Behind the Numbers: Country Music Hits and the Odds of Trains, Prison, Mama, and Tears

What does it take to write a hit country song? Judging by some of country’s most beloved tunes, it seems one needs to include lyrical references to your Mama ( Mama, He’s Crazy), trains ( I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry), prison ( Folsom Prison Blues), tears ( He Stopped Loving Her Today), and/or alcohol ( Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin’). … Read more

Country Music vs. Rock and Roll

From Americana to emo, chamber pop to punkgrass, there seem to be as many subgenres of music in our culturally fragmented 21st century as there are bands. But take a step back, put your ear to the ground, and you can still hear those time-honored beats: a big chunk of America’s love affair with music … Read more