Country Radio Attacked Again

[TheBigA]

It's been a long-held belief that adult females who listen to country music outwardly prefer listening to male country artists.

And it's not necessarily because of the music. I sat next to a woman at a country concert. We were both in the first row. She was using a set of binoculars to watch the show. I asked her why, and she said, "So I can see his butt."

Discussing race and gender when it relates to country music is the third rail for the music industry, but an opportunity for others looking to publically pick a fight.

That's my point. These Canadian researchers are doing this to get attention. Not to change the world. Because truthfully, we don't care what they think. If they want to be scientific, they can compare country to other genres. But they want to cause a stir.

 

[CTListener]

And it's not necessarily because of the music. I sat next to a woman at a country concert. We were both in the first row. She was using a set of binoculars to watch the show. I asked her why, and she said, "So I can see his butt."

Binoculars? Not a Jelly Roll or Luke Combs show, I take it?

 

[TheBigA]

Binoculars? Not a Jelly Roll or Luke Combs show, I take it?

Nope.

 

[Cold Coffee]

The only musical genre that lacks women and racial minorities is called Classic Rock.

 

[boombox4]

The only musical genre that lacks women and racial minorities is called Classic Rock.

Hendrix? Soundgarden (Kim Thayil, Hiro Yamamoto)? GNR (Slash is multiracial)? Living Color? Lenny Kravitz? Fleetwood Mac (two women)? Heart (two women)? There are a few. Not many, though.

 

[CTListener]

Hendrix? Soundgarden (Kim Thayil, Hiro Yamamoto)? GNR (Slash is multiracial)? Living Color? Lenny Kravitz? Fleetwood Mac (two women)? Heart (two women)? There are a few. Not many, though.

A lack and a total absence are not necessarily the same. The definition of the word is "the state of being without or not having enough of something." So "a few. Not man, though." is essentially agreeing with Flying Dutchman.

 

[DavidEduardo]

Was the "no two women back to back" rule in effect when the Billboard top 5 was all-female for one week back in 1980? And note the amazing variety in those five songs, from pop to traditional.

On This Day: 5 Female Artists Dominate the Top 5 on the Billboard Hot Country Chart in 1980

Five female country stars dominated the Top 5 spots on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart on April 19, 1980.

www.outsider.com

First, at that time. Billboard and charts were not even used or viewed by most major stations.

And then, stations don’t have ranked play positions… just equal rotation categories. So those five were mixed with 20 or 25 other currents as well as recurrents and gold.

 

[DavidEduardo]

The only musical genre that lacks women and racial minorities is called Classic Rock.

You don’t have to go far to find more… Regional Mexican, Salsa, Vallenato. Few women, and all Hispanic.

 

[boombox4]

A lack and a total absence are not necessarily the same. The definition of the word is "the state of being without or not having enough of something." So "a few. Not man, though." is essentially agreeing with Flying Dutchman.

I don't see where it's pertinent in the big picture, though. I mean, unless there is some concerted effort by radio or record companies to keep women and other ethnicities from being heard on the air, it's just a matter of who decides to make the music, vs. who the listeners want to hear.

As for "lack", the use of the word is dependent on the person using it. What determines "lack" is always variable. At exactly what percentage is a "lack" not a "lack anymore? Even the definition you referenced doesn't address that.

All that said, sure, people will attack country music. It's been attacked for decades. Their audiences, too. After reading the article, it sounds like the writers expect there to be closer to 50/50 female Country artists heard on the radio, all done by some sort of government fiat. Because that's what it would take to get Country music (or any other format), to split down the middle the way the article writers seem to intend.

There would have to be some sort of quota enforced on the Country radio marketplace. In other words, never gonna happen.

 

[TheBigA]

I mean, unless there is some concerted effort by radio or record companies to keep women and other ethnicities from being heard on the air, it's just a matter of who decides to make the music, vs. who the listeners want to hear.

That's the accusation by these researchers. That it is a "concerted effort." They believe the listeners want to hear a 50/50 mix.

After reading the article, it sounds like the writers expect there to be closer to 50/50 female Country artists heard on the radio, all done by some sort of government fiat.

The two researchers are Canadian, and in Canada, there are government-imposed quotas on the number of Canadian artists radio stations must play. So they have experience with that kind of system.

