The Great Turning of the Tide in Country Music (A Timeline)
In January of 2016, Saving Country Music published an article explaining how 2016 Could Be 1975 All Over Again in country music—how an upsurge in more traditional and substantive talent and music could really take hold in country, from the independent realm to the mainstream.
And that is exactly what we’ve seen as 2016 has progressed. From the success of Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell, and Chris Stapleton, to the surge of new mainstream traditionalists like Jon Pardi, Mo Pitney, and William Michael Morgan, to new female artists like Margo Price, we’re seeing the re-emrgence of music that reminds us of country music’s glory days of the past after years of suffering under Bro-Country oppression.
But how did we get here? Below is a timeline of some of the most significant moments when it was clear that quality country music was on the upswing. Though Bro-Country is far from vanquished and there’s still plenty of songs and artists to be ashamed of calling themselves “country,” clearly major strides have been made, and 2016 is the year the tide has turned. Though many smaller events and victories most certainly went into change of momentum, here are some of the events that will be indelibly marked into country music history, and events we never though would be possible years ago:
NOVEMBER 3RD, 2013 – George Strait Wins the CMA for Entertainer of the Year
It’s the height of Bro-Country, and who walks away with the biggest award in the entire industry? The 61-year-old George Strait who hasn’t had a big hit in years, and is struggling with album sales. Strait’s win had partly to do with his massive farewell tour, and partly as a parting gift for one of the most important and successful acts in country music history. But it was also a statement by the CMA voters.
Luke Bryan was the presumed winner going into the awards, and he would ultimately walk away with the distinction the next two years. But not before King George was given one last hurrah. Clearly voters were sensing that Bro-Country had gone too far. A vote for George Strait was a vote for authentic country. This was the first sign that not just within the country fandom, but within the industry and artists themselves, there was the bubbling up feeling that country music needed to return to its roots.
Strait’s win was nothing less than shocking. It was the first Entertainer win for a traditional country artist in nine years. The last time George Strait had won the distinction was 22 years prior.
George Strait would go on to win Entertainer of the Year at the ACM Awards in April of 2014 as well.
MAY 13TH, 2014 – Sturgill Simpson releases Metamodern Sounds in Country Music
Upon the release of Metamodern Sounds, the album performed well, debuting at at #11 on the Top Country Albums chart, and #59 on the all-genre Billboard 200. But it’s what would happen afterwards as an organic groundswell emerged behind Sturgill that would significantly impact country music all the way to the top of the mainstream. Praise poured in for the record from many sectors of the music universe, and as news continued to spread, the longevity of Metamodern Sounds on Billboard’s Country Albums chart became the big story. Sturgill Simpson was selling out clubs, and even mainstream artists like Jake Owen and Keith Urban were touting Sturgill.
One of the biggest impacts of Metamodern Sounds is that it inspired Chris Stapleton to record his album Traveller in a similar way, and with the same producer, Dave Cobb, who was enjoying his own upsurge in attention through the success of Sturgill and Jason Isbell. The impact Chris Stapleton and Traveller had (see below) was directly influenced by Metamodern Sounds.
Though Sturgill Simpson has not enjoyed the same industry accolades as Chris Stapleton, or the radio play of new traditionalists like Jon Pardi and William Michael Morgan, he helped make it all possible by proving there was appeal for more traditional country music out there.
FEBRUARY 2015 – Blackberry Smoke and Aaron Watson Score #1 Albums
On February 18th, it was confirmed that Blackberry Smoke was the first independent band in the modern era to top Billboard’s Country Albums chart with their record Holding All The Roses. No longer did Music Row have a monopoly on the albums charts, and this was driven home the very next week when independently-signed Texas country artist Aaron Watson pulled off the same feat, scoring a #1 album himself with The Underdog.
Aaron Watson’s #1 came in the aftermath of Sony Records Nashville CEO Gary Overton saying, “If you’re not on country radio, you don’t exist.”
Watson’s response after officially being rewarded the #1 record was, “My name is Aaron Watson. I’m not played on country radio. And I have the #1 record in country music this week. I do exist.”
NOVEMBER 4TH, 2015 – Chris Stapleton Wins Big at the CMA Awards
The 2015 CMA Awards shocked the country music world as Chris Stapleton walked away with the CMA’s for New Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Male Vocalist of the Year—all the awards he had been nominated for. Very few, if anyone believed Chris Stapleton had any chance to sweep the awards, let alone win any of them. His nominations had been seen as a coup in itself. But similar to when George Strait made it onto the ballot for Entertainer of the Year in 2013, CMA voters voted their conscience, and this relatively unknown songwriter and performer in the mainstream became country music’s next superstar.
