We talked in class about Muddy Waters evolution for singing what might be considered “authentic” folk music while he lived in the south and then evolving his music and singing for a more commercial audience of country music and it reminded me of a song from the comedian Bo Burnham, “Country Music (Pandering)”

In the song, Bo Burnham pokes fun at how millionaire country singers make their money from singing relatable folk long songs that working-class farmers can listen to, while the singer is actually strongly disconnected from that lifestyle. Country is no longer the music song by the workers themselves to tell their own story but created to exploit them.