This is Hit Inc / Broken Bow Records

Release Date: February 16^th 2024

Reviewed by: Jonathan Andre

Lainey Wilson – Country’s Cool Again – Single (Amazon mp3/iTunes)

Track Listing:

1. Country’s Cool Again

Lainey Wilson has been catching the country music scene by storm over the last few years. Ever since winning numerous awards (Grammys, ACM’s, CMA Awards etc.) for her chart-topping album Bell Bottom Country, this Louisianan native has in fact, for many people of the current generation of today, has placed country music on the map, and alongside artists like Carly Pearce, Kelsea Ballerini, Ingrid Andress and Gabby Barrett; have reminded us that women in country music has always been its strong suit, in spite of country radio still being male dominated. Lainey has been in and around the media for quite some time for her album success, and now in 2024, she’s at it again. Upon the heels of Bell Bottom Country, she’s released a new song (from a forthcoming album, perhaps), titled ‘Country’s Cool Again’.

In an era where artists like Post Malone, Lana Del Rey and even Beyonce have all undertook and released songs from each of their forthcoming country albums (indeed, bizarre that established pop artists would want to venture into country music, so far in each of their own careers, but…maybe that’s the appeal of country music in general?); Lainey’s song ‘Country’s Cool Again’ works two-fold. First, the song is having a subtle dig at every ‘man and his dog’ venturing into the realms of country music, all the while still holding on to their pop roots. Maybe it’ll work out for Post Malone, Beyonce and Lana Del Rey for each of their albums in the foray of country music, but most likely than not, listeners would see these three artists singing country music as a way of ‘jumping on the country music bandwagon’, thereby making each of their country music offerings less than sincere. Maybe their songs will be winners, but whatever the case, this is what I reckon Lainey’s ‘Country’s Cool Again’ is getting at- there’s a sentiment that country’s now ‘cool’, and more and more artists, rightly or wrongly, are venturing into it. The genre is getting more exposure, which is good overall, and artists, who don’t even know how to create country music, are also jumping on to see how it all goes…should they though? ‘Country’s Cool Again’ provides us with commentary and us asking questions of whether we should question motives of people venturing into a genre they may know not much about. But maybe it should just be a rejoicing moment, that country music is getting a resurgence again, in spite of motives. The lyrics of how ‘…everybody wanna be a cowboy, drive a jon boat, whip a John Deere, everybody want a backwoods front porch with a tub full of iced-down beer, must be something in the water flowing out of the holler, blue collar musta caught a new wind, doggone, dadgum it, didn’t see that coming, country’s cool again…’ can either point to sincerity or even sinister motives, but whatever the case, country music is making a comeback, and if it’s by a Lainey Wilson song, or dare I say it, a Post Malone song, then people just ought to be thankful and grateful, right? Well done Lainey for such a powerful and emotive song. Looking forward to the next album, whenever it may be.

‘…I think country music is cooler than it’s ever been. I mean, it has never not been cool. But, I think during the pandemic, people found themselves doing whatever to make them feel grounded and feel at home. And I think country music makes you feel at home. I think a lot of people found themselves through country music. It feels like we’re a part of this pop culture movement right now, and it’s bigger than it’s ever been…I’m so proud to be a part of this generation of country music. I think years down the road, I’ll be able to look back on it and be like, ‘I was a part of that then.’ And I think that’s probably how many country artists from the ‘90s feel today…I think the same excitement is there in the ‘90s when you think about Shania Twain and Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, and The Chicks and Garth Brooks. You think about all those artists and that it was a movement, a real movement. But the other similarity that I find, I think, is country music is about that storytelling. I think we’re getting back to a little bit more of that, just like it was in the ‘90s. I think country radio is not afraid to play a story song. I mean, even the song that me and HARDY got to do together this year – ‘Wait in the Truck’ — I mean, it’s a murder ballad, but it’s the kind of song that they would’ve played back in the ‘90s. I think people were craving that and longing just to feel something…’

Score: 4.5/5

RIYL: Ingrid Andress, Kelsea Ballerini, Hardy, Ashley McBryde, Dolly Parton, Hailey Whitters, Gabby Barrett, Tenille Arts