Aaron Lewis - "That Ain't Country"

[maine]

Artist: Aaron Lewis
Single: "That Ain't Country"
Album: Sinner
Writers: Aaron Lewis
Label: Dot Records
Adds Date: August 15, 2016 (Country Aircheck)



Aaron Lewis' first single released through Dot Records, where he signed earlier this year. There isn't radio confirmation just yet, but considering this is his first single released through the label, I'd assume this will get a push. (if this needs to be locked until actual confirmation, that's fine)

[phil1996]

Oh my gosh I cannot WAIT to hear this.

[maine]

Jun 17, 2016 0:17:39 GMT -5 phil1996 said:

Oh my gosh I cannot WAIT to hear this.

Oh, I should have clarified. It's on iTunes now. I'll post a Spotify or YouTube link when it pops up.

[sabre14]

This is the first single. Album is done and should be out this year.

[gonecountry]

I'm excited. So much real country out at the same time. He's had some great stuff released to radio in the past - Country Boy, Forever, Endless Summer, Grandaddy's Gun...

Hope this does something

[Deleted]

This IS country. So cool. Kind of sounds like an Alan Jackson structure.

[Deleted]

Leave it to a rock guy to release one of the most country-sounding songs we've had in years. I like the lyrics a lot, too. I'm sure some won't like it because he basically says that most modern country radio music isn't country music at all. For me, I like a lot of stuff on the radio today, BUT I also really love how Aaron wonders out loud what happened to songs about pain and heartache and desperation and other emotions other than good times and parties and hot girls and drinking beer...ya know, the topics that are so prevalent in country radio songs today.

[carriekins]

This song is fantastic. I was skeptical because I've never been a fan of Aaron's vocals but I heard this on The Highway today and turned it way up by the end. Very impressed.

[House Lannister]

Great song. I'll root for this one to succeed because it might serve as a wakeup call.

Someone mentioned the surprise that it's a rock star that performs this song. Which either speaks about the current state of country music or to the fact that everyone seemed to have forgotten about Steven Tyler's foray.

[kw9461]

I really like this, but I do have a slight bone to pick with it. Given that the song is straight up neo-traditional 90's material, it disappoints me that his examples of "real" country artists are just the outlaw artists of the late 70's. I think that makes the song much easier to dismiss (not to mention more cliche). Given that the song borrows much more from Alan Jackson and Randy Travis sonically, I would have liked to heard acknowledgement of some artists of that era (which by every definition, sang "real" country music).

[Ten Pound Hammer]

I remember hearing some of his stuff on Rate the Music and thinking it was some new neotrad guy coming out of nowhere.

[maine]

I don't know why, but I always think of the Full House theme song when I listen to this lol.

[tonyei31]

Jul 13, 2016 16:09:30 GMT -5 maine said:

I don't know why, but I always think of the Full House theme song when I listen to this lol.

as much as I like this song it makes me wonder whatever happened to predictability?

[sabre14]

Impact date is August 15th according to Country Aircheck.

I doubt this one does much other than simply charting but it's nice to see a song like this released on mainstream radio, with a major promo team behind it.

[zaclord 🌈]

Wow, I'm obsessed with this. I had low expectations as I haven't liked anything from him in the past but this is a great country song.

[Daryl the Beryl]

I like several Staind songs, and the singles off his last album, so no surprise that I like this one as well.

[bboat11]

Jun 17, 2016 6:29:04 GMT -5 @nickv1025 said:

This IS country. So cool. Kind of sounds like an Alan Jackson structure.

I was just thinking this exact same thing while listening to this the first time! "Huh, these guitars sound exactly like something I would find in an Alan Jackson song." Lol great minds think alike! :)

[djHayStack]

Jul 13, 2016 11:42:54 GMT -5 kw9461 said:

I really like this, but I do have a slight bone to pick with it. Given that the song is straight up neo-traditional 90's material, it disappoints me that his examples of "real" country artists are just the outlaw artists of the late 70's. I think that makes the song much easier to dismiss (not to mention more cliche). Given that the song borrows much more from Alan Jackson and Randy Travis sonically, I would have liked to heard acknowledgement of some artists of that era (which by every definition, sang "real" country music).

A thousand times this. I loved this song on first listen until he started name-dropping the outlaws. It's SO cliche and overdone, and in my opinion the Johnny Cash, Willie, Waylon praise is WAY too much and has been for too long. I'm not saying they weren't great (with Merle being the best of them IMHO), but where's some love for Ronnie Milsap, Alabama, Randy Travis... let's talk about 80's and 90's country. There's plenty of artists to name check that were much better than the "Outlaws" ever were. (opinionated rant over... for now)

[straitouttanashville]

Jul 13, 2016 11:42:54 GMT -5 kw9461 said:

I really like this, but I do have a slight bone to pick with it. Given that the song is straight up neo-traditional 90's material, it disappoints me that his examples of "real" country artists are just the outlaw artists of the late 70's. I think that makes the song much easier to dismiss (not to mention more cliche). Given that the song borrows much more from Alan Jackson and Randy Travis sonically, I would have liked to heard acknowledgement of some artists of that era (which by every definition, sang "real" country 

So I would agree to a point. Couldn't "That Ain't Country" be viewed as a clever way to show real examples of country music from 3 different decades 70s, 80s, & 90s. With Aaron naming artists from the 70s and 80s, and then creating a 90s Neo-Traditional style, I could argue that covers almost 30 years of "Real Country Music". Just a thought.