Above and beyond Chris Stapleton’s big wins, his performance with Justin Timberlake on the George Jones song “Tennessee Whiskey” may go down as one of the most significant performances in CMA history, or country music history. It catapulted Stapleton to the top of the national consciousness, and made “Tennessee Whiskey” a #1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart.
Chris Stapleton would repeat his sweep of all the major awards he was nominated for in April 2016 at the ACM Awards.
MARCH 24TH, 2016 – Chris Stapleton Goes Platinum
It was one thing for Chris Stapleton to have a huge night at the 2015 CMA Awards. It was another for Stapleton to sustain that momentum throughout an entire year, and counting. In March of 2016, his debut album Traveller was certified Platinum after strong, sustained sales that have still not died off at the making of this timeline. Even in October of 2016, Stapleton is regularly #2 or #3 on the Country Albums charts, only outdone by brand new releases by big-named artists.
And who knows how long it could continue. If Stapleton wins again at the 2016 CMA Awards, and the 2017 ACM’s, he could easily stretch his winning streak to a second year.
APRIL 9TH, 2016 – Margo Price Plays Saturday Night Live
Though some believe the distinction came way too early for the burgeoning traditional country songstress, getting a performance slot on Saturday Night Live proved that the flood gates had burst open on the traditional country resurgence, and even national outlets that don’t regularly feature country music were looking to get in on the action.
Margo Price, along with many other authentic country and roots musicians, continue to play nationally broadcasdt late night talk shows with a greater frequency than ever before, speaking to the growing appeal of music not found on the radio, and from a more independent mindset.
JUNE 14TH, 2016 – Lori McKenna’s “Humble and Kind” Goes #1 via Tim McGraw
The song “Humble and Kind” going #1 on the country charts was significant for a number of reasons. Though it was recorded by Tim McGraw, the song was written solely by songwriter and performer Lori McKenna. “Humble and Kind” was the first solo-written song to go #1 on the country charts in four years, and happened right as Lori McKenna was releasing her own solo album The Bird and The Rifle. At the time, it was also the only solo-written song out of the entire 60-song Country Airplay chart.
Though the song may have been a bit more adult contemporary than traditional country, it was still more traditional country than anything that had topped the charts in recent memory, while helping to put an important female artist on the map. When “Humble & Kind” went #1, it opened the door for any well-written and more adult-oriented song to go #1 on the country charts.
SUMMER 2016 – Jon Pardi Earns #1’s for California Sunrise and “Head Over Boots”
The theory that a new generation of traditional country artists in the mainstream could have a major impact on the genre comes to fruition when Jon Pardi first earns a #1 album for his most recent release California Sunrise in June, and then a #1 song for “Head Over Boots” in August. Along with William Michael Morgan and Mo Pitney, Pardi is seen as part of a traditional country resurgence in the mainstream. Though perhaps not as traditional or critically-acclaimed as Morgan or Pitney, nonetheless Pardi’s pragmatic approach to more traditionally-oriented country opened the doors for the later success of William Michael Morgan’s single “I Met A Girl.”
As Music Row saw the erosion of appeal for Bro-Country, it began to hedge its bets by signing traditional country artists, and allowing them to release more traditionally-oriented material. And with Jon Pardi, it paid off.
OCTOBER 4TH, 2016 – William Michael Morgan Earns #1 for “I Met A Girl”
Though George Strait and Chris Stapleton had broken down major barriers when it came to industry awards, and the country album charts had finally been fairly integrated with traditional country talent, the last holdout was corporate country radio. Despite all of Chris Stapleton’s successes, a radio hit still alluded him, and you still couldn’t hear more traditional artists like Sturgill Simpson on the radio at all.
But even this barrier was broken down when William Michael Morgan earned a #1 radio single for his debut song “I Met A Girl.” This was arguably the first truly traditional country song to crest the country airplay charts in the last five to seven years, and from an artist that is undeniably traditional, and brand new. Jon Pardi and Tim McGraw opened the door with their #1 singles that veered towards more traditional country, and now William Michael Morgan was able to walk through it. And who knows who might be next?
October 6, 2016 @ 7:44 am
This is excellent ! Finally we will be able to hear some quality music on country radio. I’m sure most of the trash bro pop county acts will start putting out more traditional music also as their trash starts failing in the charts, but I doubt I can ever respect most of them.
October 6, 2016 @ 7:47 am
Great report…. I just saw Jon Pardi a month or so ago opening for Jamey Johnson and I didn’t think his sound was bad, but also didn’t think he was real country either. Hearing him and then hearing Jamey Johnson/Alison Krauss right after was night and day difference.
