Jason Aldean Didn’t Like Getting Called ‘Bro-Country’

The most controversial movement within country music might be bro-country. Jason Aldean was asked what he thinks of being classified as a bro-country artist. Aldean also discussed his favorite songs to play live.

Jason Aldean thinks ‘bro-country’ is a ‘backhanded’ label

Florida Georgia Line became one of the most influential country acts of the 2010s. They introduced a new subgenre called “bro-country.” Bro-country combined country pop with some of the instrumentation from hip-hop and rock. What makes bro-country really stand out, however, is its lyrics. Bro-country songs are known for their masculinity, focusing on topics like partying, trucks, beer, and sexy women.

The genre was as controversial as it was popular. While many listeners often enjoyed bro-country’s upbeat rhythms, journalists often decried the style as sexist, lowbrow, and repetitive. Critics also said the style took up too much space on country radio, making it difficult for female singers to get a foothold there. While Aldean isn’t exclusively associated with that music, many of his tunes could accurately be described as “bro-country.”

During a 2015 interview with The Patriot-News, Aldean was asked about being labeled “bro-country.” “It bothers me because I don’t feel like it’s a compliment,” he replied. “To me, it’s sort of a backhanded thing that comes from a very narrow-minded listener and I don’t know who came up with that ridiculous term.”

Jason Aldean really likes his macho songs

Aldean said his catalog had range. “If you would take a minute and look at my catalog of songs over the years, there are songs that, I guess, fit whatever the hell that description of ‘bro-country’ is, but at the same time we’ve got songs like ‘Fly over States’ and ‘The Truth’ and ‘Amarillo Sky,'” he said. “We’ve got songs that definitely have some meat on them and tell a great story. It’s not all about trucks and girls and beer and whatever else they think it is.”

Aldean was asked to name his favorite songs to perform live. “The ones that I enjoy playing are ‘My Kind of Party’ and ‘She’s Country’ and ‘Dirt Road Anthem,’ those songs that have become those big iconic songs for us,” he said.

Notably, “My Kinda Party,” “She’s Country,” and “Dirt Road Anthem” could definitely be considered bro-country songs. “Dirt Road Anthem,” in particular, helped pave the way for bro-country artists to draw inspiration from rap music.

Bro-country has been overshadowed by a different type of country music

Of course, all trends come to an end. A 2019 article from Billboard said bro-country had been replaced with another musical movement: “boyfriend country.”

Boyfriend country is just as lyrically concerned with women as its predecessor. However, while bro-country songs tended to get rowdy, boyfriend country is more sensitive and romantic. While the two subgenres are very different, critics contend that boyfriend country is just as overexposed now as boyfriend country was 10 years ago.

Some bro-country artists, such as Florida Georgia Line, started making boyfriend country songs. Aldean, on the other hand, isn’t much for romantic ballads. We’ll have to see how he adapts to the changing times.