I am thinking if it has a "twang" to it then it qualifies as country. ☺
What distinguishes a lyric or a piece of music to be deemed as country?
If the word "truck" occurs in it, it's country. Bonus points for "lifted truck". ;)
I will try to answer this since properly since everyone else seems highly prejudiced against country music in general and therefore are operating under the typical idiot stereotypes and think themselves quite clever for it.
With todays insistence on Top 40 appeal to general audiences there actually isnt much difference between 'Country' music and pop music. Corporate conglomerate ownership has largely ruined it by basucally turning it into a sub-genre of rock/pop. However in the past the differences were more obvious. 1. Whereas rock tended to be about more urban and sub-culture themes and people and lifestyles, country was (and still is somewhat) about more rural themes, country people, rural small town life, country/rural values, patriotism, family, love and the vagaries thereof, etc. depending on the artist. Until the last decade ir so foul language wasnt allowed for instance. Now its becoming as filthy as pop/rock.
2. Though no longer true, in the not too distant past country was sctually sung by people from country/rural/small town back grounds whose music reflected their lives and those of their fan base. This is no longer totally true unfortunately.
3. Country involved certain instruments that were not found generally in rock/pop. A violin/fiddle, occasionally mandolin, a lot of accoustic guitar, often a steel guitar (which is what gave some songs {not all} a bit of a twang), much less use of electric instruments or not in a way they sounded electric, electric bass was largely absent though some acoustic guitars and steel guitars were electric. Sometimes harmonicas, accordians and dulcimers. Rural instruments derply rooted in old country life
If you want to cry and have a drink at the same time, you are listening to old time country music.
Music can be divided into genres (e.g., country music) and genres can be further divided into subgenres (e.g., country blues and pop country are two of the many country subgenres), although the dividing lines and relationships between music genres are often subtle, sometimes open to personal interpretation, and occasionally controversial.
