In 2021, country music exists in two distinctly separate worlds: one grounded in mainstream metrics like streaming numbers, ticket sales, songwriting quality, and artist recognition, and another shaped by identity-based criteria such as race, gender, and sexual orientation. While the first world primarily reflects the preferences and tastes of country music’s broad fan base, the second world is driven by a small but vocal group of journalists, activist artists, and intellectuals who emphasize political and social justice issues, often placing greater importance on an artist’s identity than their musical merit.
This shift towards identity politics within country music is led by a well-organized and loud minority. This group has taken control of the public narrative by pushing an agenda that prioritizes identity above all else. Those who dare to oppose this ideological stance face significant backlash, often being labeled as racists, misogynists, or homophobes by social media mobs and a segment of the press that is more concerned with ideological purity than with the actual music or the industry itself.
Despite their dominance in shaping the public conversation, the “woke” side of country music is not gaining genuine support. Instead, they’ve relied on fear and intimidation to push their agenda. Artists who adhere to the identity-first approach might receive media attention and awards, but this often doesn’t translate into real success. For example, despite the press’s relentless hostility, Morgan Wallen—who was vilified by the mainstream media for his racial slur—still reigns supreme in the country music landscape, dominating the charts through his music sales and streaming numbers, without much support from radio or awards shows.
This identity-based approach to country music isn’t without its flaws. Awards and media attention directed at artists based solely on their race or gender can feel patronizing, undermining the artist’s achievements and reducing their contributions to a mere checkmark in a diversity box. People see when an artist’s identity is the focal point of their recognition, and this diminishes the value of their success. Authenticity is key, and when it’s overshadowed by identity politics, it alienates both the audience and the artists.
In Billboard’s recent Nashville issue, artists like Kane Brown, Brothers Osborne, and Mickey Guyton were highlighted as examples of country music’s inclusive future. However, the article made a fundamental mistake by positioning these artists—who often straddle other genres, such as pop and hip-hop—as country musicians. Kane Brown, despite his remarkable country voice, rarely chooses to showcase it in his music. Mickey Guyton, once a promising country artist, has leaned heavily into pop production, and Brothers Osborne’s most recent album, *Skeletons*, shifted toward arena rock.
The article, despite its good intentions, also missed the mark by focusing heavily on the identities of these artists rather than their musical work. Both Kane Brown and T.J. Osborne, the latter of whom came out as gay earlier in 2021, acknowledged this tokenization, with Brown commenting on his 2021 ACM Award win, stating, “It wasn’t like, ‘Congratulations on winning your first ACM. How does it feel?’ It was like, ‘How does it feel being Black and winning your first ACM?’” Brown felt the award wasn’t about his merit as an artist but about his race. T.J. Osborne also criticized the timing of identity-based efforts, such as Spotify playlists during Pride Month, suggesting that such gestures often benefit the organizations more than the artists themselves.
The tokenization of identity isn’t just damaging for artists; it’s also a disservice to the public. When artists are rewarded or celebrated primarily for their identity, it undermines the value of their actual talent. It creates a false sense of progress, while ignoring the real issue—getting the public and industry to embrace all artists regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation.
In the end, the goal should be to normalize diversity in country music without making identity the central focus. The genre is rich with talent from all backgrounds, but the ongoing focus on identity politics often overshadows the music itself. By continuing to promote artists based on their race, gender, or sexual orientation, the industry risks creating new hierarchies while failing to address the deeper issues of inclusion and respect for the music.
For country music to truly evolve and become more inclusive, it needs to stop using identity to divide and start focusing on the universal merit of the music itself. Only then will country music become the inclusive, diverse space it aspires to be.