Do we still need Luke Bryan as one of the faces of country music? After dominating much of the 2010s, it's not hard to imagine a lane for him to find his own. Much of his strong demeanor can go hand in hand with the modern country landscape. However, with his new album, it appears as though people have new flings to attach themselves to now.
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Recently, Luke Bryan released his new album Mind of a Country Boy, his first in four years. In the meantime, he's still been one of the most recognizable faces in country music. His stint on American Idol alongside Lionel Ritchie, Katy Perry, and now Carrie Underwood puts him on a pedestal. He still sells out arenas, rakes in millions of album sales, nabs the big singles and is an awards show darling throughout much of the 2010s. Surely, he's gaining rapturous applause for his new album back in the spotlight. Right?
Does Luke Bryan Still Have a Place in Modern Country Music as The New Guard Steps In?
Apparently not. Luke debuts at an almost radio silent #51 on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart. That's his worst positioning since his debut album at #24 in 2007. But that's just for all the genres. Where does he slot in on the country side of things? Well, that's not great either. He debuts at #11 on the country charts, the worst of his career. That puts him below a lot of up and coming artists, let alone the big stars of today.
Admittedly, I've always found Luke Bryan to be an incredibly tedious listen within the country music space. He often mirrored a lot of my biggest critiques of Nashville; plastic sounding production, hokey songwriting, and music fit for a jeans model more than your average country boy. Morgan Wallen fits this lane perfectly but I can still salvage some of his singles where I still feel nothing for Bryan.
