Country Music Slips Losing Popularity

RickRichtmyer · Post by **RickRichtmyer** » 7 Jan 2000 4:43 am

Sorry about the subject line. I changed my mind halfway through typing it and never did get it right.

Anyway, I just heard that although record sales were up by 6% last year, country music record sales were down by 5%. The announcer said that the fad is coming to an end and that a lot of longtime country fans have become alienated by the pop music influence. He added his own comment "Country music needs more George Jones." Amen, brother.

It looks like there's a light at the end of the tunnel and maybe it's an oncoming train song.

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Rick Richtmyer
users.erols.com/rickrichtmyer

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by RickRichtmyer on 07 January 2000 at 04:45 AM.]</p></FONT>

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 7 Jan 2000 6:45 am

The lead article in the on-line Nashville Tennessean yesterday was about the same thing. I don't remember the exact words but the general drift of one part of the article was that the qualtity of the music (no reflection on the session musicians) was part of the cause. It also stated that a 2 year old album was the top album for 99 which says there wasn't much to celebrate about last year.

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 7 Jan 2000 9:39 am

Rick,

I sincerely hope you are right my friend. But I am very doubtful.

Here is why. Contrary to popularly held beliefs on this forum, IMHO record producers dont set the trend. Buyers do. And while there may be some fall off in sales due to us diehards leaving the fold, it won't do anything to bolster what we so dearly love and want to see return. Again my humble opinion.

One only has to go anywhere CD's and tapes are sold and just watch. But more importantly LOOK! That boy or girl (can one really tell them apart these days) 'ain't looking at country music CD's and/or tapes. NOway they are not. Their dress code (do they have one?), depicts their chosen music.

Rick, they simple do NOT like what we call traditional country music. As sad as it is, I feel that if fate could suddently throw a switch and put on the stage of the grande ole opry tomorrow night, the likes of Ernest Tubb, Ray Price, Hank williams, Marty Robbins, George Jones, Merle Haggard, etc etc etc. it would still not be any different. Our kids and they are the buyers (in quantity) just simple do not like country music. NO I take that back, they HATE it. 3 children and 6 children of me own and not one, NOT one ever ever listens to country music. When asked about it, all I get is YUK. I hate that kind of music.

But just let some freakish looking thing come on the TV with hair down to the floor and hasn't shaved in a month and looks like one poured a bucket of blue paint on him and then dipped him into butter and eggs (raw) pick up a similarly painted guitar and play it loud enough to drown out a boeing 747 engines and put a microphone into his mouth and with the pa set at 147 db shout into it as though he was talking to the next universe, and my grandchidren go berserk!

Yes berserk. They know his name, they know his music (that's music!) they begin to jirade like the amimal he is and shake theire hips in a lewd and lascivious way. And they go out and spend every dime they have on every possible CD the animal has recorded.

Folks is Carl pulling your leg?

Grin and bear it folks. And then some people are out there worried about some child in school hearing the words of our lord!

Give me a break. Sodom and Gamorah! history does repeat itself.

Please forgive me Rick. Carl used your post to vent his spleen. I will hush now, donn my flame suit and watch it go up in smoke.

god bless all,

carl

Graham · Post by **Graham** » 7 Jan 2000 1:23 pm

Carl:
Sometimes think it is the luck of the draw with kids. When my kids were young and growing up, all they ever heard in our house was Gospel or Classic Country music. At age 29, that is all my daughter still listens to. My son, on the other hand, at 25, listens to Rock!! Go figure!

And the music played in my home now is still the same, only with some great Steel CD's played in the mix!!

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Rebel™
ICQ 614585

BarPix · Post by **BarPix** » 8 Jan 2000 9:19 pm

Check out Billboard magazine. Its a great source for music biz statistics. Some stars that normally go platinum in a few months came up short in 99. Vince Gill and Alan Jackson are two examples. They were not nearly as successful as we hoped they would be and certainly not as successful as their prior CD's.. I think Carl is right. Kids hate the traditional. Pop country with MTV hair sells. Shania, Martina, Faith, and the Dixie Chix sold millions in 99. As the chix say "There's your trouble".

Bo Borland · Post by **Bo Borland** » 9 Jan 2000 5:24 pm

Thr real problem today starts with the radio program/music directors...
Top 20 playlist mentality. There is great music coming out of Twangtown, radio just will not play it.

Bill Llewellyn · Post by **Bill Llewellyn** » 9 Jan 2000 5:40 pm

Here's a CNN article about it: "Country music sales down and out". It cites Shania Twain as the most successful country artist of the year.

http://cnn.com/2000/SHOWBIZ/Music/01/07/country.music.sales.ap/index.html

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 12 Jan 2000 8:45 am

Yes Joe,

I suspect you are correct. And you did inject some

into it. Thanks friend.

My worry is just that. believe it or not. The difference between "kids" rebelling against their parents/grandparents when we were growing up, and now, is this; The parents and granparents of today not only let there kids do it, they promote it!

