The Music Rant
People ask me what kind of music I play or even simply what kind of music I like to listen to, and it’s complicated for me. I feel like my songs tend to be lyrics first, melody second, whatever makes them work goes, so either way, I just end up describing what kind of music I like.
I always start by saying that I grew up on country. Because I did. Reba McEntire, Martina McBride, Garth Brooks. I follow by saying it’s not really “me” anymore. I’m not really a fan of contemporary country.
First of all, as a songwriter and a singer and a musician in general who would like to make her living or at least supplement it significantly in the Nashville music industry, I’m not supposed to admit that. At all. Not out loud, not under my breath, certainly not in public, in writing. But I can’t lie about who I am, and it’s true. I’m not a big fan of contemporary country.
That said, it must be understood that this statement is a huge generalization, as I still buy current country music (Reba, Brad Paisley, Sugarland, Miranda Lambert, all great, recent examples) and every single one of my radios is tuned to a country station. In some cases, it’s like a bad habit I just can’t seem to give up. In others, it’s true infatuation, maybe even love. And one of my life goals is to have Carrie Underwood record one of my songs. I wrote “Better Not Settle” with Carrie’s voice in my head. It’s not that I’m anti-country music. It’s just that as a whole, I can’t see myself, as an artist, fitting in there.
But people seem to get stuck here. They don’t let me finish by saying there are some really great under-the-radar country acts that I adore and would love to be just like. They either roll their eyes at me for being too elitist or agree with what they think I’m saying wholeheartedly by exclaiming, “I know what you mean! It’s not even country!“
This just doesn’t sit well with me. “George Jones was country. Johnny Cash was country. Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton. They were country. This stuff they’re playing on the radio today? Not so much.”
But then they’ll say something like, “I loved ’90s country though.”
You know what? ME TOO. Loved 90s country. That’s what I grew up with. But it was all marketing and madness then, just like it is today. Why do you there’s a term called “Hat Act?” They put guys in hats on the cover of the albums so they’d sell, forget whether or not they actually knew how to ride a horse or a bull. These kids didn’t sound like Jones. Or Cash. Or Loretta or Patsy or Dolly. The music had evolved to reflect its time and culture and technological advances and the current marketing expertise. It happened in the seventies. In the eighties. In the nineties. It’s happening today. So what’s so country about 90s country that’s different from current country? God only knows.
I’m guessing there weren’t too many people who listened to the Beatles and thought, “You know what? This isn’t rock and roll,” just because they didn’t sound like Elvis. Nobody listens to Kings of Leon now and denies they’re rock because they don’t sound like the Beatles.
Music changes and evolves and labels are stupid anyway but we use them for the sake of keeping things as organized as possible. Country radio is going to play whatever keeps the money rolling in, labels are going to release the music that keeps the money rolling in. Some of that music will be good, some of it will be the result of fantastic marketing and nothing more. Sometimes it’s frustrating, but it’s business. And just because Lady Antebellum’s new single has a little more of the twang processed out than I personally feel is necessary doesn’t mean that this isn’t simply the next frontier for the genre.
I mean, I think everybody is over-using auto-tune these days, but that’s another discussion entirely.
So yes, I’d be giddy as a schoolgirl if I got to hear a song I wrote coming out of my radio speakers someday, because I’m not really concerned with what we’re calling it. I just know that if I’m going to sing that’s probably not where I belong.
I’m not sure I made my point, but I’ll just ask… what do you think?
You know that this country business of which you speak is not even close to a world I live in. I just…don’t get it.
Although I do love Cash…
anyway – your thing about autotune made me want you to see this. Because….yeah…..
http://maybeitsjustme.biz/post/382186255/high-scores-on-the-video-game-of-life
that would be awesome. i would be SSOOO giddy too. and IF it were country, i’d even have one of MY presets country and i’d listen to that station until my ears bled just to hear your song. even if it came out of the mouth of someone else.
you know how i feel about the country music. :) the radio gets so overplayed — i’m kind of like you used to be, i hardly listen to the radio anymore. and when i’m home and i just want music for background noise, i tend to use the “true country” music station on digital cable — little bit of the 70’s, ton of the 80’s, and a lot of the 90’s. best. station. ever.
no matter what genre the music, if it has a good beat and lyrics i love, i’m down.
and like you said on twitter the other day sara evans restless never gets old. :)