The psychology of folk music fans, finally explained

I have never quite been able to wrap my head around how anyone can actually listen to country music.

So, just yesterday, my girlfriend sends me a text with some country song attached. I had to ask her—look, you know I don't listen to this stuff, and you know exactly what I think about country music—
And she just replies, "Well, I can't describe what I'm feeling as well as this song does."

And suddenly, everything clicked for me. I guess people listen to country because they might have... questionable intellectual capacities—though, to be fair, maybe it's just people who struggle to articulate their emotions—because those songs reflect exactly what they're going through. (Perhaps English-language pop would have the same effect, but they wouldn't understand the lyrics, whereas these songs are just so incredibly simple yet vividly descriptive).

Basically, someone falls in love, heads down to a local honky-tonk, and finds that most of the songs perfectly mirror their internal state. Usually, these tracks either offer a way out or leave you stuck with the problem. People use the music—well, by singing along—to express their thoughts. Add a few drinks to the mix, a little boost in mood, and honestly, the whole thing starts to look like a weird form of group psychotherapy. Right?!

Try looking at it through the lens of musical orientation—think of it as a sort of sonic homosexuality. It might actually make things a bit clearer for you 🙂

Have you actually started a thread over on the US forums yet? Or are you still sitting on it? 😉 😁

My entire hometown heads straight to the local honky-tonk, where everyone loses their minds over those classic country ballads that somehow manage to describe every single person's life story; "the whole town's sniffing white lightning..." 🙂 "

That’s just how things are modernly, I guess, and honestly, it doesn't have much to do with actual intelligence. People just wear what's trendy and call it a day. Back when I was in school, nobody listened to any nonsense, and even if they did, they certainly wouldn't admit it because everyone would just make fun of them! I truly don't understand how anyone could think Shania Twain is better than Bob Dylan, but I'm really holding out hope that this little phase passes quickly. My kids definitely know what good music sounds like—they're all about rock!

I used to listen to bands like Marusha, Scooter, or Snap—all that garbage—not because their lyrics actually tapped into my soul, but simply because everyone else was doing it? Wasn't it all just a way to fit in with the crowd and maybe increase your chances of picking up some hot girls at the club?

When you're drunk, even a basic rhyme feels deep enough to make you cry.

That kind of music is tailor-made for a mindset where those old-school social rules still reign supreme;
Power, money, women.
The whole point is that this "lowbrow" stuff is designed to trigger those primal, lizard-brain instincts.
And let’s be honest, when you see a crowd, they only really start belting it out in unison when that specific genre hits.
There is a massive distinction between trashy pop-country and actual traditional folk music.
There are real musicians pulling the strings behind that entire scene; it’s not quite as primitive as people think.
But hey, whatever, like someone once said, it's just what's trendy now.

Look, you don't exactly need to be wasted to appreciate some deep poetry, you know?..

here comes the dawn, here comes the day
here comes Boško Balaban
a little bit straight, a little bit skewed
and now Ivo Olić is arriving..

or maybe it's Evergreen..

don't go crying on your own doorstep
lest my doors start catching the damp..

there, it's done.. 🙂 (written out.. I'm actually tearing up over here)

Look, before you all start dogpiling on folk music, maybe take a second to actually educate yourselves on what we're even talking about. There’s a massive difference between traditional folk songs, "country-pop," and that trashy club stuff. Country-pop is basically just those upbeat, singalong anthems you can blast all night long. Then you have actual folk legends—think Safet Isović or Haris Džinović—who write genuinely good music. Sure, some tracks might feel a bit overly dramatic, like when things get heavy in "Zarasle su staze moje," but the songwriting is top-tier. Finally, there's the garbage tier, that mindless club music like DJ Jogani's "Na Silu." I'm not a fan of it either.

One more thing: those goofy novelty tracks, like "Cijelo selo smrce bijelo" or those ridiculous songs by Braco, should be treated as jokes. They're meant to be funny. That's the whole point—the authors are clearly having a laugh, which is a hell of a lot better than those brain-dead, mindless pop songs...

I hope that was exhaustive enough for you people.

Folks who only listen to that mainstream pop fluff—it’s basically dietary fiber without any actual nutrition, if you catch my drift.

Compared to anything with an ounce of real substance or artistic merit...😁😁😁

But honestly, let’s just look at the comparison here.

It’s like comparing a cheap gas station snack to something actually worth eating.😁😁😁

Honestly, those tracks are way more accessible than the cheesy Euro-trash garbage people are actually watching on MTV these days.

Man, everything is just trash these days! They've completely ruined good music. 😠

Look, please... if you think only "uneducated" people listen to country music, you can just shove that opinion where the sun doesn't shine. I'm speaking for myself and most young people who actually enjoy this stuff. And the reason why—read carefully—is because sometimes, not always, we listen to it and actually want to go to those venues! It’s because you can just relax, dance to the rhythm, and let your brain go on autopilot. I probably know more languages than most of the crowd at Madison Square Garden, so I'm not trying to insult anyone... but why do you even need to judge someone based on their playlist? If you're out here overanalyzing country lyrics, you're honestly just desperate... but hey, maybe try listening to what's playing on the radio for once, and if you find some profound, life-changing meaning in there, let me know! 😉

Have you left it yet?

rowdydriver18 said:Well, look, before you all collectively decide to bash folk music, perhaps you might consider educating yourselves slightly on what we actually mean by these "so-called" genres. To begin with, there are traditional folk songs, then there's country-pop, and finally, there is turbo-folk. Country-pop is more akin to those upbeat, catchy anthems you could sing along to all night long without end. Traditional folk, however, features artists like Safet Isović or Haris Džinović—musicians who actually write quality songs; even if the dramatic flair in a track like "My Paths Have Overgrown" might irritate some of you, the lyrics are undeniably excellent. Then, of course, there is turbo-folk, which personally doesn't appeal to me much either, similar to tracks like "On Force" by DJ Jogani.

