Taylor Swift? A Hall of Famer at the age of 36, and for songwriting no less? That’s what the Songwriters Hall of Fame has decreed, with Swift being inducted in the class for 2026.
as bad of an assessment as one might come to about what’s unfolding on the country charts, nothing compares to the monstrosity that is transpiring over in rock. Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, and Taylor Swift?
You crave hearing a new song from Dan + Shay like you crave hearing Christmas music before Halloween. The emasculated tones, the aggressive use of AutoTune, the entirely soul-bereft delivery…
Country music is constantly slotted as second-class when it comes to the greater American culture, even when it’s more popular than ever like it is now, and more popular than any other genre.
Charley Crockett has been making more and more public pronouncements that make you want to pump your fists, ranting about the music business, and making David Goggins-like motivational points
The fact that the country music industry supported Taylor Swift so demonstrably and she was able to find top-tier success proves it’s possible for a woman to find her way in the industry, and in recent times.
Beyoncé’s 2024 album Cowboy Carter was supposed to be the biggest phenomenon in country music in 2024. But after taking a step back from all the bluster, it’s easy to conclude that Cowboy Carter’s impact was marginal at best.
Recently, Billboard published a list of what they believe are the “100 Greatest Country Artists of All Time.” As always with these lists, it has stimulated lots of conversation, and some controversy.
At a time when actual country performers are inspiring pop stars more than ever, it should be those country performers represented in the country categories, not the pop and hip-hop stars they’re inspiring.
Zach Bryan’s breakup with Brianna Chickenfry has gone from a matter for the kind of gossip podcasts that Brianna is famous for participating in, to a matter that has touched on serious issues that affect the freedom of artists.
The two Kelce brothers host a podcast together called New Heights, and have the internet all agog after Jason Kelce (the brother NOT having intercourse with Taylor Swift) twisted off on country music during the latest episode.
It was supposed to be one of the biggest events in music in 2024, if not one of the biggest in music in the last many years. Most definitely it was going to be the defining moment in country music in 2024, if not in country history.
It nears the realm of impossibility to put enough emphasis on how monumentally important the seismic shifts occurring in the music business at the moment are, and how they’re reverberating throughout every sector of the industry.
The misconception that Toby Keith helped launch Taylor Swift’s career comes from a now viral clip taken from a Channel 4 WSMV news story shot in 2005 that features a 15-year-old Taylor Swift singing and talking about her career.
Rapper T-Pain recently made some statements that have the music world in a stir. T-Pain claims he’s helped to write some country songs in the past, but left his name out of the credits due to racism.
When we heard that the reclusive Tracy Chapman had agreed to appear at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards to sing “Fast Car” with Luke Combs, we knew it could be something special. It was certainly that.
With outlets now hiring dedicated staff to cover celebrity music stars, it creates a dilemma over objectivity, and runs the risk of widening the gulf between music’s haves and have nots.
Here comes the newest installment of the Hunger Games movie franchise that not only has a bunch of deserving artists on the soundtrack, but has a significant musical element throughout the script.
The latest Maren Morris temper tantrum comes in the form of two new songs and videos released via an EP called The Bridge. It was serviced via Columbia Records out of New York as opposed to Sony Records Nashville.
‘Speak Now’ is the real Taylor Swift, and always will be. It’s Taylor Swift after she had matured into her true self, and before the denizens of commercial pop got a hold of her. It’s not perfect, and it’s definitely not country. But it’s sincere human sentiments set to organic music.
A few days ago, Billboard decided to broach the subject of who should be considered “The Real Queen of the Grammys”? Adele, Taylor Swift, or Beyoncé? But they failed to regard the Grammy record of Alison Krauss.
After the significant support the country music industry gave to the career of Jimmie Allen, it has nothing to show for it as his career implodes due to sexual assault allegations.
It is a new day in country music, and in live music in general. Tired of the Ticketmaster monopoly? You can continue to shake your little balled up fist in their general direction, or you can get busy building your own networks and infrastructure to circumvent them, and eventually (and hopefully), undermine them.
The family of singer, songwriter, performer, producer, journalist, and historian Peter Cooper are asking for thoughts and prayers after the veteran member of the country music community suffered a head injury that was initially thought to be life threatening. He remains in critical condition.