Two words: Country music.

Now, I know 99% of my friends on prince.org aren't country fans but it's not the fact that country music is pretty dang good that gives me hope.

No, it's these things:

1. Albums still exist as real things that are always anticipated by the fans
2. There are still country radio stations, and radio play is still the best way to break in. Country stations are extremely strong in every over-the-air market, and also on satellite radio
3. Musicianship - especially on guitar - is still valued and constantly on display. If you can play, you have more standing in the country music world
4. Same with singing. I am sure some artists get some help, but there's no auto-tune, etc. in country music. You've got to be able to carry a tune all by yourself to get noticed
5. Touring - Country acts tour very well, and always price their tickets well below what pop acts like Rhianna or Justin Beiber price at
6. Clever songwriting. It's still a craft in country music.

So there IS hope for the future.

Now, the questions are:

1. How can this environment be transferred back to rock, pop and R&B?
2. Why do country fans still embrace the more traditional ways of breaking in new artists and buying artist output?

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[Edited 7/26/13 10:31am]

RodeoSchro said:

3. Musicianship - especially on guitar - is still valued and constantly on display. If you can play, you have more standing in the country music world
4. Same with singing. I am sure some artists get some help, but there's no auto-tune, etc. in country music. You've got to be able to carry a tune all by yourself to get noticed

This is true, even if the chords and lyrics are simple.

I have to agree. Even though I'm not a country music fan, their songwriting and musicianship seems to be a cut above everyone else. When I see country acts perform on late night shows, I noticed confidence and polish in their performance that is lacking in other groups especially indie bands.

I find some of these newer performers are scatterbrained and wimpy in their approach. Frank Ocean is the perfect example of incomplete artist being shoved out into the mainstream before he was ready. They dont play that in country music.

[Edited 7/26/13 13:25pm]

I'm a fan of Frank Ocean, especially his writing. But I agree he's not a performer, at least not yet. He was shoved out into the mainstream because of the content, but once people realized the stage presence wasn't there the backlash began.

As for country, yeah aesthetically what you said is true. I mean look at even the youth centric Taylor Swift, another performer with zero stage presence. Say all you want, she can craft a story-filled, picturesque song. But it doesn't stop the genre from being hyper glossy, cliched and, well, corny.

CynicKill said:

I'm a fan of Frank Ocean, especially his writing. But I agree he's not a performer, at least not yet. He was shoved out into the mainstream because of the content, but once people realized the stage presence wasn't there the backlash began.

Perfect example.

I'm not a country fan or expert at all, but as it happens, I had the two Johnny Cash live CDs (San Quentin and Folsom Prison) on heavy rotation, just this weekend.

boy that shit ROCKS

[Edited 7/29/13 6:54am]

SuperSoulFighter said:

Okay, Rodeo (with a name like that it's not surprising that you like country!), what acts are worth getting into? Remember I'm from Holland and the genre is not big here.

The King of Country Music is George Strait. Pick any Strait greatest hits album (there are a lot of them, as he's had 50+ Number 1 hits). I'm partial to this one, since it has a great track list and also, it was recorded at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (which is what the "Rodeo" in my name refers to)!

http://en.wikipedia.org/w..._Astrodome

The next recommendation is Brad Paisley. He can play the guitar as well as anyone you will find. I mean, that guy ROCKS. I'd say start with this album:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hits_Alive

For old school country, it's hard to beat Merle Haggard. And, he also is an excellent guitarist. Try any greatest hits compilation.

Finally, two other current artists to explore are Tim McGraw and Keith Urban. McGraw's songs are endlessly entertaining. My favorite is "Live Like You Were Dying".

Urban is from Australia and is a flat-out killer on guitar.

Happy listening!

RodeoSchro said:

2. Why do country fans still embrace the more traditional ways of breaking in new artists and buying artist output?

Because 95% of country music fans are interbreeding hillbillies.

MattyJam said:

RodeoSchro said:

2. Why do country fans still embrace the more traditional ways of breaking in new artists and buying artist output?

Because 95% of country music fans are interbreeding hillbillies.

What kind of comment is this? You don't know everyone who listens to country, and making a stereotypical statement about Appalachian people is not right.

MattyJam said:

RodeoSchro said:

2. Why do country fans still embrace the more traditional ways of breaking in new artists and buying artist output?

Because 95% of country music fans are interbreeding hillbillies.

LOL, I figured at least one genius would answer that question that way.

Why Country Music Still Provides Hope?

Two Words.


Customer Service.


There is no part of the industry that does more outreach to its fanbase than the country music community.

In some ways country is not really any different than other popular music. The stations are owned by Clear Channel, and they don't tend to play new music by older acts like a Willie Nelson or Barbara Mandrell. They have more of a "pop country" playlist instead of traditional country.

