Markus Meyer
Platinum Member
Favorite Single of 2020 So Far: “betty” by Taylor Swift
Joined: August 2013
Posts: 1,625
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Post by Markus Meyer on Aug 20, 2013 21:33:30 GMT -5
A truly great single. One of my favorites of the year so far in fact.
He has a great voice and it's an outstanding lyric.
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Post by shainabotwin on Aug 21, 2013 13:16:25 GMT -5
Official lyric video:
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2013 14:38:54 GMT -5
No bullet on either of the last 2 Billboard charts, and one of the big stations (KKBQ in Houston) has really slashed its airplay for this over the last 7 days. To put it simply, this one runs the risk of going recurrent already on the next Billboard chart.
I really feel that songs like this should be able to get out to the masses. This is a special song with a special voice and I get that it's not a 'tempo' song and it doesn't involve beer/hot girls/trucks etc, but I wish radio programmers weren't looking at such a narrow scope of topics when it comes to deciding what they program. Chris is a very well-respected musician and songwriter and this song has received nothing but good comments. But it's not going to sell much or test well on feedback if it sputters out outside the top 40. I am still hoping that this song could get up into the 30's because I think if listeners get familiar with Chris and the song, it could catch on in a special way. More radio stations have to be willing to give this song a chance, though, even though it doesn't exactly fit within the 'popular style' right now when it comes to radio playlists.
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Zazie
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Joined: September 2003
Posts: 5,144
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Post by Zazie on Aug 30, 2013 15:39:44 GMT -5
And we can't even see whether it's making progress on the daily updates from MB, because it's now out of the top 50. It's gone on an island vacation with George Strait's song. No worries, no chart gains.
If this one drops off the chart and can't manage an unlikely re-entry, that'll be one of the worst pieces of chart news in 2013, not exactly a great year for chart news already. Jerrod Niemann, Chris Stapleton, Kellie Picker -- artists with songs that might not have been top 5 smashes but would have been solid top 20 hits in years gone by (at least in my fantasies) are now unable to sustain a reasonable chart run. I realize we have to have a ton of summer anthems full of tan lines, and I don't begrudge those songs their moment in the sun, but do they have to occupy the whole top 60?
I think I'll go get drunk and trade in my dog for a new pickup truck.
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McCreerian
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Joined: June 2010
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Post by McCreerian on Aug 30, 2013 18:37:06 GMT -5
If this song fails its the perfect condemnation of the trash pile Country radio has become. I just don't get it. In the 90s and most of the 00's there was such good variety of traditional vs pop/rock, male vs female, and new acts vs older acts. Why do PDs think narrowing the songs they play can be good for Country music in the long run. This is just about as bad as how the Disco era made a mockery out of Pop in the 70s when that was pretty much all Pop radio played. Country is in very dangerous territory of doing that was Frat boy uptempo Pop-Rock-Country songs. So many talented new artists are getting pushed aside for not conforming to this sound. These artists could have easily had a good chance at breaking thru before 5 years ago. I have stopped listening to both stations in the Charlotte area and just play my Ipod, I get far more variety that way. Yes this frat boy stuff sells but that just 1 audience. Why does Corporate radio and PDs rely on just 1 audience? I'm in grocery management so I look at it this way. If I have chicken that sells better than beef I don't stop selling beef and only sell chicken! That's just bad for business. So I say Country radio, where's the beef?
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Uncle Lumpy
3x Platinum Member
The poster formerly known as Lumpster
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Post by Uncle Lumpy on Aug 30, 2013 21:38:47 GMT -5
I wish I could say I was surprised to see this is floundering. Ive been a Stapleton fan even before his Steeldrivers stuff and honestly I even had to let the R&B groove of this one grow on me. As a few of you have already said, mainstream radio just doesn't have time for melancholy or sad music. Get with the plan folks , we cant have insightful lyrics of life while there's beer , tailgates & good times to sing about.
