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Go Country Makin' Changes????
- Thread starter Mac Daddy
- Start date
Saul brought in some new consultants due to sagging ratings.
M
musicman3355
Guest
What is going on with this station anyway? All of a sudden, they keep dropping down.
B
Big E
Guest
just saw a post on All Access that they let go of the AM Producer. Maybe this is the Station that is flipping.
M
musicfan101
Guest
Yes, usually when stations flip, the firing of the AM producer is always the tell-tell sign. :Big E said:
No really, I doubt 105 would flip. I think Saul wants to make this work.I do believe Mr Saul wants to make this work as well before he spins the wheel of formats again.
I don't have any personal feelings towards country music one way, or the other, and with that out of the way let me pose a question, is the country format really viable in the L.A. market?
After all for many years KZLA was switching around the sound and feel of their station; as some may remember at one point they were adding AC songs to the playlist.
Even where the country format was a stronghold for many years, the Inland Empire, KFRG, once a powerhouse in the IE, has slid quite far in the ratings. Also, not that it really matters, as most may know now CBS took off the KFRG simulcast on KTWV-HD-3, for whatever that is worth.
It is a niche to be sure, and Mr. Saul knows a good niche format when he see's it, but as many of us know, niche formats have their limits.
I don't have any personal feelings towards country music one way, or the other, and with that out of the way let me pose a question, is the country format really viable in the L.A. market?
After all for many years KZLA was switching around the sound and feel of their station; as some may remember at one point they were adding AC songs to the playlist.
Even where the country format was a stronghold for many years, the Inland Empire, KFRG, once a powerhouse in the IE, has slid quite far in the ratings. Also, not that it really matters, as most may know now CBS took off the KFRG simulcast on KTWV-HD-3, for whatever that is worth.
It is a niche to be sure, and Mr. Saul knows a good niche format when he see's it, but as many of us know, niche formats have their limits.
I haven't "looked" at the playlist lately, but I was hearing the opposite. It seems like I had heard more old golds lately.
Who cares if the ratings go up and down. You can say that about any ol' station.
Country's not going away. It's the greatest show on Earth.
Who cares if the ratings go up and down. You can say that about any ol' station.
Country's not going away. It's the greatest show on Earth.
So wait, as of today Shawn is doing middays and Ginny Harmon is doing mornings??? Hope this is temporary. In my opinion, Go Country is a mess. The imaging is awful, the DJ's offer little to no content. I find the playlist terrible too. I don't live in L.A, but I just feel there playlist (which features a lot of songs that get no airplay in any other major market) isn't right for the market....and the one thing that bugs me the most is how many times they just segue from one song to the other. Most stations do it nowadays but they do it way too much. I really hope this station can improve. Right now it's a piss poor example for a major market country station.
Lon Helton recently noted in his Country Aircheck newsletter that KKGO played more different titles than any other country station out there.
Maybe that's the problem, although a lot of the country music from 10 or 20 years ago is far superior to what passes as country music these days.
Maybe that's the problem, although a lot of the country music from 10 or 20 years ago is far superior to what passes as country music these days.
C
ceejay
Guest
Marv-L.A. said:
You're so right, Marv. This "Sissy Country" they're playing these days, can't hold a candle to real country from the past.... even as far back as the 70's!
ceejay said:
Just for giggles, what would you (or anyone who cares to comment) consider the core artists of "real' country?
For myself they would be: Hank Williams, Sr. and Jr., Porter Wagoner, George Jones, Roger Miller, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Ricky Scaggs, Johnny Cash, Buck Owens for the male side.
Kitty Wells, Jean Shepard, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Jan Howard, Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette, Connie Smith, Jeanie Seely, Emmylou Harris for the female side.
I would include any artists in a similar style to any of the above but there aren't a lot of the newer, current, acts that would make the cut for me. Most notably Taylor Swift who would be a pop artist if we had such a category today.
nmoore6676 said:
all great choices...but except for the "oh wow" factor...listeners have moved on from
wanting to hear them on the radio...that's my opinion anyway
I have to agree with Romer.
I love all the artists you name and own pretty much every recording made by those acts, but there simply are not enough interested listeners in the younger demographic to make a station playing traditional country a success. Especially in a market like Los Angeles.
I love all the artists you name and own pretty much every recording made by those acts, but there simply are not enough interested listeners in the younger demographic to make a station playing traditional country a success. Especially in a market like Los Angeles.
briancraig said:
I left off the incredible Marty Robbins from my list but moving on, who would you consider to be in the classic vein and acceptable to say Los Angeles?
I could suggest George Strait who has made a bridge from the old to the new and Alan Jackson. Also Dierks Bentley's new album is getting some play on a classic country station I favor out of Xenia Ohio.
Whenever a writer applies the term “Real Country” to a group of artists, it invariably suggests that artists outside that group are not “real.” That they are somehow country impostors. I disagree.
Real Country in 2010: Lady Antebellum, Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, Little Big Town, Gary Allan, The Band Perry.
Country music, like all popular entertainment, has been continuously evolving for decades. Top artists at any given moment will often bear little resemblance of style to a top artist 10 or 20 years earlier. Real Country 2010: Taylor Swift. Real Country 1990: The Judds. Real Country 1980: Barbara Mandrell. Widely divergent styles, yet all are giants.
Ray Price’s smash hits of the early 70’s, “For The Good Times” and “You’re the Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me” featured Ray backed by lush orchestra strings. Very different from Hank Snow’s “I’ve Been Everywhere” a decade earlier. Both are enormous “Real Country” stars of their times.
Kenny Chesney shares little musically with Buck Owens. Is he less “real country?”
