Unholyalliance said:

JoeTyler said:

Garth Brooks was the first country superstar. He sold 35.000.000 records outside the US in less than 2 years...

and I still don't know why

How is that possible?! The RIAA has him at 128 million in shipments in the US, but his second biggest market outside of the US is Canada and then Ireland, and then other parts of Europe. That number doesn't seem to make sense to me...

IKR!? And Canada is a part of North America along with the U.S.

JoeTyler said:

Really. Why? Why is this guy one the best selling artists of all time???

I know that country is a successful genre in the USA, but I've recently heard the Greatest Hits of this guy, and beyond Ain't Goin' Down and Thunder Rolls, the rest of the songs are very generic, uninspired or just BLAND. I was looking for real, timeless country-rock hits but I only found CRAP

why was this guy so popular back in the day (89-94)?????

jezz, I really need to listen to some Johnny Cash now, or I'll die...

You just described middle America, does that answer your question?

Harlepolis said:

JoeTyler said:

Really. Why? Why is this guy one the best selling artists of all time???

I know that country is a successful genre in the USA, but I've recently heard the Greatest Hits of this guy, and beyond Ain't Goin' Down and Thunder Rolls, the rest of the songs are very generic, uninspired or just BLAND. I was looking for real, timeless country-rock hits but I only found CRAP

why was this guy so popular back in the day (89-94)?????

jezz, I really need to listen to some Johnny Cash now, or I'll die...

You just described middle America, does that answer your question?

Is that why the so-called America's Funniest Home Videos been on the air 20 years?

JoeTyler said:

Really. Why? Why is this guy one the best selling artists of all time???

I know that country is a successful genre in the USA, but I've recently heard the Greatest Hits of this guy, and beyond Ain't Goin' Down and Thunder Rolls, the rest of the songs are very generic, uninspired or just BLAND. I was looking for real, timeless country-rock hits but I only found CRAP

why was this guy so popular back in the day (89-94)?????

jezz, I really need to listen to some Johnny Cash now, or I'll die...

Did you listen to this one:

[img:$uid]http://img.maniadb.com/images/album/112/112589_1_f.jpg[/img:$uid]

or this one?

[img:$uid]http://www.freecodesource.com/album-cover/51-2WruslOL/Garth-Brooks-The-Ultimate-Hits.jpg[/img:$uid]

Basically I'm wondering if you listened to one hour or two hours of Garth Brooks.

The Ultimate Hits was a pretty good value. I remember buying that as a Father's Day gift for around fifteen bucks. Two discs plus a dvd, pretty good value (assuming you like the content).

Lord, I read the thread title wrong. I thought you were talking about Girth Brooks, the sexy hairy porn star with a greaaaat big ole hairy dick.

vainandy said:

Lord, I read the thread title wrong. I thought you were talking about Girth Brooks, the sexy hairy porn star with a greaaaat big ole hairy dick.

rialb said:

[img:$uid]http://www.freecodesource.com/album-cover/51-2WruslOL/Garth-Brooks-The-Ultimate-Hits.jpg[/img:$uid]

DAMN, he looks sexy in that picture! He could hang his hat on my headboard and park his boots under my bed ANY time! Make me wanna move into a trailer honey!

vainandy said:

rialb said:

[img:$uid]http://www.freecodesource.com/album-cover/51-2WruslOL/Garth-Brooks-The-Ultimate-Hits.jpg[/img:$uid]

DAMN, he looks sexy in that picture! He could hang his hat on my headboard and park his boots under my bed ANY time! Make me wanna move into a trailer honey!

Timmy84 said:

vainandy said:

DAMN, he looks sexy in that picture! He could hang his hat on my headboard and park his boots under my bed ANY time! Make me wanna move into a trailer honey!

If the trailer's a'rockin', don't come a knockin'!

vainandy said:

Timmy84 said:

If the trailer's a'rockin', don't come a knockin'!

I have to admit, I loved him as Chris Gaines. I knew OF him before that, but didn't pay attention until the Gaines thing. I kind of liked a few songs from the album. I still listen to them. I always assumed he was so popular because of the Country Music craze of the 90s. I can remember the line dance tapes, the shoes, those er...necktie thingies....and the Country Music Channel with the line dance hour.

People who like that genre just like him, I guess. Meh.

vainandy said:

Lord, I read the thread title wrong. I thought you were talking about Girth Brooks, the sexy hairy porn star with a greaaaat big ole hairy dick.

Garth's "girth" ain't too shabby either

JoeTyler said:

MickyDolenz said:

Country never went out of style, so there wasn't any revival. For the most part, the main audience for country has always been separate from the mainstream pop audience. In the 1980's acts like Alabama, The Oak Ridge Boys, The Judds, Randy Travis, George Strait, Kenny Rogers, Reba McEntire, etc. were all popular before Garth, Shania Twain, or Brooks & Dunn.

Garth Brooks was the first country superstar. He sold 35.000.000 records outside the US in less than 2 years...

and I still don't know why

I thought Kenny Rogers or Elvis would fall into that category.

