Stay–at–Home on the Range
This month, we reached the anniversary of COVID–19 officially being declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. In the intervening year, music helped us cope with physical confinement and limited social interaction. Some turned to club bangers, while others embraced the softer sounds of ambient tunes. For me, there was no genre that provided greater escape from the quarantine doldrums than Americana. Left–of–center country music proved to be the perfect soundtrack for my 2020, especially with much of my early quarantine spent learning how to drive. The sentiments expressed by these artists—a yearning for escape and a desire for companionship—have felt more resonant than ever this year. Here are six songs that have felt like mirrors to my own emotions during the pandemic, and that may do the same for you.