Tyler Hubbard Says Florida Georgia Line Won’t ‘Take the Credit’ for Country’s Sonic Changes

Florida Georgia Line might be one of the hottest acts in country music, but their music is far from that "traditional country sound." The duo's hip-hop- and rock-infused songs have helped popularize "bro-country" -- a positive to some, a negative to others -- and they've also ushered in an entire new wave of fans. But Tyler Hubbard says that he and duo partner Brian Kelley are just doing their part to keep country music alive.

"I think we have changed country music a little bit, but we don’t try to take the credit for that," Hubbard tells The Boot. "We’re just honored and proud to be in the genre, a part of country music. There are so many cool things going on right now and so many great artists.

"It’s a pleasure for us, but it’s cool, because we just do what we love, and if people are digging it, it’s a beautiful thing, because it allows us to get the music heard on a larger level and to be able to fill up seats," he adds. "It’s fun for us."

Kelley raised a few eyebrows earlier this year when he told the Washington Post that the "quality of [country] music has got to go up" to make the genre more appealing. While it might seem an odd statement from someone who is sometimes criticized for being "not country enough," Hubbard says that Kelley's comments were meant to inspire artists to try something new.

"I think the majority of what he was trying to say was, sometimes in country, people can be complacent, and it can get stagnant, and [artists] can write the same stuff over and over and over and can try to recreate what happened in 2012 in 2015," Hubbard explains. "That can be a scary run, because I think the most beautiful thing about country music, and the reason it’s the largest format as we speak, is because there’s some guys that are coming in that are saying, ‘You know what? Let’s get out of the box. Let’s do some fresh stuff.’

"I think the change is needed. The best music is always evolving. The more it can evolve the better," Hubbard continues. "I think the more we can push the limits, the better. People need to continue step up their game and continue to push the boundaries as far as songwriting goes and as far as cutting songs."

As for Florida Georgia Line, who are hard at work on a new album, Hubbard says that their focus remains on giving their fans the best music they can deliver.

"We’re not setting out trying to change anything," Hubbard maintains. "We’re just creating the music we want to perform every night."

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