October 6, 2016 @ 8:17 am
The real “big” thing on this list is Traveller’s nearly unparalleled staying power. This is the kind of thing that doesn’t happen,
except to huge names like Michael Jackson, Elvis, Pink Floyd (all of whom are in the top twenty longest times spent at number one on Billboard, where they compete with soundtracks to “Phantom of the Opera, West Side Story, and South Pacific)
This puts a bit of Stapleton’s success into perspective.
October 6, 2016 @ 9:22 am
Agreed. It’s unprecedented, and is showing no signs of slowing down. He’ consistently selling over 11,000 albums a week with no major appearances or major tour. This is completely organic. The only thing that may slow it down is releasing another album. And when he does, I expect him to put up world-class numbers. That could be the album to blow the doors wide open.
October 8, 2016 @ 8:08 am
I disagree about “no major tour.”
I caught one of the Stapleton/Hank Jr. shows.
It. was. packed.
multiple thousands of people, the auditorium probably held two thousand, and the lawn was packed with easily as many and probably more.
And I don’t even know about the “non viewing” part of the venue. I’m sure there were people down there just listening.
It was a shitty concert, sounded awful and Hank Jr. very clearly didn’t even bother to TRY sounding decent. But it was packed. biggest concert I’ve ever seen.
He might not be going about things the “conventional” way regarding tours, but he is drawing huge crowds and getting lots of publicity.
October 8, 2016 @ 8:20 am
8 co-headlining dates is barely one leg of a major tour. A major tour is 30 to 45 tour dates all released at once. I understand those were big shows, but Hank Jr. regularly plays venues those size by himself and sells them out. Stapleton’s tour dates have been cobbled together with appearances here or there, yet another sign that his label and management really don’t know what to do with them. I think he’ll soon have that wrinkled out though. In 18 months, and behind a new album, he’ll be selling out arenas and playing what anyone would consider a major tour.
October 6, 2016 @ 8:21 am
It is very eery to me that this resurgence in traditional country is happening in a year in which an unusually large number of traditional country greats have died. Merle Haggard, Guy Clark, Joey Feek, Ralph Stanley, Jean Shepard have all passed on in 2016. Very odd, but I’m not mad at it.
October 6, 2016 @ 8:26 am
Brad Paisley won the Entertainer of the Year award in 2010. I’m pretty sure he was considered a neotraditional artist back then. He sure was not as traditional as George or Alan, but after all hits like Water, Anything Like Me, When I Get Where I’m Going sound pretty traditional to my ears. And even his more progressive tracks like American Saturday Night and Then sound pretty country compared, for example, to Alan Jackson’s Like Red on a Rose and A Woman’s Love.
Truth is Brad Paisley was a great hope for traditional country in 2010, and his next album This is Country Music proved to be very good. So I wouldn’t say George was the only traditional artist to win the award in 9 years.
October 6, 2016 @ 8:34 am
I agree! I don’t know what happened to him but Paisley used to put out consistent singles until 2012. But his music has not really been that good since then.
October 6, 2016 @ 8:46 am
Paisley was trying to stay mainstream relevant, so he went trend chasing. In truth, this is how most of the big mainstream names ended up where they are…trying to give people/label execs/radio what they thought they wanted.
October 6, 2016 @ 9:50 am
I remember when Brad Paisley won Entertainer of the Year that the big narrative was that it was “his time,” and this would be his last opportunity to win before his career would invariably go in decline. I think that is one of the reasons Miranda Lambert is a dark horse for Entertainer for this year this year. If she doesn’t win this year, it may be harder and harder for her moving forward. Same could be said for Carrie Underwood as a new generation of female performers is coming on strong.
That is not a knock on either artist whatsoever. But I feel like it could be one of those years to give Entertainer to someone who may never get it again like Paisley and Strait.
EDIT: Sorry, Miranda Lambert is not up for Entertainer of the Year. Brain fart. Philospohy still applies though to Carrie Underwood.
October 6, 2016 @ 10:52 am
Miranda isn’t up for EOTY this year….I agree with you on Carrie. And it would be well deserved too.
October 6, 2016 @ 12:21 pm
Oh, screw me. I think I was thinking about Carrie the whole time. Anyway, that’s why I think she has an underdog’s chance.
October 6, 2016 @ 3:29 pm
If you are REALLY familiar with Brad Paisley ,singles and beyond, I think you’ll have a different take on his ‘approach ‘ to the biz . IMO , this guy is heads hands and feet above just about anyone charting ( or not charting )in the talent department in these times . He is a force on so many fronts including guitar playing , singing ,( an amazing trad voice ) , energetic live performances displaying all aspects of his gifts and passion for performing, fresh themes for his writes AND some of the best lyrics anyone has written since , perhaps , Don Schlitz , in his hey-day with Randy Travis and others and last but not least …personality which is something many many newcomers sorely seem to lack ..
