Defining Authenticity In Country Music

Although authenticity is a construct, as defining authenticity means that in binary opposition, we are defining something else as being inauthentic or unoriginal. In country music, authenticity is usually derived at by incorporating the following elements;


1. Acting naturally, this means  a naturalness in the performance, showing emotion and heartache. Our song is about a man's turbulent relationship and possibly the regret that he feels because of it, though possibly at his own misfortune rather than his significant other's. Either way though, there is definitely heartache in there.


2. Incorporating elements of a bluegrass style, this means using acoustic instruments. Our singer will have an acoustic guitar, because the song is an acoustic one.


3. The authentic voice in country music is the slightly gravelised and naturalised tone, and possibly slightly out of key too. The point of country is not being in key or 'singing pretty', remember the first country singers were working men.


4. Signifiers of the country genre, for example Cowboy boots, shirt, Stetson, rhinestones and jeans. Our singer will be wearing most of these things, possibly not the rhinestones because he just isn't happy enough to warrant them.



5. Regions of the mind, traditional country music conjures up images of rural and rustic Americana. We are using the signifiers of this, the bar, the freeway, the open road to evoke this region of the mind of traditional country music.


6. Naturalisation, country music should appear natural and draw on traditions of American society. by incorporating the five previous components, we will be evoking a collective memory of country's past to create an illusion of authenticity in our artist.