Come summertime 2018 it’s likely you’ll hear “I Hate Love Songs” by Kelsea Ballerini.

She’s young– 24-years old, but her singing style has a distinctly old school/traditional sound.  ”I Hate Love Songs” has roots in Patsy Cline’s 1961 ballad “Crazy*”—they have a similar tempo, mood, and melody.  That said, each song is a product of its time:  “Crazy” is a lovesick torch song and today’s “I Hate Love Songs” is the antithesis.

I think cupid is stupid and violets are purple not blue

I hate catching bouquets, the honeymoon phase

And letterman jackets don’t fit

Your eyes can’t hold stars and you’d die if your heart really skipped

And yet…

I hate love songs

Yeah, I really do

I hate love songs

But I love you

In 2016, Rihanna put a twinge of modern day doo-wop on the pop chart with her hit “Love On The Brain” and, also in 2016, Keith Urban did the same with his #1 Country “Blue Ain’t Your Color.”

What ever you call Ballerini’s style, it’s working: Four of her last five releases went to the top of the Country chart, the last was #1 just a few weeks ago.  Country music programmers are giving “I Hate Love Songs” solid airplay.

Trivia:  “Crazy” is a classic, but it never made it to #1.