These country stars earned the respect of their peers. They didn’t try to buy it.

It’s becoming increasingly difficult to come up with new country stars to criticize, mainly because country music is dreadful, and we genuinely dislike it. Nonetheless, the taters need their rage, and we aim to please. The industry seems to have hit a wall in terms of producing noteworthy talents worth discussing, which only exacerbates our disdain for the genre.

So, thank you, Faith Hill, for existing. Had you not been so captivating in that Pearl Harbor music video all those years ago, we would have forgotten you completely. Your enduring presence gives us a convenient target for our critique. The mere fact that you were able to parlay a brief moment of mainstream crossover appeal into a long-lasting career in country music is nothing short of remarkable.

Your ability to maintain relevance, despite the many changes in the music industry, speaks volumes about your tenacity and talent. It’s a pity that more contemporary country artists can’t seem to muster the same level of impact. Perhaps it’s because the genre itself has stagnated, failing to evolve in ways that resonate with a broader audience.

In any case, the frustration we feel towards country music as a whole finds a focal point in figures like you. While the genre struggles to produce new stars worth mentioning, we are reminded of the days when country music occasionally breached the walls of pop culture, if only for a fleeting moment. And for that, Faith Hill, we begrudgingly acknowledge your role in the annals of music history.