New York City?! Is Country Music Officially Seeing Another 90’s Style Boom?

The 1990’s witnessed an unprecedented surge in country music’s popularity, often coined “The Golden Era of Country Music“, with artists like Brooks & Dunn, Shania Twain, and The (Dixie) Chicks dominating the charts and captivating audiences worldwide. Now, signs of a potential resurgence are emerging, as indicated by the vibrant country music scene blossoming in unexpected places like New York City.

While country music has always dipped it’s toe in mainstream pop success, we go through waves of recognition as a genre to pay serious attention to. When the tide is out, radio stations flip to more profitable audience bases, TV shows and movies use more pop and rock songs in their scores, and larger publications don’t bother covering even the biggest moves in the business.

But when the tide comes in, everybody jumps on board hoping to ride the wave. We saw it with Urban Cowboy in the 80’s, Garth Brooks in the 90’s, and in more recent years, with Taylor Swift, and now we’re seeing it again. Sites like People, TMZ, and Billboard re-assign writers and dedicate space to the news from Nashville and beyond because the audience is swelled to such a size and interest level that it has now become profitable to do so for them. But some of us have been here this whole time, sharing our love of the sound in all its’ forms for decades and finding new ways to celebrate the music we love so much. (For the record, I started writing about country music for the internet in 2004, but who’s counting?)

One compelling example is “Honky Tonkin’ in Queens,” a monthly dance party held at Gottscheer Hall, a German beer hall in Queens which author Josh Crutchmer goes into great detail about in . This event, conceived by DJs Charles Watlington (DJ Moonshine) and Jonny Nichols (DJ Prison Rodeo), has become a haven for country music enthusiasts in the city. The organizers prioritize danceable music and book artists from both Texas and Nashville to cater to diverse tastes, reflecting the different dance cultures in these regions.

Honky Tonkin’ in Queens has experienced remarkable success, consistently selling out its 400-capacity venue. The event’s popularity is attributed to several factors:

• Demand for Social Connection: The organizers believe the post-Covid era fueled a desire for social interaction and dancing. Oppression (and let’s face it, that’s what the 2 year lockdown felt like) always breeds a desire to break free and cut loose.
• Authenticity and Atmosphere: The event’s location in a historic German hall with its unpretentious ambiance adds to the appeal. Country folk can turn any backwood, farm field, or empty barn into a party, so what’s to stop us from doing it in a building in Queens?
• DJs’ Curation: Watlington and Nichols’ expertise in selecting and playing vinyl records contributes to the event’s unique character. To really capture the country fan, you have to understand the music and have a true love of it yourself, and it’s clear these two do.
• Word-of-Mouth and Social Media: Early promotion through flyers and a strategic social media presence helped build momentum. Then the FOMO kicks in when attendees start sharing videos of the events in Reels and TikToks which continue the cycle of promotion as long as interest holds.

The success of events like Honky Tonkin’ in Queens, coupled with the increasing popularity of country artists selling out major New York City venues like Barclays Center and Madison Square Garden, suggests a growing appetite for country music in otherwise pop-centric environments. This echoes the trends of the 90s, where country music transcended geographical boundaries and became a mainstream phenomenon inspiring every town to have a dance hall and every social group to have at least one person who knew how to two-step.

Right now 28 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 are from the country music mega-sphere, which is a massive market share, all things considered. While it remains to be seen if country music will reach the same level of mainstream dominance as it did in the 90s, the current trends indicate a potential for significant growth. The combination of talented artists, dedicated organizers, and a receptive audience suggests that country music’s future is bright, even in unexpected places like New York City.