“renovations” » « I’m in the Epstein files??!?

Why is conservative music so awful?

The Super Bowl is coming up! This weekend, I think, but I haven’t been paying much attention.

I don’t like football, and I don’t think I’ve ever watched it for the sports. I’ve tuned in to the half-time show a few times, and it’s always disappointing — there’s a musical act drowning in a sea of ridiculous commercials, and from what little I’ve seen of broadcast television, a lot of those ads will be for gambling services. No thank you, I’m well informed on how probability works. The musical act this time around is Bad Bunny, and I’ve liked what I’ve heard of his music, but not enough to wade through all the Super Crap.

But Bad Bunny is Puerto Rican, so some people are furious that he’s featured on an all-American event — these are the same people so ignorant that they don’t realize that Puerto Rico is American. Apparently, we’ll have some counterprogramming available, from TPUSA, an anti-American white Christian nationalist organization.

Conservative advocacy group Turning Point USA has announced Kid Rock will headline its counterprogrammed halftime show, dubbed “The All-American Halftime Show,” when Bad Bunny takes the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show stage on Sunday, Feb. 8.

Along with Kid Rock, The “one-of-a-kind streaming event,” which will celebrate “American faith, family, and freedom,” will feature performances from “Bottoms Up” singer Brantley Gilbert, “I Drive Your Truck” singer Lee Brice, and “I Hope” singer Gabby Barret, according to a press release.

Oh god. That sounds awful. Couldn’t they sign up Lee Greenwood, even? They’re all country-western singers, my least favorite music genre, I’ve never even heard of the songs they mentioned, and Kid Rock is a washed-up hack. Television is going to be more of a dead wasteland to me on Sunday than it usually is.

Hey, I’m a washed-up hack, too — maybe I should schedule a livestream for that hour. I promise I won’t try to sing.

“renovations” » « I’m in the Epstein files??!?

Comments

  1. robro says

    I was just reading about this in Daily Kos and thinking Kid Rock needs to change his name to “Old Man Rock”. As an old man myself, and an erstwhile musician, it’s important to properly project your image. The others are unknowns to me.

  3. mordred says

    Heh, just got some slightly cringy German Power Metal playing:

    And our world has got no borders
    And in union, we all stand
    ‘Cause heavy metal is our promised land
    (Gamma Ray, Heavy Metal Universe)

    Probably not meant politically, but I’m sure the conserfascists would take offence. Also mentions demons. ;-p

  5. birgerjohansson says

    For Country Music, Dolly Parton and Emmy Lou Harris (the latter a Polar Music Prize laureate) are generally considered good. Here First Aid Kit perform ‘Emmylou’ at the award event (E H sits next to the Swedish king). DJT and Kid Rock will never be permitted in that circle.

    “First Aid Kit – Emmylou (Live på Polar Music Prize 2015)”
    .https://youtube.com/watch?v=Y3TzP-o4vhs

  8. says

    Yes, there is good country music. I’ve been impressed by Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, and Emmylou Harris, to name a few. It’s just that this contemporary version of the genre has been schlockified and reduced to the same old soup of patriotism and trucks, and I would probably hate all of the named counterprogrammed “artists,” if I ever bothered to listen to them.

  11. Dunc says

    @8: As I understand it, the term “Americana” is now widely used for “country or country-derived, but not that bullshit”. Basically everybody still making decent country music realised they had to start calling it something else sometime back in the ’90s.

    Names to look out for would include Gillian Welch and Rhiannon Giddens. Giddens in particular is just amazing, both for her musicianship and her knowledge of (and passion for) the social history the music springs from… If you haven’t encountered her I’d really recommend looking her up.

  12. Hemidactylus says

    I avoided last year’s Super Bowl because the Chiefs. I’m not thrilled the Patriots are back and not exactly into Patriots-Seahawks 2.0. I might skip it.

    I liked reggaeton in the mid 2000s. Kinda a different take on Latin freestyle from the 80s. Not familiar with Bad Bunny.

    Speaking of sports IndyCar gave Trump a vanity street race in DC.
    https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/30/trump-announces-august-auto-race-downtown-washington-00757574

    It’s on the calendar:
    https://www.indycar.com/Schedule/2026/Washington-DC

    “Freedom” 250.

    So glad I can watch F1 instead with the return of Checo in a Cadillac.

  16. Owlmirror says

    Dolly Parton wouldn’t be part of any TPUSA counter-programming because she’s not a bigot or a MAGAt.

    Kid Rock is both a bigot and a MAGAt, and I presume the others are as well. Political and ideological loyalty trump actual skill and quality.

  18. says

    In considering PZ’s comment @8 thoughtfully, I must add that we do respect the caring and decency of Dolly Parton even if we don’t favor her music. And, I’m not a fan of his music, but I do respect Bad Bunny for his outspoken stand against magat tyranny. There are many folk musicians that are skilled, trained musicians and we like their music: Gordon Lightfoot, Tom Paxton, John Stewart, etc. Most of them have written/performed empathetic lyrics and anti-war songs.

  20. John Morales says

    re #8: I see this year there are two different awards for ‘country’ music (not the country and western Blues Brothers joke):
    https://www.cowgirlmagazine.com/2026-grammy-awards-country-music-nominees-new-categories-what-to-expect/
    ↓
    The 2026 GRAMMY Awards are set for Sunday, February 1, live from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The show will air on CBS and stream live and on demand on Paramount+.

