grady-smith
The good, bad and bizarre: 10 current country hits on sex, booze and death
Chris Lane peddling Breaking Bad metaphors and Steven Tyler ‘fallin’ into your yum-yum’ among tunes forcing listeners to tap their feet and scratch their heads
Grady Smith
18, Feb, 2016 @5:28 PM
Crazy ex-boyfriends: new country music trend is drunk and brokenhearted men
Once country music was full of ballads by wronged women – but now it’s male singers like Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley who are crying into their beers
Grady Smith
05, Feb, 2016 @9:00 AM
Americana: is the 'dirt in your ears' genre a way forward for country?
Once associated with fiddles and beards, the genre is rising fast and could provide a means to be heard for artists who are shut out of country radio
Grady Smith
28, Jan, 2016 @6:29 PM
Country's Jesus-and-partying crew cheapen both the faith and the music
The tension between partying and piety has remained a common thread in country music for decades – but religious angst has been replaced by bland tokenism
Grady Smith
13, Jan, 2016 @4:27 PM
The 10 best country albums of 2015
Country music may have come in for some criticism, but this year saw many fantastic records from musicians on both sides of the mainstream/indie divide
Grady Smith
17, Dec, 2015 @10:00 AM
The best (and worst) US culture 2015: Country
We asked our critics to pick their best and worst moment from this year’s cultural offerings. Grady Smith chose Chris Stapleton’s chutzpah and country radio’s hubris
Grady Smith
15, Dec, 2015 @10:00 AM
From stetsons to snapbacks: why country stars are ditching tradition
Headwear used to be limited to cowboy hats, but new artists such as Sam Hunt are donning baseball caps and turning the definition of ‘country’ on its head
Grady Smith
09, Dec, 2015 @4:43 PM
Is country music ready to forgive the Dixie Chicks?
After the band denounced George W Bush, the country establishment turned against them. Now they’re touring the US again – in an even more divided environment
Grady Smith
19, Nov, 2015 @10:00 AM
Eric Church's 'Beyoncé moment' reveals one of country's contemporary greats
Church’s surprise album Mr Misunderstood is one of this year’s most complete records despite being overshadowed by Chris Stapleton at the CMA awards
Grady Smith
11, Nov, 2015 @8:33 PM
Chris Stapleton steals CMA awards show on career-making night
The Country Music Awards included an album drop and divorce intrigue – but that paled next to Stapleton’s astounding performance with Justin Timberlake
Grady Smith
05, Nov, 2015 @3:55 PM
Ashley Campbell's tribute to her father Glen – exclusive video
The singer and banjo player has made a video for her song Remembering, about her father, who is suffering with Alzheimer’s. Watch it exclusively here
Grady Smith
27, Oct, 2015 @12:47 PM
A roll in the hay: how country music embraced slowed-down sex jams
Country stars have sung about sex forever, but Luke Bryan’s Strip it Down is part of a new trend: double entendre-filled songs that borrow heavily from R&B
Grady Smith
21, Oct, 2015 @3:42 PM
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