Country music has long been a beloved genre. Even so, it never tended to get as much love or mainstream attention as other genres.
Regardless, the tides seem to be changing. According to a study shared by Luminate, the figures are much more staggering than some music fans may realize. In large part, it’s due to the fact that consumers are now streaming more than actually buying records.
The study also pointed out that consumption habits have really changed. Aside from the increase in streaming, the pandemic played a massive role in the lack of live performances thus forcing listeners to turn to streaming to enjoy their favorites.
While those are just some facts featured within the study, there are a few other key points that show why country music is truly at its peak for both millennials and Gen Zers.
Country music is in its heyday in part due to its younger fanbase.
If there’s one thing mentioned in the study, it’s that current country music fans love Morgan Wallen. While he has had some issues in the past, listeners have clamored to him. It’s evident in the fact that Wallen’s album, One Thing At A Time which features a staggering 36 songs is a massive hit. As pointed out by the study: “Notably, more than one in every five country music streams was for Wallen’s album during its debut week.”
Regardless of how you feel about Wallen, that’s undoubtedly impressive. Some other names mentioned within the article were Luke Combs, Carly Pearce, and Zach Bryan. Obviously, it’s clear that most, if not all the performers mentioned fitting into these age groups, but the reason why I feel we’re seeing such a rise in younger country fans is because of relatability.
There is something so gratifying about hearing a song that represents what you’re going through, something you’ve dealt with in the past, or something you’re scared of. Hearing someone put your fears into words or even ease some of your pain is cathartic.
If you listen to Wallen’s album, he’s talking about dealing with sobriety, missing his parents, growing up, drinking, and making bad decisions. Those are things his listeners can relate to and it’s part of the reason why he’s so wildly successful. Wallen isn’t the only one though as Luke Combs has talked about grief, marriage, having kids, and making scary choices. Other artists have covered topics such as dating, divorce, and even, losing family members.
All in all, there has been so much heartache and triumph within the past few years that listeners have changed their minds about what they’d like to consume. While country music fans are still looking for story songs, and songs about being country and having fun, younger consumers are also looking to see themselves represented within the songs they’re streaming.
What do you think about the boom in younger country music fans? Share in the comments!
