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Research Proposal for Country Music Fandom Project

Karen Gonzalez

ENC 1102
Professor Gomrad
April 8, 2015

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Introduction
In relations to the community-based research project, the subculture that I have chosen to
conduct a research proposal on is the Country Music Fandom Culture. The demographics of this
subculture surprisingly varies throughout the United States. In an article by Paul Jankowski in
Forbes Magazine, according to the 2014 New Heartland Group in the United States there is an
estimate of 102 million country music consumers and the age spans from 18 to 54. In 2013, it
was also seen that the country music fans annual household has increased over the years,
averaging $75,000. This fan base is also described as the most ardent and loyal of any fan
base, and it is most evident in the sold out, daily attendance of thousands of people in country
music festivals and concerts (Jankowski 2). Being a part of this subculture and personally
enjoying listening to country music will facilitate my development of executing my plan in
conducting research and delivering my final project.
Problem that the Country Music Fandom face
Stereotypes are fixed preconceptions people have of certain groups and cultures,
normally defining the group for those people. All kinds of groups face some form of stereotypes
and negativity towards them. This is definitely a major problem that the Country Music Fandom
face. There are countless of stereotypes and perceptions made towards this fan base by society.
These stereotypes include that country music listeners are rural, downscale, and not tech-savvy at
all. Further stereotypical comments are that fans are also drunks, rowdy, western, white-trash,
rednecks and hillbillies. This is the general overview of how country music fans are perceived by
non-country music listeners and society as a whole. As old habits die hard, so do stereotypes;

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therefore, the best way for the problem to be resolved is for society to begin to have an open
mind set and become aware that the country music industry is increasingly becoming affluent.
With the audience expanding and attracting fans of all different cultures, country music has
become an extremely attractive target for marketers and has even become mainstream music.
Country music artist, Luke Bryan, even pointed out that every genre face stereotypes, Those are
just natural stereotypes. He goes on to say people are slowing getting out of that comfort zone
and accepting all types of music of today I think whats so great about music is that people are
really giving all genres now a fair start. Maybe the stereotypes are getting less and less
prominent (Friedlander 1). Ultimately, that is the only way for the issue to be resolved.
Plan and Schedule
To execute my final project, I will deliberately plan my schedule for my research
including my strategies and methods for providing the accurate information to my recipient and
successfully learning about my subculture. I will accomplish such task, with the power of social
media and communication. I can raise awareness to the community about the problem with
stereotyping the country music genre by creating a social page on Twitter, Instagram, and
Facebook. This page will include the stereotypes and the actual facts that counter argue them.
This will not only shed light on the misconceptions, but greatly inform the community about the
genre and the fans.
For starters, to become an expertise in my selected subculture I will conduct preliminary
research to obtain all the details and gain enough background knowledge of my subculture. I will
learn more about the country music fans by searching the demographics of the fans, the festivals
and concerts the fans attend, artists and groups they follow, and specific fashion attire the fans
choose to wear. These details will allow me to become more familiar with this subculture and it

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can be done through a simple search online. I also have an advantage, since I am as well a part of
this subculture. I can easily gain access to the group and the members. I actively follow country
artists on social media like Twitter and Instagram. I listen to multiple country stations and watch
music awards, keeping me up to date with what is going on in the country industry. And I, on a
regular basis visit websites of specific country artists and groups, informing me of upcoming
events, concerts, and festivals. All the steps mentioned above will allow me to properly conduct
my research and even communicate with the subculture.
Graphical Elements
Graphical elements that I will incorporate are tables and figures, photographs, and graphs
that represent the country music fandom on a larger scale. For instance, I can use a table and
figure to demonstrate the demographics of country music listeners. I will also use a graph that
represents the amount of country music consumers across the United States. These elements will
allow me to demonstrate how this genre of music is increasingly becoming popular and
diminishing societys previous views. I will also use online photographs to show visualizations
of how country music fans today are a diversify group of individuals. Also, demonstrating the
activities and dress attire they choose to partake and wear to certain events and concerts. This
will allow me to prove that fans, dont dress western like but instead modern, pop, and in a
country sense. The graphical elements will add richness and visuals aids to my project and
facilitate the information being presented.

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Writing Process
Throughout the process of producing my final project, I will most definitely engage in the
writing process effectively. I will prepare a rough draft (literature review) that will include all of
my preliminary and secondary research. Once Ive done as such, I will take my paper to the
University Writing Center to have it reviewed and proof-read before March 24th. To have
sufficient amount of time to edit and make any changes that were recommended. This process
will benefit in the perfecting of my final draft and execution in the delivery of my information.
After the editing of the rough draft, I will produce a second draft and have my fellow peers make
edits and remarks that will also make my paper a better one. This peer review will as well help in
the making of my final draft. In the final draft, I will have edited my paper twice, and now I will
include corrected in-text citations, MLA format, and a Works Cited Page.
Resources
In the final project, diverse resources will be included to develop it in a series of
sequential order. My research will include online sources such as published articles and
newspapers that will once again emphasize the makeup of the consumers of country music. This
will allow me to present the idea of how the fans are perceived in comparison to what the fans
really consist of. I will also conduct fieldwork investigation to obtain first-hand information from
the masses. I will conduct a survey with the stereotype statements, and have both fans and nonfans (which will be asked in the beginning of the survey) answer whether they agree or disagree
with it. For example, one statement will be Country music fans are alcoholics. For the
interview portion, I will interview a country music fan and a non-country music fan and I will
ask specific questions that will be beneficial for the purpose of this research project. For
instance, I will ask In three words, how would you describe the fans of the country music

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genre? These gathered observations and online and media sources will exemplify the purpose of
the situation at hand concerning the subculture.
Conclusion
In summary, in relations to the community-based research project, the subculture that I
will conduct my research proposal on is the Country Music Fandom Culture. Being a member of
this subculture and engaging in every aspect of the country music culture, will enable my
development of accomplishing my action plan in performing research and conveying my final
project. The issue I will be discussing is the general overview and stereotypes of how country
music fans are perceived by society. By the end of this project, the issue can be resolved by
spreading awareness through social media allowing society to have an open mind set and become
alert that the country music industry is increasingly becoming affluent and the fans are a diverse
group of individuals.

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Works Cited Page
Jankowski, Paul. "Country Music Is A Powerful Opportunity For Brands." Forbes. Forbes
Magazine, 29 Oct. 2014. Web. 18 Mar. 2015.
Friedlander, Kari. "Luke Bryan Laughs Off Country Music Stereotypes, Talks Growing
Popularity Of Genre." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 16 Aug. 2013.
Web. 18 Mar. 2015.