Thoughts from inside my mind today: Damn tough being a country radio programmer who is interested in the format staying viable for years to come...when theres not much country to choose from right now. When country got too pop in the early 60s (Chet Atkins and his failed countrypolitan movement), it almost died. The Outlaws of the 70s (Waylon, Willie, Hank, Jr.) brought it back and saved it. When country got to schlocky pop in the 80s (think Lee Fing Greenwood) it almost died. The hat acts of the 90s, the neo-traditionalists (Clint Black, Alan Jackson, etc.) saved it again. And here we are...once again...at a major crossroads for country music. This crap (90% of what Ive listened to today among new releases) I have to choose from today is disposable. It has no shelf life. It is heartless and soulless. It is not country, its not really anything other than make-some-bucks-quick pop. Every song falls back on trucks, drinks, and moonlight. Every video is a party somewhere, from a beach to a bar to the inside of a freakin semi trailer. Every chorus is 3rd grade-level reading comprehension. For every talented act writing interesting thoughtful music (Little Big Town), there are 13 pop acts trying to make a quick buck. For every single released that strips the instrumentation down to its raw minimum for maximum effect (Jennifer Nettles) theres 17 over-produced, slick sounding pop songs pretending to be country by adding a banjo track. Its time for a change. A big one. Yeah, the 20-somethings may like it right now, but todays top songs will be looked at in two years like Achy Breaky Heart, and just laughed at. Thats not a way to save a genre. That is my essay for today. Im in the minority among country programmers, btw. But Im used to it.
Posted on: Sun, 16 Mar 2014 16:12:41 +0000
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