My daddy woulda skint me alive. And therin, lies the crux I truly believe. Course today my daddy's kids woulda' been taken away from him and he would be in jail for "child abuse". They called it then, discipline. But then so did Jesus. But who listens to him any more? They would rather listen to Monica sell diet fads! Wonder if we woulda' had an impeachment trial if she had been disciplined by her daddy? What ya think?

God bless,

carl

kevin grissom · Post by **kevin grissom** » 15 Jan 2000 5:08 am

I think that the kids today, would listen to more classic country music if it was played on the radio, Example,i have a step daughter she 12 years old, we do a show every year,at our local school which represents the opry, people dress up like the stars and preform, she was wondering what song she wanted to sing in the show, i told her that she should go with a older song, that there was to many doing the new bull@@@t that the radio is playing today. i told her that i would try to come with a artist that she would like, i thought is over a couple of days and it hit me(the perfect song) HARPER VALLEY P.T.A. So my wife and i went a dozen place's trying to get the cd, finally found it in carthage tn. Keep in mind she or her friends had never heard the song,i played the song for her and 2 older teenagers and they absolutely love it. as a matter of fact the went nuts, over it. (WHEN THEY DON'T HEAR IT YOU CAN'T EXPECT THEM TO LIKE IT). Now in country music we have a lot of yesterday's rock fans,as musician's,dj's,promoters, manager's and they try to promote the rockin' side of country, they are not smart enough to realize that the rockin side of country music fans are not loyal country music,so when it comes to versing rockin' country against rock-n-roll the latter wins everytime!

kevin grissom · Post by **kevin grissom** » 15 Jan 2000 5:20 am

oh! no! i guess this post bumps shania down to the third spot, wonder if nashiville producers will come after me and try to turn me into a rockin' country music lover, never give it up!!!!!!

Jerry Wright · Post by **Jerry Wright** » 18 Jan 2000 8:34 am

You hit the nail on the head Carl.It is pitiful of some of the strangest noise's
today is being called music.But I ,by the grace of God , am Blessed with my Children.
My oldest Daugther(33)Which I still pick PSG
with,is still singing Gospel.She,like myself,like country that is real country.
My youngest Daugther sings Gospel(she is in Texas & Oklahoma this week singing)She sings ful time.She is 22.
My Son does not sing but he likes nothing but
Gospel & real country.He is 32.
What I am trying to say is this.Children will
tend to stray but somehow someway they find
their way by to there roots.Unless there influence that they have found is greater than your influence.
Music has a influence in a big time way.But have you ever heard of this"Bring a child up in the WAYS OF THE LORD AND HE WILL NOT DEPART" Plant the seed,But please take time to water it. I'm not preaching(well maybe a little bit)but these thing's are facts.
Gospel is Great**Real Country is Great**But GOD is the GREATEST**

Jerry Hedge · Post by **Jerry Hedge** » 18 Jan 2000 12:55 pm

Maybe it's a good thing that Country Music is slipping in popularity. Then us HILLBILLIES can take it over again. Seriously, the true fans will always love real Country while the faddists will move on to the next hot thing.

Bob Mainwaring · Post by **Bob Mainwaring** » 18 Jan 2000 10:57 pm

Rick, Carl said it all for me in his reply
There has to be a day, but when, when, when will it be?? people are apparently going back to the stuff other than music in their lives of that "last century" look at all the clothes fashions that have been brought back, not to mention 50`s look-alike anything that you poke a stick at.
Our songs are another "for instance" to think about, our band have a laugh when asked for the "new" Pop a top again, plus too many others to mention that do the rounds from time to time.
Good thing there are words to hear and understand, then we can someday sing that particular song again!!
Bob Mainwaring Z.B and other weird things.

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Ken Tinsman · Post by **Ken Tinsman** » 19 Jan 2000 6:19 am

Rick, I'm gonna back you up on this one

.

The way I look at it is in percentages: Say right now in the group of people who listen to what is called "Country" there are 40% who are true country fans and 60% who are "trend followers," i.e. those who like Shania and other NCS types because it is currently "in." The real "Country" fans, (i.e. us)are always going to be there. The trend followers will move on to the next trend - hopefully soon. If "Country" is losing popularity, it means the trend followers are going bye-bye. If they all go, it leaves the true fans with 100% of "Country" to ourselves. It would now be a 60% smaller market - but it would be OUR market.

As far as kids go - kids are going to follow whatever is cool to their age group. The thing about kids is eventually they stop being kids and with maturity learn to decide what they like on their own (well, at least SOME of them do.) But, like Kevin said "WHEN THEY DON'T HEAR IT YOU CAN'T EXPECT THEM TO LIKE IT." I figure even with a much smaller market, there will continue to be Country stations - who will be forced to play real Country when the faddists are gone.

" ...there's a light at the end of the tunnel and maybe it's an oncoming train song." I like that.

Rich Paton · Post by **Rich Paton** » 20 Jan 2000 9:39 pm

"Country music needs more George Jones."
>
Ain't that the cold, hard truth!
>
BTW, I haven't heard much about Vern Gosdin lately, what's he doing now?