There's been a record-breaking trend this year of country music dominating the top of the Billboard Hot 100. But it's not just any country music. These hits by artists like Morgan Wallen, Jason Aldean, Oliver Anthony & Luke Combs— all cis white men— are each employing identity politics and tapping into broader socio-political conflict in the US, either implicitly or explicitly, to help power their rise to pop dominance.

So for the first segment of today's show, The Atlantic's Spencer Kornhaber, who has written extensively about the influx of bro country on the charts, is here to help explain this phenomenon. In the second of half of the episode, writer and journalist Marissa R. Moss, who publishes the great country newsletter Don't Rock the Inbox turns Louie on to five great country acts operating on the margins— all of whom, notably, are not cis white men— who deserve our attention and are providing a beacon of hope in the entrenched and often sexist, homophobic, transphobic and racist world of Nashville radio.

Read Spencer's pieces on the rise of country bros in The Atlantic

Subscribe to Marissa's newsletter, Don't Rock the Inbox

Listen to a playlist of Marissa's recommendations

Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More

Buy Tickets to Pop Pantheon Live: Britney's Memoir, Music & Legacy on 11/2 In Pasadena

Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC: Halloween Edition on October 27

Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store

Follow Marissa R. Moss on Twitter

Follow Spencer Kornhaber on Twitter

Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram

Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter

Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram

Follow Pop Pantheon on Twitter