Their study caused CMT to announce a policy that they'd play 50% women artists

CMT Pledges to Air 50% Female Artists in Music Video Programming From Now On

The country music-based CMT network announced that women artists will account for 50

variety.com

 

[rosecitymedia]

You don’t have to go far to find more… Regional Mexican, Salsa, Vallenato. Few women, and all Hispanic.

Wouldn't Polka be the English equivalent to Regional Mexican? We have several stations between San Antonio and Houston that feature Polka music and bear striking resemblances to Regional Mexican outlets, with the key difference being, obviously, English language lyrics.

 

[DavidEduardo]

That's the accusation by these researchers. That it is a "concerted effort." They believe the listeners want to hear a 50/50 mix.

The issue, of course, is less a radio matter than a label and artist development one.

I'd like to see them tabulate a year's worth of new releases (hits and stiffs alike) as to gender. I'll betcha' that there is a distinct majority of songs by male artists. So, if those "researchers" want to point fingers, let them attack the labels, not radio or streaming music channels.

The two researchers are Canadian, and in Canada, there are government-imposed quotas on the number of Canadian artists radio stations must play. So they have experience with that kind of system.

And, more than experience, the idea that you can legislate taste.

The article in Variety says,

"The eternal controversy over the inequity between men and women at country radio flared anew this past week, as a Variety editor’s tweet about radio’s unspoken rule against playing two female artists in a row turned into an online debate that had artists like Kacey Musgraves and Kelsea Ballerini raging about the subject."

What they forget is that we separate any category in proportion to its participation in our playlist. We put a separation in minutes for Morgan Wallen songs such as 35 to as much as 55 minutes. We put in a separation in minutes for songs that are the oldest in our gold library such as "one every 75 minutes maximum". We separate very slow ballads by two or three medium or up tempo songs. We don't play a "B" current next to the new song category. And so on. Radio programming is full of playlist rules, and they are generally in proportion to the number of songs of each type we play and intended to enhance the feeling of variety.

Terrible and dishonest reporting by Variety.

 

[DavidEduardo]

Wouldn't Polka be the English equivalent to Regional Mexican?

No. Country is the equivalent.

We have several stations between San Antonio and Houston that feature Polka music and bear striking resemblances to Regional Mexican outlets, with the key difference being, obviously, English language lyrics.

No relationship in appeal, although the presence of the accordion and the tuba in norteña and banda music comes from the early presence of German mining interests in Northern Mexico.

 

[rosecitymedia]

No. Country is the equivalent.

Yes, I understand this relationship between the two genres.

the presence of the accordion and the tuba in norteña and banda music comes from the early presence of German mining interests in Northern Mexico.

This is where I was trying to go with the question. To the untrained ear of your normal consumer, Regional Mexican and Polka seem to "sound" the most similar to one another. Those areas between the two metros are heavily German and Czech.

 

[TheBigA]

What they forget...

It's not that they forget. The fact is that they don't know. They've never programmed a radio station, but they feel qualified to judge. We really shouldn't give them any credibility, because they don't have any.

 

[CTListener]

It annoys me that female artists other than Lainey Wilson aren't hitting the top 10 in airplay anymore

The issue, of course, is less a radio matter than a label and artist development one.

I'd like to see them tabulate a year's worth of new releases (hits and stiffs alike) as to gender. I'll betcha' that there is a distinct majority of songs by male artists. So, if those "researchers" want to point fingers, let them attack the labels, not radio or streaming music channels.

And, more than experience, the idea that you can legislate taste.

The article in Variety says,

"The eternal controversy over the inequity between men and women at country radio flared anew this past week, as a Variety editor’s tweet about radio’s unspoken rule against playing two female artists in a row turned into an online debate that had artists like Kacey Musgraves and Kelsea Ballerini raging about the subject."

What they forget is that we separate any category in proportion to its participation in our playlist. We put a separation in minutes for Morgan Wallen songs such as 35 to as much as 55 minutes. We put in a separation in minutes for songs that are the oldest in our gold library such as "one every 75 minutes maximum".

The problem is that Wallen currently has a rising solo song ("Man Made a Bar"), a rising collaboration with Thomas Rhett ("Mama's House"), two No. 1 hits that have just gone recurrent ("Last Night" and "Everything I Love"), and several power golds. It's tough to avoid him, just as it's tough to avoid Luke Combs, who has two songs -- a solo and a collab -- both in the top 10 and rising, plus recurrents and gold, and Jelly Roll ("Save Me," his new single "Halfway to Hell" and power recurrent "Need a Favor").. Charts and playlists are clogged with those four super-hot voices. I heard "Mamaw's House" and "Everything I Love" in the same hour this afternoon, same for Combs' "Fast Car" and "Where the Wild Things Are." This is a very recent country music phenomenon.