[House Lannister]

Jul 25, 2016 19:30:04 GMT -5 sabre14 said:

Impact date is August 15th according to Country Aircheck.

I doubt this one does much other than simply charting but it's nice to see a song like this released on mainstream radio, with a major promo team behind it.

I hope it does some damage precisely because of this.  

Radio has been needing a genre wake up call for a while.  It's like country radio is almost afraid to be called country, like its uncool or something.

And who knows?  This could hopefully be the tune to do it.

[jameyjohnsonfan]

I'm in Nashville now and they filmed the music video for this downtown at Ernest tubb record store last night. I have a few pics to prove it also

[mus1cr0w]

Aug 9, 2016 14:24:32 GMT -5 House Lannister said:

Jul 25, 2016 19:30:04 GMT -5 sabre14 said:

Impact date is August 15th according to Country Aircheck.

I doubt this one does much other than simply charting but it's nice to see a song like this released on mainstream radio, with a major promo team behind it.

I hope it does some damage precisely because of this.  

Radio has been needing a genre wake up call for a while.  It's like country radio is almost afraid to be called country, like its uncool or something.

And who knows?  This could hopefully be the tune to do it.

Good luck. With Dot's promo performance lately I put them right down there with Curb.

This song is ok for me. Kind of a lazy end to the chorus lyrically but at least it's country.

MR

[babybuffalo]

Jul 26, 2016 13:14:44 GMT -5 djHayStack said:

Jul 13, 2016 11:42:54 GMT -5 kw9461 said:

I really like this, but I do have a slight bone to pick with it. Given that the song is straight up neo-traditional 90's material, it disappoints me that his examples of "real" country artists are just the outlaw artists of the late 70's. I think that makes the song much easier to dismiss (not to mention more cliche). Given that the song borrows much more from Alan Jackson and Randy Travis sonically, I would have liked to heard acknowledgement of some artists of that era (which by every definition, sang "real" country music).

A thousand times this. I loved this song on first listen until he started name-dropping the outlaws. It's SO cliche and overdone, and in my opinion the Johnny Cash, Willie, Waylon praise is WAY too much and has been for too long. I'm not saying they weren't great (with Merle being the best of them IMHO), but where's some love for Ronnie Milsap, Alabama, Randy Travis... let's talk about 80's and 90's country. There's plenty of artists to name check that were much better than the "Outlaws" ever were. (opinionated rant over... for now)

While I don't think the 80's/90's folks were better I do agree they have been slighted. Alabama seemed to have a moment thanks to Brad and a few others but really the name checking is all about Willie, Waylon, Merle, and Kris Kristofferson to an extent.

You don't know how happy the ETC and Vern Gosdin references in Randy Houser's "Same Ole Saturday Night" made me. I wanted it to be a single just for that reason. I do love the song but I was hoping that maybe listeners would check those guys out, hear "If You're Gonna Do Me Wrong, Do It Right" or ”"Nobody Falls Like A Fool" and be stopped in their tracks like I was.

"That Ain't Country" is just okay. I'm of the mindset that there should be room for everybody, and I like songs from all sides of country. And now that someone brought up Full House that's all I can think of when I listen lol

[Deleted]

I was in Des Moines this weekend, and on my 4 1/2 hour drive home (and also several other times in the last few days) I listened primarily to "The HIghway" and "Y2Kountry". The Highway is playing this quite a bit, but I cracked up yesterday afternoon when it came on and was then promptly followed by "Vacation". LMAO

[sabre14]

Aug 15, 2016 12:24:03 GMT -5 jhomes87 said:

I was in Des Moines this weekend, and on my 4 1/2 hour drive home (and also several other times in the last few days) I listened primarily to "The HIghway" and "Y2Kountry". The Highway is playing this quite a bit, but I cracked up yesterday afternoon when it came on and was then promptly followed by "Vacation". LMAO

Same thing happened to me a week or two ago. They played "That Ain't Country", followed by "For Her" by Chris Lane. lol

[sabre14]

"That Ain't Country" got 14 adds today, on its impact date.

I think that's a good number for someone like Aaron and the fact this song is straight up traditional, compared to everything else on station playlists these days.

[toocountry]

I want to hate this so bad....but I can't.

[gonecountry]

Saw him in concert a few weeks ago. Crowd was singing every word to every song.

Another 100% pure country tune from Aaron. Let's see what this can do..

[sabre14]

Whoa. Talk about unloading what you think.

www.rollingstone.com/country/news/aaron-lewis-says-luke-bryan-sam-hunt-are-choking-country-w439683

[Deleted]

Sept 13, 2016 22:04:02 GMT -5 sabre14 said:

Whoa. Talk about unloading what you think.

www.rollingstone.com/country/news/aaron-lewis-says-luke-bryan-sam-hunt-are-choking-country-w439683

Well it's about time artists are telling it like it is. Bring the outlaws back who aren't afraid to hold people accountable and you'll start to hear the quality go back up.

And Lol at Bobby Bones who feels he needs to get in the middle of everything (thus becoming an artist calling out an artist calling out an artist). If more people started telling it like it is and less people stopped getting so damned offended at everything, hell I think we'd all be a lot better off.