This guy has the market cornered on ‘clever’ ( and I don’t mean ‘cute-sy ‘) , smart , hooky ideas and a fearlessness about arrangements ……(again ..I’m talking his album tracks as much as his commercial fare ) Arguably his most “bro” song was Riverbank and I’d submit ( your honors ) that had we not been exhausted by the bro-shit that has been shovelled our way in recent years we may have found this clever , groovy , catchy tune much more agreeable than many of us did …..drum-loops notwithstanding . It was trademark Paisley -clever hook , BIG groove and incredibly -well performed and produced .
When I read about how ” country needs to evolve ‘ Paisley is the guy I think of as he has managed to seamlessly and respectfully marry tradition to several of country’s most respected eras while keeping the intent and the passion for a song intact …..along with his own ‘twist’ on the writing . I ‘m convinced Brad Paisley singing and playing a handful of his best writes with just an acoustic guitar and no band support would SLAY most chartfok AND most up-and-comers performing under the same circumstance including , in my opinion ,the Simpsons , the Stapletons ,the Pitneys the Churches and others. His songs are still FOR THE PEOPLE FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENTERTAINMENT with a hugely keen sense of observation and not simply introspective , cryptic musical/lyrical excursions a listener may or may not ‘get’ or need to deliberate over the hipness of .
Yes , BP’s career may have peaked on radio …but c’mon …..what the hell is radio anymore ? Radio thinks Luke Bryan is the messiah . Willie and Merle’s last album had some kiiler cuts that should have seen radio play as did George Strait’s last and Alan Jackson’s . That radio market is 16 years old …if not in years certainly in mind !! Brad Paisley is just too good for radio in these mostly mind-numbing musical times and will most certainly be around long after the implosion .
October 6, 2016 @ 3:57 pm
I’d love nothing more than to see Sturgill and Paisely in an acoustic-off! Just cause Sturg keeps it simple with his acoustic and let’s his badass band shine, doesn’t mean the dude doesn’t know how to use that thing. I’ve got youtube, I’ve seen that dude let loose back when and he knows exactly how a guitar’s supposed to be played.
And I’d take his worst song over the one about a lamp shade on a head or where the hook about choosing fishing over a woman got old after one listen.
To be fair, I don’t hate Paisely, I just don’t really like the guy. And you seemed to, very much. Very, very much. So, I just wanted to piss in your Cheerios a bit, cause why not?
October 6, 2016 @ 6:54 pm
I never eat Cheerios….
October 7, 2016 @ 5:07 am
Brad Paisley? Started well but, to my ears, he’s dull dull dull now! Guitar playing? Yes, very good but it seems like he can’t resist putting a widdly-widdly solo on every track and over time they all sound the same …
October 6, 2016 @ 9:03 am
Yep. I really liked his first few albums…lately, not at all.
October 6, 2016 @ 9:26 am
Paisley used to be as traditional as it gets. I don’t think you can create a more genuine country song than “He Didn’t Have To Be”, or “Two Feet of Topsoil”. I personally think that “This Is Country Music” is one of his strongest albums.
October 9, 2016 @ 5:29 pm
I think we’ve gotten through to him a bit. New single released just two days ago, titled “Today”, and it sounds like Brad wound the clock right back to the mid-2000s. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXVLtfJ5KQY
October 6, 2016 @ 8:39 am
Also, Jon Pardi’s Head Over Boots is a straight ahead traditional song.
October 6, 2016 @ 9:26 am
I love “Head Over Boots”, and also “I Met a Girl”. It feels like it has been quite a while since we’ve had number one singles this good.
October 6, 2016 @ 9:29 am
Not a big fan of “I Met a Girl” but ill leave it on if it comes on the radio. Still a big improvement to what else is being played. I would personally rather listen to “Missing” or “Lonesomeville”.
October 6, 2016 @ 10:01 am
Missing and Lonesomeville are my favorites from the album! 🙂 Those are two incredible country songs. So excited to hear that Missing has been announced as WMM’s next single.
October 7, 2016 @ 10:52 am
I flipping LOVE that Head Over Boots song. I keep wondering what the Country radio fans who don’t REALLY like Country music will do if we do get a real shift back to a more country sound.
October 6, 2016 @ 8:40 am
This is excellent, great work. The tide has been changing, and it seems that most facets of the music world are paying attention. Thanks for chronicling the timeline of the resurgence of traditional country – I pray we continue to see more and that this is just the tip of the iceberg!
October 6, 2016 @ 8:44 am
I do think we’re starting to see and hear more traditional country which is great. In truth, I think country is best when the music and artists are diverse, both on the radio and in album form. I have my preferences for the type of country music that I like, and other people can, and do, have different preferences, and that’s all ok.
