At the onset of 2024, few could have foreseen the seismic shifts in country music, where figures like Jelly Roll, Post Malone, Beyoncé, and Shaboozey, a 29-year-old singer-rapper with Nigerian roots, would redefine the genre’s landscape. Shaboozey, whose given name is Collins Obinna Chibueze, has indeed become a defining voice of the year with “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”. This track isn’t just another country hit; it has etched its name in Billboard history by becoming the joint longest-reigning number one on the Hot 100 chart, equaling the record set by Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” in 2019. Furthermore, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” has commanded the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for an astounding 25 weeks and is generating buzz for multiple Grammy nominations. The significance of two black artists achieving this Billboard milestone with country-infused tracks cannot be overstated, especially considering the historical underrepresentation of black artists in country music.
The widespread appeal of “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”, much like “Old Town Road,” lies in its seamless crossover potential. The song’s sonic tapestry is woven with a strummed acoustic guitar, ethereal whistling, and an animated fiddle, conjuring a Spaghetti Western ambiance that’s both nostalgic and fresh. This unique blend culminates in a chorus that’s practically engineered for the dance floor, complete with rhythmic beat counting, infectious handclaps, and communal vocals that are utterly irresistible. Yet, beneath the surface of this upbeat rhythm, the lyrics reveal a rap-infused sensibility, depicting late-night club scenes and the blurred lines of last call. Shaboozey’s slightly world-weary vocal delivery adds depth, painting a picture of a night reaching its peak of hedonism. “It’s last call and they kick us out the door/It’s getting kind of late but the ladies want some more,” he sings, pausing before launching into the now-iconic hook: “Oh my, good Lord.”
“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” encapsulates the precarious balance of someone on the edge, caught between revelry and regret. The song’s narrative hangs on the pivotal question of how many more drinks can be consumed before tipping from enjoyment into excess. This theme of navigating the intoxicating allure of alcohol is as deeply rooted in country music as the genre itself.
The Long Tradition of Drinking Songs in Country Music
Drinking songs form a significant chapter in country music’s narrative, tracing back to its earliest Appalachian folk origins in the early 20th century. These early songs often intertwined moral and religious undertones with discussions of alcohol. “Wreck on the Highway” (1938), for instance, vividly recounts a devastating car accident, starkly illustrating the grim consequences where “whiskey and blood run together,” and solemnly notes, “Death played her hand in destruction/But I didn’t hear nobody pray.” These songs served as cautionary tales, reflecting the societal views of alcohol at the time.
The honky-tonk era post-World War II witnessed a shift in the portrayal of drinking in country music. With the introduction of drums and electric instruments, the music became more upbeat, yet simultaneously explored deeper psychological complexities. Hank Williams emerged as the genre’s architect during this period, his discography laying the groundwork for modern country music. Williams himself embodied the themes of his music, battling severe alcoholism and prescription drug addiction, culminating in his tragic death at 29 – a fate seemingly foreshadowed in his own lyrics. His songs, like “I’m gonna keep drinkin’ until I’m petrified/And then maybe these tears will leave my eyes,” captured the despair and self-destructive tendencies associated with heavy drinking.
Williams’ legacy cast a long shadow, influencing subsequent country and folk artists like George Jones, Ira Louvin, and Townes Van Zandt, all of whom channeled their personal battles with alcoholism into their poignant music. While country music also boasts lighter, celebratory drinking anthems – such as Tom T. Hall’s “I Like Beer” (1975), Hank Thompson’s “A Six Pack to Go” (1966), and Roger Miller’s “Chug-a-Lug” (1964) – it’s often the songs delving into the darker motivations behind drinking that resonate most profoundly. Merle Haggard’s “The Bottle Let Me Down” (1966) and George Jones’ “If Drinkin’ Don’t Kill Me (Her Memory Will)” (1981) exemplify this, portraying alcohol as a solace for heartbreak and lost love.
Modern Country and the Evolving Narrative of Drinking
While classic country often grappled with the despair and consequences of alcohol abuse, modern country music has largely shifted towards a more celebratory, consequence-free portrayal of drinking. Themes of loneliness, isolation, grief, and economic hardship, once central to drinking songs, have taken a backseat to themes of camaraderie and good times. However, the most haunting songs about alcoholism still emerge, framing it as a relentless disease. Webb Pierce’s 1953 hit “There Stands the Glass” poignantly describes staring into an empty bourbon glass, seeking solace to “hide all my fears” and “drown all my tears,” with a sense of resignation in the line, “Brother, I’m on my way.” Mary Gauthier’s stark 1999 track “I Drink,” later covered by Bobby Bare, offers a fatalistic perspective, with the alcoholic protagonist declaring, “I know what I am/But I don’t give a damn,” highlighting the depths of addiction.
In stark contrast, contemporary country music frequently presents alcohol as a social lubricant, enhancing rather than eroding connections. Songs like Brooks & Dunn’s “Beer Thirty” (1999), Joe Nichols’ “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off” (2005), Toby Keith’s “Red Solo Cup” (2011), Eric Church’s “Drink in My Hand” (2011), Dierks Bentley’s “Drunk on a Plane” (2014), Little Big Town’s “Day Drinking” (2014), and Post Malone’s “Pour Me a Drink” (2024), among countless others, depict alcohol not as a source of isolation, but as a catalyst for fun and togetherness.
