http://www.bostonradiowatch.com(has link to video piece by WBZ-TV)"WKLB-FM/Country 99.5 so far is ignoring the first two singles from the Dixie Chicks' brand new CD "Taking the Long Way"...WKLB isn't even paying attention to their summer tour by omitting their July 29th stop at TD Banknorth Garden on its concert section of its website...First single, "Not Ready to Make Nice" which directly addresses the Bush situation, cracked the Billboard's Hot Country Top 100 at #36 in its first week of release but quickly dropped; the second single "Everybody Knows" is faring much worse at #48."General consensus: they've moved away from their country base, but pop/AC isn't embracing them either.
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Boston country radio sours on Chicks CD
- Thread starter racconradio
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M
mdnghtmike
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10-4 to that breakerracconradio said:
It is difficult to play an artist that doesn't want to be in the format anymore and has publically let it be known...so I think they're as done with country radio as much as country radio is done with them. Having said that, their album is sooo much better than what is out in country music right now even though its not an album that would appeal to the typical country music fan. The album pretty much is a complete work that is built out of the "incident" and is an angry defiant statement much along the lines of similar albums done in the past by pop and rock stars like Springsteen, Mellencamp, Neil Young, etc. The songs for the most part SOUND like they belong on country radio, but lyrically they're pop songs decidedly not aimed at country audiences except for bashing them. I do think its too early to tell if they'll get success with pop/rock audiences because they haven't really worked the songs to pop radio yet (and there are cuts I can certainly hear on pop radio like "I Like It" and "I Hope"). Keep in mind, it can take a lot longer to break an act on pop radio with artists like Los Lonely Boys and Norah Jones getting airplay nearly a year after releasing their albums, simply getting radio support gained through strong critical and word of mouth support.One of the things that country radio will have to deal with is that any sort of publicity the Dixie Chicks receive from the mainstream media will likely focus on the controversy in such a way as to be slanted against country radio for the "boycott". I don't think it'll be a big problem, but it is something to be aware of.
That may be the radio station owners' consensus, but CD sales aren't reflecting it.From http://billboard.com/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002610727 (Billboard):racconradio said:
B
Bear the other white meat
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Yeah, I bought one too. I agree that musical artists should stick a sock in it when it comes to politics. And yes, that works both ways. I really don't need Toby Keith or Naomi Judd telling me how wonderful Mr Bush is. I've got a brain and I read the paper and watch the news. I can make my own call on the current political climate. I don't need any music star or any actor telling me their opinion of what's going on in Washington. Just shut the hell up and make music or shoot a film.The Chicks should have said nothing. A couple of country programmers I know were seriously thinking of adding the second single. (Both were cold on the first release). One top 20 market guy was considering putting two older hits back in rotation.Having their album go number one on the country charts proves they can sell without radio airplay. And tickets to some of their fall concerts went on sale today. Maybe, just maybe, they really don't need radio now in their career. And that says alot about the state radio is in today.
I agree with Bear, Some of the musicians can get very political at times and the image that sells the cds is broken for the listener and sales tank like the chicks did.I haven't bought a chicks CD (even though I do like thier "Home" cd and Natalie's work in the Texas music scene backing artists like Charlie Robinson)... there music is good and I think that is what sold this run of cds. MD's would be shooting themselves to play the first single (espcially if people would actually listen to the lyrics and find out she is actually replying three years after the fact to the CD burning and such).. haven't heard the second one but I bet it's gonna get better airplay but how much, I think it's gonna be like the Bon Jovi song.. a few maverics put it in rotation with everyone else watching.In my area, They are played on one station and shyed away currently on a few others (with one in Alexandria still toting the fact that the chicks are banned off the playlist)I think just give it sometime, and the chicks may not have a following like before but I think coutry will ultimately reembrase them but is gonna take many a year for itRFLA
In response to RFLA...If "Everybody Knows" (the current single) was the first single released off the new Chicks CD, it would've gotten played on country radio (and would've put the stations that openly "banned" the Chicks in an interesting situation)...and I don't think its one of the better songs on the CD. It is one of the songs on the CD that doesn't openly address the controversy although it does fit the general flow of the album which was inspired by "the incident". "Everybody Knows" sounds a bit like a poppier version of "Wide Open Spaces" and certainly would fit on country radio...one of the few cuts that would. I used to think that the Dixie Chicks would be back on country radio, but I don't think that's the case now...and I think it's as much their decision as it is ours. Part of the reason is that...at least as the songwriting goes...it's not a country album. It's a collection of thoughful, mature, introspective and angry pop songs dressed up with contemporary country instrumentation; although there are a couple of cuts (specifically "I Like It" with its electric guitar driven sound, hooky chord changes and Beatlesque harmonies) that have the potential to be huge hits on pop radio. I think the Chicks are trying to expand their audience and have used the controversy to distance themselves from country music (at least the most narrow-minded segment of it). Whether or not they can cultivate that pop audience remains to be seen, but I think they're more interested in creating art than selling albums and that's not a bad place for an artist to be.
