Luke Bryan Says Country Music Smells Like These Two Things

Who knew asking Luke Bryan what country music smells like would actually get an answer from the country superstar—let alone a funny one?

Bryan was a guest on Taste of Country Nights, where I jokingly welcomed him to the Taste of Country booth at the fair, even though we were in the studio.

Instead of laughing it off, Bryan took the question seriously. He looked up at the ceiling as if he were carefully considering his answer before finally sharing it.

The Two Things Luke Bryan Says Country Music Smells Like Are Hilarious

Luke Bryan’s answer?

“A perm at a hair salon and funnel cake.”

As funny as it sounds, he’s not entirely wrong. During country music’s golden era in the 1980s and ’90s, big, permed hair was everywhere, while funnel cake has become a staple of the fairs and festivals where country music thrives.

What is A Perm?

According to the all holy internet, a perm, short for “permanent wave,” is a chemical treatment that changes the natural texture of your hair by making it curly or wavy. The process uses chemicals and rods to reshape the hair, and the results can last for several months depending on your hair type and how fast it grows.

Getting a perm in a hair salon has a very distinct smell that some country fans might recognize from when they or their parents had one done back then, possibly while listening to “Friends In Low Places” in the salon while waiting for their hair to get done.

Read More: Country Music Festivals Scheduled for 2026 [Full List]

As far as funnel cakes, Bryan really nailed it with that one. Country music is known to have a fair season, which is in the summer. There are a lot of country shows booked at state and local fairs and when you go to a fair you can for sure always smell the funnel cakes cooking.

Bryan is certainly qualified to label what country music smells like as he has had a career in the industry that will likely take him all the way to the Country Music Hall of Fame.