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zjames
Platinum Member
Joined: June 2013
Posts: 1,926
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Post by zjames on Aug 30, 2013 22:19:32 GMT -5
We always say that this frat-boy, beer & girls phase will die out eventually, but when in the foreseeable future can we expect it to happen? Country radio has become a shameful shadow of what it used to be. Artists just churn out the bare minimum without any growth and change in their sound. There's no passion in the music or emotion in the lyrics. When will country stations be willing to take risks on these kinds of songs? When will this phase die down?
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Uncle Lumpy
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The poster formerly known as Lumpster
Joined: September 2005
Posts: 3,425
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Post by Uncle Lumpy on Aug 30, 2013 23:12:02 GMT -5
When the frat boy stuff stops being profitable. Which looking at Luke Bryans sales... sadly ,isnt going to be anytime soon.
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Post by countryfan15 on Aug 30, 2013 23:20:20 GMT -5
If this song fails its the perfect condemnation of the trash pile Country radio has become. I just don't get it. In the 90s and most of the 00's there was such good variety of traditional vs pop/rock, male vs female, and new acts vs older acts. Why do PDs think narrowing the songs they play can be good for Country music in the long run. This is just about as bad as how the Disco era made a mockery out of Pop in the 70s when that was pretty much all Pop radio played. Country is in very dangerous territory of doing that was Frat boy uptempo Pop-Rock-Country songs. So many talented new artists are getting pushed aside for not conforming to this sound. These artists could have easily had a good chance at breaking thru before 5 years ago. I have stopped listening to both stations in the Charlotte area and just play my Ipod, I get far more variety that way. Yes this frat boy stuff sells but that just 1 audience. Why does Corporate radio and PDs rely on just 1 audience? I'm in grocery management so I look at it this way. If I have chicken that sells better than beef I don't stop selling beef and only sell chicken! That's just bad for business. So I say Country radio, where's the beef? I agree completely and i wish we had a "new wave" of 90's so to speak. I'm so tired of the same ol same. I really wish the traditional artists would speak or the newer artists like Jason Aldean or Luke Bryan would rebel against the trend and go traditional!! Thats wishful thinking i know but i really miss the wave of great story songs from Tracy Byrd, Tracy Lawrence, Sammy Kershaw, John Michael Montgomery etc. Heck even non- superstars like Daron Norwood, Tim Mensy, David Kersh, Wade Hayes, Doug Supernaw and many more all had really great songs throughout their albums. It's a shame music has downsized its variety so much that it's a steaming hot plate of party,trucks and drinking now. Someone needs to wake up and take this country back.
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Kurt
Administrator
#1: Jacob Collier f/John Legend & Tori Kelly – "Bridge Over Troubled Water"
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Post by Kurt on Aug 30, 2013 23:23:34 GMT -5
Aw, man, Adam (UTR) just introduced me to this one and I liked it quite a bit (reminds me a bit of Daniel Merriweather, who had an HAC hit a couple years ago with "Red"), so I'm bummed to see this thread and find it's not doing well. I could have seen it crossing over to HAC and doing moderately well there too. :/
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Adam (UTR)
3x Platinum Member
#1 on Adam's Top 40: "Break My Heart" by Dua Lipa
Joined: August 2008
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Post by Adam (UTR) on Aug 31, 2013 9:03:00 GMT -5
I think the label should try servicing it to AAA radio; it's very 90's Edwin McCain/Hootie & The Blowfish. It could actually do rather well there and maybe give it a second life at Country radio.
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2013 9:21:31 GMT -5
I think the label should try servicing it to AAA radio; it's very 90's Edwin McCain/Hootie & The Blowfish. It could actually do rather well there and maybe give it a second life at Country radio. I certainly wouldn't mind that but unfortunately I don't think it's in Mercury Nashville's plans. Anyway, as 43dudleyvillas said about 3 weeks ago, " 'What Are You Listening To?' feels like by far the most natural recording on country radio right now." I completely agree with that. It's got such a strong delivery and strong lyrics and songs like these used to be aplenty on country radio. I still like a lot of today's country music but the reality is that most of it sounds like watered-down pop/rock music. Chris has proven that he can write and sing incredibly well, and I could do with a lot more of these types of songs on today's country radio. Anyway, I really hope this doesn't go recurrent on the next chart. It appears to be gaining a small amount of spins yet but what's really hurting it is that it had the support of a big station early on (KKBQ in Houston) and now that station is really slashing back on the airplay for this song, right when Chris needs it.
