Hunt is the latest to use country music to hatch his plan for world domination through pop.
And let’s not gloss over what an embarrassment the misogynistic “Body Like a Backroad” is as a representative for country in the pop space. It is now going to be what people think of when they think country music in 2017. Heading into the summer, “Body Like a Backroad” could be a massive hit. It could be the next “Cruise.” And is this how you want country music represented to the rest of the world?
The way she fit in them blue jeans, she don’t need no belt
But I can turn them inside out, I don’t need no help
Got hips like honey, so thick and so sweet
It ain’t no curves like hers on them downtown streets
Clearly Sam Hunt has never been to Boston.
But you know what I say? I say let “Body Like a Backroad” be a massive pop hit. Let Sam Hunt have huge success in pop. And then keep him the hell over there where he belongs.
I don’t want to hate on Sam Hunt. I really don’t. I’m sure if I met him he would be a really swell guy and smell excellent. The problem with Sam Hunt, just like Taylor Swift before him, is that it’s not country, and calling it so creates conflict and confusion. There has always been pop influences in country. But there’s also always been country influences in country. With Sam Hunt, it’s just pop. And unless country can enact a little scene control and keep artists like Sam Hunt out of the genre, it runs the risk of becoming indistinguishable from the rest of popular American music, and losing control of its own narrative like rock did until it has no format left to represent.
Megan
April 18, 2017 @ 11:05 am
I agree. He wouldn’t be that bad in pop, although for me this is worse than literally any of his other pop material released to date. But let him have success there and go where he belongs, and let’s face it, where he more than likely wants to be anyway.
cheryl conley
April 20, 2017 @ 7:42 am
omg!!! I soooo agree!!! he is not country AT ALL-who the F labeled him as a country singer in the first place??
Tom
April 18, 2017 @ 11:12 am
The ironic thing about this song being pushed as a crossover tune is that it’s his first single to contain any elements of “country” whatsoever. Relatively speaking, of course. It’s still not country, but maybe about two degrees closer to country than anything else he’s put out there.
Summer Jam
April 24, 2017 @ 9:38 pm
This song as well as Leave The Night On are the only two songs he’s ever made that I would consider pop country. The others have no country sound. I think it’s great that he put in some steel and an organ in Body Like A Backroad, but other than that it doesn’t have much of a country sound. It’s definitely pop country, not full blown pop music as Trig is stating….this review is way too harsh. Sam is talented and he makes good music, but he needs to put out at least a pop country album and not the straight pop that Montevallo was.
countryfan24
April 18, 2017 @ 11:13 am
“It’s ‘country’ music for people that don’t actually like country music, like a lot of the folks that work on Music Row. ‘I never knew I liked country music until I heard Sam Hunt,’ they say. Gee, I wonder why that is.” 100% spot on.
A friend recently had this song come on her playlist and ask, “Is this country? If it is, I think I finally found a country song I like.” I felt myself cringe. It’s sad that people just scanning today’s country radio come across this song and assume that’s what country is. I felt myself inadvertently scan through my own playlists to give her perspective on what she’s missing. I sincerely hope, for everyone’s sake, he just goes right to pop.
Corncaster
April 18, 2017 @ 11:17 am
he’ll go wherever the money is
Ann Fisher
April 18, 2017 @ 11:22 am
Sam Hunt has always had “an urban” sound. Look that up…urban. Urban ain’t country!! I know a lot of artists, Kenny Rogers, Dolly, Barbara Mandrell, Martina, and on and on have had pop and even some more “sophisticated”/”city-type” sounding songs but they remained fully grounded in country. I am sick and tired of the Sam Hunt’s, Florida Georgia Line’s (who can’t carry a tune in 5-ton truck!) and the Scott Borschetta’s of the world to get the hell out of country and stay out!!!
Jim
April 18, 2017 @ 11:22 am
At least Taylor Swift was polite enough to bullshit us a little bit and put some banjos and some steel guitars in her songs at first. And, while they weren’t country, her songs were at least well-written and catchy, I thought. Sam Hunt is just terrible. Good riddance!