The argument about “Real Country” vs “Pop Masquerading As Country” has been going on for years. It was going on when I worked country radio in the 70’s.
Rock has certainly evolved. R & B has evolved. Blues has evolved. If country didn’t evolve, we’d still be listening to Roy Acuff clones.
Thank goodness country music is such a wonderfully big tent. In 2010, Sugarland and Bomshel have their “sound” as do the neo-traditionalists like Josh Turner and Chris Young. It’s all part of an exciting, fun musical genre and it’s all “Real Country.”
Nick Summers
Real Country in 2010: Lady Antebellum, Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, Little Big Town, Gary Allan, The Band Perry.
Country music, like all popular entertainment, has been continuously evolving for decades. Top artists at any given moment will often bear little resemblance of style to a top artist 10 or 20 years earlier. Real Country 2010: Taylor Swift. Real Country 1990: The Judds. Real Country 1980: Barbara Mandrell. Widely divergent styles, yet all are giants.
Ray Price’s smash hits of the early 70’s, “For The Good Times” and “You’re the Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me” featured Ray backed by lush orchestra strings. Very different from Hank Snow’s “I’ve Been Everywhere” a decade earlier. Both are enormous “Real Country” stars of their times.
Kenny Chesney shares little musically with Buck Owens. Is he less “real country?”
The argument about “Real Country” vs “Pop Masquerading As Country” has been going on for years. It was going on when I worked country radio in the 70’s.
Rock has certainly evolved. R & B has evolved. Blues has evolved. If country didn’t evolve, we’d still be listening to Roy Acuff clones.
Thank goodness country music is such a wonderfully big tent. In 2010, Sugarland and Bomshel have their “sound” as do the neo-traditionalists like Josh Turner and Chris Young. It’s all part of an exciting, fun musical genre and it’s all “Real Country.”
Nick Summers
M
musicman3355
Guest
briancraig said:
Isn't traditional country mainly classics? I would expect the younger demographic listening to new country.
C
Captain Klutz
Guest
Nick Gerard said:
Well said, Nick. I hope ceejay read your post. "Sissy country". Jeez. I think Charlie Daniels also said it best when he said, "If we'd stop bitching about what's country and what's not country, we'd be the biggest format in the world today".
I love country music, and while I'm not an expert in it or in radio (only started listening to country after high school unfortunately), I do have some reasons why I like it and what I think the differences are.
To me, country music involves a certain set of values in the lyrics. I think that is at the core of any country song. The values hare hard to explain, but I guess I can summarize them by hard work, partying after work, family, love, and life (But aren't these in any kind of song?). Most of the time there is a story involved, but I'm seeing less and less of that.
To me, country music also involves a heavier lean toward certain instruments: steel guitar, fiddle, other guitars, and piano.
Those to me are a must for any artist to have on the majority of their album for me to consider them country.
The lyrics and the instruments can slide on their scales but as long as there is a good ratio between them I would consider them country.
Examples:
The King: He gets a 10 on the scale for both
Jason Aldean: He gets a 10 on lyrics, but only a 3 on the instruments (no steel guitar or fiddles for him that often). He is mostly classic rock with good country lyrics.
Taylor Swift: She gets a 0 on lyrics and a 3 on the instruments. She is not country. She is pop only in a country cellophane wrapper.
Carry Underwood: She gets a 8 on lyrics, but a lower score lately on instruments. I would say she started out countrier than she is now. I didn't get her last album.
Kenny Chesney: I would say 10 on lyrics, and a 5 on instruments. Country boy.
Toby Keith: 10 and 10. Country dude
All the traditional artists are of course country by the scales.
Glen Campbell and Ronnie Milsap: They have some orchestra songs, but the lyrics send them over the top to country.
Faith Hill: Started country, then exclaimed she wanted to do some "fun stuff" and turned away from it with the lyrics and instruments. I'm not sure what she is from one moment to the next now.
What do you guys think of that? Just off the top of my head, I guess I just saved the world.
To me, country music involves a certain set of values in the lyrics. I think that is at the core of any country song. The values hare hard to explain, but I guess I can summarize them by hard work, partying after work, family, love, and life (But aren't these in any kind of song?). Most of the time there is a story involved, but I'm seeing less and less of that.
To me, country music also involves a heavier lean toward certain instruments: steel guitar, fiddle, other guitars, and piano.
Those to me are a must for any artist to have on the majority of their album for me to consider them country.
The lyrics and the instruments can slide on their scales but as long as there is a good ratio between them I would consider them country.
Examples:
The King: He gets a 10 on the scale for both
Jason Aldean: He gets a 10 on lyrics, but only a 3 on the instruments (no steel guitar or fiddles for him that often). He is mostly classic rock with good country lyrics.
Taylor Swift: She gets a 0 on lyrics and a 3 on the instruments. She is not country. She is pop only in a country cellophane wrapper.
Carry Underwood: She gets a 8 on lyrics, but a lower score lately on instruments. I would say she started out countrier than she is now. I didn't get her last album.
Kenny Chesney: I would say 10 on lyrics, and a 5 on instruments. Country boy.
Toby Keith: 10 and 10. Country dude
All the traditional artists are of course country by the scales.
Glen Campbell and Ronnie Milsap: They have some orchestra songs, but the lyrics send them over the top to country.
Faith Hill: Started country, then exclaimed she wanted to do some "fun stuff" and turned away from it with the lyrics and instruments. I'm not sure what she is from one moment to the next now.
What do you guys think of that? Just off the top of my head, I guess I just saved the world.
I forgot to add patriotic lyrics to the description.
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