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This month, I'm going to make a radical departure from my usual reviews of sites. In reading the Newark (NJ) Star-Ledger on Saturday, May 26, I found an article by Howard Cohen of KRT News Service. This month we'll take a look at what the article said and I'll provide my viewpoint on where Country Music may be heading and what may happen if it goes there. The State of Country Music
Mr. Cohen's article describes the annual industry bemoaning of declining record sales and radio share within the Country Music industry. While the industry is beginning a marketing campaign to increase listenership, Mr. Cohen suggests that fans of the genre have tuned out. From personal experience, I know that to be true. Rock 'n' Roll hardened executives had invaded the record companies with the charter of taking what had been a stable, "niche" marketplace and making it as big as popular music. That may have made sense to record labels who had succombed to the "dark side" with greed and avarice affecting their judgement. The industry needs to refocus on the fact that while some music that's here today and gone tomorrow may be a business, other forms of music that are more closely tied to a particular lifestyle may be better served as an art form. The Immediate Future Mr. Cohen aptly describes the current outlook as bleak. Record Releases from major stars (I won't call all of them artists) is thin for 2001. While Tim McGraw just released his latest album, Set This Circus Down and Brooks & Dunn had earlier released their Steers & Stripes effort to recapture their fans' attention after a miserable failure with Tight Rope, other stars are a no-show. Shania Twain's pregnancy makes a 2001 release unlikely and Garth seems to be backing away from a release of what is supposed to be his last effort. Such releases may not be in the best long-term interest of the genre anyway given their direction into the pop style of what is laughingly called "Today's Country." While the Dixie Chicks hold the most hope in bringing new, younger listeners to a neotraditional country sound, they also have no plans for a release this year. I haven't bought a mainstream Country album so far this year and while I may get the new B&D release sometime, it's not so high on my list that I'll pay anywhere near full price demanded by some retail outlets. Go To Page: 1 2
The copyright of the article Crocadile Tears from Country Music in American Country Music is owned by Steven Lind. Permission to republish Crocadile Tears from Country Music in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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