3 Country Songs That Tried To Outrun the Urban Cowboy Craze in the 80s
This article highlights three country songs from the 1980s that consciously pushed back against the polished, pop-leaning "urban cowboy" sound popularised by the 1980 film of the same name. As mainstream country embraced softer, more mellow styles inspired by the movie's dance-hall craze, these tracks instead leaned into traditional country, bluegrass and honky-tonk roots, offering a countercultural alternative during the trend's peak.
The three songs are George Strait's 1983 hit "Amarillo By Morning" (a cover of a 1973 Terry Stafford track, No. 1 on the Canadian country chart and No. 4 on the US Hot Country Songs chart), Ricky Skaggs's bluegrass-flavoured "Highway 40 Blues" (also 1983, reaching No. 1 in both the US and Canada), and Dwight Yoakam's 1986 rendition of "Honky Tonk Man" (originally a 1956 Johnny Horton rockabilly song, peaking at No. 3). Each artist drew on older country traditions rather than the contemporary pop-country style, helping keep more traditional sounds present on the charts during the decade.
- Urban Cowboy (1980) sparked a mellow, pop-leaning country music trend.
- Strait, Skaggs and Yoakam released traditionalist songs bucking that trend.
- All three tracks were 1980s cover versions of older originals.
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The “urban cowboy” sound took off after the 1980 film of the same name, which helped bring country music and dance halls to a wider audience. Many country recordings of the period adopted a smoother, more pop-influenced style.
George Strait, Ricky Skaggs and Dwight Yoakam drew on older country traditions instead. Their songs brought honky-tonk, bluegrass and rockabilly sounds to audiences while polished country was popular.
The songs show how country music in the 1980s included different styles at once. They also connect that decade’s performers with earlier musicians, including Terry Stafford and Johnny Horton, whose songs Strait and Yoakam later recorded.
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