I will say that, contrary to popular opinion on this blog, if Jason Isbell’s music is considered country, than we haven’t won the battle, we’ve just seen it shifted from not-country being pop, to not-country being Americana. It is ok to say this is good music, made by someone from the south, and with a roots influence, and it still not be country. (Just like we do with Beyonce, except she’s pop so people on this board seem to think it’s not good music :p).
October 6, 2016 @ 9:42 am
Isbell has always seemed more southern rock than country to me. Ditto Stapleton. Nothing wrong with that, I love southern rock, and agree with having diversity. The biggest problem with radio is that once someone has a hit, everyone else is forced too sound exactly like them. Even if radio goes traditional, I doubt I will start listening if every band on there sounds exactly the same.
October 7, 2016 @ 8:19 am
Blackberry smoke is on here and they are southern rock. They do have a few traditionaI sounding country songs. Most of their songs though are pure southern rock.
October 6, 2016 @ 8:48 am
It is very eery to me how we are seeing somewhat of a traditional country resurgence in a year in which so many country greats of the past have died. Merle Haggard, Guy Clark, Joey Feek, etc. The universe has our back it seems.
October 6, 2016 @ 9:13 am
Idk if the William Michael Morgan song should be included here. Yes, it sounds somewhat traditional. But it is a Sam Hunt written song.
October 6, 2016 @ 12:28 pm
First off, Sam Hunt did not write “I Met A Girl.” Sam is one of three songwriters credited on the track, and it’s pretty regular form to include the performer in the songwriting credits these days whether they contributed significantly to the composition or not. But even if Sam Hunt is the primary songwriter, if I’m reviewing a song and want to keep my integrity, I can’t just say “Sam Hunt wrote this song” and immediately pan it because who was involved. Sure, that’s an important detail, but ultimately it comes down to if the song is good or not. And in my opinion, “I Met A Gril” is good. Not great, but good, and way better than whatever else would have landed in the top spot if “I Met A Girl” hadn’t.
October 6, 2016 @ 9:14 am
You should “toot” your horn too Trigger, your are part of the turning tide!
October 6, 2016 @ 9:31 am
I agree, you have done more than you probably realize to start to turn the tide. You and others provided alternatives to the mainstream and opened the door for people like Sturgill, Isbell, Blackberry Smoke, Aaron Watson…I hadn’t heard any of those names before SCM, and I can’t be the only one.
October 6, 2016 @ 9:24 am
I remember being a huge bro-country fan until one day I heard “Traveler” on Pandora. I was hooked immediately and I realized that real country music didn’t have to be about beer, girls, trucks, etc. I immediately cut all ties with bro-country and dove headfirst into the underground and classic realms of country. Now two years later I’m called “old man” (I’m only 18) and spend most of my time arguing with people over how un-country much of the mainstream country is. All thanks to Chris Stapleton
October 6, 2016 @ 12:22 pm
Welcome to the musical world of enlightenment!
October 6, 2016 @ 4:48 pm
As is often brought up on this site, exposure is critical. If more folks like Kyle are given the opportunity to hear better music, the light may go on so to speak. Not for all, but for some. Good for you Kyle, you have a lifetime ahead of you to listen to great music. Rather than argue with your friends, just make them listen to the music. Some will get it, some will not. There is a reason we have cliches. You can lead a horse to water.
October 6, 2016 @ 9:25 am
I also think Kacey Musgraves has a part to play in this too. In 2014 (I believe), she won CMA song of the year and has had two successful albums without the aid of radio. “Follow Your Arrow” came at a time in which radio seemed to completely ignore all traditional and meaningful songs. Yet she had one of the best-selling digital songs that year, due to the fact that the song was released around the time when country fans were yearning for true country music and a song that anyone could relate to.
October 7, 2016 @ 6:25 pm
“Follow Your Arrow” may have changed a lot of peoples’ minds about what they think country music is. As a fairly staunch liberal who has lived all their life in a bleeding blue area, I had had many stereotypes about country music in my head, primarily that it is a solely conservative, boring, and “backwards” style of music. Of course, my only exposure to it was bro country, or kitschy 90s country like Shania Twain.
Kacey’s music helped change my perspective, and led me to read into the rich history of country music. Particularly, I’ve enjoyed artists who explore the complexity of the human fabric and condition – as music that’s traditionally been from the working people, it’s one of the American music genres that embodies this – and it’s enriched my own understanding of the lives of people in different parts of the country. Stuff like Brandy Clark, Margo Price, and Jason Isbell have so many rich stories that I can definitely say that my life has been enriched by listening to country music (or Americana, as some would argue.)
Nowadays, I don’t particularly care too much about the politics of the artist – I generally listen to who you’d consider Democrat and Republican alike (though I haven’t brought myself to listen to Hank Jr yet…) But when you look at the greater perception of country music in many parts of the States, especially the blue parts, you’ll find that there’s a lot of complexity missing from that image.
