Dance music and country together go way back. Look at Dolly Parton’s 1976 country-disco number “Baby I’m Burning” and it’s unabashed dance music glory. Stevie Wonder went there on his 1980 country-tinged R&B/soul/disco classic “I Ain’t Gonna Stand for It" from his iconic Hotter Than July album. More recently and since the early part of the decade continuing to date, down-home boys Florida Georgia Line have been doing the bro-country thing across the radio waves and the country music circuit with their let-the-good-times-roll, feel-good country-pop anthems that often back up their sound with an EDM-driven foundation in the mix. Now in 2017, the EDM wave in country music continues.
Keith Urban’s 2017 country-pop single “The Fighter” features American Idol alum Carrie Underwood and a very radio-ready dance pop sound. Speaking of radio, Thomas Rhett and Maren Morris come on hard and rule the FM airwaves with their 2017 country smash “Craving You” and it’s infectious, driving club beat. Zac Brown Band unabashedly marries their country sound with EDM on the techno-fueled “Beautiful Drug” party anthem. Further brining on the EDM in the country music space, the aptly titled 2017 single “Dirt Road Disco” by veteran country rap artist Colt Ford is channeling some serious house grooves.
No stranger to crossing over, country trio Lady Antebullum give it up to EDM via their feature on progressive house and dance-pop number “Something Better” by American electronica DJ/producer Audien. “Beachin’” singer and country crooner Jake Owen paired up with renown electronica outfit Owl City on the jangly “Back Home” country pop ditty. More on the collab front, L.A.-based DJ/producer Gazzo called on bro-country artist and singer-songwriter Chase Rice for the whimsical “Sun Turns Cold” party jam. The list fantastically goes on.
So on one hand, country and EDM may seem like unlikely bedfellows. But it’s certainly not the case as shown by the long history of their union going back to even the 70s and certainly continuing into 2017. And there definitely does not seem to be an end in sight.
