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The popularity of country music in rural sub Saharan Africa

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Re: The popularity of country music in rural sub Saharan Africa

#81

Post by quacked »

markrages wrote: post #76
grapeskin wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> For lovers of the old music American country music fits right in since it’s probably the only(?) music export from the US that doesn't glorify crime, debauchery, all the non-traditional African values Since the 90s I recall country music being full of cheating on your girl, getting drunk, kicking someone's ass, and so on. Other pop music is more about getting girls in the club or whatever, but country has fairly si…

Or shooting a man in Reno, just to watch him die.

Everyone always brings this song up. It's very clear that Cash is playing a character of a foolish and almost-repentant criminal in the song; traditional American music records were half morality plays on rogues and half religious pleas for virtue.

It is an unfair comparison to modern hip-hop, which is primarily warrior bragodoccio. Go to WorldStar if you want to see.

Re: The popularity of country music in rural sub Saharan Africa

#82

Post by moviewise »

chrisdhoover wrote: post #23
uhoh-itsmaciek wrote: post #18

American country music has been heavily influenced by African Americans since the beginning (often without recognition, though that's starting to change.) The banjo is based on African instruments, and many musicians like Huddie Ledbetter, Elizabeth Cotten, Mississippi John Hurt, Arnold Shultz, and DeFord Bailey helped shape the genre. It's great to see this popularity in Africa--in a weird way, it's almost like comi…

Maybe there was some cross pollination but the progenitors of country were the hillbilly folk music now now as bluegrass that is rooted in English, Scottish and Irish folk music. Banjos were adopted later, the original form was fiddle based.

There is a lot of cross pollination of music genres in the US: "But the general consensus is that jazz is an American invention, born in New Orleans, Louisiana from the influences of traditional American work songs and French cajun instrumentation, including the standup bass, the Dixieland drum kit, and particularly, the cornet, an instrument invented in France in the 1820s similar to the trumpet."

From: https://moviewise.substack.com/p/a-short-history-of-jazz-in-...

Re: The popularity of country music in rural sub Saharan Africa

#83

Post by guelo »

betwixthewires wrote: post #54
guelo wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> American country music is the most commercially successful music genre worldwide Sorry I'm very skeptical about this claim. According to the recording industry's annual report Pop music continues to dominate and Country is not in the top 10 https://www.ifpi.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/IFPI-Engagin... (page 15) Also, as a city dweller, why do people like you constantly attack us about everything? That feeling of…

Who's people like me?

People that blame everything bad in the world on their fellow americans that live in cities who they feel they are in a death struggle with.

Re: The popularity of country music in rural sub Saharan Africa

#85

Post by [deleted] »

guelo wrote: post #44
exolymph wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I upvoted you because I'm also skeptical about the object-level claim, but this is a little dramatic: > Also, as a city dweller, why do people like you constantly attack us about everything? That feeling of persecution is destroying us. Rural people can easily levy the same accusation in return.

Why is my comment more dramatic than saying city dwellers "love to shit on it"?

[deleted]

Re: The popularity of country music in rural sub Saharan Africa

#86

Post by guelo »

bnralt wrote: post #68
guelo wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> American country music is the most commercially successful music genre worldwide Sorry I'm very skeptical about this claim. According to the recording industry's annual report Pop music continues to dominate and Country is not in the top 10 https://www.ifpi.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/IFPI-Engagin... (page 15) Also, as a city dweller, why do people like you constantly attack us about everything? That feeling of…

It's also interesting because there's 5 examples of American country songs in those videos. One sung by Johnny Cash in the 60's, one written and sung by Dolly Parton in the 70's, two sung by Kenny Rogers in the 70's, and one co-written by Bob Dylan and Old Crow Medicine Show (which I suppose is country-adjacent). At least three of those are just famous in general, and most people would recognize them whether or not t…

Yea those are just all-time popular songs loved by everyone, even "city dwellers".

Re: The popularity of country music in rural sub Saharan Africa

#87

Post by rayiner »

betwixthewires wrote: post #53
rayiner wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I found it funny when I was growing up that my dad (Bangladeshi) listened to country music. I was more of a Dave Matthew’s guy, but as a dad myself now my dial is also stuck on WMZQ. It’s simple and easy to relate to.

I think we have the same dad.

Maybe a few of these dads lol: https://mobile.twitter.com/preetbharara/status/1421629416342...

(What I love about this Tweet is that Preet isn’t using this meme correctly.)

Re: The popularity of country music in rural sub Saharan Africa

#89

Post by nateberkopec »

yawboakye wrote: post #39

American country music buff here. Until recently Ghanaian music was mostly about the lyrics—it was impossible to make music that didn’t have great lyrics about love, life, work, religion, you name it. Music was a great instructor in traditional values. For lovers of the old music American country music fits right in since it’s probably the only(?) music export from the US that doesn't glorify crime, debauchery, all t…

If I get stoned, I’m just carrying on an old family tradition.

Re: The popularity of country music in rural sub Saharan Africa

#90

Post by LegitShady »

betwixthewires wrote: post #9

A lot of people don't really know it, but American country music is the most commercially successful music genre worldwide and is popular in places such as southeast Asia, Mongolia, sub Saharan Africa, even India and Latin america. Europeans and city dwelling Americans love to shit on it but the world loves it, probably because it's easy to relate to lyrically and uses pleasant melodies and simple to follow rhythms.…

tl;dr - country music is for chicks and hicks, even hicks from other countries.
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