One of the easiest criticisms you can make of a country music song is that it sounds too much like a pop song. Although it’s a stylistic choice that dates back to the inception of country music, trying to sound authentic to the genre while still appealing to a Top 40 audience can be challenging for any artist. Most of the time, songs that try to do both fail to appeal to either camp, and you wind up with generic gobbledygook that your country-hating friends play on repeat, to your absolute disgust.
This is why the recent trend in country songs that sound like “sunset pop” is a welcome evolution. It’s a bit hard to surmise what makes a song “sunset pop.” Still, there are familiar thematic elements you can look for: echoing chords, production that feels open and airy, a few over-processed drums in the background, and an aesthetic that – for lack of a better word – sounds like you’re driving off into a sunset more than enjoying a fun day at a country festival.
It does two things that a regular country-pop song doesn’t: it gives artists leeway to be more creative in its production, and it stands out far better as a result. Typical country-pop tracks (e.g., anything on country radio from 2015-2021) simply layer simple beats against the usual pop-country confection of guitars and twangy vocals. This new crop of sunset-country-pop tracks blends a dreamier, freeing production with love stories and lyrics that sound less like Costco bulk-sale songs from Music Row.
Thomas Rhett’s “Be There In a Minute,” Morgan Wallen’s “Love Somebody,” Tucker Wetmore’s “98%,” and even Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” are all prime examples of this. They each sound far more evolved and intentional than a traditional country-pop song, while still blatantly being that. You can hear their roots in country music, but the dreamy pop production runs counter to that, making for a far more interesting listening experience.
No one’s trying to argue these songs belong in the same category as the top 10 tracks from Willie Nelson or George Strait, but as far as country-pop is concerned, it’s a welcome refresh. Everything sounds warmer, more inviting, and less mass-market-produced. Sunset pop is slowly breathing new life into the country-pop genre. At a time when everyone’s trying to prove just how c-o-u-n-t-r-y they truly are, it’s a welcome development.