I think Garth just came along at the right time and the record company found a good marketing plan. He had the personality to appeal to the masses (unlike a lot of his peers like George Strait). The songs that he recorded were a perfect fit for him. He was just the perfect act at the right time.

runphilrun said:

Timmy84 said:

MAN the fallout from that was so hilarious! I'm still mad VH-1 actually did a mockumentary on "Chris Gaines"!

I think it was Garth's attempt or maybe the record company's idea for Garth to be Prince like, which failed miserably, not the music per-se, but his hard-core Country fans who were left scratching their heads and saying WTF is this shit ?

I don't think it was to be Prince-like. I think it was his attempt to get that cross-over money. He wanted to be pop and AC radio and not just country.

I hold Garth Brooks responsible for the destruction of what was country music. That bastard turned real country into to the pop/rock crap that is played on "country" stations today.

lazycrockett said:

I hold Garth Brooks responsible for the destruction of what was country music. That bastard turned real country into to the pop/rock crap that is played on "country" stations today.

Shania Twain and Mutt Lange also played a part in it as well.

lazycrockett said:

I hold Garth Brooks responsible for the destruction of what was country music. That bastard turned real country into to the pop/rock crap that is played on "country" stations today.

Eh, Garth was only giving the people what they wanted. Blame the millions of consumers that bought his albums. Also, country music in the '80s, pre Garth, was well on it's way to the watered down pop sound that we got in the '90s. The kind of country music that Kenny Rogers made popular in the '80s was far from traditional and had a lot of pop in it.

Garth was only a symptom, he wasn't the disease.

rialb said:

lazycrockett said:

I hold Garth Brooks responsible for the destruction of what was country music. That bastard turned real country into to the pop/rock crap that is played on "country" stations today.

Eh, Garth was only giving the people what they wanted. Blame the millions of consumers that bought his albums. Also, country music in the '80s, pre Garth, was well on it's way to the watered down pop sound that we got in the '90s. The kind of country music that Kenny Rogers made popular in the '80s was far from traditional and had a lot of pop in it.

Garth was only a symptom, he wasn't the disease.

Right.

It was catchy to them so they came in droves to get it and yeah Kenny was definitely doing that. Him and Dolly lol

daPrettyman said:

JoeTyler said:

Garth Brooks was the first country superstar. He sold 35.000.000 records outside the US in less than 2 years...

and I still don't know why

I thought Kenny Rogers or Elvis would fall into that category.

I think it was more Hank Williams Sr, Hank Snow, or maybe Flatt & Scruggs. F&S even had the theme to the Beverly Hillbillies. Elvis made some country records but not strictly a country singer, just like he's not considered a gospel singer although he recorded it.

MickyDolenz said:

daPrettyman said:

I thought Kenny Rogers or Elvis would fall into that category.

I think it was more Hank Williams Sr, Hank Snow, or maybe Flatt & Scruggs. F&S even had the theme to the Beverly Hillbillies. Elvis made some country records but not strictly a country singer, just like he's not considered a gospel singer although he recorded it.

Elvis was rockabilly with country, gospel and R&B influences. Hank Williams was kinda like Mahalia Jackson: the first superstar of their respective genres.

[Edited 5/18/11 19:09pm]

I understand that he built a really strong live reputation.

I've never heard a song of his on the radio. I've never seen a video. I couldn't name you a song. I think there's about 15-20 million people in middle America who have gone out and bought every one of his records because he is invisible everywhere else.

JoeTyler said:

Really. Why? Why is this guy one the best selling artists of all time???

I know that country is a successful genre in the USA, but I've recently heard the Greatest Hits of this guy, and beyond Ain't Goin' Down and Thunder Rolls, the rest of the songs are very generic, uninspired or just BLAND. I was looking for real, timeless country-rock hits but I only found CRAP

why was this guy so popular back in the day (89-94)?????

jezz, I really need to listen to some Johnny Cash now, or I'll die...

Garth Brooks is credited AND blamed for giving country the contemporary pop sound, but at the expense of surpassing traditional country in popularity.

Everytime you listen to Shania Twain, Faith Hill, Taylor Swift, Big & Rich, OR Lady Antebellum, blame Garth Brooks!

TonyVanDam said:

JoeTyler said:

Really. Why? Why is this guy one the best selling artists of all time???

I know that country is a successful genre in the USA, but I've recently heard the Greatest Hits of this guy, and beyond Ain't Goin' Down and Thunder Rolls, the rest of the songs are very generic, uninspired or just BLAND. I was looking for real, timeless country-rock hits but I only found CRAP

why was this guy so popular back in the day (89-94)?????

jezz, I really need to listen to some Johnny Cash now, or I'll die...

Garth Brooks is credited AND blamed for giving country the contemporary pop sound, but at the expense of surpassing traditional country in popularity.

Everytime you listen to Shania Twain, Faith Hill, Taylor Swift, Big & Rich, OR Lady Antebellum, blame Garth Brooks!

