"Tough," the new collaboration by Quavo and Lana Del Rey, crystallizes this genre-blurring moment in the music marketplace.

Much as we've seen Post Malone and Beyoncé embrace country, Morgan Wallen record with Moneybagg Yo and Lil Durk, and Jelly Roll and HARDY go rock, among various other stylistic pivots, this Lana/Quavo duet (Capitol/Interscope/Polydor) underscores the freedom artists feel nowadays to leave "format" in the dust.

What's more, as country, Americana, folk and other related forms exert an outsize influence on the popular imagination, we've witnessed a resurgence of rootsy, story-driven songwriting.

The writers credited on "Tough" are a large, diverse and fascinating bunch: Lana, Quavo, Jack Antonoff, Andrew Watt (who co-produced the track with Cirkut), Clayton Johnson, Nick Bailey, Josh Dorr, Benny Negrin, Jaxson Free, Elysse Jane Yulo, Henry Walter and 14-year-old recent Warner Chappell signing Maddox Batson, who has lately been pursued by multiple suitors for an artist deal that's said to be nearing its final stages.