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sbp17
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Joined: July 2005
Posts: 8,485
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Post by sbp17 on Sept 2, 2013 6:35:30 GMT -5
Where have I been? This is great. Love his voice and the vibe of the song. Hate to see it not doing better so that it doesn't get missed by others as was almost the case with me.
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rsmatto
6x Platinum Member
Joined: December 2008
Posts: 6,529
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Post by rsmatto on Sept 2, 2013 22:18:02 GMT -5
Where have I been? This is great. Love his voice and the vibe of the song. Hate to see it not doing better so that it doesn't get missed by others as was almost the case with me. Radio seems to not like his Duck Dynasty "look" with the hair and beard. Too bad. The audience (when looking at that show's ratings) obviously don't care about such trivial things.
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McCreerian
9x Platinum Member
Joined: June 2010
Posts: 9,090
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Post by McCreerian on Sept 2, 2013 22:45:06 GMT -5
Where have I been? This is great. Love his voice and the vibe of the song. Hate to see it not doing better so that it doesn't get missed by others as was almost the case with me. Radio seems to not like his Duck Dynasty "look" with the hair and beard. Too bad. The audience (when looking at that show's ratings) obviously don't care about such trivial things. That says alot about how shallow and low radio has gotten over the years. In the 60s they weren't afraid to play a black man during the Civil rights movement and even reward him Entertainer of the Year. In the 70s they weren't afraid to play a long haired Red Headed hippie that had already been written off. In the 80s they weren't afraid to play an 80s Lady, a woman near 50 who had 5 years of top 10 hits. In the 90s they weren't afraid to play a record number of women and other artists out of the norm, one being a rock and roll cowboy who changed music forever. Country radio is now a narrow minded, bigoted format who only caters to one age group and one overall type of artists/song. Country music is the worst its ever been and I'm ashamed of the genre. Chris Stapleton is what Country radio would have loved in the 90s in that mindset, now he doesn't meet their demographic, its sickening.
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2013 7:33:49 GMT -5
Radio seems to not like his Duck Dynasty "look" with the hair and beard. Too bad. The audience (when looking at that show's ratings) obviously don't care about such trivial things. Is this just speculation, or...? I think it would be appreciated if you would let us know where this info is coming from. I mean, maybe I don't know much about country radio, but I have a hard time imagining PD's and other radio staffers looking at Chris on his radio tour and saying "Well, we like you and your music, but your hair sucks" or even saying that behind his back. "We're not gonna play this guy because of his hair..." What?
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zjames
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Posts: 1,926
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Post by zjames on Sept 3, 2013 10:29:05 GMT -5
What Are You Listening To? has a bullet of 46 and moved into the top 50 again in today's Mediabase update. Maybe this isn't done.
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rsmatto
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Joined: December 2008
Posts: 6,529
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Post by rsmatto on Sept 3, 2013 11:37:28 GMT -5
Radio seems to not like his Duck Dynasty "look" with the hair and beard. Too bad. The audience (when looking at that show's ratings) obviously don't care about such trivial things. Is this just speculation, or...? I think it would be appreciated if you would let us know where this info is coming from. I mean, maybe I don't know much about country radio, but I have a hard time imagining PD's and other radio staffers looking at Chris on his radio tour and saying "Well, we like you and your music, but your hair sucks" or even saying that behind his back. "We're not gonna play this guy because of his hair..." What? Not speculation. It's been discussed over and over again around the Country Music industry and it's really the corporate level where this is discussed the most. They just don't like that 'mountain man' look, for whatever reason.
