Ian Munsick

One Liner: Voice like AutoTune and all the cheese you can stand

Wikipedia Genre: No Wikipedia - country, bluegrass
Home: Nashville (via Sheridan, Wyoming)

Saturday

Thoughts:  Definitely curious how this name, who I have absolutely never heard of in my whole life, is higher on the poster than so many other well-established names.  And his first track doesn't help me figure it out, because using AutoTune in country music is a deadly sin as far as I am concerned.  Oh yeah, second song just started, we're looking at some of that tragic pop couched in country lyrics that is deeply painful for me to listen to.  Sorry if this is your guy, but ugh.  "Cowboy Killer" is making me cringe down into the center of the earth.  

Ugh for real.  Please make it stop.  "Solo" sucks ass too.  As I keep listening, I start to wonder if it isn't Autotune.  What if he just has a singularly annoying-sounding voice?  I'm not sure which is worse.  And again, I wonder how he is higher on this poster than Pat Green.  This sounds like if Post Malone decided to make country music.

He moved from Wyoming to Nashville to attend Belmont University, where his manager and now wife also attended.  He played around school, but hadn't really blown up in any major way.  Apparently, Caroline started up her label, and convinced Ian to go for it with his country music.  The business relationship led to some bedroom action and they had a son before heading up to Montana for a wedding.

He started out with a 2017 self-titled EP, which featured his second-biggest streamer - "Horses are Faster."  56 million streams (of course, massive tune).

This is definitely significantly better than his newer stuff.  Although, also, I dig myself some mandolin and bluegrass stylings.  I especially like the breakdown where there is no singing!

But after that EP, you get to 2021's Coyote Cry album and then 2023's White Buffalo (the cover of which looks like a sweet shirt you could buy at Walmart in the 90's.).  These discs are where he shifts the sound into the pop-country direction.  "Long Haul" is the top track from the 2021 album, and his top streamer overall, with 61.3 million on Spotify.

Yeah, maybe that just really is the way his voice sounds.  He just has an AutoTuner already installed in his throat!  But I will also tell you that this tune is significantly better than the next one you are about to hear, which features the Saturday's headliner Cody Johnson.  The top track from White Buffalo is called "Long Live Cowgirls."  52.2 million streams.

I don't know Cody Johnson at all, but I sure hope that his other tunes are better than that schlock.  Cheesy as hell.  Not sure how they made a three minute song feel like an hour, but congratulations.

Hopefully he is up against someone great so that there is no reason for me to be at this stage on Saturday.