The connection between country music and cannabis

Love it or hate it – Country music is a powerful genre … but what about music and marijuana?

Although it was always popular, it has had an explosion of fans in recent years. In the United States alone, over 139 million are listening. And not only the old school like Barbara Mandrell, Dolly Parton or Randy Travis … The new generation of singers such as Zach Bryan, Luke Combs, Sturgill Simpson, Morgan Wallen and Colter Wall. While drinking in the scene is great, what is the connection between country music and cannabis?

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Country music and cannabis share a fascinating and developing relationship that reflects broader cultural changes. While the genre historically leaned into conservative values, the past few years have experienced increasing acceptance of marijuana within Country music in the texts and among its artists.

In the past, Country music often distanced himself from marijuana and had socially conservative values. A prime example is Merle Haggard's 1969 hit “Okie from Muskogee”, who explicitly rejected marijuana use of marijuana and symbolized traditional American values.

Nevertheless, Outlaw Country artists such as Willie Nelson, Hank Williams, Jr. and Johnny Cash Cannabis included as part of their rebellious personas. In particular, Willie Nelson became a synonym for the Marijuana culture and smoked on the roof of the White House during Jimmy Carter's presidency.

In the past ten years, the mentions of marijuana in Country music have increased significantly. Artists like Kacey Musgraves, Chris Stapleton and Eric Church have integrated cannabist topics into their songs and often celebrate their use casually or humorously.

Songs like “Burn One With John Prine” by Kacey Musgraves and “Could be just as good” by Chris Stapleton underline this shift in normalization.

Interestingly, studies show that Country music mentions drugs more often than any other genre, including rap. Marijuana references now outperform the tougher substances such as cocaine or alcohol in some cases.

Cannabis has become a symbol of individualism and freedom in the genre. This corresponds to the tradition of the country music, to tell about personal battles and breaking social norms. The changing legal and public landscape of marijuana in the USA influenced this shift and made cannabis a more socially acceptable topic for the mainstream audience.