While the sun was setting on America's minstrel era, the music industry became more covert about exploiting artists of color. It has weighed in on what should and should not be considered country music for approximately 80 years, beginning back when it referred to the genre as 'hillbilly music.' The publication removed songs from its charts for what it deemed inappropriate lyrical content, which it called 'double-meaning records.' According to journalist Nick Tosches, author of 'Country: The Twisted Roots of Rock 'n' Roll': 'When Billboard on Mapublished its first list of hillbilly records, it did so with a note that 'double-meaning records are purposely omitted from this column.' This plucking and pruning of the charts is not new for the monopolistic Billboard. Such stretching and exploring will both grow the audience and help to resolve some of the issues from country’s dark past. In the process, they are pushing the limits of this very traditional genre - in good ways.
Musgraves, Ramsey and now Lil Nas X are living, breathing memes - able to rob the spotlight from other manufactured and vetted pop acts.
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