What you are hearing is Nashville pop music. It's called country because the collective cranking it out come from traditional country, but it's not really country beyond the endless proclamation in it's lyrics that everything the singer owns or treasures is in fact "country".
For the most part it's mid tempo chugging rehashes of what was known as southern rock when I was a kid. I was listening to all that stuff back then but because it was played by a bunch of long haired he-pies, the collective who have co-opted it today were doing their best to ignore it back then when country was preformed by actual coal miner's daughters, cowboys and hillbillies, not kids from well to do northeastern families who could afford all the voice lessons, stylists, and lifestyle coaches to cultivate what is now considered the "country vibe".
Please understand, I'm in no way trying to put down this hybrid of pop, southern rock, and traditional country, it is hugely popular and makes musicians money so as a player it is a good thing. it's not exactly my cuppajoe but neither is a lot of music I enjoy listening to because it's done with gusto and at least an attempt to inject some originality into it.
Oddly enough, traditional country is still very much alive, but the script has been flipped 180 degrees. The hardcore country troubadours today are now the long haired, bearded he-pie societal fringe dwellers who came from the east texas roadhouse tradition and the so-cal cowpunk scene that grew up around Buck Owens and drew Dwight Yoakam west when He refused to let Billy Sherrill put horns and a string section on Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc.
You can find a wealth of really high quality, hardcore country in the traditional style, but like Grinderswitch and Barefoot Jerry back in the day, you have to hunt for it because the mainstream does it's best to ignore those who proudly carry on the true country music tradition.
