Mega Country

By: Connor Lenahan

If Las Vegas put odds on likely article topics on Unbreakable then country music would most likely be around 5,000 to 1 (Basketball, meanwhile, would be 1 to 1). But some times something so entertaining comes along that I can’t help but share it. While poking around this delightful internet world we live in the other night I passed by a link to a mashup by Gregory Todd. This mashup is of six of the most popular country songs in 2014. I assume that their popular status is factual as I have never heard any of these songs. In fact, I didn’t even know half the artists included. But the idea behind the song caught me. Gawker had championed it as “Proof That Every Country Song Still Sounded The Same in 2014.” You have my attention.

The song made no sense from a lyrical perspective. But, then again, neither did “Break Free” by Ariana Grande.That wasn’t the point. Instead the video clearly shows how a frankensong was made out of the six selections. What was great was the fact that it was a damn near seamless transition. Yeah you can hear the differences between them all if you’re paying even the slightest bit of attention, but you can also hear how similar the driving guitar line is between them all. What’s hysterical is that by combining six songs you end up with one that is somehow extremely entertaining. Seriously, it’s not a bad song. That’s what so astonishing. You’d think that chopping up six songs and trying to weave them together would create a fun party trick and nothing else. Nope. This was actually good enough that I listened to it on repeat while writing this article without wanting to jump out of my window.

It’s not amazing. It’s not going to win any Grammys. But seriously, it’s far from unbearable. It’s also eerie. Again, frankensong. I love mashups, especially ones that get very creative with source material. I know what I hate, and I don’t hate this.