Why is country music so depressing?

[Runwildboys]

Was never a fan, but I never changed the channel if I came across a Shania Twain video back in the day.

Yep, she can thank the video era for her career.

 

[kskboys]

Yep, she can thank the video era for her career.

IDK, her songs are uplifting and funny. Hard to say.

 

[Runwildboys]

IDK, her songs are uplifting and funny. Hard to say.

A lot of much less attractive women had much better songs and voices, but weren't the top grossing artists. Once she was famous, she got into the female empowerment thing, which is always gonna get you a lot of fans, but I don't think she ever would've been that well known if she weren't ridiculously hot.

 

[CouchCoach]

A lot of much less attractive women had much better songs and voices, but weren't the top grossing artists. Once she was famous, she got into the female empowerment thing, which is always gonna get you a lot of fans, but I don't think she ever would've been that well known if she weren't ridiculously hot.

Plus she had her husband, Mutt Lange, to help guide her sound.

 

[kskboys]

A lot of much less attractive women had much better songs and voices, but weren't the top grossing artists. Once she was famous, she got into the female empowerment thing, which is always gonna get you a lot of fans, but I don't think she ever would've been that well known if she weren't ridiculously hot.

Better songs? According to whom?

Music is entertainment. Her songs are extremely entertaining. Why are someone else's songs better? Are they more entertaining?

 

[Runwildboys]

Better songs? According to whom?

Music is entertainment. Her songs are extremely entertaining. Why are someone else's songs better? Are they more entertaining?

Yes. She has some okay songs, but compared to Reba, The Dixie Chicks, Martina McBride, etc, not nearly as much talent.

Moving out of the country genre, someone like Melissa Etheridge just completely blows her out of the water in vocals, songwriting, and instrumentals, but was never even close in popularity. Had she been incredibly sexy, her career would've been off the charts, IMO.

 

[CouchCoach]

Yes. She has some okay songs, but compared to Reba, The Dixie Chicks, Martina McBride, etc, not nearly as much talent.

Moving out of the country genre, someone like Melissa Etheridge just completely blows her out of the water in vocals, songwriting, and instrumentals, but was never even close in popularity. Had she been incredibly sexy, her career would've been off the charts, IMO.

All about in the ear of the beholder, my friend.

Country and Pop are a lot about the packaging. That's why the A/R people are so uptight about image and how they sell an artist. Rock is a lot more forgiving and the unattractiveness of some of the artists like Jagger, Richards, Ocasek, Stewart, Starr helps to sell it. Look at the girlfriends or wives or both of those 5 rock stars, think they would land those women if not for the magic of Rock?

When it comes to female vocalists, give me Annie Lennox or Dolores O'Riordan over any of them but I am OK with McVie and Nicks too. Patsy's the only female country artist I'd listen to. But in all of music, no female mesmerizes me like Enya.

 

[Runwildboys]

All about in the ear of the beholder, my friend.

Country and Pop are a lot about the packaging. That's why the A/R people are so uptight about image and how they sell an artist. Rock is a lot more forgiving and the unattractiveness of some of the artists like Jagger, Richards, Ocasek, Stewart, Starr helps to sell it. Look at the girlfriends or wives or both of those 5 rock stars, think they would land those women if not for the magic of Rock?

When it comes to female vocalists, give me Annie Lennox or Dolores O'Riordan over any of them but I am OK with McVie and Nicks too. Patsy's the only female country artist I'd listen to. But in all of music, no female mesmerizes me like Enya.

When it comes to female artists, the better looking they are, the greater their chance for success. Just look at Heart. When Ann was hot, they were more popular, and when she got heavy, the videos focused more on Nancy. These Dreams was their most popular song ever, and possibly the only one Nancy was lead vocalist on, because Ann was clearly the better singer. But the video was all about hot little Nancy (not that I'm complaining) and the song put them back in limelight.

 

[kskboys]

Yes. She has some okay songs, but compared to Reba, The Dixie Chicks, Martina McBride, etc, not nearly as much talent.

