How Have the Concepts of Chance and Luck Influenced Country Music?

If you analyze a wide range of country songs, you’re likely to find a multitude of explicit and implicit references to the concepts of luck and chance. Kenny Rogers’ The Gambler would be a prime example of an obvious link, but then there are more subtle references such as in Florida Georgia Line’s Dirt in 2014. Offerings in the genre often have a happy-go-lucky feel, and it makes sense for musicians to weave allusions to games of chance into them.

With the greater availability of games of chance in the USA now, it may be wise for artists in the genre to work out how they can capitalize on this connection further. This could come in the form of endorsing or creating music for games.

Luck and Chance in Country Music

Gambling has been a mainstay in American culture for more than a century, and card games have strong roots across the USA. Country music aims to reflect the beliefs and pastimes of the people here, and part of that comes in referencing popular gambling games. Many old school honky-tonk songs would reference socializing with poker and blackjack, while more modern hits describe the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas.

Singers like Waylon Jennings were famous for writing lyrics about taking chances in life. Others, such as Bonnie Raitt, wrote about the way things sometimes don’t go our way, no matter how hard we try. This was apparent in famous tracks like Luck of the Draw. The importance of that track was underlined by its use as the name for Raitt’s 1991 album. Another example is The House That Built Me by Miranda Lambert, which reflects on how we can end up in unexpected places in life thanks to moments of chance and luck.

Growing iGaming Market Could be Beneficial to Country Artists

While gambling games have always been rooted in American culture, people in the country have found it hard to access certain offerings until recently. The online casino industry is only just starting to blow up in the country, with various states now moving to legalize it. New Jersey is leading the way, and players can now access real money online casino games in the state. These include classic American favorites like Blackjack and American Roulette First Person. There are also modern titles for USA-based players like Football Studio Live.

Seeing as how gambling has always had a place in the lyrics of country artists, it could be time for this relationship to work the other way. Perhaps modern country musicians should use the booming iGaming industry as a platform to reach more listeners in the same way many pop stars have found fame on social media. They could commission themed games that feature their music, for example. Alternatively, they could volunteer to host online casino events.

Luck and chance have always been staple ingredients of country music lyrics, and that’s still the case in the modern age. With the online gambling industry spreading across the country, artists who break into this by endorsing casino games or events could enjoy success.