Switched on Pop

• How Americana helped mainstream country find its soul

  As we've been examining over the course of Country Week, country music has found a larger audience, in part by widening its sonic palette. For the final episode of this series, we take a look at a genre on the outskirts of country – Americana music – and how it's being used to connect to the scene's musical roots.   Historically, Americana has embraced an acoustic sound, traditional repertoire, and an appetite for virtuosic technique. In bluegrass artists like Billy Strings and roots musicians like Sierra Ferrell, Nate and Charlie see if there's an antidote to be found for the issues that plague modern, mainstream country music. Songs discussed: The Punch Brothers – Rye Whiskey Sierra Ferrell – In Dreams Dolly Parton – Jolene Sierra Ferrell – I Could Drive You Crazy Sierra Ferrell, Zach Bryan – Holy Roller Billy Strings – Dust in a Baggie Billy Strings, Willie Nelson – California Sober Tyler Childers – In Your Love Tyler Childers – Phone Calls and Emails Tyler Childers – Rustin' In The Rain Don Gibson – Oh, Lonesome Me Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson – Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys The Chicks – Long Time Gone The Steeldrivers – Higher Than the Wall Beyoncé – Texas Hold'em I'm With Her – Espresso Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• Country music is Mexican (Fuerza Regida and Grupo Frontera)

  More often than not, country music is seen as an "American" genre – meaning that the music is seen as strictly from the United States. In some ways, that's true; but the genre's iconography, sound, and ethos can actually be traced to the south of the border, in Mexican regional music. The worlds have been more intertwined than you would think, and in musica mexicana, we find the closest comparison to what we traditionally call "country music." In this episode of Switched On Pop, in honor of country week, we take a look at the cumbia-corrido hybrid "Me Jalo" from Fuerza Regida and Grupo Frontera, two U.S. based acts performing Mexican regional music, to see what ties the cultures together. Songs discussed: George Strait – El Rey Carín León – Necesito Encontrarte Fuerza Regida, Grupo Frontera – ME JALO Fuerza Regida – TQM Grupo Frontera, Bad Bunny – un x100to Fuerza Regida – SECRETO VICTORIA Grupo Frontera, Grupo Firme – EL AMOR DE SU VIDA Fuerza Regida, Grupo Frontera – Bebe Dame Shania Twain – Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under Hank Williams – Your Cheatin' Heart Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• The Ballad of Lainey Wilson and Jessie Murph

  There's often an unspoken (and deeply misogynistic) rule on country music radio: never play two female artists back to back. In this episode of Switched On Pop's country week, we aim to do just that. Looking at two artists on opposite ends of the country music spectrum – traditionalist Lainey Wilson, and genre-bending Jessie Murph – Nate and Charlie try to understand the state of female country through their respective songs "4x4xU" and "Blue Strips." Songs discussed: Lainey Wilson – 4x4xU Jessie Murph – Blue Strips Lainey Wilson – Country's Cool Again Lainey Wilson – Heart Like A Truck HARDY, Lainey Wilson – wait in the truck Jessie Murph – Gotta Hold Jessie Murph – Gucci Mane Jessie Murph, Sexyy Red – Blue Strips (Remix) Zach Top – I Never Lie Carrie Underwood – Before He Cheats Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• The hick hop renaissance (BigXthaPlug and Bailey Zimmerman)

  One of the biggest country hits of the year has been "All The Way," by Texas rapper BigXthaPlug and country rocker Bailey Zimmerman, which peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song is a perfectly mixed cocktail of trap sonics with country melodies, held together by a shared southern drawl between the two artists. As the genre of "country" expands and morphs to include different sounds, artists, and styles, "All The Way" serves as an exemplary example of the country-rap hybrid done right. But the song isn't the first to feature an unlikely collaboration across the genre aisle. This episode of Switched On Pop, we go deep on this collab and others, to see what works and what doesn't when the gates that keep the country music industry separate are swung wide open. Songs Discussed: BigXthaPlug, Bailey Zimmerman – All The Way BigXthaPlug – Texas War – Slipping Into Darkness BigXthaPlug – The Largest Bailey Zimmerman – Where It Ends Lil Nas X, Billy Ray Cyrus – Old Town Road Eminem, Rihanna – Love The Way You Lie Nelly – Country Grammar (Hot Shit) Nelly, Tim McGraw – Over And Over Florida Georgia Line, Nelly – Cruise - Remix Ernest, Snoop Dogg – Gettin' Gone Lil Durk, Morgan Wallen – Broadway Girls Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• Is Morgan Wallen the problem with country music?

  Country music stands at a crossroads between tradition and evolution, and no artist embodies this tension better than Morgan Wallen. His song "I'm the Problem" opens with beautiful bluegrass guitar before hitting you with hard-hitting 808 basslines, creating a sonic reflection of country's current identity crisis. Wallen has this uncanny ability to turn his endless personal problems into undeniably catchy hooks that somehow make him more relatable, not less. Despite having every reason to write him off, there's something about his gritty voice and imperfect persona that keeps drawing listeners back. What makes him so compelling, and why his 37-track album dominated the charts, reveals something deeper about what country music is becoming. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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