    This year’s GRAMMYs mark a major shift for country music, introducing two album categories: Best Contemporary Country Album and the brand-new Best Traditional Country Album.
    Country Music at the 2026 GRAMMYs

    Country music has always balanced between tradition and innovation. For the first time, the Recording Academy has split the Best Country Album category into two, giving both traditional and modern country artists their own spotlight.

    The new Best Traditional Country Album honors organic instrumentation, timeless storytelling, and the blue-collar spirit that built the genre. Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. says the change celebrates the “massive resurgence” of traditional country over the past decade.

  22. StevoR says

    @ ^ Raging Bee : Iwas just about tomention the Chicks. Gather they’ve dropped the Dixie part now.

    Afe wof their songs like this one are real apt about now.

  23. StevoR says

    Yup :

    In 2003, the Dixie Chicks publicly criticized the US president George W. Bush and the imminent Iraq War, triggering a backlash and damaging sales of their 2002 album Home. They released Taking the Long Way in 2006 and entered hiatus in 2008; Martie and Emily recorded as a duo, Court Yard Hounds. The Dixie Chicks reunited in 2016 for a series of tours. In 2020, they removed “Dixie” from their name due to negative connotations, and released their first album in 14 years, Gaslighter.

    -The Chicks wikipedia page

    Country music?

    Then there’s Johnny Cash Man in Black

    Also wasn’t Dylan originally Country – still kinda is? Is Masters of War a Country song? Is Hurricane and A Hard rains a Gunna Fall?

    Is John Brown’s body country or even Gospel? Song is Religious as fuck but also Political and Social Justice literal Warrior as fuck too.. “They hanged him for a traitor they themselves a traitors crew..”

  26. StevoR says

    Then there’s Arche Roach and, damn, my eyes somehow hurt every time this plays – Took The Children Away (Official Music Video)

    Paul Kelly If Not Now (Live at Princess Theatre, 2023.)

    Plus so very many more… familiar and new like this one just stumbled on now (back to the USoA)

    “Come Out Ye Cowards ICE” Dedicated to Renee Good & Alex Pretti by Ben Grosscup. The sheer power of the human voice and music.

    Dunno how many of these are strictly classed as Country music but, well..

  27. Hemidactylus says

    I was pretty hammered one night and decided I needed to buy a good portion of Johnny Cash’s catalog (maybe all of it?). He did a superior rendition of Trent Reznor’s “Hurt”. The impulse purchase put a hurting on my cash.

    I did find out he had done something very stupid that had a quite negative impact on the population of California condors (~3:15 here):

    Or for readers:
    https://californianewspress.com/heres-a-story-about-johnny-cash-a-wildfire-the-fbi-and-endangered-california-condors/

    Though I’m unsure how many condors were killed versus left the area due to the fire. Still a better person than Kid Rock who had like one ok song decades ago.

    Another music person from that time period haunted me recently appearing cameo in the comedic horror movie Y2K and as a character in I Saw the TV Glow which was a very deep movie requiring two watches for me to figure out as the trans allegory went over my head the first time. Not unlike Donnie Darko in its layering. Plus some cool arcane Smashing Pumpkins symbolism!

    Anyway I leave it for the reader to figure out the nu-metal singer blamed for Woodstock that haunted me that night in two separate movies. Wasn’t Kid Rock!

  28. Hemidactylus says

    Also getting past the jarring condor thing, Johnny Cash transcends the “country” label just as Pearl Jam transcended the “rock” or “grunge” label. There’s a strong folk vibe in both!

  30. StevoR says

    @22 -26. Of course, none of thsoe are Conservative music or musicians whatever else they are..

  31. John Morales says

    re: “Country but metal as hell and powerful”

    Remarkable.

    (I must have heard different ‘country’ music)

  32. Hemidactylus says

    John Morales @31
    Kid Rock’s “Bawitdaba” was actually pretty heavy, but didn’t hold a candle to ZZ Top before whatever that stuff they shat out in the 80s came out. 🤢🤮

    Pantera was also a Texas band but took things much further than ZZ Top. They were actual metal. No slam on early ZZ Top. Kid Rock was no ZZ Top nor Pantera.

    Kid Rock was Detroit adjacent but nowhere near as impactful as Eminem. I prefer Detroit electro like Cybotron or AUX 88 myself.

    Kid Rock is a dog turd I stepped on compared to even the KISS song “Detroit Rock City”. Even Detroit derelict Ted Nugent did better on “Journey to the Center of the Mind” than Kid Rock could ever dream of if we are talking music. I hate Nugent!

  34. says

    You’d think Kid Rock, being a 2, 2 and a half hit wonder, would be upset with being saddled with what are probably a trio of one hit wonders.

    The reality is that good politics and good music don’t automatically match. Morrissey is a good example, one of the big English voices of the ’80s turned to be kind of a reactionary. Billy Corgan appeared on Alex Jones’s show.(Which would be an OK thing to do if you asked Jones “So, do you really believe all the BS you spread?” Corgan didn’t.)

  35. drmarcushill says

    Where was this counter-programming when the show featured actually non-American artists such as Shakira or U2?

  37. mrdlc says

    Johnny Cash, (cover of) Hurt, The Devil’s Right Hand, and Folsom Prison Blues, to name a few. Patsy Cline : After Midnight, I fall to Pieces. I like the old, blues-influenced country music. The newer stuff strikes me as being formulaic and plasticized. There are more I like but I thought I would keep it short.

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