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Are young women taking over country scene?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Young women appear poised to take over today’s country music scene.
In a genre that’s been dominated by men of late (all five nominees for the Academy of Country Music’s Entertainer of the Year were men this past year), the ladies seem to be ready to change that in the next generation, starting with the CMT Music Awards on Monday.
Taylor Swift, 18, won the night’s biggest category, Video of the Year, along with Female Video for her hit “Our Song” and said afterward: “I wrote that song in the 9th grade for a talent show.”
We’re sure Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley and Sugarland, who were all beaten out by Swift, were thrilled to hear that.
Meanwhile, former ‘American Idol’ contestant Kellie Pickler, 21, took home three awards — Breakthrough Video, Tearjerker Video and Performance of the Year for “I Wonder.”
And all of this took place in a show hosted by 15-year-old sensation Miley Cyrus (and her dad).
Do you think this is a one-time phenomenon, or are the women getting ready to take the reins away from the men for a while? Did you watch the show? What did you think of the festivities in general?
Comments
By ga girl
April 15, 2008 8:29 AM | Link to this
I did not watch the awards show as I don”t listen to country music anymore. I do watch American Idol and am very familiar with Kellie Pickler. I do enjoy her singing and I think she is just beautiful. Not only outside beauty but inside also. She is also so funny as it shows she is a “country girl”. I do wish her all the best in her life and her musical career.
By YeeHaw
April 15, 2008 8:34 AM | Link to this
It’s about darn time - I can’t believe that there’s an AJC blog about music that doesn’t mention Beyonce, Big Boi, TI, Thug Life, etc.! Finally! Country rules!
By LeftWingLoon
April 15, 2008 9:37 AM | Link to this
Illegal aliens are taking over the country.
By LeftWingLoon
April 15, 2008 9:40 AM | Link to this
Illegal aliens are taking over the country and you people are talking about this silly crap.
By mayretter local
April 15, 2008 10:56 AM | Link to this
most of that acts are only polished nashville bs, not really country. the real country music singers never get a nod in nashville,until they are dead. RIP Johnny Cash!!
By commentor
April 15, 2008 12:04 PM | Link to this
funny, in all the sci-fi movies, the “aliens” never looked hispanic…or wore cowboy boots. I think some of these newbies are talented, but it is similar to the trend in “pop” music - looks matter, young women look better than older women and men, and “grooming” kids up into stars is obviously marketable; it’s about money.
By black boots
April 15, 2008 1:59 PM | Link to this
I agree; it’s all about the marketing money and remember, CMT’s fan-voted awards show is powered by the votes of young teen girls. It’s a trend that really dismays me. Anybody remember a young woman named Julie Roberts from a few years back? She had a powerful song, “Break Down Here,” that she’d written and gotten airplay on from video TV, but couldn’t get the song off the ground because of lack of support from country radio—especially the stations here in Atlanta. Instead we have contest winners foisted upon us as “the next great thing” in country music. It’s why I don’t listen to country radio anymore. So freaking sad—think I’ll go cry in a beer.
By Becky
April 15, 2008 2:47 PM | Link to this
Black Boots, I remember her very well.I love that song..I remember calling the local country radio stations requesting that song & they would say that they couldn’t play it..There reason?? It wasn’t popular enough..
By Becky
April 15, 2008 2:56 PM | Link to this
OOPS!! Sorry about the spelling..
By MJ.
April 15, 2008 4:57 PM | Link to this
I watched the show. Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus sounded like talent show rejects.
I loved Faith and Tim’s performance and enjoyed seeing Hank Jr. Otherwise, I agree that CMT is focused on the youth movement.
By J.R.
April 15, 2008 10:10 PM | Link to this
Women have always been involved in all kinds of music so the question shouldn’t be whether or not they are “taking over,” as if it’s some sort of gender war. We must consider that modern country music (which really isn’t even country; the studio musicians and band members are all transplanted metalheads from Berklee College of Music) is a corporate factory churning out products which marketing departments decide on. It’s all about corporations and not the actual musicians. So this isn’t a men vs. women issue but a corporate marketing decision.
By J.R.
April 15, 2008 10:19 PM | Link to this
I should add that I find most modern country music, and most music played on commercial radio these days totally unpalatable. Modern country music seems to pander excessively and blatantly to a certain mindset. It’s not about real music or art at all. Instead, I prefer what is now called Americana and alt-country.
By black boots
April 16, 2008 9:36 AM | Link to this
You’re right J.R.,it’s not a gender issue. Male artists have trouble getting airplay, too—the many, MANY talented men from the Texas “red dirt music” genre spring to mind (or at least my mind.) Why the inequality? Or do I just need to move to Austin to hear good music?
By MJ
April 16, 2008 1:41 PM | Link to this
Watching Taylor Swift made me miss Gretchen Wilson.
By AtlantaFan
April 17, 2008 7:32 AM | Link to this
Neither Taylor Swift nor Miley Cyrus sounded good singing LIVE. However, they looked good and cooed and fawned for the audience. I personally got sick of all the Miley-BRC jokes and was over it by the end of the show.