You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly. You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
alternatehistory.com
Disco, as it has been noted time and time again, got its reputation from the backlash in the late 70s. The Disco Demolition Night in 1979 was not only the crown jewel of this mentality but also a sign of changes in American cultural and political discourse, with all that it implies. The point is, until the rise of hip-hop and grunge pushing down hair metal, disco was a sitcom punchline at best.
With that and the Great Recession in mind, what would it take for there to be a similar backlash against country music? What powerful image would be needed to give the backlash something to rally behind? What would it take for, in the words of TV Tropes, the act of admitting to being a country fan "may as well have been admitting to cannibalism"?