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Long before country music seemingly cemented itself as the genre for patriots, beer drinkers and conservatives, the wide genre could be traced back to traditional African music, the European groups that settled in Appalachia and the 1920s Western movie scene in Hollywood, where cowboys became the face of the music and films.

For a century, the variety of country music has represented working-class Americans and blue-collar life. Country focused on those who embraced the simplicity of rural existence and found solace in the melodies that echoed their experiences. Not only was it something to sing along to, but it represented a way of life that multitudes of Americans identified with or wished for.

As the decades passed, more and more artists found a way to integrate their feelings of individuality and desire for freedom into the country genre. While still dominated by white, heterosexual men, the genre has become rich with music from artists like Brandi Carlile, Orville Peck, Tracy Chapman and Kacey Musgraves.

Contrary to popular belief, country music tackles relevant 21st-century issues, including LGBTQIA+ inclusion, women’s rights and environmental and political justice, making it an accessible genre for social commentary and criticism.

One of the most poignant examples of empowering storytelling in country music is none other than that of “Goodbye Earl” by The Chicks. Sung over a melodic, catchy tune, “Goodbye Earl” tells a story about two friends who plot the death of Earl, the abusive husband of one of the protagonists.

“Music is meant to uplift, inspire and evoke emotion, connecting us to the deepest parts of ourselves and others.”

The song references covering up bruises with makeup, wearing long-sleeved shirts and sunglasses and being put into intensive care due to a violated restraining order. Despite being completely fiction for The Chicks, the reality of domestic abuse isn’t new for many people. Unlike many mainstream country songs, “Goodbye Earl” delivers a powerful message about standing up against domestic violence.

Comparatively fresh to the country scene, Musgraves has already etched her sound into country music history, earning seven Grammy Awards and seven Country Music Association Awards. One of her earliest and most-streamed songs, “Follow Your Arrow,” dives into the double standards society holds women to.

Musgraves incorporated messages of body positivity, sexuality and religion into her 2013 hit, encouraging people to pursue their most authentic selves. She conveyed that regardless of the personal decisions you make, there are always going to be people who will criticize you. So follow your arrow wherever it points because, as Musgraves preached, you only live once.

Dabbling in the partisan realm, Oliver Anthony’s “Rich Men North of Richmond” speaks on the exhaustion of America’s working force in the face of being used as political fodder. The title itself is a reference to Washington, D.C., which is north of Richmond, Virginia, and certainly full of rich men.

“Rich Men North of Richmond” touches on specific topics like the Jeffrey Epstein case, accusations of welfare abuse and the lack of personal boundaries that now exist in political realms. The song skyrocketed Anthony into the spotlight, and he was even featured in a filmed Republican Party debate. 

Embedded with an enduring legacy of amplifying marginalized voices, “Man in Black” by Johnny Cash acts not only as the title of one of his most popular songs but also continues to be a recognizable moniker for the singer decades after his death.

The song is a solemn promise to represent those who struggle with personal and societal struggles until the day the world is a kinder place for them. Most evident are references to those impacted by poverty, mass incarceration — prison was a theme Cash sang about frequently — and the Vietnam War, creating an empathetic protest song that has survived for nearly half a century.

In a similar vein of addressing societal tensions and injustices, Kentucky-born singer Tyler Childers criticized the political and social reactions against the Black Lives Matter movement in his powerful song “Long Violent History.”

Knowing his audience includes people whose ideologies align with groups in disagreement over the Black Lives Matter protests, Childers challenged them by asking what they would do if people were being killed in their mountains.

Childers makes clear connections to the George Floyd murder and police brutality and, in the same short anthem, notes that while he has been angry at America’s dismissal and belittling of those in the South, he and other white people should not take for granted their privilege in the current white-centered system.

Music is meant to uplift, inspire and evoke emotion, connecting us to the deepest parts of ourselves and others. Regardless of whether you love — or vehemently hate — country music, its multifaceted nature allows it to exist for everyone, even those who have felt ostracized by the genre.

Reach Claire Vogl and Emma Ward at letters@collegian.com or on Twitter @CSUCollegian.