Country music went through changes and in the 1980s it was influenced by alt rock punk rock and synth music too. New Wave Country is the purest form of "Pop " music imo and the prototype for Taylor Swift who followed many years later. It is catchy, with twang free vocals but it has the heart of a Country song. This is my favorite kind of Country music !

Examples: Sylvia, Eddie Rabbit, Dwight Yokam, Juice Newton