Programmer's Corner

Awards shows outside of the CMA’s or ACM’s are always interesting to me, I like all types of music…lately I have had Adele on repeat in iTunes but at the end of the day country is my choice.  Not because it is the industry I choose to work in but because I love the music with all the stories and honesty of life.

Last night AMA”s were a good snapshot of what is going on outside my safe little country bubble and I thought it was a good show over all, but what I was really proud of was country music taking the spotlight.  Say what you want about Taylor Swift but she has done more to bring international attention to our preferred genre of music than anyone since Garth Brooks.  Am I comparing Taylor to Garth?  No, 2 different artist’s, 2 different era’s but as Garth helped a younger generation discover country music in the early 90’s so has Taylor.  For Her to win “Artist of the Year” is a major statement that will help all artist’s in country music and besides, dare I say she is a far better role model than Kayne West or LMAFO!

Today TCN debuted the new Taylor Swift video for her song “Sparks Fly” and just the mere mention of her name caused Sparks to Fly from the vocal minority that dislike her music, the group of country music fans that believe her music “is not country”. 

Several years ago the genre of rock music split into niche variations like soft, hard, punk, grunge and classic rock making it easier for the fans to find the type they like without sitting through the stuff they don’t like.  But, even they have crossover sounds that tend to muddy the waters from time to time.  Country music as a genre is hard to define because it is one body of music, the traditional influences are mixed with the progressive modern sounds or…George Strait to Keith Urban, Chris Young to Jason Aldean.  I was working at a new country radio station when this new artist came out, we started playing his music because it had a new fresh sound.  People complained, wrote letters telling me we were not a country station and that music was not country!  Garth went on to be the biggest selling artist of all time and moved country music into the mainstream music world.

My point is this…Taylor Swift may not be your cup of country tea but that doesn’t mean she is not country.  She has a very large and active fan base that loves her and has put her at the top of the country music ladder.  You cannot deny her drive, determination and showmanship!  I dare you to go to a Taylor Swift concert and not walk away a fan!

Thanks for your input and support of The Country Network.

CR