Posted on 03/25/2002 9:19:56 AM PST by southern rock
Thus, because of Crest Whitestrips and the machine behind them, not just country radio has changed; country music has changed, too. More than any other genre, country is a fine-tuned jingle. Most songs are written by a cadre of writers — some geniuses, most hacks — many of whom excel at finding universal emotions and translating them into greeting-card poesy. When it comes time for most stars to record a new album, they go shopping with their managers and record-label executives for hits. Thus, such artists are better able to roll with changes in taste, style and national mood. Ten years ago, Travis Tritt's biggest hit was "Here's a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)." More recently, his comeback hit was "It's a Great Day to Be Alive." Only those who don't listen to country radio still think the music is about beer and heartbreak. Today, the men are singing love songs and apologies to women while sassy women are singing about dissing the men.
Says it all. Not that I'm a fan of bluegrass, but I think they should bring back the booze and truck songs. Why aren't young men considered a target demographic for country music. It's kinda sad.
The ironic thing is the ignored music is better and it is actual country music.
The stuff on the radio isn't for the most part.
I'll keep listening to Jimmie Rodgers, Carter Family and Hank Williams. I've never been interested in modern country music much. But the old stuff is my favorite.
Unless the FCC has made it prohibitively expensive, it seems like the obvious choice.
Golden Age of Country had some great lyrics:
"When the phone don't ring you know is me".
The only genre that's close to true to the real roots of country is "alt.country". In my words, it's where R.E.M. meets Merle Haggard. There is tons of great country music out there; you just can't hear it on the radio.
Think about it. Last month, Waylon Jennings passed away. In tribute, the only songs our local schlock-country stations could find to play were "Mamas don't let your babies..." and the theme from "The Dukes of Hazzard." Sickening.
But true. When's the last time anybody's heard a Merle Haggard or Johnny Cash or Tom T. Hall song on the radio? It doesn't happen, and it's a damned disgrace. The fact is that today's "country" music is nothing but bubblegum pop with a steel guitar thrown in.
I think the best one-sentence summation of the state of country music was made by the greatest songwriter in America, Mr. Steve Earle: "Shania Twain is the highest-paid lap dancer in America."
'nuff said.
Have you heard Hank Williams, III? Sounds so much like his grandfather it's scary. Good, if not great, songwriter, too. I highly recommend his new album, "Lovesick, Broke and Driftin'".
And this is supposed to represent a change? Country music has always been a factory putting out slick songs performed by slick studio musicians with the spokesmodel/singer up front pretending to strum a guitar while wearing a big hat. The memorable talents--Hank, Willie, Merle--were exceptions, not the rule.
I also think it is a mistake to link bluegrass so directly with "country" music. It's rural, and has some similar themes, but bluegrass music is traditional music, with ties to celtic ballads, fiddle tunes--reels and hornpipes--and to folk songs at least as much as it has ties to country. Bluegrass puts a much greater stress on instrumentalism than country, which is primarily vocal. Bluegrass stresses 3 and 4 part harmonization whereas country typically features a lone vocalist. Bluegrass is acoustic music, wheras country is typified by electric sounds--reverbed vocals and pedal steel guitar. Bluegrass lives on standards. Country lives on hits.
Seems to me the comparison makes sense to an urban person, but to a music fan, I don't think the comparison is so apt. They both come from Nashville, but that is a recording and distribution matter, not a creative one. Just my opinion. I could be wrong.
Country Music TV (CMT) and local C&W stations seem inundated with Faith Hill and other girlie videos/music. In fact, it is so bad that one local station recently held a "Faith-Hill-free weekend" absent of all Faith Hill music.
If I had to guess, I'd say it's because men's buying decisions are less influenced by advertising, and/or men don't make as many buying decisions as women.
Of course there's another possibility. Commercial radio is all about getting advertisers to pay for commercial time. The music is just the bait to attract listeners to the commercials. I personally switch the station when commercials come on far more often than my wife. If that's a wider pattern among men, it could definitely make advertisers prefer to target female listeners.
I did. I heard Cocaine Blues.
I'm not much of a consumer though. I can't remember the last time I bought a new album.
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