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joey2002
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Joined: January 2009
Posts: 6,372
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Post by joey2002 on Sept 3, 2013 15:01:39 GMT -5
Is this just speculation, or...? I think it would be appreciated if you would let us know where this info is coming from. I mean, maybe I don't know much about country radio, but I have a hard time imagining PD's and other radio staffers looking at Chris on his radio tour and saying "Well, we like you and your music, but your hair sucks" or even saying that behind his back. "We're not gonna play this guy because of his hair..." What? Not speculation. It's been discussed over and over again around the Country Music industry and it's really the corporate level where this is discussed the most. They just don't like that 'mountain man' look, for whatever reason. Wow, that's just ridiculous. It should be all about the music, not the hair...
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Post by shainabotwin on Sept 3, 2013 20:10:15 GMT -5
I PRAY this is not done. I guess that bullet shows otherwise, but I'm extremely disappointed in how this has gone so far. Hopefully it's not done.
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2013 20:17:10 GMT -5
If I worked for UMG/Mercury, I'd offer this song for free on iTunes for a week or two. I suggested that Jo Dee Messina do that for her new single but it would be perfect for them to do with Chris. Honestly, they wouldn't lose out on many sales...put up a banner on the top of iTunes, hype it up more with radio PD's, and get people invested in this song. Make music lovers aware of it. I'm confident that a lot of people would fall in love with his voice, and would also really love the lyrics, melody, and bittersweet feel that this song carries.
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McCreerian
9x Platinum Member
Joined: June 2010
Posts: 9,090
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Post by McCreerian on Sept 3, 2013 20:20:15 GMT -5
If I worked for UMG/Mercury, I'd offer this song for free on iTunes for a week or two. I suggested that Jo Dee Messina do that for her new single but it would be perfect for them to do with Chris. Honestly, they wouldn't lose out on many sales...put up a banner on the top of iTunes, hype it up more with radio PD's, and get people invested in this song. Make music lovers aware of it. I'm confident that a lot of people would fall in love with his voice, and would also really love the lyrics, melody, and bittersweet feel that this song carries. They should hire you! Their promotion department leaves room to be desired!
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Post by 43dudleyvillas on Sept 3, 2013 20:31:34 GMT -5
Is this just speculation, or...? I think it would be appreciated if you would let us know where this info is coming from. I mean, maybe I don't know much about country radio, but I have a hard time imagining PD's and other radio staffers looking at Chris on his radio tour and saying "Well, we like you and your music, but your hair sucks" or even saying that behind his back. "We're not gonna play this guy because of his hair..." What? Not speculation. It's been discussed over and over again around the Country Music industry and it's really the corporate level where this is discussed the most. They just don't like that 'mountain man' look, for whatever reason. If there is concern among corporate country gatekeepers about the looks of men at the format, then I would like to encourage them to look at pictures of the Florida-Georgia Line guys (especially the guy with the longish hair), Thomas Rhett and a hatless Jason Aldean. ;) Kidding aside, I do think that there is a clear shift in the "imaging" for country radio to the point that the new male uniform is the backwards-worn baseball cap and deliberately sloppy T-shirt & jeans. Conformity seems imperative for airplay, and it is easy to imagine that Chris Stapleton's look would seem too throwback for the frat boy country crowd that is country radio's main target at the moment. Of course looks shouldn't matter, but we are looking at a format that is extremely narrow at the moment (as Tom Roland pointed out in his recent Billboard Country Update lead story). While I don't see how this narrowness serves country radio in the long run, it seems there has been quite a bit of crowing about the growth of country radio's ratings in major markets of late. Whether or not "What Are You Listening To?" ultimately makes an impression at country radio, I hope that the narrowness of current country radio format motivates the major labels to commit significant resources to developing alternate means of finding an audience for quality releases not formulaic enough to suit corporate tastes. ETA: Somehow, I missed the post from jhomes87 suggesting that Mercury Nashville make this song a free iTunes download for a week or two. I like that idea as an audience builder. Perhaps the label could also consider a deal with Starbucks to make "What Are You Listening To?" its free Pick of the Week on the same logic.
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onebuffalo
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I am One Buffalo.
