How Americana helped mainstream country find its soul

Switched on Pop

Vox Media Podcast Network

Music Interviews, Music History, Music, Music Commentary

4.6 • 2.7K Ratings

🗓️ 27 June 2025

⏱️ 36 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

As we've been examining over the course of Country Week, country music has found a larger audience, in part by widening its sonic palette. For the final episode of this series, we take a look at a genre on the outskirts of country – Americana music – and how it's being used to connect to the scene's musical roots. Historically, Americana has embraced an acoustic sound, traditional repertoire, and an appetite for virtuosic technique. In bluegrass artists like Billy Strings and roots musicians like Sierra Ferrell, Nate and Charlie see if there's an antidote to be found for the issues that plague modern, mainstream country music. Songs discussed: The Punch Brothers – Rye Whiskey Sierra Ferrell – In Dreams Dolly Parton – Jolene Sierra Ferrell – I Could Drive You Crazy Sierra Ferrell, Zach Bryan – Holy Roller Billy Strings – Dust in a Baggie Billy Strings, Willie Nelson – California Sober Tyler Childers – In Your Love Tyler Childers – Phone Calls and Emails Tyler Childers – Rustin' In The Rain Don Gibson – Oh, Lonesome Me Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson – Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys The Chicks – Long Time Gone The Steeldrivers – Higher Than the Wall Beyoncé – Texas Hold'em I'm With Her – Espresso Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Port for Switched on Pop comes from Sonos.
0:02.6	Take it from us podcasters and music fans.
0:04.8	When you've been wearing headphones for hours, your ears and head can start to ache.
0:09.7	Well, if you're looking for a pair that's designed to deliver excellent sound for your long listening sessions, then check out the Sonos Ace headphones.
0:16.9	They're soft, adjustable, and offer up to 30 hours of battery life so you can comfortably listen for ages without having to worry about frequent charging.
0:26.0	Ready for better listening, go to sonos.com to learn more.
0:33.6	Welcome to Switched on Pop. I'm musicologist Nate Sloan.
0:40.9	And I'm songwriter Charlie Harding.
0:42.2	Charlie, it is the thrilling finale of Country Week.
0:46.6	Can it get any twangier?
0:47.8	Something we've talked about over the previous four episodes is this criticism of country.
0:53.0	It's too formulaic. It's too overproduced. It's too bro-y. It's too
0:58.6	corporate. Yeah. All fair criticisms. And many folks in the country industry see an antidote in the
1:04.2	form of the loosely affiliated scene of bluegrass folk and old-time music collectively dubbed
1:10.6	Americana or Roots music.
1:12.6	Ah, the outlaws. Well, maybe outlaws is not right. Because there's outlaw country,
1:16.6	so these are the outlaw outlaws.
1:18.6	Yeah, historically, this Americana scene has been kind of distinct from the mainstream country industry,
1:24.6	embracing an acoustic sound, traditional repertoire, and an appetite for virtuosic technique
1:30.9	that you and I have loved for years Charles the founding of the podcast our old bluegrass band
1:37.3	that's right we met trying mostly unsuccessfully to recreate the sound of americana groups
1:43.9	like the punch brothers yeahana groups like the Punch Brothers.
	...

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