Is Being A Country Artist Guaranteed Longevity?

[Deleted]

I've been following country music for a while and it seems like every year the lineup of popular artists are almost the same people, and some of these artists have been around since the 90's, maybe even the 80's. Unlike pop and other really mainstream genres, country seems to have a very loyal fanbase  to the point that it lets me think that if you become a country superstar, you're almost guaranteed a long career, and long-term relevance and popularity. Is this true? do you feel that way about country artists?

[K.]

I'm no country expert, but if this were true it wouldn't surprise me all that much. Most country singers are generally good singers, and country music itself does not evolve at quite the pace of other genres, so artists can stay in their comfort zone. I think at least with the men, there is far less ageism in country music. The women do struggle with that, although still not as much as in other genres.

[YourFaveIsAFlop]

Yes and no. For every George Strait or Garth Brooks are are 10 Josh Gracins that make a big splash and then disappear. But once you earn the respect of the fans and (probably more importantly) country radio, you can go for as long as you want.

[Deleted]

Yes and no.

As with any genre, there are tons of Country artists that come and go, but once artists are in the upper ranks or popularity, they have a pretty good chance of being able to achieve longevity, if they can prove they have a loyal fanbase that's' willing to sustain them.

Country fans are extremely loyal, but I do think artists need to prove they're in it for the long haul.

You can be Luke, FGL, etc and find massive success if you're lucky, but when fans are ready to move on to the next big star, you've got to have something that will make fans WANT to stay.

I think there are a lot of factors that play into Country music success, and those things can give you a great career.

Carrie Underwod would be a good example; her music AND personality connects with fans in a way that makes them want to continue supporting her. She also has immense respect within Country music and outside of it, and she takes her commitment to the genre very seriously.

Take another example like Kellie Pickler, though. She never became a huge star, but she has built a career that has given her a ton of respect from critics, the Opry, etc.

I think there are more opportunities to climb the ranks in Country, but it also takes a lot of luck and playing your hand correctly while you've got the chance.