When someone in the Big Dark Basement of BBC TV News opens a window on the world of popular culture, it's always interesting to see in which direction they look. Last night we were told that 'country music' is booming in the UK, in a run around the houses tied to the release of Beyonce's latest album.
It featured Chapel Hart, a trio who came up via America's Got Talent, and had a hit 2022, and the Brothers Osborne. Both groups appeared at the C2C country music festival earlier this month, spread over stages in London, Glasgow and Belfast. The report, by Six and Ten senior producer Felicity Baker (she describes herself as 'a little bit country' on X) also featured Milly Olykan of the C2C promoters, the Country Music Association.
Spookily, it seems country music was on the up at almost exactly the same time last year.
In case you missed it on #BBCNewsSix and #BBCNewsTen last night here’s our piece from @C2Cfestival about how country music is the biggest growing genre of music in the UK #countrymusic #C2C2023 1/2 pic.twitter.com/k6gLk3FQXZ
— Felicity Baker (@Felicity_Baker) March 11, 2023
As a follow up to Friday’s @BBCNews piece if anyone was in any doubt as to the direction of country music in the UK here it is first hand from @millyolykan - VP of International Relations at @CountryMusic @C2Cfestival pic.twitter.com/roWWooLV8K
— Felicity Baker (@Felicity_Baker) March 14, 2023