Episode
Ep. 110: Post-9/11 Country [TEASER]
- Podcast
- Silent Generation
- Published
- Jun 30, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 315
- Processing state
not_requested
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Summary
Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration Although country music is often viewed as a conservative genre today, many of its early stars held progressive political views, raising the question of when and why the genre underwent a political shift. Numerous think pieces have attributed the change to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, blaming them for causing country to become “a music genre solely produced by and for working-class white Americans who held conservative political views.” But there is counter evidence that suggests the genre began to drift in a rightwing direction prior to 2001, such as the mainstream success of God Bless the U.S.A by Lee Greenwood in 1984. To what degree is the assertion that “9/11 ruined country” fair? On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Nathan and Sebastien begin to answer the question by examining two older country music subgenres that starkly contrast post-9/11 country: outlaw country and “working class country.” The two then analyze patriotism before and after 9/11, with Nathan detailing how Johnathan Haidt’s research found that patriotism is innately stronger amongst conservatives. They then discuss several post-9/11 country songs that demonstrate the direction country music went in following the attacks: Where Were You by Alan Jackson, Travelin’ Soldier by The Chicks, and Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue by Toby Keith. The episode concludes with a discussion of when and why country music moved on from its War on Terror themes. Links: Nathan’s Post 9-11 Country Spotify Playlist Post 9-11 Country Spotify Playlist Country Music - Encyclopedia Brittanica Chicken Fried: A Musical Exploration of Southern Values in Modern Country Music by Abigail Schneider Stars, Stripes, and Country Music 9/11 RUINED…