Urban Cowboy

The John Travolta movie Urban Cowboy was such a smash hit when released in 1980 that it kicked off a national trend for all things country and cowboy. Boots, hats, and new dance steps surged into vogue, along with songs like Mickey Gilley's "Stand By Me" and Johnny Lee's "Looking for Love," which were featured on the movie's soundtrack. Much of this music had a rocked-up beat and a vague nod to Honky-Tonk traditions, but was distinguished by its polished, pop-friendly production. This made it feel superficial and watered-down to purists. Predictably, the Urban Cowboy trend began to fade after a few years. Sales of country albums, which had exploded for a few years, slowed as a result, and artists like Lee and Gilley drifted from the public spotlight. In their place though, came bands like Exile and Alabama, who played a similarly polished brand of pop-friendly country.