Billboard: Deep, growing rift between "Dixie Chicks" and country radio

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT/Reuters/Billboard: Dixie Chicks Don't Stick at Country Radio
By REUTERS
Published: May 19, 2006

NASHVILLE (Billboard) - Disappointing airplay for the first two singles from the new album by the Dixie Chicks exposes a deep -- and seemingly growing -- rift between the trio and the country radio market that helped turn the group into superstars.

"Taking the Long Way,'' due out May 23, is the band's first album since singer Natalie Maines sparked a major controversy in 2003 by declaring that she was ashamed to hail from the same state as fellow Texan President George W. Bush. Radio boycotts ensued, and many fans abandoned the band.

The first single, "Not Ready to Make Nice,'' peaked at No. 36 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, beginning its descent after just seven weeks. The second single, "Everybody Knows,'' is now at No. 50, down two places in its fourth week....

***

After hearing the album, WKIS Miami program director Bob Barnett says he was "excited about the opportunity to introduce some great Chicks music to the listeners.'' But the group's decision to come with "Not Ready'' as the lead single left him ''stunned, especially in light of the fact that, when asked, programmers and consultants that listened to the project were virtually unanimous in saying we should put the politics behind us and concentrate on all this other great music we were hearing.''...

***

Barnett played the song for a week, but pulled it after listeners called to say it sounded like the Chicks were ''gloating'' or "rubbing our noses in it,'' he reports. "We didn't need to pick at the scab any longer.''...

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/arts/entertainment-dixiechicks.html

[madeline_con]

1. Country radio sucks. eom

[opiate69]

8. ALL commercial radio sucks.

[Beausoir]

12. I have to agree with you there. I've worked at country radio stations and

rock stations.

The year I spent at the country station was in the early 80's and although I despised the music, I could at least tolerate it. Now, there is no country music. It's just women bellering like sows and men writing songs about planting their shit-kickers in somebody's ass. Quite Freudian actually.

While I look down at the hideosity that country music has become...and it wasn't that far of a fall from grace...I am sickened when I try and listen to any rock radio.

[tularetom]

11. RIght on - the crap you hear on the radio

should never be confused with country music. Or any other kind of music for that matter. There is a lot of great non commercial country stuff available on iTunes or other download sites as well as CDBaby.com (best site I know of for independently produced music).

[boobooday]

2. Big growing rift between country radio and music

in general.

[billbuckhead]

5. Growing rift between country music and reality

A lot of dead enders in that crowd.

[tanyev]

6. Backwash.

[billbuckhead]

10. You, got it

illegal codesmilie_remote(';-)')

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. Hopefully they are getting airtime on indy stations

[Systematic Chaos]

4. Well if the Eagles could pull it off in the '70s...

Why not the Dixie Chicks today? :shrug:

Country-ish songs with massive crossover appeal.
They don't need no STEEEEENKING country radio!!

[nemo137]

7. True, but in the 70's you could also write a lyric like

"I wear the black in mourning for the lives that could have been/ Each day we lose a hundred fine young men" without getting crucified.

[Scoody Boo]

9. Our local station had a poll.

Asking listeners whether they wanted the ban on the Dixie Chicks lifted. The vote went overwhelmingly against the "Chicks."

[StellaBlue]

13. Austin KGSR playing it out the wazoo!!!

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[phaseolus]

14. I love KGSR...!

A friend from Austin got me addicted to the webcast, I listen to it wherever I go.

Back to the Dixie Chicks -- they really don't fit on Country radio any more, since, as everyone else has pointed out, Country radio only plays crap. The chicks are 'AAA' now.

[StellaBlue]

16. yup!

I used to listen to KGSR online in England. awww

:loveya:

[hopeisaplace]

15. What the hell is wrong with Country Radio, the friggin idiots

I can't believe the stink they make about the Chicks yet
how many people have died under "their" president. How many?
The world is completely damned insane.