Honky
April 18, 2017 @ 4:43 pm
Her songs were not well written or catchy. Stop it.
MH
April 18, 2017 @ 11:23 am
How much of it is the song and how much of it is the exposure he’s getting from his fiance?
Trigger
April 18, 2017 @ 2:33 pm
All these “human interest” stories are starting to take over country music journalism like never before, and the reason is they’re effective at selling records and tickets. We’re seeing it especially in Red Dirt/Texas music these days. Having a baby is bigger than releasing a new video.
The Senator
April 19, 2017 @ 1:28 pm
That phenomenon reminds me of how the last few Olympics have been broadcast. Every event, every featured athlete has to have a “human interest” backstory to draw in the casual viewers in. I hate that format, and would prefer to focus on the athleticism and the competition, and narratives that aren’t the typical daytime tv “heartstring pullers,” but that’s not what sells.
FeedThemHogs
April 18, 2017 @ 11:29 am
I thought your article on why Sam Hunt DOES belong in country music was much better.
The Ghost of Buckshot Jones
April 18, 2017 @ 11:34 am
I can’t even get that worked up over Sam Hunt. Is he “country”? Of course not, but most of his stuff isn’t even that bad when compared to the guys trying to imitate what he’s been doing. There’s plenty more egregious offenders out there. Dare I say that there’s even a few tracks of his that work as “country” songs if he was kept out of the studio and someone deleted his copy of protunes off his mac. “Cop Car” and “Breaking up in a small town” both could work with a more traditional arrangement.
Cool Lester Smooth
April 18, 2017 @ 11:52 am
“Clearly Sam Hunt has never been to Boston.”
Best line in the article, haha.
Same goes for half the cities in Europe.
The Ghost of Buckshot Jones
April 18, 2017 @ 11:55 am
Montevallo is that two door Chevy coupe that Dale used to drive, right?
Lone Wolf
April 18, 2017 @ 4:19 pm
CLS, he’s probably never been to Chicago or San Francisco, either.
Amanda
April 27, 2017 @ 6:50 am
I was waiting for this comment. I laughed, too!
jtrpdx
April 18, 2017 @ 12:16 pm
Agreed. Sam is super, super lame. It doesn’t bother me that music that lame exists, or that he sells however many records, or that he gets radio play. As long as you have teenagers, children and adults who aren’t really that into music and just want to hear something catchy and fun, you will have crappy, annoying pop music. The real problem is that it is shoved down casual listeners’ throats as country…..in place of real country artists that should be getting promotion and exposure through country radio, the awards shows, etc. Also, one small nit……California Rolls aren’t Chinese, they are American. ; )
Amanda
April 18, 2017 @ 12:24 pm
If this happens, then thank the Lord! Sam would be an awesome pop singer, because he sure as hell don’t belong in country.
Colton
April 19, 2017 @ 7:13 pm
Why do u think you can go online and talk crap about Sam hunt… Sam hint is an awesome country singer he belongs in country so if u got a problem with his songs keep to yourself instead of piuting crap like this online.
ChrisInMI
April 20, 2017 @ 4:45 pm
Troll? Or troll impersonator?
INDK
April 18, 2017 @ 12:30 pm
Makes more sense to play a Sam Hunt song after a Drake song anyway.
Amanda
April 18, 2017 @ 12:45 pm
Maybe when Sam Hunt gets the hell out of country, maybe the mainstream country music media will use their resources to bring exposure to some good, newer COUNTRY artists, the artists doing good things for mainstream country, like William Michael Morgan, Ashley Monroe, Mo Pitney, Midland, and Jon Pardi. Of course, the mainstream country media will most likely move on to the newest, hottest “country” (not really country) artist, but a girl can dream, right? 🙂
Justin
April 18, 2017 @ 1:16 pm
“Body Like A Backroad” is officially the FGL “Cruise” of 2017. It made the top 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 last week (“Cruise” peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2013). It’s pretty rare for a, ahem, “country” song to make the top 6 or even the top 10 on the Hot 100. The vast majority of the time just pop and rap/hip hop makes the top 10.
