Country music fans are having a field day online after the release of Luke Bryan’s newest song, “Fish Hunt Golf Drink.”
The song, which leans into Luke’s signature upbeat party-country style, quickly sparked reactions across social media after its release. While some fans embraced the song as a fun summer anthem, others are calling it AI generated music and a spoof of what country music should be.
What about the song is making fans so upset? Is it the lyrics? The production? A mix of both? The tune calls back to left behind “bro country,” the 2010’s era of guys singing about beer, trucks, dirt, hunting, and fishing. Bryan exemplifies bro country with the title “Fish Hunt Golf Drink” alone, listing off the simple routine he would live everyday if given the opportunity.
Fans are teasing the chorus, which begins with the line “Wake up, coffee, camo, climb tree.” Does he want to climb trees? Or is he wanting to sit in his climbing tree hunting stand? Who knows, but fans are dragging the lyrics for embodying a quote from The Office character Kevin Malone: “Why say lot word when few word do trick.”
Country music artist Mitchell Ferguson joined in on the fun by making a remix of the chorus as a rap song, and it’s one of the funniest jokes about it yet:
Creator Skyler Acker (jiujitsuweasel) poked fun at Bryan’s new song on Instagram: “Luke Bryan…wtf is going on with your new song?” he said. “We live in a day and age where people are so dopamine fried; this clearly AI song is going to pop off. It literally just sounds like someone went to Google Gemini and said ‘make country song but make it sound like a 4 year old wrote it.’”
Luke Bryan appeared to be taken back by the criticism and responded to the creator saying, “Who are you ? Chill on the adderall,” and “It’s called a fun song. Just listen and have fun. Go get on a boat quit scrolling on your phone all day.”
Bryan clapped back at more haters on his own posts, commenting, “Well I’m learning that no one wants to just have fun anymore. I choose to have a damn blast. Either come along or go be blah.”
Despite the backlash, some fans are defending the track, loving its unserious, lighthearted summer vibe, and that not every country song has to be deep or emotional. “Y’all are taking this way too seriously,” one person commented online. “It’s a windows-down, lake day song. That’s the point.”
The debate around “Fish Hunt Golf Drink” has ignited a bigger conversation about country music and where the genre is headed. As traditional country, Americana, and singer-songwriter styles continue to grow in popularity, some listeners feel this song is a representation of the generic music they hear looping on mainstream radio. Others argue there is always room for fun, catchy songs that don’t take themselves too seriously.
Love it or hate it, people are talking about it; that’s the goal!
Listen to “Fish Hunt Golf Drink” below to decide your thoughts on the song: