Posted on 05/20/2006 11:44:36 AM PDT by West Coast Conservative
Disappointing airplay for the first two singles from the new album by the Dixie Chicks exposes a deep -- and seemingly growing -- rift between the trio and the country radio market that helped turn the group into superstars.
"Taking the Long Way," due out May 23, is the band's first album since singer Natalie Maines sparked a major controversy in 2003 by declaring that she was ashamed to hail from the same state as fellow Texan President George W. Bush. Radio boycotts ensued, and many fans abandoned the band.
The first single, "Not Ready to Make Nice," peaked at No. 36 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, beginning its descent after just seven weeks. The second single, "Everybody Knows," is now at No. 50, down two places in its fourth week.
"Not Ready to Make Nice" performed only slightly better at adult contemporary radio, peaking at No. 32 on the AC chart and falling off after six weeks.
From the beginning of the album rollout, the Dixie Chicks were eager that their songs be worked to radio formats beyond country. The album was produced by rock veteran Rick Rubin, whose credits include the Red Hot Chili Peppers, System of a Down and Johnny Cash.
By picking the defiant "Not Ready" as the first single, they've reopened a wound that was particularly deep for country radio fans, and left many country programmers with the burning question: Why on earth would the band choose to do this?
After hearing the album, WKIS Miami program director Bob Barnett says he was "excited about the opportunity to introduce some great Chicks music to the listeners." But the group's decision to come with "Not Ready" as the lead single left him "stunned, especially in light of the fact that, when asked, programmers and consultants that listened to the project were virtually unanimous in saying we should put the politics behind us and concentrate on all this other great music we were hearing."
KUBL/KKAT Salt Lake City PD Ed Hill criticizes the song's "self-indulgent and selfish lyrics."
Barnett played the song for a week, but pulled it after listeners called to say it sounded like the Chicks were "gloating" or "rubbing our noses in it," he reports. "We didn't need to pick at the scab any longer."
He and other country programmers were upset that the group chose to launch its new album with a single that rehashed all the angst of three years ago.
The two singles have had a striking lack of impact at radio, considering the band's history. Between 1997 and 2003, it notched 14 top 10 country singles, including six No. 1 hits. In addition to eight Grammy Awards, the group has won 10 Country Music Assn. Awards and eight Academy of Country Music Awards. The trio has sold 23.4 million albums in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
The Dixie Chicks and reps from their label, Columbia Records, declined to participate in this story. But -- at least as far as Maines is concerned -- the drop-off at country radio was part of its plan.
Maines was quoted in late January on entertainmentweekly.com, before the single went to country radio, saying: "For me to be in country music to begin with was not who I was ... I would be cheating myself ... to go back to something that I don't wholeheartedly believe in. So I'm pretty much done. They've shown their true colors. I like lots of country music, but as far as the industry and everything that happened ... I couldn't want to be farther away from that."
Maines also said, "I don't want people to think that me not wanting to be part of country music is any sort of revenge. It is not. It is totally me being who I am, and not wanting to compromise myself and hate my life."
At KNCI Sacramento, Calif., the Chicks' music weathered the 2003 controversy only to be pulled as a result of Maines' new Entertainment Weekly comments, coupled with poor scores in local music tests.
"When an artist says that they don't want to be a part of that industry, it made our decision a no-brainer," program director Mark Evans says. "There are too many talented new artists dying to have a song played on country radio, so I'd rather give one of them a shot."
I remember him saying that. All the fireworks, flying on wires over the crowd, having the crowd sing half the song...all lifted out of arena rock.
huh. Exactly. Red, White & Blue.
That is what you posted indicating the Chixy Dicks were patriotic. I added "NOT" to indicate that I don't think they are. Is that really so hard to understand?
I didn't get the point that it was their fans that showed their true colors so I owe BR an apology. Here it is, sorry I misread your post.
I didn't say frisbees
Goota rred the second line.
Move over Indigo Girls. This girl-like cause-head homeless band looks to be the next icon with the comfortable shoes brigade.
An apology? On a Dixie Chicks thread? You kiddin' me?
(much appreciated but not necessary :-) )
Yeah, I should have responded to the person you responded to. In the end, it all doesn't matter. :-)
Thanks, Peg. :)
I was wrong about Nat's husband playing on Crossing Jordan. I had read it in a MB post somewhere. That's what I get for relying upon hearsay info with no corroboration!
I don't usually do that, but I wasn't interested enough at the time to follow up on it.
I had never heard of Pasdar, until now and I don't remember seeing him before I went to the site that you and another person on this thread provided. That could be because I don't watch a lot of t.v. or movies anymore...read a lot. I'll take your word about his work. :)
Ah yes, you fell for pre-nasal reconstruction Ronstadt.
Cocaine and Jerry Brown will do that to you, let alone liberalism.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12900709/
Dixie Chick: Bush owed ‘no respect whatsoever’
Maines takes back apology for ’03 remarks she made about president
Evan Vucci / AP
The Dixie Chicks' Natalie Maines apologized for disrespecting President Bush during a London concert in 2003. But now, she's taking it back. "I don't feel that way anymore," she said. "I don't feel he is owed any respect whatsoever."
=======
Perhaps if Nat had been as unambiguous about that "apology" as she has been about "taking it back", she would find more people willing to believe her, or give her the benefit of the doubt, about ANYTHING she has to say these days.
I think she'll find that while she was talking about "moving on", her former fans have actually done it.
The post was accurate in that when a performer starts speaking liberal, he loses some of his country audience. That was all I was saying about Tim. I said "Let's see" about McGraw. Everyone's gotta stop being so defensive around here.
Your right. I reread the treads and see that you are correct. You are right about him probably not running for office. It should be an interesting election cycle. Take care.
Hix Nix Chix Lix
>>>Not Ready to Make Nice>>>
So after all that's happened, all they've said about THEIR fans, they come out with a single called "Not Ready to Make Nice" and they are perplexed as to why it didn't do well?
Idiots
Its viacom, what do you think? LOL~
http://www.mediabase.com/mmrweb/AllAccess/Details.asp?sngcde=DIXINRTM
Their last album was Top Of The World. It was released on 11/04 right before Christmas. It has yet to sell a million copies. HOME was the album before that. It was certified @ 6million "shipped" the week following the "incident" it has yet to sell another million copies.
OK, I'll take your word for it. The bottom line is these girls are done, at least for now. Are they doing a tour? That will be interesting.
I know Natalie Maines, and she is a *&^%$, She hates her home town of Lubbock Tx and their new song on their new cd is about hicks in small towns in America and who biased we are etc etc... and our churches on every corner.
She is what you see... plus abot 100 times worse.
Actually, they're starting their tour next month. It's a big one. Hmmm...since they've insulted their audience, whose gonna go?
Leftist will EMBRACE them with open arms. Natalie Maines is being used and she is too stupid to know it.
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