Moving out of the country genre, someone like Melissa Etheridge just completely blows her out of the water in vocals, songwriting, and instrumentals, but was never even close in popularity. Had she been incredibly sexy, her career would've been off the charts, IMO.

Opinion.

I don't like any Dixie Chick songs and think they suck vocally.

Reba has a nice voice, but very hohum songs.

McBride? I think I like one of her songs.

Shania has kick A songs. That's the primary reason she's so popular.

As far as talent goes, your every day music listener can't tell the difference at that level between good/very good/great.

 

[Roadtrip635]

There's all kinds of "country" music and it's definitely not all depressing. There's commercial country, that's basically like pop rock with an accent, but there's so many styles, alt country, outlaw, country blues, country rock, road house, bluegrass, country folk(Americana/roots), etc. There's tons of bands and artists that blend some of the country sound with other genres, like the Texas Tornadoes, Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, early ZZ Top, Robert Earl Keen, Reckless Kelly, Joe Ely, Todd Snider etc. even a lot of Rolling Stones music had country roots

 

[Runwildboys]

I'll tell you why country music seems to be more depressing than other genres; You can understand the lyrics.

 

[Tabascocat]

Check out Red Dirt country music, it is a mixture from honkey tonk to jazz to classic country.

 

[CouchCoach]

Check out Red Dirt country music, it is a mixture from honkey tonk to jazz to classic country.

It's the marriage of real country and roadhouse blues and the natural evolution of the Outlaw Country started by Waylon, Willie, Coe, etc. These players like Mike McClure, the founder of Red Dirt at the Wormy Dog in Stillwater, Cross Canadian Ragweed and Pat Green created a more interesting genre than today's country because they don't have a formula.

Cross Canadian and Pat Green are interesting stories because right after Nashville discovered their popularity, they signed them and the first album of both wasn't even like them because Nashville produced them. Cody Canada was so unhappy with how much power they'd given to Nashville, his only way out of the contract was to disband. Success ended up ending a great band and Pat Green still performs more of his "prior to Nashville" material. And you ask any of these artists, and I have asked most of them, who most influenced them and one name is almost always mentioned first, Steve Earle.

Red Dirt is the direct result on what these artists grew up on and some real country was always in there but not this Nashville Pop they push so much. They became the new Outlaw.

Country is a tough sell for many because it is often defined by what people don't like about it, they don't approach it to sell themselves on what they might like. The best artist of the last 10 years to me is the one most influenced by his idol, Steve Earle. While he does have one of those patented country voices, I have yet to have anyone I have suggested they spend some time alone with Eric Church's music not come away a fan. His is the mixture of lyrics that cut into you and a fresh approach to music just like his mentor had.

 

[DFWJC]

When it comes to female artists, the better looking they are, the greater their chance for success. Just look at Heart. When Ann was hot, they were more popular, and when she got heavy, the videos focused more on Nancy. These Dreams was their most popular song ever, and possibly the only one Nancy was lead vocalist on, because Ann was clearly the better singer. But the video was all about hot little Nancy (not that I'm complaining) and the song put them back in limelight.

I liked Heart way back when
Fleetwood Mac was talented, but having a young Stevie Nicks didn't hurt either.

 

[kskboys]

Country today is a lot like pop was in the 80's.

 

[kskboys]

I like beer.
It makes me a jolly good feller!!!!

 

[kskboys]

"If I hit that fishing hole today
She'd be packing all her things
And she'd....be gone by noon.

Well, I'm gonna miss 'er'
When I get home
Right now I'm on that lakeshore
Sittin' in the sun
I'm sure it'll hit me
When I walk thru that door tonite
That I'm gonna miss 'er
Looky there....I've got a bite!!!!!"

 

[JohnnyTheFox]

I like beer.
It makes me a jolly good feller!!!!

Tom T Hall had some great tunes.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

HAH! You're going to have to try something else to get me to click. The jumbo "fiddle" and banjo are dead give aways. I suspect country music is played in hell anyway.

Not true Xelda. The Dixie Chicks, yes, country music in general, no.

 

[kskboys]

Not true Xelda. The Dixie Chicks, yes, country music in general, no.

Country would be better if the Dixie Chicks would just go away.