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Dixie Chicks don't stick at country radio
Reuters ^ | May 19, 2006 | Phyllis Stark

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."


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: antibush; bush; bushhaters; chicks; chikenfeed; chixiedicks; countrymusic; ditzychicks; dixie; dixiechicks; dumbchicks; failures; fataliemaines; flimsypricks; hixnixchixlix; hollywood; liberalidiots; lobotomy; maines; media; moonbats; music; natalie; nataliemaines; neverheardofthem; notready; notreadyeither; openmouthinsertfoot; radio; selfdestructocrat; sourgrapes; suicidal
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To: JFC

How do you know her? Just from seeing her in town or do you really know her?


281 posted on 05/22/2006 9:28:18 AM PDT by Hildy
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To: tongue-tied

When the incident first occured, Bruce Robison who is married to Emily Robison (the wall eye chick), also a country entertainer, hada message up on his website saying that he didnt agree with Natalie. It was up for about 3 days, maybe a week, and was taken down never to return. Since then they claim they agree with natalie.


282 posted on 05/22/2006 9:29:21 AM PDT by beansox
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To: West Coast Conservative
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."

You mean being two Snickers bars short of a managership at Lane Bryant?

283 posted on 05/22/2006 9:30:16 AM PDT by Ignatz (Freeper cyborg: "The lay teachers could not make hands of some girls.")
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To: TET1968

I live in Lubbock Tx, home of Buddy Holly and Natalie Maines... and I can assure you...... there has never been hate for Buddy. His wife will not let us do anything with his name on it because she wants $$$$$$$$$$ and she and Nataile are 2 of a kind. Very Very few here like the chicks. She has burned her last bridge here and she knows it.


284 posted on 05/22/2006 9:30:46 AM PDT by JFC (W, I am with YA)
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To: Hildy

They are kicking their tour off in England @ Bush Shepards Garden, its where Natalie bashed the POTUS 3 years ago.


285 posted on 05/22/2006 9:40:01 AM PDT by beansox
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To: beansox

How come I thought her remarks were made in Germany?


286 posted on 05/22/2006 9:43:02 AM PDT by Hildy
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To: Hildy

This is from the Times article


"
Band member Martie Maguire claims the controversy helped them weed out fans and connect with a smaller, more loyal, group of followers. She adds, "I'd rather have a small following of really cool people who get it, who will grow with us as we grow and are fans for life, than people that have us in their five-disc (CD) changer with Reba McEntire and Toby Keith. We don't want those kind of fans. They limit what you can do."




Reba is fricken Country Royalty and the chicks would serve themselves well to take a feather from her hat as she is one classy lady. To take a swipe at her and her fans shows just how bitter and vitriloic the chicks have become.


287 posted on 05/22/2006 9:50:16 AM PDT by beansox
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To: Hildy

How do you know her? Just from seeing her in town or do you really know her?

I know Natalie, she went to South Plains College for a time, most of her family still lives here. She worked at Orlandos here in Lubbock. I have known her for years. She is a spoiled brat!


288 posted on 05/22/2006 9:54:31 AM PDT by JFC (W, I am with YA)
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To: Hildy

R you Natalie Maines?


289 posted on 05/22/2006 9:56:11 AM PDT by JFC (W, I am with YA)
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To: JFC


They ought to make him a Saint.


290 posted on 05/22/2006 10:21:57 AM PDT by TET1968 (SI MINOR PLUS EST ERGO NIHIL SUNT OMNIA)
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To: JFC

What on Earth does that mean?


291 posted on 05/22/2006 11:31:02 AM PDT by Hildy
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To: beansox

So they have the luxury of "weeding out" their fans. Okay..


292 posted on 05/22/2006 11:37:23 AM PDT by pnz1
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To: JFC

She has fewer brain cells than most, I agree, but she felt the leftists were her market.


293 posted on 05/22/2006 5:06:59 PM PDT by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: RabidBartender

Pat Boone Says Maines' public disrespect helps bin Laden, president of Iran


Music legend Pat Boone is ripping into the Dixie Chicks for withdrawing their apology for a previous attack on President Bush. "I have four daughters, and I taught them to respect their elders, even if they weren't president of the United States," Boone told Fox News host Neil Cavuto today. "I think it's outrageous for any of these performers to be bashing our president the way they are."


294 posted on 05/22/2006 5:41:40 PM PDT by beansox
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
There is a difference- I would watch Mariah Carey read a phone book *sigh*


295 posted on 05/23/2006 10:53:30 AM PDT by Mr. K (Some days even my lucky rocketship underpants don't help...)
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To: Hildy

Do you think the sisters could ditch Natalie, say they're sorry and make a come back or do you think they're done too? The sisters have stood by Natalie, but it's clear Natalie is driving that train wreck.


296 posted on 05/25/2006 9:23:07 PM PDT by ark_girl
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To: ark_girl

well, since the sisters have said they stand by Natalie, I don't see that happening.


297 posted on 05/25/2006 9:24:37 PM PDT by Hildy ("Whenever someone smiles at me all I see is a chimpanzee begging for its life." - Dwight Schrute)
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To: ark_girl

well, since the sisters have said they stand by Natalie, I don't see that happening.


298 posted on 05/25/2006 9:24:40 PM PDT by Hildy ("Whenever someone smiles at me all I see is a chimpanzee begging for its life." - Dwight Schrute)
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To: Revolting cat!

Somebody needs to paste a "Free Duck" sign in that pic


299 posted on 05/25/2006 9:28:30 PM PDT by freedomlover (This tagline has been pulled - - - - OK?)
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To: Hildy

Yeah, but I also know that I sat and listened to the Athletic Director at the University of Arkansas profess his complete confidence in every coach he ever fired since I've been old enough to pay attention...right up until the day the deed was done. I've seen that happen multiple times.

Saying publicly that they agree with her and support her and actually believing what they're saying are two different things. If they were to go out and criticize Natalie publicly, she would probably quit. If she didn't quit, it would probably still make a bad working relationship.

They may totally agree with every word coming out of Natalie's mouth. But, if they don't, if they have two brain cells rolling around upstairs, they wouldn't say so publically until they're ready to ditch Natalie.

I guess time will tell. It's all hypothetical at this point.


300 posted on 05/25/2006 10:15:42 PM PDT by ark_girl
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