Taylor Swift once again leaves people arguing on the internet again.
Videos by Wide Open Country
Recently, Rolling Stone published an article, listing the 200 best country songs ever. Naturally, these staff lists always leaves readers online falling all over themselves. This is especially the case when you reintroduce Taylor into the country music sphere.
People in the Taylor subreddit are taking quite an exception to the song's inclusion. Before diving too deep into the thread, one comment foreshadows the digital tussling below. They joke, "Without knowing annnnyyyyyytthing about the state of country music, I sense a lot of bitching and moaning this way comes."
Many are arguing that it's not even her best country song, let alone worthy of cracking the upper echelon. One user says, "There's no way. I love Taylor, but there's no way. Better than Better Man, Need You Now, Before He Cheats, I Hope You Dance, The Way You Love Me?? There's no way. I rebuke this in the name of music lmao."
The most levelheaded response of them all takes stock in the totality of country music and Taylor Swift's career. "Huge country fan here, and I fell in love with her music the moment I heard Tim McGraw (and wish she'd make another country album!)," the user replies. "However, this ranking is laughable. There are too many songs to list that are way better than Mean from this century. Mean isn't even the best country song of 2011, the year it was released as a single."
Besides Taylor Swift, Who Else Made The List?
I reckon country fans will be more than pleased to see Dolly Parton's "Jolene" top the list. It's a safe choice. Fans and artists alike herald it in the upper echelon, it's impossible not to stumble onto a cover of it. Moreover, artists like Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, and Patsy Cline suggest that the Rolling Stone staff likes their country old school.
As a staunch country music traditionalist, I have significantly more interest in country music in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. The indie stuff of today sneaks in off the merit of recalling the genre's history. So you can imagine my joy when I see "Amarillo By The Morning" by George Strait crack the top 10.
As far as Taylor Swift is concerned, I understand why "Mean" makes it so high on the list. Not only is it pretty good, it fits like a glove in the larger framing of her career. It's a classic tackling of all her haters, something that is omnipresent to this day. It also marks her big transition into crossover stardom.
My only issue? That song is not better than Willie Nelson's "Georgia!"
