Over the past decade, country music has struggled to maintain a presence on the Billboard charts. From the hip-hop and trap waves of the late 2010s to the disco and 1980s revival of the early 2020s, country has continuously been overshadowed outside of a few scattered hits. Summer 2023 marked a change in pace.

This past summer, four different country songs occupied the top spot of the “Billboard Hot 100” chart. Notably, the last time four or more country songs hit number one in a single calendar year was in 1975 – almost five decades ago! Unfortunately, given the fact that three of these hits were marred with problematic sentiments, this occasion was not the most celebratory one.

“Last Night” by Morgan Wallen was the first track to hit the top spot, which left many music fans disappointed due to his 2020 scandal of drunkenly shouting the n-word. Wallen’s smash was followed by “Try That In A Small Town” by Jason Aldean, notable for it’s accompanying music video that was partially shot at a lynching site. Subsequently, indie artist Oliver Anthony shot to the top next with his release “Rich Men North of Richmond.” The song features lyrics that can be interpreted as fatphobic and allude to the infamous Q-Anon conspiracy theories. While some may feel these songs constituted a moment of patriotism in the music industry, others were deeply offended by their controversial messaging.

The last country song to hit number one in summer 2023 stands out compared to its predecessors. It is a nostalgic heartbreak ballad titled “I Remember Everything” by Zach Bryan, featuring Kacey Musgraves. Here, I must admit, I am not too familiar with Bryan. However, when discussing his music with two friends who are attending an upcoming concert of his, a term I had never heard before came up to describe his genre: “Y’allternative.”

After that conversation with my friends, I spent the night diving into what exactly y’allternative is. From what I have gathered, it is a genre that embraces the “alt” values that are often shut out of traditional country music. Recent successes, such as Bryan and Noah Kahan have conventional country undertones to their music. However, they also venture into other genres such as rock, indie and folk. Given that these genres tend to be championed by marginalized groups within society, this gives it a much wider appeal.

“Given that these genres tend to be championed by marginalized groups within society, this gives it a much wider appeal.”

Opening the country genre to a wider audience is a project that has been in the works for years. One of the most notable pioneers is Bryan’s collaborator, Kacey Musgraves. After the release of her song “Follow Your Arrow” in 2013, which touches on themes such as recreational marijuana usage and same-sex relationships, Musgraves was blacklisted from country radio. She has continued to release songs about such topics (“High Time,” “Rainbow”) while also blending her music with unconventional styles, ranging from synth-pop to disco. Her experimental lyrics and production have allowed her to earn various accolades, including the prestigious Album of the Year award at the 2019 Grammy’s for Golden Hour. The artist’s fifth studio album, Deeper Well, will be released on March 15.

Musgraves has helped pave the way for other women in country music to speak their minds. Last year, Kelsea Ballerini performed her single “If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too)” at the CMT Awards featuring drag queens from RuPaul’s Drag Race. This was just a month after Teneesee passed a law that banned drag queens from performing in public spaces with children present.

Even beyond the country music industry, women in pop music have also gravitated towards redefining country music over the years. Lady Gaga, known by many as an activist for multiple marginalized communities, has also dabbled in country influenced music before. From her 2016 album Joanne or the 2018 soundtrack to A Star Is Born, these eras have spawned some of her biggest hits (“A Million Reasons,” “Shallow”). The queen of alternative music herself, Lana Del Rey, will be one of the next artists to jump on the y’allternative movement. In early February, she announced her next album, Lasso, would be a venture into the country genre, arriving in September.

Of course, this all culminates in a very recent announcement — Beyoncé’s Act II album, slated to arrive on March 29. Initially teased during the Super Bowl, fans immediately went online to find she had released two brand new tracks. Their traditional country sound marks a shocking pivot from the dance and house roots of Act I: Renaissance. Let it be clear, though, this is not her first time dabbling in the genre! Beyoncé’s song “Daddy Lessons” from her 2016 album Lemonade was met with controversy after she performed it at the CMAs with The Chicks. Viewers insisted she did not belong at the ceremony since her fame has sprouted primarily from the genres of pop, R&B and hip-hop. However, it isn’t far-fetched for one to conclude that these claims may very well be rooted in racism. Country is a genre currently known for its overwhelmingly white demographic, but what many do not know is that it was heavily shaped by the Black community. Regardless of what haters have to say, Beyoncé will always be a Southern woman (proudly hailing from Houston, Texas) and there is no doubt that her upcoming album will continue to push boundaries for the Black community in country music.

If the summer 2023 charts show us anything, it is that the country music industry still has plenty of work that needs to be done to ensure it’s an inclusive and accepting community. Although, with the efforts of y’allternative stars and women in pop, we can trust that the journey is clearly in progress.

Jumpin’ on the Y’allternative Bandwagon

“Given that these genres tend to be championed by marginalized groups within society, this gives it a much wider appeal.”