yea they aint country..but what is on country radio?? anything?? country turned its back on george jones, loretta lynn, tanya tucker, johnny cash..they all released country music albums and radio wouldnt touch it. btw. i hear the chicks on the radio everday ...on xm radio that is!!RFLA said:
In response to Keith, I agree they are trying to move away from country or trying the country rock influences now... But in their native Texas, the Texas music scene that Natalie and all are a part of (Natalie with Dad Lloyd Maines,who is a major producer among other things in Texas and Emily Robison being married to Texas star Charlie Robison) is growing into a cool country rock and that is what their first single sounded like.. But they are staying out of the south apparently so far in their tours etc. So I don't know if they will get any footing in country radio again or not... But just being the chicks apparently got fans and Lillith fair type people to buy for sure)I am noticing however country music as of last 6 months or so is starting to shy away from the pop country , and going after the coutry rock feel of texas music and singer/songwriters that are embraced by that scene...Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert, van zant, Cross canadian ragweed,Jack ingram,Pat green and others have made the top 40 as of late.. something that 5 years I didn't think would happen. I was wondering what you think Keith...To respond to smashedcd.. yeah country radio did turn it's back in the late 80's early 90s when it tried to go after the "young country" scene.... But also the older artists wanted to be like the earleir artists who just made a few albums and sat back as radio played the hell out of them bringing in royalties... When they didn't relate to the new country , you had the situation that happened.. It happens in almost every format basically..One thing as of late is newer artists bringing in the older artists such as Gretchen did with Merle Haggard with "politically incorrect".. Something you don't normally see in the music business too often anymore (hell rap thought it was big when Eminem brought back Dr. Dre)... This is a way to get back and make new fans but I find most of the older artists don't want to do what is required to get back into the fame light again... Hince we have albums bought by older fans and played either obscurely by radio or on satillite where someone won't call and say get that old fart off the air...I think George Jones and Willie has done the best with keeping themselves revalent, but I find Willie has pretty much gone back to hiding in Texas however... Jones hasn't had anything out in a few years...And speaking of Loretta... Except for fans of hers and/or alt listeners, her base is gone now .. that's why she ain't on radio.. her voice is starting to crack and the last albumn Van Lear Rose, while it did have some good points, I think was too extreme for most country listeners, even classic country fans... I find a few of the older artists have gone is a alt-country way ....(Look at Johnny Cash being on alt rock stations instead of country as an example)Sorry, I like my new country and classics but as of late. Texas country has been keeping me going.... RFLA
To RFLA,I've been a big believer in the Texas scene making inroads on country radio and the recent success of Jack Ingram hitting #1 and Pat Green getting huge first week adds for his BNA debut bolsters the opinion I've had for the last few years that this is the next wave for the format. I consider artists like Pat Green and Jack Ingram as this generation's "outlaws" much as Waylon and Willie were in the 70s. They sound nothing like Waylon & Willie, but I think they posess the same sort of attitude. I'm all for the idea of jumping up the "hipness" factor for the format, which is something that the Dixie Chicks did for us prior to the incident. I think artists like Pat Green and Jack Ingram can certainly bring in new listeners. The Wreckers are another act that I think has that potential since Michelle Branch certainly has her audience. Gretchen Wilson certainly brought in some new fans with her first CD, but I thought she was starting to become a bit of a self-parody on her second CD and I'd like to see her get away from the "Redneck Woman" persona some on her next CD and give us some more depth to her talent. Country, like pop can get vanilla at times, so I like seeing some butter pecan or rocky road getting served up every now and then.
To Keith,You basically hit the nail on the head from what I've been thinking. Gretchen played up what won her the fans, that's why we had the trailer trash Diva persona when the 2nd cd hit... She's apparently a Firery woman... But I think some of the redneck Diva is being toned down and she's now being imaged as a woman who is very independant IMO.. Kind of the same thing espcially with some of the songs on the albumn.. but I find her videos aren't "look at me..I'm a trailer trash done good and having fun person"Yeah the Wreckers ain't from Texas but have an attitude in their music that would bode well I think with those of us into the texas outlaw scene....Now don't expect Hank III or Shooter to become mainstream just yet (that means you Smashedcd ;D ), But I do know some others have been trying to make inroads into the scene such as Wade Bowen (who co-wrote with Pat Green "don't break my heart again")There are a few that appeal to the youth in the area but I don't see them becoming widespread just yet... Like Jason Boland, randy Rogers Band etc. .. Some more polishing possibly, But I don't think some of the Texas artists would take to polishing their acts like say Pat Green did (and hopefully Cannonball is goign to be more pre Republic records Pat Green than the newer one (who used so much pop influences on his last 2 cds that they were cut out for the radio version)There is one on the radar that everyone is surprised hasn't moved up to the big times however , and if he could be persuaded, I would vote as the next in line to become national, and that would be Cory Morrow. He got the looks,playboy life style (even though a charge had his music carrier stalled for a while ) and is a great singer songwriter.But thanks for the feedback.. wanted to make sure it just wasn't me wishingTo smashed:
I find the MD and PD at KXKC Lafayette,La is a lot more daring to try new music than those at bigger market stations. That's why I find this station can be a guilty pleasure at times. RFLAsmashedcd said:
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