“Body” also moves from 4 to 2 on Billboard Country Airplay this week. Headed for #1 for sure. It’s also been #1 for weeks and weeks already on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Could end up beating FGL’s “Cruise” to be the “Billboard Number 1 Country Song of All Time”…
pgwenz
April 18, 2017 @ 1:48 pm
Just as the real home run title still rightfully belongs to Hank Aaron, the all-time Billboard number one country song title still rightfully belongs to Hank Snow’s “I’m Moving On.”
Trigger
April 18, 2017 @ 2:35 pm
We’re definitely in the asterisk era of country music, especially with Billboard’s spurious chart rules for Hot Country Songs that accounts for pop spins.
Scotty J
April 18, 2017 @ 5:14 pm
I called it last week I think ‘Body Like A Dirt Road’ will break the 24 week record at #1 that ‘Cruise’ set. It’s been 11 weeks now and it’s just starting to get the crossover airplay. Remember about 20 of the weeks ‘Cruise’ had at #1 came after it peaked at country radio. Dumbass way of ranking country songs.
Trigger
April 18, 2017 @ 5:36 pm
You might be right, we’ll just have to see. It’s crazy to think anything could beat “Cruise,” and frankly I think it’s a way superior song to “Body Like a Backroad.”
Scotty J
April 18, 2017 @ 5:54 pm
Yeah I agree I don’t find anything offensive about ‘Cruise’ (especially the original non Nelly version) it’s not real country or anything but it’s a harmless pop country song. This song is just stupid and really kind of gross.
It’s almost as if somebody said what is the dumbest title we can come up with for a song that will still be a hit.
Scotty J
April 18, 2017 @ 6:02 pm
To further put this in perspective Billboard uses the Hot 100 points for ranking the Hot Country Songs chart so that includes all the streaming, sales and airplay from all genres. So you can look at the Hot 100 to see where country songs will be and the Hunt song is currently #9 and the number two song on the country chart is by Brett Young and it currently #40 on the Hot 100. Massive, massive lead.
Justin
April 18, 2017 @ 3:51 pm
Maybe so, but Billboard really does have “Cruise” ranked as the #1 Country Song of All Time, as ridiculous as that is. #2 is the MUCH better 1961 hit “Walk on By” by Leroy Van Dyke.
http://www.billboard.com/charts/greatest-country-songs
“Body Like A Backroad” could pretty easily overtake “Cruise,” I think.
jtrpdx
April 18, 2017 @ 4:39 pm
Lord help us all. I had never seen that “ranking”. Man!
John_G
April 18, 2017 @ 1:39 pm
It kills me when people say that they didn’t like country until they heard so and so. My first question is always ” did you hear it on the radio?” Because if you did and it was in the last 10 years than its VERY doubtful it is country. It tends to offend people but it’s true.
Great article Trigger. I had to chuckle at Sam Hunt smelling nice?
Lone Wolf
April 18, 2017 @ 4:21 pm
Well said, John_G!!
Mike Doyne
April 18, 2017 @ 1:43 pm
What makes a country song a country song? Seems from what I’m reading here just one country fan gets to name ‘what’s country’ and ‘what’s not’. Please don’t get me wrong, yes everyone is entitled to their opinion (lol~ even if it’s wrong). Would Billboard magazine have a song that’s not country on their country chart? The CMT – Country Music Network have a non-country song in their rotation, not to mention the thousands of radio stations that play only country music have this song on their playlist? I didn’t even mention the ACM or the Grammy’s. How can all these be wrong? Take off those blinders and enjoy all that’s available. I get it, you don’t like the song. ok. Join the battle that has been waged since bluegrass mixed with country. Some traditionalists have always been out spoken, but until you get all those other as you will ‘traitors’ to agree to what you believe is country music, you are just a hater. The music industry is tough enough no matter what the genre. If you don’t like a song don’t buy it.
pgwenz
April 18, 2017 @ 2:00 pm
The answer is, yes, CMT, country radio and the Billboard charts will all feature non-country songs as long as they can make money. If I may use a metaphor to explain the problem with how all of them currently operate, imagine you walk into the best steak house in town and tell the waiter to bring you the best New York strip on the menu. He returns a few minutes later with a hot dog. You say, “What the hell, I asked for a steak?” He replies by saying the hot dog is a steak, it’s just evolved into a hot dog.