October 7, 2016 @ 7:33 pm
Agreed.
She won New Artist over FGL the previous year. Granted, they took home Duo and Single (for Cruise), but it was one of those commercial moments voters couldn’t ignore.
Also, the fact FGL only got ONE CMA nomination this year (despite HOLY being as big as it was), says something too. Also, Blake — who sold out to go bro — didn’t get a single nomination. Tides are indeed turning.
October 6, 2016 @ 9:28 am
Not too shabby for a bunch of old farts and jackasses trying to be all songwriterly and stuff…
October 8, 2016 @ 7:50 pm
I have reached 40 likes for my comment, and I didn’t even like my own comment (though I shamefully admit that I contemplated it). Trigger, I think this accomplishment is deserving of a SCM koozie, t-shirt or other such prize. Does anyone else here agree, or am I a bit too deep in the amber current?
October 6, 2016 @ 9:37 am
Things are really taking off. Pretty exciting time to be in no doubt.
Great article Trig.
October 6, 2016 @ 9:42 am
Without question, mainstream country music is presently at its most traditional since at least 2011. And I’m also inclined to agree that, when it comes to fresh faces impacting the album charts, it’s also at a five-year high to say the least.
The glaring exception, however, is quality at radio. The music itself has gotten less synthetic since the onset of bro-country and the metro-bro offshoot, but lyrical quality has only made meager gains overall thanks in large part to Eric Church’s current release which is disproportionately sharper-written than fellow A-listers as of late and has succeeded in producing hits.
Both Jon Pardi and William Michael Morgan’s albums mark a turn back to traditional influences, but their lyrical quality is still bogged down in bro-country tropes and sports bar posturing respectively. They still sound like compromises with label executives. Obviously we should take the shifting sound as a genuine victory in its own right, but what I’m urging is to only view it as a partial victory all the same as long as the music is still divorced from a narrative/storytelling quality.
Even Chris Stapleton’s “Parachute” didn’t resonate to me as strongly as most because of the lack of a distinctive point of view between the songs. In large part, the production certainly helped make them feel intimate, but the lyrics just seemed to lack depth often and in a few cases even postured to crowds like the pot smoking one. I’d also file Aubrie Sellers’ “New City Blues” under this category. It’s an album that sounds inveigling (though gimmicky at times) but is weakened by wafer-thin songs in terms of lyrical content.
And I fear this will remain the case as long as Music Row remains an exclusive VIP club of sorts teeming with career politician-esque writers also operating as producers who seem to write to fit a quota as opposed to taking their time and writing from experience and the heart. Once those gates crash, so will the songwriting patterns change as well.
October 6, 2016 @ 10:23 am
“And I fear this will remain the case as long as Music Row remains an exclusive VIP club of sorts teeming with career politician-esque writers also operating as producers who seem to write to fit a quota as opposed to taking their time and writing from experience and the heart. Once those gates crash, so will the songwriting patterns change as well.”
Well said Nadia! While we are gaining ground musically back to more country sounding recordings, the current crop of career politician-esque writers place little importance on a well crafted lyric. The truth is I don’t think they are rooted in country music enough to truly understand or appreciate the importance of great lyrics. Young writers on music row used to respect the legendary writers and songs that came before them. Today the young writers could care less. It’s just about getting a cut/single and making money.
October 6, 2016 @ 3:37 pm
” While we are gaining ground musically back to more country sounding recordings, the current crop of career politician-esque writers place little importance on a well crafted lyric. The truth is I don’t think they are rooted in country music enough to truly understand or appreciate the importance of great lyrics. Young writers on music row used to respect the legendary writers and songs that came before them. Today the young writers could care less. It’s just about getting a cut/single and making money. ”
Exactly !
October 6, 2016 @ 11:15 am
I agree completely. I haven’t paid all that much attention to Jon Pardi or WMM, but I haven’t heard anything from them (or Mo Pitney for that matter) that I would characterize as good songwriting, just the same old songs in a more palatable presentation.
I love the Stapleton album, but mostly because of his voice and style. There are a few well-written songs on the album (Whiskey and You, Daddy Doesn’t Pray Anymore, Was it 26), but most of the rest of the album is just OK lyrically. But I could listen to that guy sing the phonebook.
And that Eric Church album is terrific. I’m really looking forward to seeing him in concert in a few months. I would not have said that a year ago.
October 6, 2016 @ 12:20 pm
I think there is some excellent songwriting on the new William Michael Morgan album, “I Know Who He Is,” “Missing,” Cheap Cologne,” “Lonesomeville” are all great efforts in my opinion.
