Truthfully it started in 1992 with Billy Ray Cyrus' "Achy Breaky Heart" and various other poppified songs, although it really exploded with Shania Twain, Faith Hill and others in the late 90's and very early 00's.

Like many other 90-ish musical trends, in recent years it seems to have quieted down, but not really died. In other words, it's not totally distinct, just kinda "there".

I'd say 1997-2001 were its peak years.

Truthfully it started in 1992 with Billy Ray Cyrus' "Achy Breaky Heart" and various other poppified songs, although it really exploded with Shania Twain, Faith Hill and others in the late 90's and very early 00's.

Like many other 90-ish musical trends, in recent years it seems to have quieted down, but not really died. In other words, it's not totally distinct, just kinda "there".

I'd say 1997-2001 were its peak years.


I've thought about that too - yes I think country crossover into pop is dead, but there's still a huge country fanbase in the Midwest, Inland West, and South, and the country of today is pretty much the same as late 1990s country; it just doesn't cross over.

Also, did you notice how in the '90s, a lot of more old-style music crossed into pop charts?  You know, like Whitney Houston, Vanessa Williams, SmashMouth, even Santana.  After 2002, that sort of stuff would never cross over.

Truthfully it started in 1992 with Billy Ray Cyrus' "Achy Breaky Heart" and various other poppified songs, although it really exploded with Shania Twain, Faith Hill and others in the late 90's and very early 00's.

Like many other 90-ish musical trends, in recent years it seems to have quieted down, but not really died. In other words, it's not totally distinct, just kinda "there".

I'd say 1997-2001 were its peak years.


Ever been to Saddle Rack, Marty?  That place gets PACKED on Fridays & Saturdays.  So no, I don't think it's dead at all.

I think I can sort of define where the sudden popularity of it came from though... During the late 80's and early 90's, we had the modern rock followers and the hard rock followers (which would include hair metal, metallica, etc)  Then grunge came along and gained popularity... but after a short time, many people got tired of grunge, realized that our old hard rock and modern rock weren't coming back... so people started looking for something else.  Some went in the direction of hip hop, and eventually rap... while others gravitated toward country.  

I'm not a huge country fan, but during the grunge era, country was the best music being put out.  So I got caught up in it for awhile too... :)

Ever been to Saddle Rack, Marty?  That place gets PACKED on Fridays & Saturdays.  So no, I don't think it's dead at all.

I think I can sort of define where the sudden popularity of it came from though... During the late 80's and early 90's, we had the modern rock followers and the hard rock followers (which would include hair metal, metallica, etc)  Then grunge came along and gained popularity... but after a short time, many people got tired of grunge, realized that our old hard rock and modern rock weren't coming back... so people started looking for something else.  Some went in the direction of hip hop, and eventually rap... while others gravitated toward country.  

I'm not a huge country fan, but during the grunge era, country was the best music being put out.  So I got caught up in it for awhile too... :)


When the Grunge era died, so did the Rock era.

Rock and roll: 1955-1995 RIP

When the Grunge era died, so did the Rock era.

Rock and roll: 1955-1995 RIP


As far as I'm concerned, when the grunge era started, the rock era died....

As far as I'm concerned, when the grunge era started, the rock era died....


So Rock is 1955-1991 R.I.P.?

It will never die!  You can stab it, you can shoot it, you can poison it, you can tie cement blocks to its feet and throw it in the lake, but it won't die!  It always comes back!!!
:o

So Rock is 1955-1991 R.I.P.?


Urm... I'm not too good at remembering years... but I'd say Metallica's Black album and Guns & Roses umm.. can't remember the name :-[ with "Don't Cry" , "November Rain", etc...was the last of the real rock era.

It will never die!  You can stab it, you can shoot it, you can poison it, you can tie cement blocks to its feet and throw it in the lake, but it won't die!  It always comes back!!!
:o


You want my take on it?  Gangsta rap, and now Crunk IS rock and roll.  Different shape, but the same obnoxious spirit.  It will pass, and turn into an even odder monster, if that's possible.

