I’m a sucker for well written lyrics and a memorable hook. I guess that’s what makes up a good pop song, right? Throw in the philosophy of “Three chords and the truth”, and you’ve got yourself a good country song too.
I’ve been critical (that’s putting it kindly) of country music for the majority of my life. I still have a soft spot for the songs of my childhood, but anything that’s been released since roughly 1988, just isn’t my cup of tea.
Most of the country music that I do like is now classified as Americana. Artists like Johnny Cash or Willie Nelson - they transcend the country label and are more synonymous with the old guard than the new. The new guard being pop country artists like Garth Brooks, and his artistic descendants like Luke Combs or Keith Urban.
I like music that seems to mean more, or be about more, than your standard ode to drinking by the creek or standing for the flag.
There are times when I find myself just looking for something to listen to. I love my personal music library, but even then, I’m in the mood for something new. Apple Music makes it really easy to discover new music, offering constantly rotating playlists of new music in a variety of genres.
It was in this situation where I found myself listening to a playlist of new and popular Americana music, where I discovered Morgan Wade.
Don’t let her youth and tattoos fool you; Morgan Wade is legit. Whether it be her songwriting skills or her smoky voice reminiscent of Stevie Nicks or Ann Wilson, she’s an artist to keep an eye out for. And the funny thing is? She’s only 26.
Listening to her music you can hear a hard life lived, something you would expect from an older artist, but from someone so young? Not usually. And her authenticity is what makes her so easy to be drawn to.
Her biggest hit, “Wilder Days”, is definitely your more standard pop country song, but there’s a heart at the center of it, something sorely lacking from most modern music, country or not. I’m looking forward to watching her career explode to the point where she’s headlining her own stadium tour.