In recent years, a growing number of independent musicians from across a wide spectrum of genres have come together under a unifying banner: the love of country and the desire to create unapologetically pro-American, patriotic music. As Hollywood and the mainstream music industry continually embrace progressivism, censorship, and immorality, these artists have taken to their own platforms to voice messages of faith, freedom, and national pride. This article explores the emergence of this musical movement, highlighting several standout artists who reflect a broader cultural undercurrent in the 2020s—one defined by rebellious authenticity and a revival of traditional American values through song. Additionally, we will consider a noteworthy thread that binds these artists and their millions of listeners together—not shared geography, ethnicity, or even musical preference, but rather a shared values system.
Country Music
Country music has produced many musicians who, invigorated by the anti-establishment energy that found its footing in the Trump era, have boldly spoken out in favor of faith, patriotism, and a middle-class American work ethos. New music like that of Sam Negron’s single “Drain the Swamp” has begun to make rounds on TikTok and Instagram in a fashion similar to the hit song “Rich Men North of Richmond” by Oliver Anthony. These tunes fit into the country genre and speak to the struggles of the silent majority—men and women who have worked hard, paid into our tax system, and seen their families and communities demonized or disregarded every step of the way. These ideas have been embraced by millions of listeners who are tired of hearing the likes of Taylor Swift preach about global warming while mocking country folks and excessively spreading emissions with her private jet.
Rap
On the other side of the musical spectrum, we have artists like Dax and Young Merkules who use rap to share similar patriotic ideas—even going as far as to remix and build upon Anthony’s music. Other hip-hop stars like outspoken Christian rapper Bryson Gray have gained millions of views from people who appreciate his unapologetically pro-Trump, pro-American, and pro-God lyrics.
If you were to exclusively listen to MSNBC and left-wing politicians, you would likely believe that it is essentially a requirement that anyone right-of-center be a generationally wealthy, white male. But that is not the case when it comes to patriotic independent artists. Negron is Hispanic, Anthony is white, Dax and Gray are black, and Merkules is an individual of Haida heritage. Independent artists who buck the system and share patriotic values are about as diverse as any group could hope to be ethnically, in which case, we must ask, what is it that brings these musicians and their listeners together? Why has the surge of like-minded music creators been embraced in such a noteworthy manner? The answer seems to be that each of these creators is rebelling against a common enemy—like the rock n’ roll crowd of the 70’s and 80’s, this group is unified via a shared rejection of the system.
“What is the system?” you might ask. The system is a compilation of power structures in modern America—all of which are dominated by left-wing voices. Academia, Hollywood, big business, tech giants, social media platforms, big pharma, and the music industry have been owned and operated in large part by a disproportionate number of left-wing elitists for several decades. As a result, each of these industries has been repeatedly jamming the same progressive message down the throats of Americans and stigmatizing anyone who steps out of line. But that started to change with the rise of Trump in 2016, when centrists and right-wing individuals began to push back.
Now, almost 10 years later, we have a rapidly growing list of leaders in politics, entertainment, and business who are willing to speak out against the system. We may not all look the same, and we may not all like the same genres of music, but we tend to agree on ideological values—and that is a foundation worth building upon.
An interesting perspective when one considers a parallel correlation of innovation and creativity with regard to artistic expression in our present age. One could argue current ideology as a ‘framing’ of artistic expression; in which certain dictates must be embraced to claim ‘acceptability’. When in fact resourcefulness is snuffed: risking offenses and relegated ‘micro aggressions’. I contend that true art reflects our humanity, allowing for mistakes. As opposed to diminishing our sense of worth.