Country Music. For many Americans, that phrase has a pretty conservative connotation. Their minds often go to the historically male-dominated industry marked by stereotypical songs about drinking whiskey and driving tractors. However, over the years, country music has evolved to become more diverse and vibrant, all thanks to the many female pioneers who paved the way. Think Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Carrie Underwood, and even Taylor Swift; their chart-topping singles and radio successes have placed them among the country music greats.
However, your mind probably didn’t go to Kacey Musgraves. Unlike the many women in country music that came before her, Musgraves has refused to conform to the industry’s ideas of what a female artist should write about or advocate for. As a six-time Grammy award winner, including “Album of the Year” in 2019 for her third studio album “Golden Hour,” Musgraves is a force to be reckoned with in the music industry; despite this, though, she has received barely any recognition from country radio. Throughout her career, Musgraves has been an outspoken activist for many liberal causes and has advocated for them in her music and in the media, which has brought harsh criticism from traditional, conservative country music fans. However, by following her own arrow, Musgraves has been able to achieve great success as an artist in her own right and has proven to be one of the best and most influential women in country music today.
Born in the small town of Golden, Texas, Musgraves has always incorporated her traditional southern upbringing into her music, but not in the way one would typically expect. She often reflects on her childhood, family life, and relationships in her music, but the songs that have stirred up the most controversy and success are the ones that highlight the not-so-perfect side of growing up in the South. Her lyrics tackle topics such as homophobia and the many traditional and outdated views Texans in particular have on marriage and family life. The true beauty of her music, however, is that she writes in a way that can strike a chord with any listener, no matter their upbringing, struggles, or even music taste. In her debut album “Same Trailer Different Park,” Musgraves shows her songwriting process, hooking in listeners with her relatable and boundary-pushing lyrics.
“Merry Go ‘Round,” the lead single off the album, gave the world its first glimpse into the southern stories that would define Musgraves as an artist. She tells the tale of a small town stuck in an unbreakable cycle of tired tradition and settling for less than what they deserve. The song uses many traditional southern sayings in its lyrics to show the dark side of her upbringing. “If you ain’t got two kids by 21/ You’re probably gonna die alone/ At least that’s what tradition told you,” Musgraves sings in the first verse. “And it don’t matter if you don’t believe/ Come Sunday mornin’, you best be there/ In the front row like you’re supposed to/ Same hurt in every heart/ Same trailer, different park.”
These bold yet honest lyrics brought Musgraves major pushback from industry executives when deciding to release “Merry Go ‘Round” as the lead single, but she chose to take a risk that would pay dividends in her career. “I really fought for my first single, which was ‘Merry Go Round’,” Musgraves told Variety. “Not heeding the warnings of this failure, I put out the song, and it’s still my highest charting single, and it ended up winning a Grammy for (country) song of the year. Little gold stars just reinforcing what I instinctively felt, that a woman’s perspective is important — but it’s even more important to have the courage and the opportunity to share it.”
After releasing “Merry Go ‘Round,” Musgraves was no stranger to overcoming industry pushback, and she faced the greatest challenge when she released “Follow Your Arrow,” the third single off of “Same Trailer Different Park.” “Follow Your Arrow”’ addresses all of the double standards people face in life and inspires listeners to be true to themselves. However, its progressive lyrics that affirm the LGBTQ+ community, support recreational marijuana use, and challenge Christian ideals caused controversy among conservative country listeners.
“Follow Your Arrow” originally wasn’t released as a single off of “Same Trailer Different Park,” but after receiving so little radio recognition for “Merry Go ‘Round” and seeing how much the song resonated with fans, Musgraves made the impulse decision to release it as the album’s third and final single. Shane McAnally, a country songwriter and longtime collaborator of Musgraves’s, spoke to Billboard for their “Songs That Defined the Decade” series about this career-shifting decision. “[The label] was like, ‘It’s suicide at radio. Radio will not play this and may never believe you again after,’” McAnally shared. “And she said, ‘It’s a risk worth taking for me because I just feel like if I don’t put this out, people are going to wonder if I was scared.’”
Following the release of “Follow Your Arrow,” Musgraves was blacklisted by almost every country radio station for her beliefs and to this day, she still receives little to no radio recognition despite her success in the industry. However, Musgraves has said time and time again that releasing “Follow Your Arrow” was a risk worth taking, and I couldn’t agree more. This song made waves in the country music industry that few artists have made before and set the tone for a new era of acceptance and inclusivity in the country music industry.
“Same Trailer Different Park” was a truly groundbreaking phenomenon, and Musgraves’s risks paid off, bringing her first-ever Grammy wins for “Best Country Album” and “Best Country Song.” “Same Trailer Different Park” put Kacey on the map, and her sophomore album “Pageant Material” is no exception.