And now that steak house is watching as decades’ worth of loyal customers are abandoning it. But the owner doesn’t care because hot dogs are cheaper and he’s attracting a new younger – but more immature – clientele that still spends money. The problem is, eventually, those kids are going to get older and get sick of hot dogs as well.
Honky
April 18, 2017 @ 5:00 pm
They won’t get sick of hot hogs. Take it to the bank. They’re too stupid and shallow, and always will be.
hillbilly bill
April 18, 2017 @ 5:30 pm
pgwenz:
The waiter tells me the hot dog is a steak that has evolved. After that, the waiter will have a hot dog evolved (shoved) in his piehole.
pgwenz
April 19, 2017 @ 7:09 am
Works for me.
Mike
April 18, 2017 @ 2:23 pm
There’s always one, I tell you.
Let me break it down in simplest terms for you.
If it has faux techno/rap beats in it, it’s not country.
If it’s a track generated from some computer, it’s not country.
If it’s sung by a guy wearing pajama pants and a flat billed hat, I don’t care where you’re from or what some suit in an office in NY or LA says. IT. IS. NOT. COUNTRY!!!!
Don’t be “That Guy.”
Mike
April 18, 2017 @ 2:26 pm
Oh, and if the song is some checklist on how to be “country,” it’s NOT Country!!! If you’ve got to explain how to be country or beleaguered how country you are, then chances are, you ain’t!
Mike
April 18, 2017 @ 2:27 pm
Brag about, not “beleaguered.” Damn auto spell
Trigger
April 18, 2017 @ 2:42 pm
Mike Doyne,
The definition of “Country from dictionary.com is : “a style and genre of largely string-accompanied American popular music having roots in the folk music of the Southeast and cowboy music of the West, usually vocalized, generally simple in form and harmony, and typidied by romantic or melancholy ballads accompanied by acoustic or electric guitar, banjo, violin, and harmonica.”
Does that sound like Sam Hunt’s music?
Would you say that this sounds more like a group such as Green River Ordinance? Because they were excluded from the country charts last year, while Sam Hunt was included.
https://www.savingcountrymusic.com/green-river-ordinance-excluded-from-billboard-country-charts-while-other-acts-go-unquestioned/
Sonically, there is nothing about Sam Hunt that is country, but the fix is in throughout the industry to include Sam Hunt in country conversations, and exclude a band like Green River Ordinance. This proves the inherent unfairness and mislabeling of the country genre in the modern era.
Honky
April 18, 2017 @ 5:04 pm
Mike Doyne,
I don’t know what makes a country song a country song, but here’s a damn good rock n roll/pop song, that I just love.
https://youtu.be/oQqlMoqebnY
Tubb
April 18, 2017 @ 6:26 pm
Did you end up here after getting lost on your way to cmt.com?
Erica
April 18, 2017 @ 1:51 pm
Can he take Bobby Bones with him so we can get someone in there who can talk some real country music appreciation?
Hahahaha, I kid. Like the higher ups at Clear Channel would ever hire someone like that if Bobby finally skedaddled.
Amanda
April 18, 2017 @ 2:50 pm
Bobby Bones is a horrid little shit and nothing but a bully. I would love nothing more than for Bobby Bones to leave. However, it would be pretty cool to see a country radio personality who actually cared about country music.
justin casey
April 18, 2017 @ 1:57 pm
i mean it is in the top 10 on the hot 100 right now, has that been done by a “country” act since need you now?
