Mike,

Of course I'm not referring to all that comes out of Nashville. And yes, I shouldn't fault anyone who likes any certain genre. I don't blame the artist/songwriter/musicians OR the fans....IMO the corporate takeover of ALL of our vast resources seems to water down the product. It's happening in all facets of our society. This vitriolic response was more of a response to your partners vitriolic response. Nothing personal to either.

There's no doubt that corporations were waiting on the other side of this vacuum created by creation of the mp3 and streaming music. The fact that rap and country are so popular is no fluke. Perhaps one must live in 5 decades of music before they can see or understand what's unfolding. The business of music has been the same for 70+ yrs for the most part. Now it's changing as are the roles of everyone involved from the artist to the musicians, producers, writers, arrangers.......Now 90% of the money is being paid to 2% of the artists. This corporate boys club is trying like hell to close the doors on the rest.

I HEAR the difference. I FEEL the difference. Sure there is good music coming out of Nashville and other places. A lot of it. But you are unlikely to hear it unless you search for it because TODAY'S country must meet the CORPORATE criteria of "marketable" music and it's a narrow criteria. And yeah, IMO it is a form of manipulation to sell their product.

The normal evolution of music is now in corporate hands who have added elements of rock, metal, rap, soul, hip hop, even grunge to the "country" mix to keep the dollars rolling. "Natural" evolution of country music is occurring as well but it's being hidden under "Americana" or "folk" or "outlaw country" and are difficult to find but always a pleasure to find them.

Arguably the best "naturally" evolving country album in the past 5 yrs was Sturgil Simpson's, "Meta Modern Sounds in Country Music" which was was relegated to the "Americana" heap, yet aside from a few "modern" touches, it sounds more "country" than anything today's top 10 "country" artists are releasing.

No offense to those that like this crap. But my anger is at the drastic and unprecedented change in the musical landscape that's heading for complete corporate control, where the "HEART" of country music is being held hostage and those not willing to abide by the strict criteria are left to fend for themselves.

Just my opinion. I could be wrong. But I'm not the only one who "feels" something unsettling about this "music." There are millions who feel the same.

Last edited by Michael W. Brown; 05/19/15 12:29 AM.
Write on, Man,
Michael W. Brown, f.k.a. "bluesriff"

"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."
Mahatma Gandhi