Furthermore, one should view tongue-in-cheek tracks like "The Whole Village is My Sweetheart" or certain irreverent numbers from Braco as mere jokes; the whole point is that the authors are having a laugh, which stands in stark contrast to those utterly mindless turbo-folk tracks.

I trust this provides a sufficiently exhaustive overview for your needs.

And let's not forget the disco hits.
You seem to have conveniently omitted those from your deeply exhaustive, scientifically grounded treatise, which I assume was peer-reviewed and approved by the world's leading institutions of folk and various other musical genres.😈

then there's the whole disco era
you conveniently left those out of your exhaustive, peer-reviewed thesis endorsed by the world's leading pop and rock institutions.

LOL! 🙂 🙂

Sam Smith12 said:I’ve never understood how anyone can listen to country music.

Then yesterday my girlfriend texts me some country song. So I ask her—you know I don't listen to this stuff and what I think about it, right?--
She just replies—because I can't describe what I'm feeling quite that well myself.-

And suddenly, it all clicks. People listen to country because they lack certain intellectual depth (though maybe not necessarily, perhaps just people who struggle to express their feelings) since they find themselves reflected in it best. (Maybe English songs would have the same effect, but they don't understand them, whereas these are just so simple yet vividly complex).

Basically, someone loves someone, heads to a honky-tonk, and most songs describe exactly what they're going through. Usually, these tracks either provide a solution or they don't. People use the lyrics—by singing them—to say what they're thinking. Have a few drinks, get in a better mood, and honestly, it's basically a form of group psychotherapy. Right?!

First off, you can't argue with taste...

Also...based on your post, one might conclude you think your girlfriend is an idiot...

As for everything else you wrote interpreting the average country listener's profile—it's total garbage, and frankly, it's a disgrace you haven't been banned for such discriminatory claims... I can't believe what I'm reading...
...look, I listen to country, I have a college degree, I'm fluent in English and German, plus a bit of Italian and Spanish (finished my first year)... I work in my field, I've traveled to Spain, Italy, France, and Germany... I'm planning on more school, and I was the smartest kid in high school... won competitions... in college too... etc... and now you're telling me I don't understand the lyrics of an English song as if there's deep philosophy in them... to be specific, I listen to foreign music too, pop divas, Bryan Adams🙂 , Shania Twain, Bon Jovi🙂 , etc... and I find something appealing in every genre... when I'm cleaning the house, I blast country and go wild... do a little belly dance, get all worked up, practice a little striptease for my man... every now and then we go out to clubs where they play pop and rock, and sometimes to places playing country, and all those spots offer something, each in its own way....

IN YOUR ORIGINAL POST, YOU DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO LISTEN TO COUNTRY, JUST ABOUT YOURSELF—THAT YOU'RE A SUPER INTOLERANT PERSON, MAKING UNFOUNDED ASSUMPTIONS, AND ABLE TO JUDGE SOMEONE'S INTELLIGENCE OR CHARACTER BASED SOLELY ON THEIR MUSIC CHOICE. PATHETIC, JUST PATHETIC.🙄
Acting like you're some pro-Western sophisticate... when really, you're miles away from modern views and just full of prejudice...🙂 🤮

Zeljkoo said:Niče vs. the guy at the newsstand😁😁😁

What would you even compare that to?
Cave vs. Kelly Clarkson? 🙄

Spawn said:one doesn't necessarily need to be intoxicated to appreciate poetry, for instance...

If you were to belt this song out like some folk singer in a dimly lit American tavern, you might start to realize that even highly intellectual lyrics can end up sounding rather ridiculous.😉
This was written by Bob Dylan

Another encounter, footsteps in the snow
And let a hand stay, since it's already near me
Because constantly, we are on the run
And we follow one another like shadows

In my room, you stay until morning
But now the nights are icy and blue
You talk about everything awaiting us tomorrow
When the time comes for waking and reality

You dream of the ocean, where we might go
One day into the sun and the glow
We turn off the light, you close your eyes
And our story feels so close to its end

Is it all just a dream
Girl for a Day
Girl for a Day
For a day

Since then, I see you many, many times
In the square, dancing, in some cafe
And I would wish for at least five minutes
To approach you so we could be alone

I spoke up, but it was already too late
About our long-imagined happiness
And I saw, I saw clearly
That you have nothing left to say to me

So I live alone again at the edge of town
And often I listen to the trains on the bridge
Or at midnight when the rain falls
I open the door to an unknown guest

I loved her, I know it now
The girl for a day
The girl for a day
For a day