Don't get me wrong, I like rap and pop as much as the next guy. But there's something about country music that just does it for me. Growing up, I was exposed to life on a farm. Although I did not live on it, my dad grew up and manages the farm still, so I naturally was exposed to country music as a girl as well. I didn't listen to older country all that much just because it didn't appeal to me. I live near Cleveland so 99.5 is the main country station that I listen to, which plays all the new country songs as well as oldies but goodies. They play a lot of Kenny Chesney, Thomas Rhett, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, the list goes on. I have been a big fan of this station since I was little. I listen to country music year-round, but I have a fair share of other genres as well. I can listen to pretty much anything, but country music just has a way of its own.

One thing that really grinds my gears about country music is that when summer rolls around each year, everyone suddenly loves country music.

It's the exact same thing as being a bandwagon fan. You know you love football during the Super Bowl, you love baseball during the World Series, you love basketball during the Finals. Everyone LOVES driving with their windows down in the summer and listening to country music. What about during the other three seasons of the year? Country artists work hard all year, yet they get the most downloads during summer. The county fair is the one place where everyone is all the sudden country with their cowboy boots, cowboy hats, and strong opinion on country music.

Besides the point, there is a strong stereotype on country music. The most common one is that all country songs are about men objectifying women, beer, tractors, and farming. While there are songs out there that display these qualities, the GOOD songs are mostly about love, family, and lots of other things. For example, there's a song about summer by Kenny Chesney (called "Summertime"). Additionally, there's a song about a man driving his late brother's truck after he passed away while being enlisted in the military by Kip Moore (called "I Drive Your Truck"). There is a lot more to country music than people think and that is the main reason why it's good for the soul. Like any other genre, there is a country song for everything. For heartbreak, for love, for partying, for fun, for the time of the year. If you love rap so much because it's universal, it's the same concept with country music.

I obviously cannot change your mind, I just thought I would let you know what country music has to offer and it's not the stereotypical "yee-haw," country bumpkin music that you may think it is.