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Comment by scarecrowbob | Hacker News Reader

I play a a lot of country music, mostly on bass and pedal steel. So by trade, I am around a lot of it.

You're welcome to come to whatever conclusions you like.

There is a lot of absolute crap out there.

At the same time, there's a lot of cool stuff, too. Charlie Crockett is the real deal, Sierra Ferrel, Dale Watson, Tyler Childers. And that's just the folks currently doing stuff, ignoring Townes, Guy, Steve Earle, Jerry Jeff etc. And that's also ignoring the vast numbers of pretty good songwriters playing this stuff at local bars.

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The local "country" music station keeps a log of the tracks played over the past ~12 hours. I see none of those artists on the list, and certainly no record of any bar musicians making the cut. The list is mostly the usual suspects – many of which were played multiple times – playing the aforementioned "elevator music", and curiously a couple of Elvis Presley rock spins in the wee morning hours.

While one station may not be entirely representative, I expect you will find a similar story across most country stations. I'm not sure you have made a compelling case that country has risen up to replace rock music.

You can name just as many current rock musicians doing great things. But that doesn't mean rock isn't dead. The topic is in reference to what is popular. There is a strong case to be made that country did die after the Cash era.

If you're gonna go by what's on the radio, then you're screwed.

Sorry you're missing out on so much good stuff.

I mean, I suppose everything is dead.

Fortunately, I am still playing plenty of good music for people, and hearing a lot of it.

Radio has never been the place to find good music, only to find the music that appeals to the masses. When talking about the rise or fall of a genre, it refers to mass appeal, not what exists in dark corners.

There are genres that are alive and well. But they are not rock or country.

I believe there is a difference between generas of music being "dead" and genears of music not having mass popularity.

I play a lot of cafe jazz in the style Django and Grappelli- there is still stuff going on with it, but I could be convinced that it's not "alive and well" because there aren't a whole lot of new compoositions that get wide distribution.

And I really enjoy a lot of the hiphop, EDM, and other stuff I hear- I am not trying to make an argument that those aren't wildly more popular.

Given that there are new artists making a living creating new compositions playing coutnry, as well as large audiences paying money to listen and dance... it's hard to convince me the genera is "dead.

But keep in mind, that's not the argument I was making, that is an argument you're placing on top of what I was saying.

The claim I was responding to is "Country music was never good post the Johnny Cash era. "

I posted some musicians who I (and guessing by their ability to make a living playing new music, other people) believe stands as a counterpoint to that point.

So for all your concern about the legitimacy of my "argument", you're focusing on a claim I am not making- even if it were a "dead" genera, people are still making new music with enough support that they can make a living performing it.

> I believe there is a difference between generas of music being "dead" and genears of music not having mass popularity.

That's fine, but there is context here. Your belief is irrelevant.

> Given that there are new artists making a living creating new compositions playing coutnry, as well as large audiences paying money to listen and dance...

Same goes for rock. Just look at the constant stream of rock music coming out of Australia in particular right now. In that vein, rock has never been more alive. But rock is still dead per the context this discussion is taking place in.

> The claim I was responding to is "Country music was never good post the Johnny Cash era. "

The claim you speak of was in response to the comment that claimed that country music rose up to replace rock – meaning, for all intents and purposes, that country music radio replaced rock music radio. The comment you responded to was asserting that country didn't replace rock, so-called "elevator music" did.

And then the best you could do was name some artists that most people have never heard of. Which only goes to confirm the idea that country music hasn't risen up to replace rock. Rather, they are both dead, as per what dead means in the context of discussion.

I gave you an upvote just because I found you highly unique mode of responding here to be quite... interesting. Thanks for the comment, it really made me think a lot of... things.

Thanks... What should I do with this upvote you have given me?

Charlie Crockett is great!

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