Country music has long been a musical genre that speaks to millions of people. Over the years country music has transformed from the traditionalism of its roots to the pop culture-inspired modern country we have today. Today, country music artists are consumed with becoming famous and making a profit. But this modern country music, which some call the sixth country genre, has become too consumed by pop culture. For those who love this genre, one must also ask themselves whether they have lost contact with the traditionalism of the past. Perhaps the country produced today wants to move away from its origins and become a new genre in and of itself. To truly understand where modern country was born, we must first look at the origins of country music itself. Author Emma Miles defined country music as: "Rough, with the flavor of the Indian wilderness, strong with the strength of the mountains, and yet, in a way, sweetened with the flavor of Chaucer's times - surely this is a song popular of a high order. Could it not one day give birth to a music which will occupy a prominent place among the great schools of expression of the world?" (47) Historians such as Ms. Miles believe that country music was born and bred from traditional Southern folk music. No matter where it comes from, many consider country music to be music that tells a story, especially stories of struggle, trials and tribulations. It is this genre that gave birth to greats like Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard, who sang about their many personal problems. Country music became popular in part because people could find it relatable. This sense of traditionalism, however, would slowly fade from country music over the course of a couple of decades. Those who study country mus... middle of paper... I loved the simplicity and relatability of the lyrics. .While my life may not include all aspects of sixth generation country music, I can see that most Americans do. You see, the average everyday American, especially in the South, faces these problems. So maybe the criticism is correct, maybe this is not a traditional country, but it is such a terrible thing. New musical genres are born every day. So modern country doesn't cling to the style and content of traditional country, that doesn't make it any less credible a musical genre. America has changed dramatically over the past few decades, country musicians have simply adapted to the change. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, so if you like traditional country, listen to traditional country. As far as I'm concerned, and those who enjoy the sixth generation with me, we will continue to listen to it.