Country Radio Attacked Again

[AM-FM-DXer]

Comparing today to the '90s, there seem to be no country female "superstars." Shania Twain and Faith Hill each had countless hits in the '90s. They were given a lot of airplay. There doesn't appear to be a Shania or a Faith today.

 

[kevtronics]

Music to a great extent is an expression of the culture of its fans. To try to force ethnic elements that are not part of the heritage of country onto it seem just as absurd.

That's funny, considering that you hear more Auto-Tune and Hip-Hop beats in today's Country music than fiddles and steel guitars. And Country singers who grew up in a big city pretending to be from a small rural town, just like rich suburban Hip-Hop artists pretending to be from the "hood".

 

[Deus Ex Machiato]

That's funny, considering that you hear more Auto-Tune and Hip-Hop beats in today's Country music than fiddles and steel guitars. And Country singers who grew up in a big city pretending to be from a small rural town, just like rich suburban Hip-Hop artists pretending to be from the "hood".

And what is the "culture" of country music in 2024? It's certainly not the same as it was in 1954, when Hank Williams was a year gone and Patsy Cline had just signed her first record deal. It's not the same as it was in 1984, when the only thing with "ethnic elements" on the chart was Julio Iglesias' number one hit with Willie Nelson. The fans are different, too. The typical country music listener in 2024 isn't someone sitting on a porch drinking moonshine after a long day of milking cows and plowing the field. It's a 32 year old mom driving an SUV to drop off her kids at school before she goes to work a call center job. And she probably loved that Beyonce' country record.

The culture changes. When I first started working in country radio, listeners were calling in to complain that this new Shania Twain girl "wasn't country enough." Not long before I left 20 years later, I heard a listener call in to complain "you guys don't play real country anymore...like Shania Twain."

 

[Kelly A]

The culture changes. When I first started working in country radio, listeners were calling in to complain that this new Shania Twain girl "wasn't country enough." Not long before I left 20 years later, I heard a listener call in to complain "you guys don't play real country anymore...like Shania Twain."

Just another constant in life: Some radio listeners, no matter the format, complain.
Years ago when I built out a CP and launched in sort of an oldies/classic rock hybrid, there were constant similar complaints:
'Those aren't oldies, only do-wop are oldies.' 'You need to play more classic metal, no you need to play more classic new wave.' Blah blah and blah.
It sounded a lot like what you read on this very site. 'Mean ol' Radio fatcats don't listen to their audience. '

 

[gr8oldies]

Just another constant in life: Some radio listeners, no matter the format, complain.
Years ago when I built out a CP and launched in sort of an oldies/classic rock hybrid, there were constant similar complaints:
'Those aren't oldies, only do-wop are oldies.' 'You need to play more classic metal, no you need to play more classic new wave.' Blah blah and blah.
It sounded a lot like what you read on this very site. 'Mean ol' Radio fatcats don't listen to their audience. '

"Ya say ya play rock and roll and it doesn't sound a thing like Chuck Berry!"

 

[kevtronics]

An AC station in my area used to have an all-request Saturday night show, and the music was consistently awful. Chuck Berry's "My Ding-a-Ling" got played every single week.

 

[James Otto Sweet Heart]

From what I can see, he left his Nashville record label and is now with Atlantic. They are working his song Blue Over You to Top 40 radio, and 35 stations are playing it.

Where did you read that the song is getting time on Top 40 radio?

God bless you and Mason always!!!

Holly