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Post by onebuffalo on Sept 4, 2013 10:59:16 GMT -5
^I agree. William Lee Golden would not make it in today's country radio. However, his Oak Ridge Boys were successful I hear.
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Zazie
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Joined: September 2003
Posts: 5,144
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Post by Zazie on Sept 4, 2013 13:52:28 GMT -5
Disappeared again this morning as Uncle Kracker took over the #50 spot on MB. However, I think it will come back as soon as Phil Vassar drops out of the top 50. And at least it re-bulleted on Billboard, based on a small 60k gain. Still, that's a whole lot better than going recurrent and it gives Chris another 3 weeks to get something going.
I have been saying for a decade that country music has become a prisoner of its own success -- it has gotten far too narrow in its choice of who gets airplay because of the fear of taking a chance. If Jamey can't sustain long-term success at country radio then I doubt Chris will either, hair or no hair, but Jamey did have a top 10 so at least Chris can have some mini-success. Once this hits the top 40 it will pick up steam, because listeners (remember who they are, radio?) will enjoy this first-rate song.
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rsmatto
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Joined: December 2008
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Post by rsmatto on Sept 5, 2013 13:46:13 GMT -5
Disappeared again this morning as Uncle Kracker took over the #50 spot on MB. However, I think it will come back as soon as Phil Vassar drops out of the top 50. And at least it re-bulleted on Billboard, based on a small 60k gain. Still, that's a whole lot better than going recurrent and it gives Chris another 3 weeks to get something going. I have been saying for a decade that country music has become a prisoner of its own success -- it has gotten far too narrow in its choice of who gets airplay because of the fear of taking a chance. If Jamey can't sustain long-term success at country radio then I doubt Chris will either, hair or no hair, but Jamey did have a top 10 so at least Chris can have some mini-success. Once this hits the top 40 it will pick up steam, because listeners (remember who they are, radio?) will enjoy this first-rate song. Phil Vassar's label folded all the radio promo options so it's definitely dropping.
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dajross6
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Post by dajross6 on Sept 7, 2013 13:34:32 GMT -5
The biggest issue with country radio is the panel selection method and putting way too many eggs in one basket. I understand stations needing to have currents to be on the panel, but the way the chart sets up now, two companies have such a large say by owning a large % of stations that its really tough to break in. Instead of using fan requests to chart (which should work but doesn't seem to), the labels need to appeal to big wigs. Fix the panel issue at the top and a lot of the chart issues should disappear. Imagine having the top of the chart not a foregone conclusion most weeks!
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churchchoir
Gold Member
"Don't slip your hand under my shirt and tell me it's okay."
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Post by churchchoir on Sept 7, 2013 17:26:26 GMT -5
I'm actually surprised Chris has even gotten into the top 50. This song is just so far from even the traditional songs played on country radio today. I hadn't been expecting "What Are You Listening To" to do much more than chart, and the fact that this song has reached #47 in two months actually brings me hope that Chris may get at least a top 30 peak with his debut. I look forward to seeing Chris' showing at Callout America.
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2013 21:55:26 GMT -5
Well it looks like this song is done. I just can't believe that country radio isn't interested in this. I know it sounds different than 98% of the stuff out there right now, but it's very well-written and full of emotion and this guy has one of the best voices I've ever heard. I rarely feel so strongly about a song, and it's just a shame that this won't get exposed to more people.
It lost 300k on tonight's chart and 71 spins, and it's #50 after 15 weeks. It's pretty evident that it's not going to catch on, and so I think it's done. But hey, at least Luke Bryan is releasing a song that Chris co-wrote. Just trying to find a silver lining here..
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someguy
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Post by someguy on Oct 21, 2013 22:00:15 GMT -5
Unfortunately, I agree. It looks like this has peaked at #46. It's a shame that a good song like this won't be heard by many people. I'm sure that if it were released 15 years ago it would have been a pretty big hit. I agree that Luke releasing one of his songs next could be a great thing for Chris; Jason Aldean releasing "Dirt Road Anthem" did great things for Brantley Gilbert, so who knows.
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