I think there’s this prevailing sentiment out there that the new traditionalists in the mainstream are not turning in quality songs, and I’m just not hearing that. Sure, there’s a couple of clunkers on their albums, but that’s any album. And of course the singles can always be better. But I see the quality of songwriting improving as well. Maybe the production is outpacing the songwriting to some extent, but a song like “I Know Who He Is” is in no way mailing it in.
October 6, 2016 @ 3:07 pm
“Missing” and “I Know Who He Is” are certainly stand-up moments, but I was less impressed with the lyricism of the album as a whole.
I’m talking songs like “Beer Drinker”, “Spend It All On You” and “People Like Me” to name several examples. How are these tracks any different from the likes of the Muzik Mafia and even bro-country eras outside the production?
Then there are others like the title track, his current hit and “Somethin’ To Drink About” that sound agreeable, but just follow the persisting radio fluff formula to a tee and come across more as ditties than stories or vignettes. I mean, there will always be a place for fluff as someone who has given a handful of Carrie Underwood and Florida Georgia Line songs a pass, but what I sense across most of “Vinyl” is a vibe very similar to that of Easton Corbin’s debut album, and we all know what happened to him since.
I get I probably sound a bit too cynical here. But I still maintain the lyrical quality in the mainstream has yet to truly recover in full since the late 00s-early 10s. There remains a dearth of songs that eschew the tried-and-true tropes and cliches that are consistent with the “I’m country! Here’s why!”, Hallmark card lovey-dovey platitude and bro-country leanings.
October 6, 2016 @ 3:48 pm
No opening band for Eric Church this tour. Pretty excited for two full sets. I’ve seen him many times and always wanted him to do it. Although, he has had some pretty stellar opening acts..
October 6, 2016 @ 5:23 pm
Actually pretty frustrated with this. It’s probably good for his fans, and I’m glad he’s playing 2 sets, but…opening is a really good way for newer acts to gain experience and broaden fan bases. How cool would his show be if he had Rhiannon Gibbons for instance opening? And it would be good exposure for her career.Especially, since he doesn’t need the opener to really help him sell tickets.
October 6, 2016 @ 10:18 am
Trigger, Is a review of the newest Blackberry Smoke Album “Like an Arrow” in the works?
October 6, 2016 @ 12:24 pm
I rarely to never review albums until they’re released, or maybe the day before they are released. I’m sure I will be discussing the album in some capacity. Thanks for the interest.
October 6, 2016 @ 5:26 pm
how about that new William Tyler’s instrumental Modern Country? its hippy dippy NPR country that’s suppose to be controversial because of the album name apparently. it’s grown on me a little..
“Modern Country is the fourth full-length album by guitarist and composer William Tyler and his first recorded outside of his hometown of Nashville, Tennessee. It features an ensemble backing group consisting of multi-instrumentalist Phil Cook (Hiss Golden Messenger, Blind Boys of Alabama), bassist Darin Gray (Tweedy, Jim O’Rourke), and percussionist Glenn Kotche (Wilco).”
October 6, 2016 @ 7:47 pm
I’ll check it out.
October 6, 2016 @ 10:46 am
Country Music is reborn again with real traditional country.
October 6, 2016 @ 11:13 am
Heard holding her for the first time on the radio yesterday. Just beautiful. Keep up the good work trigger
October 6, 2016 @ 12:13 pm
I think COUNTRY MUSIC is doing fine. I think COUNTRY RADIO needs saving and changing.
October 6, 2016 @ 12:39 pm
Great article! I know a lot of people are a little iffy on Jon Pardi. I really think Pardi is a great talent. I would say that “She Ain’t In It” is one of the best songs of the year. He differently flirts with “Bro Country”, but I am able to look past it. I will get killed for this, but some elements of “Bro Country”, in small doses can be fun. I really like what he is doing, as well as all of the other artists discussed in this article.
Trigger, I am sure this gets on your nerves, but any chance you will be reviewing “Sea Of Lights” from Boo Ray? This guy has some really fun music that I thin
October 6, 2016 @ 1:37 pm
Chris Stapleton, Chris Stapleton, Chris Stapleton…. Alright let me say the guy is talented and it’s good to hear someone with talent being successful. However with that being said he’s not traditional country he’s more Ronnie Milsap blue eyed soul to me nothing wrong with that it’s just not traditional country to me. I’m a big Ronnie Milsap fan by the way so not knocking that style or anything.
I’m glad people are finally tired of the bullshit mainstream radio is pushing out and are starting to support more traditional leaning musicians.
October 6, 2016 @ 3:44 pm
“traditional” sounds uncreative
try “rooted” instead
the associations there are entirely positive
October 6, 2016 @ 4:38 pm
This is all wishful thinking until radio is fully on board. Good luck with that.
October 6, 2016 @ 6:08 pm
Here’s the catch: there may be less bad music on radio right now, but the bad music is the worst that it has ever been.