Ever been to Saddle Rack, Marty?  That place gets PACKED on Fridays & Saturdays.  So no, I don't think it's dead at all.

I've been by it occasionally (I think it's borderline downtown, near 280, and I don't go in that area much), but that's the closest I've come, hehe.

I think I can sort of define where the sudden popularity of it came from though... During the late 80's and early 90's, we had the modern rock followers and the hard rock followers (which would include hair metal, metallica, etc)  Then grunge came along and gained popularity... but after a short time, many people got tired of grunge, realized that our old hard rock and modern rock weren't coming back... so people started looking for something else.  Some went in the direction of hip hop, and eventually rap... while others gravitated toward country.  

I'm not a huge country fan, but during the grunge era, country was the best music being put out.  So I got caught up in it for awhile too... :)


Even though I tend to be a casual fan (one or two songs are cool, but I wouldn't normally listen to 10-20 in a row the way I would with 80's pop, or arena rock, etc), I think it's got some good songs. It was some of the better 90's pop.

I like the crossover stuff more than the "twangy" songs, but I think my favorites are the ballads. Are you into Restless Heart? I think they're probably my fave band in this style (I loved "Tell Me What You Dream" and "When she Cries" around 1994).

I got into it in the strangest way. Long story short, some of the school busses I was on in late Elementary school had actual radios. I lived pretty far from where I went to school (about 20 miles) so I really was exposed to what some of my drivers listened to. Well, this one older lady was REALLY into country. At first I was like "what's this?", but over time I kinda liked it. Some of the songs were not only catchy, but had interesting stories (hey, it made up for any time I may have been bored on the ride, LOL). ;)

So, even though it's not my favorite genre, that's how I came to somewhat like it.

It will never die!  You can stab it, you can shoot it, you can poison it, you can tie cement blocks to its feet and throw it in the lake, but it won't die!  It always comes back!!!
:o


Don't you mean "You can stab it with your steely knives, but you just can't kill the beast"?

Grunge really did kill rock and roll. Rock is still around of course and there's good rock out there, but since the grunge era ended rock has never been quite the same and hip-hop has taken over.

Don't you mean "You can stab it with your steely knives, but you just can't kill the beast"?


What was "modern rock" in the 1987-1991 period?  Like Pixies, Jane's Addiction, Faith No More, and such?

Grunge really did kill rock and roll. Rock is still around of course and there's good rock out there, but since the grunge era ended rock has never been quite the same and hip-hop has taken over.


I'd say somewhere between 1995 and 1997 is when hip hop took over.  Basically, 1996 onwards is the Rap era.

I've been by it occasionally (I think it's borderline downtown, near 280, and I don't go in that area much), but that's the closest I've come, hehe.

Even though I tend to be a casual fan (one or two songs are cool, but I wouldn't normally listen to 10-20 in a row the way I would with 80's pop, or arena rock, etc), I think it's got some good songs. It was some of the better 90's pop.

I like the crossover stuff more than the "twangy" songs, but I think my favorites are the ballads. Are you into Restless Heart? I think they're probably my fave band in this style (I loved "Tell Me What You Dream" and "When she Cries" around 1994).

I got into it in the strangest way. Long story short, some of the school busses I was on in late Elementary school had actual radios. I lived pretty far from where I went to school (about 20 miles) so I really was exposed to what some of my drivers listened to. Well, this one older lady was REALLY into country. At first I was like "what's this?", but over time I kinda liked it. Some of the songs were not only catchy, but had interesting stories (hey, it made up for any time I may have been bored on the ride, LOL). ;)

So, even though it's not my favorite genre, that's how I came to somewhat like it.