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Country isn't the only music with traditional instruments, there's tejano, jazz, bossa nova, mariachi, and other styles. Tejano often has a tuba and accordion, which is traditional as you can get.

[Edited 7/30/13 10:39am]

i'm not a huge country music fan, but i confess i do like some of the songs i hear on the radio now and then. and there are some talented country music artist's out there for sure. i am open minded when it comes to music.

Just look to Adele's last album why did it sale so much? Because it was promoted a lot, she has a good voice, regardless that the music isn't ground breaking, there is little competition for quality singers/songs on the POP charts.
When Purple Rain the album was on the charts it's competition was Pointer Sisters: Break Out, Bruce Springsteen: Born in the USA, Huey Lewis & the news:Sports, Cyndi Lauper:She's So Unusual, Madonna: Like A Virgin, Tina Turner:Private Dancer, ZZtop: Eliminator,Culture Club:Colour by Numbers. Most of these albums where the biggest sellers of these artists careers.

True about promotion.

People forget the importance of radio in this digital age. Radio support is huge in aiding in pushing sales. If a record company has the funds to push a song to radio it can have a great impact.

Back in the bonanza days of the 90's promoters paid millions to push Outkast and Shania Twain to radio and it worked.

I predict the same thing will go for Gaga in August. Does anyone doubt "Artpop" will be huge?

MickyDolenz said:

Country isn't the only music with traditional instruments, there's tejano, jazz, bossa nova, mariachi, and other styles. Tejano often has a tuba and accordion, which is traditional as you can get.

The songwriting is weak, the lyrics laughable, and the singers all similar. It's no different than what some people say about the pop market.

RodeoSchro said:

MattyJam said:

Because 95% of country music fans are interbreeding hillbillies.

LOL, I figured at least one genius would answer that question that way.

It's not a lie either. Go to other countries and see how successful country is. It's big in the U.S. but not so big in other countries.

I agree it's a good example of how a music industry can function with an ear for quality control and respect for the audience.

My concern is when that "respect" for the audience turns to "pandering." I don't hear a lot of new country but what I do hear seems like it could have been popular in the Garth Brooks era.

It just doesn't seem to vary that much from audience expectations, for the most part. I don't hear a lot of moving forward, just people making the same kind of songs that were popular last year, or ten years ago.

That's fine if you like that kind of music but I can't say I do.

bobzilla77 said:

It just doesn't seem to vary that much from audience expectations, for the most part. I don't hear a lot of moving forward, just people making the same kind of songs that were popular last year, or ten years ago.

Some people look at music through a rock or dance music lens, where the music changes every so often. But not everyone is into change, they like their traditional ways, sort of like the Amish. When The Eagles released Long Road Out Of Eden in 2007, they hadn't really updated their sound and it was really popular with some of the country audience. The group even went on country programs to promote it. Crooner style singers like Johnny Mathis & Tony Bennett haven't changed their style that much over the years and they keep their audience. As far as country goes, look at the fashion style. It doesn't really change a lot either. With the cowboy hat, you can go all the way back to Gene Autry & Roy Rogers in the 1930's.

MattyJam said:

RodeoSchro said:

2. Why do country fans still embrace the more traditional ways of breaking in new artists and buying artist output?

Because 95% of country music fans are interbreeding hillbillies.

As a descendant of interbreeding hillbillies, I have to say--yeah. Wow. Clever.

Excerpts from the Wall Street Journal hick-hop article:

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That year, Wal-Mart started getting calls from stores across the Southeast from customers complaining that mud-themed music was only available online, said Tiffany Couch, sales director of Select-O-Hits, a division of closely held Anderson Merchandisers that Wal-Mart hires to supply its 4,000 Supercenter stores with CDs. Cautiously, she said, they began stocking several hundred Wal-Mart stores in the region with the music, waiting to make sure it sold before expanding to other locations.

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Big retailers like Wal-Mart have also become a way for artists to reach millions of listeners without radio or record-label deals. Wal-Mart, which accounts for about 10% of total music sales in the U.S., according to the market researcher NPD Group, has taken to buying music directly from musicians in recent years, selling millions of albums even as industrywide sales decline.

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To be sure, Wal-Mart's power in the music industry is fast diminishing as demand for physical CDs shrinks. But country fans have been far more reluctant than others to go digital. Big-box retailers account for about 50% of country-music sales, compared with 25% of music sales in all genres, according to Nielsen Entertainment analyst Dave Bakula.

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Wal-Mart has made a string of exclusive deals in recent years to release new works by aging superstars like the Eagles and Journey. For budding acts, the stores present a valuable opportunity to connect with millions of potential fans on a national scale.