Justin
April 18, 2017 @ 4:00 pm
Yeah, FGL’s “Cruise” made it to #4 on the Hot 100 in 2013. So far, “Body” has peaked at #6.
justin casey
April 18, 2017 @ 11:37 pm
oh right i completely forgot cruise went top 5 a while back (to be fair the remix with nelly that got it there made the song ten times worse)
I miss Stevie Gaines
April 18, 2017 @ 2:14 pm
he would be a really swell guy and smell excellent. “Wiping beer off monitor, that came out of my nose”
The Goddess of Country Rock
April 18, 2017 @ 3:10 pm
“I’m sure if I met him he would be a really swell guy and smell excellent.”
Personally I feel like he’d reek of Axe Body Spray–and possibly stale cigarettes–but I guess you never know.
Tim from GA
April 18, 2017 @ 3:48 pm
God his vocals sounded so weak and off pitch on the clip i saw from ACM awards. Pop suits him better where he can either lip sync or, hell, even use auto tune/pitch corrector during live “shows”…if you can even call them that.
Benny Lee
April 18, 2017 @ 4:23 pm
I think we need to just forget about radio altogether. It’s not fair, and a lot of people who still only listen to radio are going to continue missing out on actual music, but the business people in country radio haven’t even liked country for at least 15 years now. If Sam *unt leaves, they’ll just replace him with someone else like him.
mary c hayden
April 18, 2017 @ 4:28 pm
I can’t stand Hunt and his so called music. I have to turn the radio off – same for Aldeen, Gilbert, and Alania
albert
April 18, 2017 @ 4:47 pm
Pop music ….Still more country than Sam Hunt
Honky
April 18, 2017 @ 4:53 pm
You know Albert, some of it might be. I’d say that red bearded British kid is more country than Hunt.
Honky
April 18, 2017 @ 4:49 pm
“It’s “country” music for people that don’t actually like country music,”
I remember 18 years ago, when that’s the excuse that was given for Rascal Flatts.
CountryKnight
April 18, 2017 @ 5:38 pm
When I read the title, my brain immediately thought that he was actually leaving for pop.
Darn false hope.
TJ Neyland
April 18, 2017 @ 7:01 pm
I believe that’s good that “Body Like a Back Road” is crossing over to pop, so no I’m not leaving Country Music!
Speaking of “Body Like a Back Road”, that song will #1 next week
Mo Crawford
April 18, 2017 @ 8:33 pm
Maybe country music doesn’t work anymore in its original form anymore because it’s 2017?? It’s outdated in principle….and have any of you been to a “small town” lately? It’s all Walmart-Chic-Fill-A- ..rednecks support corporate culture more than any other demographic..natural that the country music business which also sells to dumb rednecks would follow suit
Bear
April 19, 2017 @ 5:45 pm
But that is kinda of the point of these rants. Country has never just about small town lyrical content. It is a style and instrumentation than makes it country more so I would argue than a lyrical distinction. Lots of genres talk about small towns and drinking.
But to your point about stores, Nanci Griffith wrote Love at the Five and Dime and I don’t think she came from a super small town. So people are writing what they and not just doing a checklist like these bro- hacks.
shastacatfish
April 18, 2017 @ 11:16 pm
This might sound ludicrous, but at this point, I might even be willing to keep Sam Hunt if pop will please take Thomas Rhett off our hands. At least Sam Hunt can write a halfway decent song. Rhett, on the other hand, is about as entertaining as watching firewood cure and engaging as a can of tuna. As others have said, Hunt is “not bad as pop” or whatever. Rhett can’t even clear that low hurdle. Oh Lord, am I actually using Sam Hunt as a positive example?!?
caj
April 19, 2017 @ 8:58 am
Could not agree MORE. I’ll take Sam Hunt over Thomas Rhett any day of the week.
Megan
April 20, 2017 @ 10:41 am
This.
Stud'z Dud'z
April 19, 2017 @ 12:28 am
My boy Sam is KILLIN it with his new song…and FGL’s “Cruise” is probably the greatest country song of all time. Certainly beats tear in my beer BS. Let’s party, baby!
DT25
April 19, 2017 @ 1:49 am
If not sarcasm, Fuck you.