Saddle Rack was off of 280 years ago... they moved to Fremont.   I don't recall Restless Heart... but I liked Garth Brooks and Ricochet.  I listened to country for a few years... then got tired of it, and since then I only listen to oldies. (early 90's backward, mostly)

What was "modern rock" in the 1987-1991 period?  Like Pixies, Jane's Addiction, Faith No More, and such?


Yeah, and They Might Be Giants, Social Distortion, I think Depeche Mode's Personal Jesus would fall in that category too.

Saddle Rack was off of 280 years ago... they moved to Fremont.   I don't recall Restless Heart... but I liked Garth Brooks and Ricochet.  I listened to country for a few years... then got tired of it, and since then I only listen to oldies. (early 90's backward, mostly)


Yeah I recall the "Thunder Rolls" video from around that time (cool story, though a little creepy). I liked the song, since it was a little bit rockish.

I'd say somewhere between 1995 and 1997 is when hip hop took over.  Basically, 1996 onwards is the Rap era.


Yeah I would agree, though hip-hop did have a presence throughout most of the '90s, it really started taking over around 1996 or so.

Yeah I would agree, though hip-hop did have a presence throughout most of the '90s, it really started taking over around 1996 or so.


Even as early as 1988 I'd say Hip Hop was a household word, more or less.  But in the early '90s Rock was still clearly more popular, as hip hop was still seen as an alternate taste, albeit a very big, growing one.  Rock certainly wasn't an "alternative taste" in the '90s the way it is now!  ;D

Yeah I would agree, though hip-hop did have a presence throughout most of the '90s, it really started taking over around 1996 or so.


It seems like the Stevie B/Kenny G/Luther Vandross/All 4 One type stuff came just before hip-hop.

It seems like the Stevie B/Kenny G/Luther Vandross/All 4 One type stuff came just before hip-hop.


Yeah, I liked alot of that stuff ("I Swear" was one of my fave songs in '94). I guess that's 90's R&B? It does seem like the 90's still had alot of mushy/ballady pop songs. That seems almost entirely absent since 2001.

Yeah, I liked alot of that stuff ("I Swear" was one of my fave songs in '94). I guess that's 90's R&B? It does seem like the 90's still had alot of mushy/ballady pop songs. That seems almost entirely absent since 2001.


I agree.  In fact, some '90s music I can see as oldies in 20 years; believe it or not, I've heard Celine Dion in grocery stores!

Do you like Maroon 5?  They seem to be one of the few '00s bands that have melody today.  I like them  8)

I agree.  In fact, some '90s music I can see as oldies in 20 years; believe it or not, I've heard Celine Dion in grocery stores!

Yeah - for better or worse, "grocery store" playlists are some of my favorite songs now, LOL. They do alot of 80's, it seems. I think they usually just do medium to softer pop music from any era, but I think stuff does become more "safe" with age.

Do you like Maroon 5?  They seem to be one of the few '00s bands that have melody today.  I like them  8)

Every subsequent single they had, I liked a bit better. :)

"Harder to Breathe" was ok, but sounded too much like rap/rock (they probably did this as a first single just 'cause that was dying around 2002). "This Love" is a fair pop song, but I do like the ballad "She Will Be Loved". That's pretty singable.

I guess it's too late for a 4th single, though. ;)

Yeah - for better or worse, "grocery store" playlists are some of my favorite songs now, LOL. They do alot of 80's, it seems. I think they usually just do medium to softer pop music from any era, but I think stuff does become more "safe" with age.

Every subsequent single they had, I liked a bit better. :)

"Harder to Breathe" was ok, but sounded too much like rap/rock (they probably did this as a first single just 'cause that was dying around 2002). "This Love" is a fair pop song, but I do like the ballad "She Will Be Loved". That's pretty singable.

I guess it's too late for a 4th single, though. ;)


Are Maroon 5 gone?  I like "This Love" best.  It's sooo catchy.

