Miranda Lambert Gives Her Two Cents on ‘Bro-Country’ and the State of the Genre
A new genre of country music has sprung up in recent years, and as it has grown, so has the debate surrounding it.
Invented by a writer for New York Magazine, the term "bro-country" is defined as "music by and of the tatted, gym-toned, party-hearty young American white dude." There's been some confusion as to what music fits within those confines, as defined by the writer, but some — like Miranda Lambert — don't think it matters.
While this style of music has been met with disdain by some country music traditionalists, others believe that there is plenty of room for all different styles of music in country music. Lambert is part of that second camp.
"I don't know where 'bro-country' came from or what it really means, but a lot of those guys are my buddies and I support their music," she tells interview with Billboard. "Within country there are lots of styles: stone-cold country, like Brandy Clark, and there's Florida Georgia Line with what they do, which is completely different and bringing a whole new audience. There's room for everyone."
It remains to be seen whether bro-country will be a lasting part of the genre or a passing fad. Some, like Jamie Lynn Spears, believe that bro-country is already on the decline. But the word was recently recognized on Cambridge Dictionary's new word blog, indicating it could be around for awhile.
Regardless of whether the phenomena endures, Lambert is right: there's plenty of room for diversity within the country music sphere.
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