Americana

Americana
Other names	Murica, Americacore
Decade of origin	1776, modern takes: late 1800s
Creator/s	American Exceptionalists
Key motifs	American flags, apple pie, American football, apple pie, small towns, Harley-Davidson motorcycles, fireworks, drive-in diners and movie theaters
Key colours	Flag colours: Red, white, and blue
Key values	Democracy, diversity, capitalism, personal rights, freedom of expression
Related aesthetics	Brocore Cottagecore Flapper Greaser Hustlewave Nostalgiacore Prairiecore Rockabilly Western
Related media	Norman Rockwell paintings, Currier & Ives prints
Related brands	Most chain restaurants

Americana is a loosely-defined aesthetic which consists of music, artifacts, scenery, folklore, and material culture which are seen as distinctly or especially "American" (i.e., of or relating to what is now the United States and its inhabitants). There is considerable disagreement over what counts as "American" because vast differences exist between different regions and subcultures within American society. For example, most people would put Jazz or Hip-Hop aesthetics in separate categories from Americana, despite both genres being uniquely American in their origins, promulgation, and current praxis. Similarly, Juggalos and the Amish do not fall under the "Americana" umbrella, though Yeehaw might.

Much of the aesthetic is characterized by nostalgia for an idealized or imagined past, often seen as "more wholesome" than modern American tastes and mores. The aesthetic is often commercialized: restaurant chains such as Red Robin and Applebee's decorate their interior walls with a seemingly-random collection of mid-20th century artifacts and signage which is affectionately known as "Americana clutter".

Visual

General

Americans as a whole share a national identity, encounter the same media and have a knowledge of history that creates a general aesthetic that applies to the nation as a whole. While many Americans may not like the aesthetic or even dislike it for its romanticization of the country, they will mutually agree on its American-ness. Examples include:

• American cuisine and comfort food, such as hamburgers, Thanksgiving dinner, and apple pie
• Baseball and football
• Denim, a popular American fabric
• Historical paintings and imagery, such as the Declaration of Independence and portraits of Founding Fathers
• Imagery associated with the 4th of July, such as fireworks
• 1950s-1960s imagery, as this was the time America was a superpower and had national unity among its white male citizens
• Norman Rockwell illustrations and paintings
• Stars

Biker

Biker is a motorcycle subculture extremely popular in America. It is generally centered on the use of cruiser motorcycles, particularly Harley-Davidsons and choppers, and a set of ideals that celebrate freedom, nonconformity to mainstream culture, and loyalty to the biker group.

Greasers

Greasers are a youth subculture that was popularized in the 1950s to 1960s by predominantly working class and lower class teenagers and young adults in the United States. The subculture remained prominent into the mid-1960s and was particularly embraced by certain ethnic groups in urban areas, particularly Italian- and Hispanic-Americans.

For more information, please visit the Greaser page.

Okies

Okies are residents, native, or cultural descendants of Oklahoma. During the 1930s, Californians referred to migrant Midwestern farmworkers as "Okies", who were refugee farm families from the Southern Plains who migrated to California to escape the ruin of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl.

In James Blish's Cities in Flight science fiction series, the term "Okie" was applied in a similar context to entire cities that, thanks to an anti-gravity device, take flight to the stars to escape an economic collapse on Earth. Working as a migrant labor force, these cities act as cultural pollinators, spreading technology and knowledge throughout the expanding human civilization. The later novels focus on the travels of New York City as one such Okie city, though there are many others.

Redneck

The Redneck aesthetic has a strong connection to the Southeastern United States with a strong emphasis on traditional values and the simple life. A lot of Redneck visuals can cross over with Cottagecore, but there can also be signs of the ever-controversial Confederate flag which many adherents to the Redneck aesthetic will insist simply means "traditional values", despite everything known about what the Confederate States of America were all about (namely, the protection of the institution of slavery). This subgenres is the center of major controversy and political tension in America due to the behaviors and beliefs held by many in the Redneck community that are harmful to marginalized demographics.

Route 66

Route 66 was named after historic U.S. Route 66, the first interstate highway to connect the East and West Coasts of the United States, this aesthetic is centered on classic American car culture. Though it is primarily a visual aesthetic, it is often associated with classic rock 'n' roll tunes from the 1950s. American care enthusiasts may also be referred to as gearheads.

This subgenre of the Americana aesthetic often overlaps with Greaser and hot-rod culture (a.k.a. Kustom Kulture).

Music

Biker

Under Construction

Greasers

• Greaser Spotify Playlist by albertlbaker

Okies

• California Okie – Buck Owens (1976).
• Dear Okie – Doye O’Dell/Rudy Sooter (1948)
• Lonesome Okie Goin’ Home – Merl Lindsay and the Oklahoma Night Riders (1947).
• Oakie Boogie – Jack Guthrie and His Oklahomans (1947) – considered by many to be the first Rock & Roll song.
• Okie – J. J. Cale (1974).
• "Okie From Muskogee" – a song by Merle Haggard from the 1969 album of the same name
• "Okie" – a song by Patrick Sky a parody of the above, from his 1973 album Songs that made America Famous
• Oklahoma Swing-by Reba McEntire and Vince Gill
• Okie Skies – The Bays Brothers (2004).
• Okies in California – Doye O'Odell (1949).
• Ramblin' Okie – Terry Fell.
• She's An Okie – Al Vaughn.
• Okanagan Okie – Stompin' Tom Connors

• "Israelites & Okies" a song from The Lost Dogs (Album Old Angel – Terry Taylor (2010 Fools of the World)

Redneck

Under Construction

• Lynyrd Skynyrd

Route 66

• "Life is a Highway", by Rascal Flatts
• "Shake, Rattle and Roll", by Big Joe Turner
• Elvis Presley (early works)
• Chuck Berry
• Bill Haley & His Comets (esp. "Rock Around the Clock" and "Shake, Rattle and Roll")
• Jerry Lee Lewis
• Johnny Cash (early works)
• "On the Road Again", by Willie Nelson
• Hotel California - Eagles
• Take it Easy - Eagles

Fashion

Biker

• Real leather jackets (moto jackets), vests
  • Items are often custom embroidered to signify personal values and loyalties
• Jeans
• T-shirts, tank tops
  • Bejeweled items are common depending on where the gang is located, especially for women.
• Heavy leather boots
• Riding gloves, helmets
• Hoodies/jackets/warm clothes for cold rides
• Studs, bandanas, chains

Greasers

• Black Leather jackets
• Pompadours
• Jeans
• White T-Shirts
• Cigarettes

Okies

Under Construction

Redneck

• Flannel
• Heavy duty workwear
• T-shirts, tank tops
  • Cut-off sleeves are typical
• Trucker hats
• Cowboy boots
• Timberlands
• Blue jeans, jean shorts
• Camouflage, neon orange/pink
• American flag print, Confederate flag print

Route 66

Under Construction

Gallery

A classic Greaser

"as American as apple pie"

"Four Sporting Boys: Baseball", by Norman Rockwell

Carsland, at Disney's California Adventure

American Graffiti, 1973 (dir. George Lucas)

Traditional American Biker vest