Marty, do you remember how in the '90s (and probably the '80s too) they'd play '60s and '70s music in the grocery stores?  Today, their playlists span from about 1975 to 1990, maybe 1991.

Yeah - for better or worse, "grocery store" playlists are some of my favorite songs now, LOL. They do alot of 80's, it seems. I think they usually just do medium to softer pop music from any era, but I think stuff does become more "safe" with age.

Every subsequent single they had, I liked a bit better. :)

"Harder to Breathe" was ok, but sounded too much like rap/rock (they probably did this as a first single just 'cause that was dying around 2002). "This Love" is a fair pop song, but I do like the ballad "She Will Be Loved". That's pretty singable.

I guess it's too late for a 4th single, though. ;)


Actually... wait a sec... when did Lenny come out with Fly Away and Are You Gonna Go My Way?  That may have been a stray rock album which snuck in after the rock era was over.. cause that definitely ain't grunge! :)  Wasn't that 1996-ish?

Are Maroon 5 gone?  I like "This Love" best.  It's sooo catchy.

I think singles from the last album stopped, but they were big enough that their next one will probably sell alot.

Marty, do you remember how in the '90s (and probably the '80s too) they'd play '60s and '70s music in the grocery stores?  Today, their playlists span from about 1975 to 1990, maybe 1991.

True, I didn't really think about it before, but you're probably right. I don't think they started playing 80's music until the latter half of the 90's. I guess about 15 years is the right time (which now is 1991. Just another few years before grunge and gangsta rap start their turn. Scary, LOL).

Yeah - for better or worse, "grocery store" playlists are some of my favorite songs now, LOL. They do alot of 80's, it seems. I think they usually just do medium to softer pop music from any era, but I think stuff does become more "safe" with age.

Every subsequent single they had, I liked a bit better. :)

"Harder to Breathe" was ok, but sounded too much like rap/rock (they probably did this as a first single just 'cause that was dying around 2002). "This Love" is a fair pop song, but I do like the ballad "She Will Be Loved". That's pretty singable.

I guess it's too late for a 4th single, though. ;)


Already had a 4th single I think, "Sunday Morning", it never got really popular though.

Actually... wait a sec... when did Lenny come out with Fly Away and Are You Gonna Go My Way?  That may have been a stray rock album which snuck in after the rock era was over.. cause that definitely ain't grunge! :)  Wasn't that 1996-ish?


Yeah, I liked "Fly Away" (though his best semi recent song is "Again" - almost a ballad. but not quite. It's just really catchy). I think that was 1999 or 2000.

Yeah, I liked "Fly Away" (though his best semi recent song is "Again" - almost a ballad. but not quite. It's just really catchy). I think that was 1999 or 2000.


Yea I like Fly Away as well. Fly Away is 1999, and Again is 2001 I think.

Yeah, I liked "Fly Away" (though his best semi recent song is "Again" - almost a ballad. but not quite. It's just really catchy). I think that was 1999 or 2000.


Heh.. I'm really bad with years.

I don't think I've heard "Again".  I'll have to check it out!

Yeah, I liked "Fly Away" (though his best semi recent song is "Again" - almost a ballad. but not quite. It's just really catchy). I think that was 1999 or 2000.


I kind of like Lenny Kravitz.  Reminds me of the '90s, actually.  Just really laid back sort of music.

I kind of like Lenny Kravitz.  Reminds me of the '90s, actually.  Just really laid back sort of music.


Yeah, I recalled comparisons to Jimi Hendrix being made about him, even. My favorite was from the other side of the 90's -- I've mentioned I watched a ton of VH1 as a kid (1990-93). That was largely my exposure to new music then.

He had a song called "It Ain't Over till it's Over" which I loved. That was like a laid back 60s-styled pop song (with an added late 80's/very early 90's sound, for hipness).

Yeah, I recalled comparisons to Jimi Hendrix being made about him, even. My favorite was from the other side of the 90's -- I've mentioned I watched a ton of VH1 as a kid (1990-93). That was largely my exposure to new music then.

