There are two types of people: “country music? You mean rednecks with a banjo?” or “country music? You mean hot cowboys singing about love?”

I happen to be the latter, and I will never understand how people don’t enjoy it even a little. I’ve heard excuses ranging from “that southern drawl is annoying” to “all the songs are the same.” First off, no. Sure, many songs are on the same topic, but so are rap songs and pop songs.

Rap tends to be about drugs and demeaning messages about women. Pop songs are to get you dancing. Country songs are different: their main purpose is to relive the best memories of our lives.

For every good country song I know, I have a memory attached to it. For example:

1. Man I Feel Like a Woman – Shania Twain

This album came out in 1997, the year I was born. I remember dancing around with my mom in the basement singing this song at the top of our lungs. This was my very first memory. Now, when the song comes on the radio or pops up on my Spotify, I always think of that time.

2. Country Girl (Shake It For Me) – Luke Bryan

If I remember correctly, this was Luke Bryan’s first big hit. To me, this was the epitome of a country song. My mom, sister, and I all three thought this song was strange at first. I think when Luke told us to shake it for the squirrels we got weirded out. But like all Luke Bryan songs, they grow on you.

3. Cowboys and Angels – Dustin Lynch

This is probably the strangest memory I have associated to a country song. When I woke up at 6:45a.m. every morning before school, I would turn on the TV. Since nothing good is on that early in the morning, I discovered a country music video channel. I also discovered that every morning, they’d play the same songs. “Cowboys and Angels” was one.

4. American Kids – Kenny Chesney

This was my summer 2014 song. I tend to have an ear-worm for one song over a long period of time. “American Kids” was the only song you’d hear in my car that summer. That summer was one of the best summers I’ve ever had.

So as you can see, country music is very powerful. Just scrolling through my playlists, I could immediately find 4 songs to reflect on. I could easily go on and make this very unfortunate to read, but you get the idea.

To those who don’t like country music, you do. You just don’t know it yet.