This shift coincides with the increasingly intertwined relationship between the alcohol industry and country music. Numerous country stars, including Kenny Chesney, Blake Shelton, Alan Jackson, Eric Church, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, and Toby Keith, have ventured into creating their own alcohol brands, spanning beer, rum, vodka, wine, and mezcal. This trend extends to bar ownership, with Shelton, Church, Jackson, Bryan, Lambert, Dierks Bentley, John Rich, Florida Georgia Line, and Jason Aldean all establishing signature bars in Nashville. Mirroring hip-hop trends, some endorsement deals even integrate brand names into song lyrics or prominently feature products in music videos. With such significant financial interests at play, it’s less likely for contemporary chart-topping drinking songs to explore the darker aspects of alcohol consumption.
The audience’s embrace of this narrative reflects broader societal changes. In Hank Williams’ era, “hillbilly” music was often marginalized, perpetuating stereotypes of rural poverty. This marginalization was exacerbated by the mass migration of Southern whites to urban centers like Chicago and Detroit in search of industrial jobs. In these unfamiliar, often harsh urban environments, taverns became havens, offering a “taste of home,” jukebox hits, and alcohol as a coping mechanism. As these communities settled and generations grew, the music retained its roots, but the context evolved.
Shaboozey and the Modern Country Music Landscape
Today’s country music audience is markedly different – more affluent, educated, and urbanized. According to 2021 data from the Country Music Association, over a third of country music fans are college graduates, more than half are fully employed, and nearly three-quarters are homeowners. Half hold professional careers with an average income of $81,000 annually, exceeding the national average, and are more likely to reside in cities. This demographic paints a picture of a listener base enjoying relative prosperity, less likely to be grappling with the stark economic anxieties that fueled earlier generations of drinking songs.
This brings us back to Shaboozey. Hailing from Woodbridge, Virginia, a suburb of Washington D.C., he initially entered the music scene as a rapper and producer. His album “Cowboys Live Forever, Outlaws Never Die” signaled a stylistic shift, blending hip-hop with country and Western themes. His collaborations on Beyoncé’s country-infused “Cowboy Carter” album further elevated his profile. “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” itself is a testament to musical fusion, borrowing its chorus from J-Kwon’s 2004 rap hit “Tipsy.” Shaboozey’s album “Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going” represents his deepest dive into country music, a genre that has, in turn, wholeheartedly embraced him.
While artists like Charley Pride and Darius Rucker paved the way for black artists in country music through radio airplay, others, like Beyoncé and Lil Nas X, have faced different paths to recognition. Despite its phenomenal success, “Old Town Road” didn’t receive the same level of country radio support as “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” Its ascent was largely fueled by viral popularity on TikTok and the promotional power of streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. “Old Town Road” achieved its Billboard dominance through streaming, setting a record with 143 million streams in a single week in April 2019. Its radio presence was primarily on Top 40 pop and R&B/hip-hop stations.
Similarly, Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” became a cultural phenomenon, heralded as her reclamation of country music for black artists. Her single “Texas Hold ‘Em” made history, making her the first black woman to top the Hot Country Songs chart. However, both “Texas Hold ‘Em” and her cover of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” received limited airplay on country radio, and “Cowboy Carter” received no CMA Award nominations in September.
These instances highlight a persistent resistance within country radio to broaden its racial boundaries. While Shaboozey, unlike Lil Nas X’s organic streaming-driven rise, owes much of his success to traditional radio promotion, it’s been executed on an unprecedented scale.
Signing with EMPIRE in 2021, an independent label with a Nashville division, Shaboozey benefited from a multi-year marketing strategy aimed at global stardom. This included partnering with Magnolia Music, an indie promo company, to initially push “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” onto regional country playlists before expanding to other formats. Shaboozey’s relative anonymity and genre-blurring style, in contrast to Beyoncé’s established megastar status, likely made radio programmers more receptive to experimentation. Consequently, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” achieved a historic feat, reaching the top 10 of Billboard’s Country, Pop, Adult Pop, and Rhythmic Airplay charts, demonstrating undeniable crossover appeal that country radio couldn’t ignore.
On the surface, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” might seem like a carefree celebration of letting loose, but a deeper listen reveals a protagonist grappling with everyday pressures – a girlfriend’s Birkin bag requests, rising petrol and grocery costs, and an insufficient income. “Why the hell do I work so hard?” he questions, a sentiment resonating in a time of widespread economic unease. The recent US presidential election, influenced significantly by economic anxieties, underscores this point.
However, the genius of “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” lies in its escapist response to these pressures: “don’t stop the party.” When modern country music tackles serious socio-economic themes, it often turns to artists from outside the genre. Tracy Chapman’s 1988 folk song “Fast Car,” depicting characters in a homeless shelter, experienced an unexpected resurgence via Luke Combs’ cover last year, topping the Billboard Hot 100 and earning CMA Awards. Similarly, the catalogs of blue-collar icons like Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen are increasingly revisited.
Shaboozey’s protagonist in “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” doesn’t dwell on his economic questions. Instead, he orders another drink and heads to a party, declaring, “I can’t worry ’bout my problems, I can’t take ’em when I’m gone.” It’s this very impulse to set aside worries and embrace the moment that likely propelled “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” to become the unexpected anthem of 2024.