He had a song called "It Ain't Over till it's Over" which I loved. That was like a laid back 60s-styled pop song (with an added late 80's/very early 90's sound, for hipness).


Didn't Kravitz start in like 1989?

One thing that I'm nostalgic for the '90s about is the laid back attitude.  You know, that slackers had.  I'm pretty political, but in the '90s I like how there were liberal-minded people who weren't obsessed with politics or judgemental and were just fun to chill with.  Not everyone was like that, but it was cool that such a group of people existed.  That snowboarder type.

Didn't Kravitz start in like 1989?

One thing that I'm nostalgic for the '90s about is the laid back attitude.  You know, that slackers had.  I'm pretty political, but in the '90s I like how there were liberal-minded people who weren't obsessed with politics or judgemental and were just fun to chill with.  Not everyone was like that, but it was cool that such a group of people existed.  That snowboarder type.


That's true. Alot of the sitcoms reflected this too, so it spilled into mainstream culture (Friends, Seinfeld, Frasier, etc).

Of course, someone like Beavis & Butthead are a bit too far in the slacker direction, LOL. I do think I see what you mean about the snowboarder type. That's not too unlike the casual hippies of the late 60's (i.e. they were environmental, and probably smoked weed, but were basically about having a good time).

That's true. Alot of the sitcoms reflected this too, so it spilled into mainstream culture (Friends, Seinfeld, Frasier, etc).

Of course, someone like Beavis & Butthead are a bit too far in the slacker direction, LOL. I do think I see what you mean about the snowboarder type. That's not too unlike the casual hippies of the late 60's (i.e. they were environmental, and probably smoked weed, but were basically about having a good time).


Agreed.  The coffee shop culture though I think is something than began in the '90s and is probably more 2000s actually.

Beavis and Butthead are too airheaded, although of course I love them :)  Bill and Ted would be fun to chill with though, I love those movies.  Actually, I was suprised to find "Bogus Journey" to be slightly funnier than "Excellent Adventure".

Pretty much, Faith Hill has gone back to playing country music, instead of country-pop.  Old school style country music, is back. I guess alot of country fans where becoming tired of country-pop, and wanted more traditional country back.

Pretty much, Faith Hill has gone back to playing country music, instead of country-pop.  Old school style country music, is back. I guess alot of country fans where becoming tired of country-pop , and wanted more traditional country back.


Good, they can keep their crap out of my area!  ;D

    Back to the original topic--pop country is alive and well. I generally don't like that genre of music--too much of it seems cliched and just plain stupid to me--but occasionally I'll hear a song that I absolutely love. I liked a lot of Shania Twain's stuff, and even Toby Keith has a song or two that I like.
  I like a lot of the older stuff, however. Johnny Cash was (and always will be) the MAN, and I've come to like a lot of songs by Jerry Reed (who I think has a great sense of humor) and Marty Robbins (one of the greatest storytellers ever in any kind of music, IMO), just to name a few.
  Are any of you familiar with alternative country (or "alt-country" for short)? This genre originated in the late 1960's during the tail end of the Byrds' existence and with the Flying Burrito Brothers (founded by Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman, two former Byrds). In 1991 it was revived by a St. Louis band called Uncle Tupelo (whose first album's title, No Depression, became a term for that movement, and one of their founding members, Jeff Tweedy, went on to form Wilco after they broke up in 1993 or '94). This seems to be a predominently Midwestern and Southern movement, and it has a definite Southern rock influence to it. Some other bands that could be considered alt-country include the Bottle Rockets, the Old 97's, Slobberbone, and maybe Southern Culture On The Skids, to name a few.  Not sure if it's your cup of tea, but it wouldn't hurt to check it out.