Stud'z Dud'z
April 23, 2017 @ 2:41 am
Hey DT25, do you kiss your mom with that mouth?
albert
April 19, 2017 @ 7:59 am
Sods ? nice to have you back ( not ) . I see you are still off the meds . How’s that NOT working for you ?
Indeed, my confused friend , ‘your boy ‘ Sam IS ‘killin’ it’ . Killing any chance of folks with half a brain tuning in to mainstream country radio again any time soon . Which , unfortunately leaves only the uncaring , uninformed and unconcerned who look to trends for their cues on how to think , dress and consume . Anyway , Storkly , glad SH seems to do it for you and keep you amused and calm ( restrained ). THAT in itself is comforting .
Stud'z Dud'z
April 23, 2017 @ 2:42 am
Hey Prince Albert, hows that diabeetus treating you? Better cut back on those donuts fatso.
albert
April 23, 2017 @ 8:27 am
‘fatso’…..? …play nice , Studdard .
Stud'z Dud'z
April 25, 2017 @ 11:38 pm
Albert, Albert, Albert…you were the one to bring up your love of donuts during the ACM livestream. I’m simply looking out for your health. You’ve gained quite a bit of weight recently buddy, I’m just making sure you aren’t gonna keel over soon of a coronary. I think it has to be a combination of bad taste in country music and the food you eat, man. That tear in my beer twangy bullshit you peddle SUCKS. LOL.
Charlie
April 19, 2017 @ 4:15 am
Nashville: Music with Friends
In it for the money. ™(r)(c)
Toni Taylor
April 19, 2017 @ 5:12 am
Omg I totally agree with this article and couldn’t have said it better myself!!!!’ I work in country radio and was just bitching about this same exact thing about Sam Hunt just the other day with our program director and saying that his music sounds like R&B
Ray
April 19, 2017 @ 6:35 am
I am so tired of the music (and phrase) called “Bro-country.” Can we switch to “Frat pop?”
Corncaster
April 19, 2017 @ 6:47 am
anything without the word “country” in it, yes
Wisty
April 19, 2017 @ 7:22 am
I loathe Sam Hunt, and others, but he in particular. It is a travesty to see people like him succeed when you are a traditional country music fan. I feel like country needs to go back to its roots, or even just to go back to more modern roots (90’s country). What is sad is that the current country fans lap this up like it is real music. It is not! I go to CMA Music Fest every year and see throngs of people act like these mediocre singers are something great. No, they’re impostors!
The Ghost of Buckshot Jones
April 19, 2017 @ 8:51 am
I’m old enough to have lived through 90’s country. People hated 90’s country. Just as most people hated 80’s country. Sam Hunt is no different than Shania Twain or Ronnie Milsap. If you’re listening to Sam Hunt, that’s on you. I’m not gonna hate on a dude getting paid.
albert
April 19, 2017 @ 8:15 am
ANYBODY can get a song on country radio today . ANYBODY from just about ANY genre . Its a club that very few artists with ANY integrity want to belong to as that artistry and integrity and commitment seems compromised at every turn in order to chase airplay and $$$ and a spot on an ‘ awards ‘ show . Rhett , Aldone , Hunt , Urban ., Little Big Town ….these are the Paris Hiltons and the Kardashians of that club and all they need is trend-worshippers to succeed in terms of $$$$ . Cable TV exists because Network TV turned its back on quality , smart and clever programming . Educated , informed , caring music listeners are learning about their options in a hurry . Mainstream ‘country’ radio has chosen to target the ‘leftovers’ …..the uncaring folks who think trend and being a part of it is important . This is mostly the very young or ‘ young in mind ‘ . Mainstream becomes more and more obligated to advertisers chasing this mindless market and more dependent upon these advertisers for revenue .
Jackie
April 19, 2017 @ 11:43 am
Sam Hunt = Portlandia. Every time his music comes on, the radio gets turned off. Period.
