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The student voice of Sycamore High School in Cincinnati, Ohio

The Leaf

The student voice of Sycamore High School in Cincinnati, Ohio

The Leaf

The student voice of Sycamore High School in Cincinnati, Ohio

The Leaf

Top 10 Reasons Why Country Music is so Popular

10. The songs are simple. You only have to know four chords to be able to play most country songs on guitar. Some of the more difficult ones contain five chords throughout the entire song though.

Luke Bryan is a famous country singer, gaining fame from his debut album, I’ll Stay Me, in 2007. He continued to become more successful in releasing two more albums in 2009 and 2011. His newest single, “That’s My Kind of Night”, has been topping the charts. Photo courtesy of MCT Photo.
Luke Bryan is a famous country singer, gaining fame from his debut album, I’ll Stay Me, in 2007. He continued to become more successful in releasing two more albums in 2009 and 2011. His newest single, “That’s My Kind of Night”, has been topping the charts. Photo courtesy of MCT Photo.

“I really love country music because it has a nice sound to it and the songs are really uplifting,” said Astrid Cabello, 10.

9. The songs are short and sweet. Country songs will range between three and a half to four minutes in length so they cannot be considered boring or repetitive.

8. Country music is structured. Country has perfected a very strict structure. Nearly every song follows a certain pattern: intro, verse 1, chorus, verse 2, chorus, bridge/verse 3, solo/interlude, chorus (x2), outro.

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7. The artists are selfless. Rather than write music that they enjoy, country artists write music based on what their fans want to hear.

“Country singers always seem to be singing about something in their life that is relatable to our own lives. That makes me want to listen to their music,” said Maya Sheth, 10.

6. The songs are emotional. Country songs all have lyrics that display either happiness or sadness. The lyrics are so powerful that when simply read out loud like a story they have the same meaning and emotion as when they are backed by instrumentation.

5. The songs are understandable. Because the lyrics are so literal, you do not have to think about what the song means when you listen to it. The artist tells you exactly what it is about, there are no confusing metaphors that make you think for yourself.

“I always know what country singers are singing about because they have really good diction. Then I can enjoy the song and understand it!” said Mary Fry, 10.

4. The lyrics are meaningful stories. The lyrics to a country song manage to mix emotions, just as a story twists and turns, even while keeping the same tempo, chord progression, and instrumental theme underneath. Also, the lyrics tell valuable life lessons, straying away from topics such as sex, alcohol, and money.

3. The musicians are very knowledgeable.  Country musicians are very proficient in 4/4 timing, 4 bar structure, and your basic major/minor scales.

2.  The artists are very talented.  Most country singers don’t write any of the lyrics or instrumentation in their songs so they focus solely on singing, making them more talented than those who do everything

1. Country music is quickly becoming the most popular music genre in the US. Nearly a quarter of the American population now listens to country music, so why not follow the herd? Anything unique, original, dissonant, unorthodox, complex, technical, and creative is repulsive and overrated. Check out his new album here.

Source: Yahoo Answers

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About the Contributor
Amy Deng
Amy Deng, Managing Editor
Hello! My name is Amy Deng and I am a senior at Sycamore High School. This is my fourth year on staff and I currently hold the position of managing editor for the print magazine, The Leaf. My job is to design the style sheet, mentor new students, and oversee the design process of the print platform. I enjoy writing articles on multiple genres, including feature, news, and sports. In particular, I work with several design programs such as Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop to create pages and layouts for the Leaf. I joined journalism hoping to experience hands-on news coverage and to improve my writing skills. Over the years, I have grown to enjoy and value my experiences in the classroom. Through collaborating with other staff members, I have developed and improved my communication and leadership skills; and through working as a team, we have been able to produce an award-winning, student-run news magazine. I am excited for the new year and can’t wait to see what it holds! More about myself: I have always been involved with sports ever since I was a child. I participated in synchronized swimming for seven years and am currently a part of the school varsity swim team and during the offseason I am part of a club team, BASH. In addition, I have always been passionate about my cultural roots which is why I am the vice president of the Chinese Club. My role is to lead club presentations and organize bi-weekly activities. I also volunteer at Bethesda North Hospital as an escort where I discharge patients. Additionally, my favorite hobby is listening to music. I enjoy a wide span of genres and a few of my favorite artists include: Two Door Cinema Club, Mac Demarco, Beach House, Bon Iver, Chance the Rapper, Childish Gambino, and Stevie Wonder. Quote to live by: “As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others” - Audrey Hepburn.
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Top 10 Reasons Why Country Music is so Popular