Here in Canada, Country Music is still quite popular in the pop charts.  Here's currently all of the Country songs in the Canadian top 100 charts (with current chart positions)


#20 - Jesus Take the Wheel - Carrie Underwood
#21 - Good Ride Cowboy - Garth Brooks
#26 - When I Get Where I'm Going - Brad Paisley w/ Dolly Parton
#30 - My Old Friend - Tim McGraw
#31 - Must Be Doin' Something Right - Billy Currington
#34 - Lights of My Hometown - Aaron Lines
#37 - She Ain't Missing Me - Jason McCoy
#39 - I've Got It - Brad Johner
#40 - Tonight I Wanna Cry - Keith Urban

#43 - One Good Friend - George Canyon
#44 - Just Might (Make Believe) - Sugarland
#53 - Like We Never Loved At All - Faith Hill
#55 - Honky Tonk Badonkadonk - Trace Adkins
#65 - Tequilla Makes Her Clothes Fall Off - Joe Nichols
#70 - Making it Up As You Go - Beverly Mahood
#71 - It's OK to Cry - Amanda Wilkinson
#76 - She Don't Tell Me To - Montgomery Gentry
#80 - Boondocks - Little Big Town
#84 - Living in Fast Forward - Kenny Chesney
#91 - Big Blue Note - Toby Keith
#94 - Cheatin' - Sara Evans
#97 - Still Got Yesterday - Emerson Drive

As a music critic I have to disagree with all of you, but Im too tired to say why. 



I will put my two cents in on the pop-country crossover topic though:

It didnt start with "Acky Breaky Heart", and it didnt end with "Now and Forever"...its been around in other forms for longer (Willie Nelson crossed over to the pop side numorous times, but most notably with his album entitled Stardust.  Ray Charles crossed the other way with an album in the early 60s.  Dolly Parton was a notorious crossover artist...in fact, her song " I will always love you" was later covered by pop singer Whitney Houston. The Bellamy Brothers crossedover with "Let your love flow" and who can forget Kenny Rogers?...there has always been a pop crossover with country). 

It also didnt end...it just morphed.  Bands like Wilco and My Morning Jacket and even Ryan Adams and Whiskeytown, many would call a "crossover" act.  They make more popish 'country', and are normally accepted by Hipsters as being indie pop/rock as well. 
Aside from the lesser known pop-country crossovers, there's also the more blatent attempts at pop crossovers...the attempts that the likes of Gretchen Wilson and Big and Rich are known for. 

There are still more coming out and brewing in the indie scenes.  pop-country is not what thats dead...its the careers of the artists you dont hear from anymore.   

Don't you mean "You can stab it with your steely knives, but you just can't kill the beast"?

Ain't that ironic?  'Cept "Hotel California" isn't "country crossover" so much as it's MOR pop with a faux Reggae flavor.  I don't think I'm as sick of any single band as I am sick of The Eagles!  The nausea is overpowering!
:P

Ain't that ironic?  'Cept "Hotel California" isn't "country crossover" so much as it's MOR pop with a faux Reggae flavor.  I don't think I'm as sick of any single band as I am sick of The Eagles!  The nausea is overpowering!
:P


Yeah, I got sick of alot of Eagles songs too... but I still like the ones that haven't been played to death, like "Wasted Time".

Interestingly, the Eagles do have some definite "country" to their music - "New Kid in Town" for instance.

But, they're also overplayed on classic rock and AC radio (I say this with a grain of salt since I really do like them). My favorite song is "The Long Run" - even though it was a pretty big hit, they don't overdo it the way they do "Hotel California".

Interestingly, the Eagles do have some definite "country" to their music - "New Kid in Town" for instance.

But, they're also overplayed on classic rock and AC radio (I say this with a grain of salt since I really do like them). My favorite song is "The Long Run" - even though it was a pretty big hit, they don't overdo it the way they do "Hotel California".


The Eagles are often classed as Country Music sometimes.  When I'm cruising through the channels, I often see a video of theirs on CMT