Sam Cody
April 19, 2017 @ 4:12 pm
I grew up in a town so small, I laugh my ass off when people refer to their hometowns of several thousand people as being small towns. Sheeeiiiiitt! If you can drive to a fucking Walmart in under an hour and your wheels don’t touch dirt – that’s city to me. I was one of a very small handful of people in my school that wasn’t a farmer. BUT – my first band was a heavy metal band! Should I have sold us as a country act? We were from the country! Is that all it takes?
I’ll admit though, that even though we played heavy metal, we still yelled “Yee Haw” a lot between songs… 😀
Bear
April 19, 2017 @ 5:37 pm
I do not know if that was a joke within a joke but you would Find a CA roll at an American style Japanese sushi joint. Not a Chinese place.
Other than that carry on and carry away Sam Hunt.
Sierra
April 19, 2017 @ 11:53 pm
He would be CRUSHED in pop. There’s a bunch of good songwriters like Ed Sheeran…they’re boosting up Harry Styles. Zara Larrson, etc Sam is literally Drake and already have 100 ppl who perform books on tape. In pop music it’s a revolving door. Body Like A Backroad sucks. Drinking Too Much was awful. If thus is what his now wife inspires him to write he needs to find a new job….if you’ve seen his wife (I’m sure you have it’s been shoved down our throats nonstop, you’d know tons of girls have those “curves”
MH
April 20, 2017 @ 6:45 am
Go ahead on over to pop music Sam…Harry Styles’ new song is waiting for you to send you back to Alabama or wherever the fuck you’re from.
I think Harry Styles is the new Justin Timberlake in terms of pop talent.
Michael Cosner
April 20, 2017 @ 8:06 am
Amen, brother.
J. Bon Jovi
April 20, 2017 @ 9:05 am
While his intentions are to be the next Taylor Swift in his crossover, I have a feeling it’s going to be more along the lines of The Band Perry. He’s not big enough or unique enough in any way to really make a splash.
Luckyoldsun
April 20, 2017 @ 8:08 pm
To call “Body Like a Back Road” “misogynistic” is completely off-base and, frankly, absurd. You come off like one of those caricature feminists like Andrea Dworkin in her overalls, pushing the idea that all heterosexual sex is rape…or the equivalent.
Trigger
April 20, 2017 @ 9:58 pm
See, this is the problem here. Folks aren’t criticizing or even rationalizing what I said, they’re lashing out at all social commentary in the media by painting it to the most extreme of any given viewpoint. You just made my statement that “Body Like a Backroad” is degrading towards women to be equivalent to claiming all heterosexual sex is rape. I don’t want to own that opinion, and I’ve never said anything even close to that. You disagree that this song is degrading to women? Well okay, that’s fair. But in no way is that opinion “absurd.” I think if you took a poll of people, you would find that opinion to be pretty mainstream, or at least fairly common.
Fourth Blessed Gorge
April 22, 2017 @ 7:59 pm
So it’s “rock” for people who find rock too intense, it’s “pop” for people pop left behind and it’s “country” only in an accent, beat and “values” sense, correct? So it’s Bon Jovi lite, which is a concept that I can’t wrap my brain around. IMO the weirdest thing about these pop-country guys is the (successful) way they sell adolescent fantasies to a more “mature” crowd. “Body Like A Backroad” sounds like something a third-rate 1980s hair metal band might have done.
Laura
April 24, 2017 @ 6:46 pm
I love Sam Hunt’s music – pop, country I don’t care what it is
handsomeblackcowboybrady1953
August 25, 2017 @ 6:51 am
Forth Blessed Gorge,at least rock music was great in the 80’s (well,some of it),as opposed to non-existent today,which is why dudes like Sam Hunt entered Country.
Jamie Gunther
April 16, 2019 @ 4:52 am
You guys all complain about Sam hunt but you know what’s funny is that when Johnny cash did the same kind of music those of you who were alive then complained about him so when will the complaining stop & how come no one complains about the other stars because I always see & hear the hate towards Sam but no one else it just gets really old & btw if country stayed it wouldnt because no one wants how someone lost their dog, their car, their house, their wife , or anything else so get over it