I love Shania Twain though, she's the only interesting person out of that whole bunch you named.

daPrettyman said:

JoeTyler said:

Garth Brooks was the first country superstar. He sold 35.000.000 records outside the US in less than 2 years...

and I still don't know why

I thought Kenny Rogers or Elvis would fall into that category.

I think Garth just came along at the right time and the record company found a good marketing plan. He had the personality to appeal to the masses (unlike a lot of his peers like George Strait). The songs that he recorded were a perfect fit for him. He was just the perfect act at the right time.

But even some of Kenny Rogers' greatest hits that crossover to Top 40 pop radio still had that traditional country sound. By 21st century standard, Kenny is more old-school than Garth.

Timmy84 said:

lazycrockett said:

I hold Garth Brooks responsible for the destruction of what was country music. That bastard turned real country into to the pop/rock crap that is played on "country" stations today.

Shania Twain and Mutt Lange also played a part in it as well.

Shania was definitely the female Garth Brooks.

Harlepolis said:

TonyVanDam said:

Garth Brooks is credited AND blamed for giving country the contemporary pop sound, but at the expense of surpassing traditional country in popularity.

Everytime you listen to Shania Twain, Faith Hill, Taylor Swift, Big & Rich, OR Lady Antebellum, blame Garth Brooks!

I love Shania Twain though, she's the only interesting person out of that whole bunch you named.

I love Shania Twain as well, but mostly for other reasons besides her music!

[img:$uid]http://www.theplace2.ru/archive/shania_twain/img/Shania%20Twain33.jpg[/img:$uid]

TonyVanDam said:

daPrettyman said:

I thought Kenny Rogers or Elvis would fall into that category.

I think Garth just came along at the right time and the record company found a good marketing plan. He had the personality to appeal to the masses (unlike a lot of his peers like George Strait). The songs that he recorded were a perfect fit for him. He was just the perfect act at the right time.

But even some of Kenny Rogers' greatest hits that crossover to Top 40 pop radio still had that traditional country sound. By 21st century standard, Kenny is more old-school than Garth.

A lot of the pop/rock acts of the 1970s would combine country in their sound such as The Allman Brothers, The Eagles, and Linda Rondstadt so the lines were really blurred back then but it seemed more like the pop/rock world trying to combine country with their pop/rock rather than the country world trying to combine pop/rock in their country. And then after disco's "death", remember a lot of white people wanted to get as far away from "black" as they could so naturally some of the country acts were making the pop charts in the early 1980s.

But by the mid 1980s when new wave, punk rock, heavy metal, etc. started taking over pop/rock radio, country had become shunned by a lot of white people and was considered their "parent's music". You didn't see too many young white people during that era openly listening to country and the ones that did were labeled hillbillies and rednecks and a lot of them were. But then again, a lot of those head bangers were rednecks too. Anyway, when the 1990s came along, it seemed a lot of country acts were trying to get on pop radio because country had become "uncool". That's the difference between the 1990s country acts who intentionally tried to get on pop radio as opposed to the early 1980s ones who just happened to make it to pop radio because people were trying to get as far away from disco as possible.

TonyVanDam said:

Timmy84 said:

Shania Twain and Mutt Lange also played a part in it as well.

Shania was definitely the female Garth Brooks.

yeah, but she was better, for several reasons:

a) BETTER singles (real hits)

b) less albums (Garth releasing a new album every 10 months in the early-90s was just overkill)

c) better ass lol

vainandy said:

TonyVanDam said:

But even some of Kenny Rogers' greatest hits that crossover to Top 40 pop radio still had that traditional country sound. By 21st century standard, Kenny is more old-school than Garth.

A lot of the pop/rock acts of the 1970s would combine country in their sound such as The Allman Brothers, The Eagles, and Linda Rondstadt so the lines were really blurred back then but it seemed more like the pop/rock world trying to combine country with their pop/rock rather than the country world trying to combine pop/rock in their country. And then after disco's "death", remember a lot of white people wanted to get as far away from "black" as they could so naturally some of the country acts were making the pop charts in the early 1980s.

But by the mid 1980s when new wave, punk rock, heavy metal, etc. started taking over pop/rock radio, country had become shunned by a lot of white people and was considered their "parent's music". You didn't see too many young white people during that era openly listening to country and the ones that did were labeled hillbillies and rednecks and a lot of them were. But then again, a lot of those head bangers were rednecks too. Anyway, when the 1990s came along, it seemed a lot of country acts were trying to get on pop radio because country had become "uncool". That's the difference between the 1990s country acts who intentionally tried to get on pop radio as opposed to the early 1980s ones who just happened to make it to pop radio because people were trying to get as far away from disco as possible.

Good point

Also, in the late-80's, you already have what I called the "two different kinds of country": traditional, badass (Dwight Yoakam and Lucinda Williams years later) and bland/pop (Garth, Alan Jackson, Cyrus the Virus, etc)

I mean, anyone who loves/respect Hank Williams/Johnny Cash surely has some Yoakam/Williams albums in tha house as well...