The Editorials

Are The Tides Changing?

Written by Jeff Krasky

It's been years since anything interesting has happened in the country music world. Nashville has fallen into a rut. The search for the next Garth Brooks or the next Shania Twain has resulted in a span of just about the most boring music in country music history. With album sales down and restlessness about the quality of country radio reaching concerning levels it's the female country artists who have once again gotten the short end of the stick. When was the last time a new female start broke through in a big way? If your name isn't Martina, Shania, Reba, or Faith then it would be best to watch out; you're not going anywhere. Instead listeners have been subjected to a couple years of the search for the next Garth Brooks or Tim McGraw. Things have managed to get even more boring and generic. Things have not been looking good for the country genre.

Once again the female artists have stepped up to bat and have begun injecting some much needed life into country music. Gretchen Wilson has slammed onto the scene with a force not seen in a long, long time. "Redneck Woman" is a catchy tune from unique artist and it deserves to be a hit, as long as country radio doesn't ruin it by playing it far past the point of death. Julie Roberts is making noise with her single "Break Down Here" and that's just the start of good things you're going to hear from her. The bluesy, raw sound this artist brings to the table is a needed breath of fresh air. Even SHeDAISY is back with a solid collection of songs and a single titled "Passenger Seat" screaming up the charts. After a disappointing, overly complex sophomore release it would appear this talented trio has went back to basics and in the process recaptured the magic of their first album. Just off the commercial radar are artists like Patty Griffin who has again assembled an album of the year quality collection of songs on Impossible Dream and Mindy Smith who is bring folk tendencies to the airwaves. It seems like just a matter of time before they finally find a home on country radio.

It's going to be interesting to see how the major artists react to the change. Faith Hill, Lee Ann Womack, Terri Clark, and others are all due for new albums in the next year or two and the climate appears to be once again changing. Let's hope they all embrace the change and country music continues its transformation into fresh and exciting new territory.

So here is a call out to country radio and music row. Please don't stomp on this newest attempt from artists to turn country music around and get it going in the right direction again. Allow the artists to record the music they want to record and then most importantly support that music and make sure it gets on country radio. It's quite apparent country radio isn't going to change unless someone forces it to. It's going to take the fans saying enough and the record labels deciding that a change is needed for anything to happen. It would be great to reach the point where it's fun to turn on that radio dial again and new, interesting music is in abundance. Are the tides changing in country music? Only time will tell.

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