Most Unexpected Surprises in 2017 - good and bad
Nov 18, 2017 14:21:42 GMT -5
Post by gonecountry on Nov 18, 2017 14:21:42 GMT -5
What really surprised you? Either in a good way or what infuriated you?
Good
1. Texas country has middling levels of success on national radio. Most surprising was Aaron Watson and Outta Style in the mid-teens (still hopefully chugging up the charts). It was great to see Josh Abbott Band and Cody Johnson both crack the Top 40. Cody really should've made a bigger dent, IMO
2. The unexpected success of Jon Pardi. When his last two singles off his first album failed to make much of a dent, I thought he might not be long for mainstream country music. A long chart run for Head Over Boots, the quick uptake for Dirt on My Boots and Heartache on the Dance Floor and what appears to be rather decent uptake for the classic-leaning She Aint In It proved me wrong. Thankfully.
3. Two women hit the top of the charts not named Carrie Underwood - Lauren Alaina and Carly Pearce. The best part they don't even sound like Carrie so country radio showed some willingness to embrace something different.
4. At least IMO, not every single released by country music stalwarts "click" and move up the charts. I'm looking at you Zac Brown Band, Little Big Town, Jake Owen.
Bad
1. Route 91 Harvest Festival. RIP
2. Troy Gentry. RIP
3. Chris Lane and Russell Dickerson success at country radio. Everyone has different tastes, these are not mine. I prefer my country to be country.
4. There are some artists whose singles, regardless of merit, still continue to be embraced by country radio. I'm looking at you Blake Shelton (please God), Jason Aldean (who I like but my God, what feels like the same song over and over?!?), and Luke Bryan. I did see a glimmer of hope with She's Got A Way With Words barely making the Top 10 and I will concede that he followed up that dud of a song with songs that were at least a bit better than the drivel he's been mucking out of the stalls for the last 5+ years
5. Eric Church getting robbed of Entertainer of the Year. Seriously, 3 hour shows with a 15 minute break. Often learning new songs for the city he played at - that night. (He learned Michael Stanley Band's My Town for the Cleveland show, the morning of. And he killed it!)
Not Sure
1. A Taylor Swift country song....
PS
1. Not country related, but Electric Light Orchestra back in concert across select shows across America. First time in Detroit since 1981. I'm there!
Good
1. Texas country has middling levels of success on national radio. Most surprising was Aaron Watson and Outta Style in the mid-teens (still hopefully chugging up the charts). It was great to see Josh Abbott Band and Cody Johnson both crack the Top 40. Cody really should've made a bigger dent, IMO
2. The unexpected success of Jon Pardi. When his last two singles off his first album failed to make much of a dent, I thought he might not be long for mainstream country music. A long chart run for Head Over Boots, the quick uptake for Dirt on My Boots and Heartache on the Dance Floor and what appears to be rather decent uptake for the classic-leaning She Aint In It proved me wrong. Thankfully.
3. Two women hit the top of the charts not named Carrie Underwood - Lauren Alaina and Carly Pearce. The best part they don't even sound like Carrie so country radio showed some willingness to embrace something different.
4. At least IMO, not every single released by country music stalwarts "click" and move up the charts. I'm looking at you Zac Brown Band, Little Big Town, Jake Owen.
Bad
1. Route 91 Harvest Festival. RIP
2. Troy Gentry. RIP
3. Chris Lane and Russell Dickerson success at country radio. Everyone has different tastes, these are not mine. I prefer my country to be country.
4. There are some artists whose singles, regardless of merit, still continue to be embraced by country radio. I'm looking at you Blake Shelton (please God), Jason Aldean (who I like but my God, what feels like the same song over and over?!?), and Luke Bryan. I did see a glimmer of hope with She's Got A Way With Words barely making the Top 10 and I will concede that he followed up that dud of a song with songs that were at least a bit better than the drivel he's been mucking out of the stalls for the last 5+ years
5. Eric Church getting robbed of Entertainer of the Year. Seriously, 3 hour shows with a 15 minute break. Often learning new songs for the city he played at - that night. (He learned Michael Stanley Band's My Town for the Cleveland show, the morning of. And he killed it!)
Not Sure
1. A Taylor Swift country song....
PS
1. Not country related, but Electric Light Orchestra back in concert across select shows across America. First time in Detroit since 1981. I'm there!