Released in 2015, “Pageant Material” is the quintessential Musgraves album. Its 14 tracks are jam-packed with all that Musgraves does best, from relatable yet uplifting lyrics to her signature velvety voice. Songs like “Pageant Material,” “Dime Store Cowgirl,” “This Town,” and “Family is Family” share stories from her hometown of Golden, Texas, both in the present tense and looking back on her childhood.
However, in this album, Musgraves also writes with a greater perspective on these events, imparting advice and comfort for listeners, specifically in the songs “Cup of Tea” and “Biscuits.” For example, in the opening lines of “Biscuits,” Musgraves shares the advice “Taking down your neighbor won’t take you any higher/ I burned my own damn finger poking someone else’s fire/ I’ve never gotten taller making someone else feel small/ If you ain’t got nothing nice to say, don’t say nothing at all.” However, in “Cup of Tea,” Musgraves offers comfort, singing “’Cause you can’t be everybody’s cup of tea/ Some like it black, some like it green/ Nobody’s everybody’s favorite/ So you might as well just make it how you please/ ’Cause you can’t be everybody’s cup of tea/ Why would you wanna be?”
One of the best and boldest tracks on the album is “Good Ol’ Boys Club.” In this honest and unapologetic take on the male-dominated side of country music, Musgraves sings about staying true to her morals and her art despite the challenges she faces as a woman in the industry. In the song’s bridge and chorus, Musgraves sings, “Favors for friends will get you in and they’ll get you far/ But when did it become about who you know/ And not about how good you are?/ Don’t wanna be part of the good ol’ boys club/ Cigars and handshakes, appreciate you, but no, thanks/ Another gear in a big machine don’t sound like fun to me/ I don’t wanna be part of the good ol’ boys club.”
“Pageant Material” is by far my favorite album of Musgraves’s. It has absolutely no skips, and each track tells its own story that is sure to excite any listener. The album has had wide-reaching success, connecting Musgraves’s music to a larger demographic of listeners, regardless of their music tastes. “I feel like I make country music for people who love country music, and for people who don’t,” Musgraves shared when discussing the album in a 2015 interview.
Musgraves’s assessment is spot on, and I can definitely attest to it. Prior to listening to Musgraves’s music, I had only been exposed to the typical, traditional male country songs about dirt roads and pickup trucks. I remember watching Musgraves win “Album of the Year” at the 2019 Grammys and thinking How did she beat Post Malone? I haven’t even heard of her! But one day, I heard Musgraves’ song “Rainbow,” off of her third studio album “Golden Hour” on the radio, and it instantly brought me to tears. The heart-wrenching yet uplifting piano ballad drew me in, combining the traditional country music twang with gorgeous vocals. I went home that day and listened through the entire album, and my love for “Kacey Country” was born.
I clearly wasn’t alone in my experience, as “Golden Hour” made Musgraves a household name and brought her unprecedented successes in her career. The album swept the 2019 Grammys, taking home “Album of the Year” and “Best Country Album.” Her songs “Butterflies” and “Space Cowboy” won “Best Country Solo Performance” and “Best Country Song,” respectively.
“Golden Hour” continued the themes of reflecting on life through a positive lens from “Pageant Material” while also slightly shifting into a new, more ethereal genre that Musgraves refers to as “galactic country.” Through this new style of production, Musgraves tells the love story of her and her now ex-husband Ruston Kelly with her hallmark poetic lyricism. “Golden Hour” showcases her vocals like no other album she’s created, and is a breezy and heartwarming listen. In all honesty, Musgraves could sing through the dictionary and I would still rave about it, but this album is truly a masterpiece.
The tracks on “Golden Hour” range from relaxing reflections on life, like “Slow Burn” and “Love is a Wild Thing,” to beautiful ballads like “Rainbow” and “Space Cowboy.” All in all, the gorgeous songwriting and production of “Golden Hour”’ have made it one of the greatest country albums of the 21st century, and it has the critical acclaim to back it up.
Musgraves’s triumphs and growth in the country music industry are proof of her success as an artist. However, what truly sets her apart from other artists is her perseverance through adversity. Both as a woman and as an outspoken progressive activist, Musgraves overcame many obstacles that other country artists did not have to face. The fact that an artist was able to win six Grammy awards without ever having their music played on the radio is a drastic feat in and of itself and is a testament to the quality of her work.
Kacey Musgraves’s growing success is a sign of the times. The world is changing, and music is evolving with it. As our country continues to move into an era of inclusivity, diversity, and acceptance, the male-centric stereotypes of traditional country music are becoming antiquated. Musgraves’ success as a liberal woman in country music is proof that the industry can change for the better and that it is always best to stay true to yourself. If you don’t believe me, take it from Musgraves. In “Follow Your Arrow,” she sings, “Say what you think/ Love who you love/ ‘Cause you just get so many trips ’round the sun/ You only live once…/ So follow your arrow wherever it points.”
