The Super Bowl is coming up! This weekend, I think, but I haven’t been paying much attention.
I don’t like football, and I don’t think I’ve ever watched it for the sports. I’ve tuned in to the half-time show a few times, and it’s always disappointing — there’s a musical act drowning in a sea of ridiculous commercials, and from what little I’ve seen of broadcast television, a lot of those ads will be for gambling services. No thank you, I’m well informed on how probability works. The musical act this time around is Bad Bunny, and I’ve liked what I’ve heard of his music, but not enough to wade through all the Super Crap.
But Bad Bunny is Puerto Rican, so some people are furious that he’s featured on an all-American event — these are the same people so ignorant that they don’t realize that Puerto Rico is American. Apparently, we’ll have some counterprogramming available, from TPUSA, an anti-American white Christian nationalist organization.
Conservative advocacy group Turning Point USA has announced Kid Rock will headline its counterprogrammed halftime show, dubbed “The All-American Halftime Show,” when Bad Bunny takes the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show stage on Sunday, Feb. 8.
Along with Kid Rock, The “one-of-a-kind streaming event,” which will celebrate “American faith, family, and freedom,” will feature performances from “Bottoms Up” singer Brantley Gilbert, “I Drive Your Truck” singer Lee Brice, and “I Hope” singer Gabby Barret, according to a press release.
Oh god. That sounds awful. Couldn’t they sign up Lee Greenwood, even? They’re all country-western singers, my least favorite music genre, I’ve never even heard of the songs they mentioned, and Kid Rock is a washed-up hack. Television is going to be more of a dead wasteland to me on Sunday than it usually is.
Hey, I’m a washed-up hack, too — maybe I should schedule a livestream for that hour. I promise I won’t try to sing.
I was just reading about this in Daily Kos and thinking Kid Rock needs to change his name to “Old Man Rock”. As an old man myself, and an erstwhile musician, it’s important to properly project your image. The others are unknowns to me.
The professional musicians in our organization all adamantly state:
‘it may be country western, but it isn’t music’
Heh, just got some slightly cringy German Power Metal playing:
And our world has got no borders
And in union, we all stand
‘Cause heavy metal is our promised land
(Gamma Ray, Heavy Metal Universe)
Probably not meant politically, but I’m sure the conserfascists would take offence. Also mentions demons. ;-p
shermanj — I find shlock in all styles of music, and not shlock as well.
For Country Music, Dolly Parton and Emmy Lou Harris (the latter a Polar Music Prize laureate) are generally considered good. Here First Aid Kit perform ‘Emmylou’ at the award event (E H sits next to the Swedish king). DJT and Kid Rock will never be permitted in that circle.
“First Aid Kit – Emmylou (Live på Polar Music Prize 2015)”
.https://youtube.com/watch?v=Y3TzP-o4vhs
A palate cleanser from the conservative garbage: “Bocchi’s Solo”
Dang! Screwed up again, sorry.
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I found Stephen Miller’s favv band
.https://youtube.com/watch?v=fQyGBinRB04
Yes, there is good country music. I’ve been impressed by Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, and Emmylou Harris, to name a few. It’s just that this contemporary version of the genre has been schlockified and reduced to the same old soup of patriotism and trucks, and I would probably hate all of the named counterprogrammed “artists,” if I ever bothered to listen to them.
I think LLMs could mass produce that kind of schlock.
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Bob Geldof makes a brilliant portrait of…a MAGA voter?
.https://youtube.com/watch?v=NoweGN8cm5g
Trump’s favorite military band. The good stuff starts at 44 minutes. The young cadets are probably dead by now.
.https://youtube.com/watch?v=DtmWQVoiJgc
@8: As I understand it, the term “Americana” is now widely used for “country or country-derived, but not that bullshit”. Basically everybody still making decent country music realised they had to start calling it something else sometime back in the ’90s.
Names to look out for would include Gillian Welch and Rhiannon Giddens. Giddens in particular is just amazing, both for her musicianship and her knowledge of (and passion for) the social history the music springs from… If you haven’t encountered her I’d really recommend looking her up.
I avoided last year’s Super Bowl because the Chiefs. I’m not thrilled the Patriots are back and not exactly into Patriots-Seahawks 2.0. I might skip it.
I liked reggaeton in the mid 2000s. Kinda a different take on Latin freestyle from the 80s. Not familiar with Bad Bunny.
Speaking of sports IndyCar gave Trump a vanity street race in DC.
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/30/trump-announces-august-auto-race-downtown-washington-00757574
It’s on the calendar:
https://www.indycar.com/Schedule/2026/Washington-DC
“Freedom” 250.
So glad I can watch F1 instead with the return of Checo in a Cadillac.
“…what kind of music do you usually have here?”
I guess Kashmir Pate’s girlfriend was already booked somewhere else.
Kash Patel, not Kashmir Pate. Stupid autocorrect.
Dolly Parton wouldn’t be part of any TPUSA counter-programming because she’s not a bigot or a MAGAt.
Kid Rock is both a bigot and a MAGAt, and I presume the others are as well. Political and ideological loyalty trump actual skill and quality.
“Why is conservative music so awful?”
Not enough cowbell.
In considering PZ’s comment @8 thoughtfully, I must add that we do respect the caring and decency of Dolly Parton even if we don’t favor her music. And, I’m not a fan of his music, but I do respect Bad Bunny for his outspoken stand against magat tyranny. There are many folk musicians that are skilled, trained musicians and we like their music: Gordon Lightfoot, Tom Paxton, John Stewart, etc. Most of them have written/performed empathetic lyrics and anti-war songs.
Regarding how much of country western is the same old trite themes: https://www.scribd.com/doc/105029896/Country-Music-Cliches
re #8: I see this year there are two different awards for ‘country’ music (not the country and western Blues Brothers joke):
https://www.cowgirlmagazine.com/2026-grammy-awards-country-music-nominees-new-categories-what-to-expect/
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The 2026 GRAMMY Awards are set for Sunday, February 1, live from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The show will air on CBS and stream live and on demand on Paramount+.
This year’s GRAMMYs mark a major shift for country music, introducing two album categories: Best Contemporary Country Album and the brand-new Best Traditional Country Album.
Country Music at the 2026 GRAMMYs
Country music has always balanced between tradition and innovation. For the first time, the Recording Academy has split the Best Country Album category into two, giving both traditional and modern country artists their own spotlight.
The new Best Traditional Country Album honors organic instrumentation, timeless storytelling, and the blue-collar spirit that built the genre. Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. says the change celebrates the “massive resurgence” of traditional country over the past decade.
“I Hope” is a pretty decent song; never heard of Gabby Barret otherwise.
Also, let’s not forget the Dixie Chicks, shall we?