October 7, 2016 @ 8:12 am
Always darkest before the dawn.
October 6, 2016 @ 8:32 pm
I actually got a little misty-eyed reading this piece and realizing how far we’ve actually come, even if it’s not far enough just yet (and never will be far enough for some people). A small complaint, but the only thing I was missing was your patented links to previous articles, and considering I’m one to very much go back and look over something I’ve read years before to see what I might think of it in the present, I missed that. What can I say, I’m lazy and want to be spoon-fed.
This next point might seem a tad out of left field, but it’s relevant in the face of the changing tide: Ronnie Dunn has a new album, Tattooed Heart, coming out November 11th from NASH Icon. It is to be produced by Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts and the title track is a cover of a Ariana Grande song. In a new interview with Billboard, Dunn comments on the new album and praises DeMarcus for bringing the sound “up to date.” Perhaps it was naive of me to think Ronnie would learn after Peace, Love And Country Music, but damn if I didn’t think he would. He’s spoken out a considerable amount about injustices in the industry and the state of country radio, even directly responding to the SCM review of his sophomore solo album in 2014. Not that this album will make a difference either way, what with NASH Icon showing itself to be a lot of fluff and the ship beginning to correct itself with Ronnie (or Kix Brooks, for that matter), but it’s still disappointing. Haven’t heard the album, can’t pass judgement just yet, but I’m expecting nothing short of what we got last time, possibly to the nth degree. Non-fans can shake their little fists and whine all they want, but Brooks & Dunn were a country music landmark and imminently likable to boot. Given that Ronnie was the voice of that more often than not, I like to think that he’s affecting that legacy even if it’s just his name on this new album. It’s so strange to see things getting actively better (slowly but surely) in the mainstream and then to turn around and see a modern legend of country music (for better or worse) doing it all wrong.
October 6, 2016 @ 8:33 pm
Billboard article link (forgot to include it): http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/country/7533224/ronnie-dunn-on-new-album-insecurity-and-inconvenient-truths-of-the
October 7, 2016 @ 2:05 am
Acca Dacca,
I followed you into left field. You owe me four and half minutes of my life back. That Ronnie Dunn song is terrible. The music is horrible, the lyrics are lame and the melody sucks. And the woman who ties the horse to the post in the video like she’s starting to tie her shoes better hope that animal doesn’t decide to turn its head and run off…
October 8, 2016 @ 7:30 pm
Correction: Ronnie owes you four minutes. Don’t shoot the messenger.
October 8, 2016 @ 7:37 pm
And actually, having just listened to the song myself, it’s not bad for generic pop country. It’s not traditional but it’s not metrobro, either, and Ronnie’s vocals are superb. Not entirely sure why they felt the need to bring in Kix Brooks to do some background vocals and add a big old “featuring” label for his contributions, but there you go.
October 7, 2016 @ 5:33 am
Also of note, you had an A-list country artist, Tim McGraw, do a complete 180 in the types of songs he released to country radio. I didn’t see that one coming.
October 7, 2016 @ 6:44 am
Tim did what Brad should have done…realized his automatic radio/commercial days were over, and apparently decided that freed him up to make better music, since he didn’t have to worry about it.
October 7, 2016 @ 12:57 pm
My timeline started a little sooner with Jamey Johnson and That Lonesome Song. A couple years later he releases The Guitar Song which my be my favorite album ever. I keep waiting and waiting for new material from Jamey, albeit he owes me nothing but fortunately, Cody Jinks has filled the void. I’m no longer expecting new Jamey Johnson music and just see it as a bonus if we do get it.
October 13, 2016 @ 9:10 am
The comment about country music being fine and radio being crap is the best part of this whole piece. If you dig around there are several good country songs, whether they’re played on the radio or not is another thing. You had Alan Jackson release “Angels and Alcohol” last year, not one song was played on the radio. George also falls in this category. And those who pen Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean for being completely not country have not listened to their albums. What they release on the radio may not be country, but what they record is. If you look at both of their albums, from past to present, there is country., even if its not completely traditional. Chris Stapleton is completely taditionlal either.
Bryan has songs such as “We Rode in Trucks”, “Dirt Road Diary”, “Scarecrows”, and “Harvest Time”.
Aldean has several from his earlier albums also with “Laughed Until We Cried”, “On My Highway”, “Country Boy’s World”, and “If My Truck Could Talk”.
Dustin Lynch also has a good country sound when you listen to his album, not radio releases.
Country radio will never be back to what it was, bu there is hope right now for more of a country sounds, especially if big name artists like Bryan and Aldean would release some of this songs.
Also, I’m curious, has anyone listen to Garth’s new song? In my opinion, its not all that impressive.