Journalist and author Marissa R. Moss (Her Country) joins Kat to dig into the gender and race politics of country music: why country radio still matters in 2025, how the industry keeps women and Black artists off the air, and what it will take to change Nashville’s power structure.

We talk Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, Taylor Swift's move from country to Pop, Mickey Guyton’s “Black Like Me,” Maren Morris’s exit from the Nashville machine, the erasure of Black and Latino roots in country, and why the genre keeps pushing its best women to pop, rock, or Americana. Marissa also shares a sneak peek at her new ’90s-rock book and shouts out new women artists you should be playing this week.In this episode:• Country radio’s outsized influence today• The Nashville “family” myth and the boys’-club loop• How women get labeled “too political” for telling the truth• Black roots in country and the ongoing gatekeeping• Southern rock/Americana as a workaround to Music Row• Artists to watch: Carter Faith, Kelsey Waldon, Caitlin Butts, Kaylee Hammack, Jillian Jacqueline, Cam• Marissa’s newsletter: Don’t Rock the Inbox- https://www.dontrocktheinbox.com/• Marissa's big Rolling Stone article- https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/inside-country-radios-dark-secret-history-of-sexual-harassment-and-misconduct-253573/If you enjoyed this: rate/review the show, share it with a friend, and tag us so we can repost. Want to share your story? choosethebearpod@gmail.com