 

[TheBigA]

It's tough to avoid him, just as it's tough to avoid Luke Combs, who has two songs -- a solo and a collab -- both in the top 10 and rising, plus recurrents and gold,

Keep in mind that Carly Pearce's current song features Chris Stapleton, and so he also has two songs in the Top 20. Megan Moroney is featured in Old Dominion's new single, so now she has two songs in the Top 30.

Who would you NOT play in order to play more women? That's the question I always ask. And we're talking about playing more women regardless of the quality of their songs. Play them just because they're women. Nobody is playing Morgan Wallen because he's a man. Nobody is playing Luke Combs or Jelly Roll because they're handsome sexy men. But we're being told to play more women because they're women.

 

[CTListener]

Keep in mind that Carly Pearce's current song features Chris Stapleton, and so he also has two songs in the Top 20. Megan Moroney is featured in Old Dominion's new single, so now she has two songs in the Top 30.

Who would you NOT play in order to play more women? That's the question I always ask. And we're talking about playing more women regardless of the quality of their songs. Play them just because they're women. Nobody is playing Morgan Wallen because he's a man. Nobody is playing Luke Combs or Jelly Roll because they're handsome sexy men. But we're being told to play more women because they're women.

I admit I have to agree. The younger female demographic has spoken and, by and large, they don't want to listen to women singing unless they are singing with a male partner or are Lainey Wilson. We'll see how Carly Pearce does with her next solo single. The Stapleton duet has been uninspiring in its chart climb so far. Maroney has a bigger bullet for her Old Dominion duet than for "I'm Not Pretty." Kelsea Ballerini's latest ran into a stop sign at No. 15. Carrie Underwood's latest looks likely to do the same despite solid streaming numbers. I suppose I'll just have to deal with the fact that today's country fans, male and female, are not wild about any solo female artist right now other than Lainey Wilson, which defies logic. What do today's other female artists have to do to get back in the country audience's good graces? Dumb down lyrical content? Sound more submissive, less independent? Cover old Tracy Chapman songs? I listen to SXM's Highway often and check out Spotify's New Country playlist ever Friday. The labels are sending songs by female artists to both, and they're not catching on. I usually have a good ear for a hit, and the fact that these songs are stiffing across the board (airplay and streaming) is beyond depressing. Any solutions from your vantage point, which I assume is in Music City?

 

[TheBigA]

What do today's other female artists have to do to get back in the country audience's good graces? Dumb down lyrical content? Sound more submissive, less independent?

I don't think that would work. Lainey doesn't dumb down her lyrics or act submissive. Neither does Megan or Carly.

Most country stations only play about 20 currents at a time. That number isn't based on men or women and it won't change based on what the artist does. You have to pick your battles, find the right time to release a song, and do all the work it takes to get attention.

 

[Deus Ex Machiato]

All that said, sure, people will attack country music. It's been attacked for decades. Their audiences, too. After reading the article, it sounds like the writers expect there to be closer to 50/50 female Country artists heard on the radio, all done by some sort of government fiat. Because that's what it would take to get Country music (or any other format), to split down the middle the way the article writers seem to intend.

There would have to be some sort of quota enforced on the Country radio marketplace. In other words, never gonna happen.

As someone who worked in country radio for awhile, I do get defensive when someone unfairly attacks the format, the music, the listeners, etc. and it seems this article is such.

That said, there is a place for fair criticism. Country (the music, format, and even portions of the audience) are not immune from fair criticism. Such fair criticism is often merely pointing out that "country" (all encompassing) is very white, very male, and very conservative (socially, politically, etc) and that's valid. It is no secret - for example - that in the post 9/11 era the artists who were of a more liberal bent were given a stark lesson in why it's okay to wave the flag, but if you go against that and question authority you can expect to be told to "shut up and sing."

Are female artists under-represented in label output and radio playlists? Yes. Should there be a quota that says "thou shalt play a female artist every other record"? No. But country (music, format, audience) should not be immune to someone from "outside" saying "hey, is it weird that Jason Aldean gets massive radio and label support, while Jason Isbell has to get exposure by going on NPR?"