Luke Combs: ‘Genres Are Just Things That Put You in a Box’
It's undeniable that Luke Combs knows how to write a hit country song. All five singles from his debut album, This One's for You (and its deluxe edition, This One's for You Too), topped Billboard's Country Airplay chart. His newest single, "Beer Never Broke My Heart," continued that streak with gusto, too, shooting to the top spot in just 13 weeks on the chart.
Now that he's conquered country radio, does Combs have his eye on crossover hits? Not exactly, says the singer, though he's not opposed to the idea.
"I don't think that I would be against it in any way," Combs offers. Still, crossover appeal isn't a particular goal of his, either: "I don't think there's any part of me that would really love to push for it," he adds. "It's not a thing that keeps me up at night, or makes me extra curious in any way."
That doesn't mean Combs is a country purist, or that he isn't a fan of songs outside the genre, though. "I have always believed -- and my parents taught me this -- that good music is good music regardless of the genre or the person or the message," he continues. "To me, genres are just things that put you in a box."
Combs says he's more interested in writing good songs that he is in chasing any particular sound or genre. "Why couldn't a steel guitar be on pop radio? If it resonates with people enough, and they wanna hear it, it deserves to be there," the singer says. "But it's definitely not something that I sit down in a writing room and go, 'Could this work on pop radio?'
"I really just want my fans to love it, and come see it live, and have that experience. That, to me, is the most important thing, making sure the music is good," Combs adds. "If the whole world loves it -- great. If not, I've always got Nashville."
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