Country Pop

[butlerguy03]

With much of the top country songs very pop/pop-rock sounding, what is keeping 2nd country stations in major markets from adding the likes of Daughtry, Maroon 5, The Script, Train, Nickelback, Sara Bareilles, etc etc? Seems like a HotAC/Hot Country sound would do well against a "twangy" outlet.

Just an idea off the top of my head this afternoon. Imagine a hour with these songs (think 18-45 Female!):


Sarah McLachlan "I Will Remember You"
Jason Aldean "Crazy Town"
Taylor Swift "You Belong With Me"
Daughtry "Life After You"
Dixie Chicks "Landslide"
Zac Brown Band "Free"
Faith Hill "Breathe"
Jack Johnson "You And Your Heart"
Jessie James "Boys In The Summer"
Lady Antebellum "I Run To You"
OneRepublic "Secrets"
Carrie Underwood "Undo It"
Hootie & The Blowfish "Hold My Hand"
Maroon 5 "Misery"
Kenny Chesney "Summertime"
Rascal Flatts "Unstopable"

of course this playlist could get a rock edge too by adding a few alt artists.

 

[sdh483]

???yuck.

 

[RFLA]

With the exception of 4 of them, most are already rotated on Hot A/C stations

I'd expect the Carrie Underwood song to be redone for pop radio after it's run on country radio, I'm surprised Rascall Flatts hasn't crossed more than it has (with only 1 song if I remember) , Zac Brown and Jason Aldean are worried more about their core listeners at country I find.

 

[TheBigA]

With much of the top country songs very pop/pop-rock sounding, what is keeping 2nd country stations in major markets from adding the likes of Daughtry, Maroon 5, The Script, Train, Nickelback, Sara Bareilles, etc etc? Seems like a HotAC/Hot Country sound would do well against a "twangy" outlet.

The "second country station" dreams of becoming the first country station. The way to do that is stick with what wins, not divide the brand. So you end up with two stations basically playing th same songs, although in different rotations. I saw a study yesterday that had one country station leaning more male, while the other leaned more female. But the station that was more female was #1.

However, in markets where there is NO country station, like New York, or where there's a weak country presence, like San Francisco, it's common for the Hot AC station to mix in some of the poppier country, like Taylor, Keith, Flatts, and Underwood. Maybe a track every hour or two.

But the country brand is pretty hard and tight. It's not just a format, but a lifestyle. Some of the acts you list might fit the format, but not the lifestyle. Train is attempting to get some country airplay, and they might make it work. The real problem in country is there are too many artists working the format exclusively for programmers to feel the need to look outside.