Countrypolitan
tagStarted 1965Peak 1969–1977Last big hit 1982
Countrypolitan is the velvet-smoking-jacket version of country: lush strings, polished backing vocals, soft-focus keyboards, and adult-pop sophistication layered over country song forms. It is smoother than the Nashville Sound, more urban in pose, and often built around slow to midtempo emotional grandeur.
History
As the Nashville Sound matured, producers and labels pushed further toward middle-of-the-road pop, hoping to win the same listeners who bought contemporary pop and easy-listening records. Charlie Rich, Tammy Wynette, Glen Campbell, Lynn Anderson, and Ronnie Milsap became central figures, and the style fed directly into late-1970s country-pop and adult-contemporary country.
Defining artists
Essential listening
- Behind Closed Doors — Charlie RichSpotifyYouTube
- Stand by Your Man — Tammy WynetteSpotifyYouTube
- Rhinestone Cowboy — Glen CampbellSpotifyYouTube
- Rose Garden — Lynn AndersonSpotifyYouTube
- Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue — Crystal GayleSpotifyYouTube
- It Was Almost Like a Song — Ronnie MilsapSpotifyYouTube
Sources
- PBS Country Music
- Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
- Britannica
- Country Music Project