Posted on 05/20/2006 11:44:36 AM PDT by West Coast Conservative
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.
"Not Ready to Make Nice" performed only slightly better at adult contemporary radio, peaking at No. 32 on the AC chart and falling off after six weeks.
From the beginning of the album rollout, the Dixie Chicks were eager that their songs be worked to radio formats beyond country. The album was produced by rock veteran Rick Rubin, whose credits include the Red Hot Chili Peppers, System of a Down and Johnny Cash.
By picking the defiant "Not Ready" as the first single, they've reopened a wound that was particularly deep for country radio fans, and left many country programmers with the burning question: Why on earth would the band choose to do this?
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."
KUBL/KKAT Salt Lake City PD Ed Hill criticizes the song's "self-indulgent and selfish lyrics."
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."
He and other country programmers were upset that the group chose to launch its new album with a single that rehashed all the angst of three years ago.
The two singles have had a striking lack of impact at radio, considering the band's history. Between 1997 and 2003, it notched 14 top 10 country singles, including six No. 1 hits. In addition to eight Grammy Awards, the group has won 10 Country Music Assn. Awards and eight Academy of Country Music Awards. The trio has sold 23.4 million albums in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
The Dixie Chicks and reps from their label, Columbia Records, declined to participate in this story. But -- at least as far as Maines is concerned -- the drop-off at country radio was part of its plan.
Maines was quoted in late January on entertainmentweekly.com, before the single went to country radio, saying: "For me to be in country music to begin with was not who I was ... I would be cheating myself ... to go back to something that I don't wholeheartedly believe in. So I'm pretty much done. They've shown their true colors. I like lots of country music, but as far as the industry and everything that happened ... I couldn't want to be farther away from that."
Maines also said, "I don't want people to think that me not wanting to be part of country music is any sort of revenge. It is not. It is totally me being who I am, and not wanting to compromise myself and hate my life."
At KNCI Sacramento, Calif., the Chicks' music weathered the 2003 controversy only to be pulled as a result of Maines' new Entertainment Weekly comments, coupled with poor scores in local music tests.
"When an artist says that they don't want to be a part of that industry, it made our decision a no-brainer," program director Mark Evans says. "There are too many talented new artists dying to have a song played on country radio, so I'd rather give one of them a shot."
Andrea Bocelli,I don't know abouty dirty, but he is blind.
I don't know that Tim was around his daddy that much when he was growing up. His political ideas were probably developed after his own "stardom".
Something I've noticed about some "stars" is that they seem in awe of other "stars", political and otherwise, that they have the opportunity to rub shoulders with when they gain some popularity. The brighter their star the more they develop a kind of condescension toward their fans and all that they have "moved beyond".
I don't mean that they don't "love" their fans, but they begin to think of themselves a little more highly than they ought, and get to thinking that their popularity and station in life (or whatever) somehow bestows superior intelligence, experience, and wisdom that wasn't apparent before their star reached it's zenith - and isn't apparent to some of us even now. lol.
That's why we have such liberal luminaries as Babs Streisand, et al, trying to wield political influence, I guess. I quit buying her albums a long time ago.
I don't have to agree with a person to enjoy their talent, but when they make their talent secondary to their political opinion, they force me to make a choice about whether or not to support them by buying the product of their talent.
Rednecks?! Maines went to Berklee. I have no idea what the atmosphere is there, but it is in Boston.
Thanks for shoutin' that! lol. You speak for many of us, I'm sure.
Every chick has to grow into a hen. Methinks the chubby one is ready for the pot.
Natalie Maines = the little piggy one.
Their careers are over, at least at the "superstar" level.
The problem is that they "made their bones" in country, and then had their greatest success in their crossover to top-40/pop with their accessible country style.
But then they alienated their core audience, and just assumed that their "new" fans would continue to support them. The problem was that the crossover fans were more interested in "something new" than their music.
I remember some time ago how they said that they were going after a wider audience, especially since they felt estranged from the country audiences.
Too bad. They did have some songs I really liked, but I've lost interest in them.
Mark
I disagree with this completely. The two sisters are extremely talented musicians, and your assertion that they were fabricated is something that you can easily disavow in some of the earlier, more bluegrass based music, in the years before Natalie joined the band.
I'm especially surprised by the statement by Natalie (that she was never really "into" country) given her "pedigree." Her father is one of the all time steel guitar greats in country music, and she was raised around C/W music. And she's got an awesome voice.
Disaproving of their politics isn't a good reason to claim they're not any good. Of course, I won't support their careers by buying their CDs...
Mark
Not exactly. Checkout their "pre-Natalie" music. They're both extremely talented musicians.
Mark
You know, I respect that dude more than the chicks cause he didn't blame anyone else for getting the axe.
You're absolutely right. He was actually grateful for the attention.
Excellent analogy!
Analogies 'r us. Thanks. ; ).
Hey Natalie,
Karma sucks doesn't it?
Wow...looks like a braying jackass. Or a younger Ann Richards. One and the same.
Another post-worthy pic of Chubby Chicker here >>>
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FQYHYY/ref=pd_rvi_gw_1/103-9141519-6765439?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=284507
Damn. I guess you need the jumbo salt-and-pepper shakers when you attain Ronstadtian proportions.
LOL!
Maybe they could get Air America to play their music. I'm sure that would work wonders for their CD sales.
When you can look at all the Britney Spears wannabees on the Country videos, chubby little Natalie just can't cut it. They were lucky to have had a measure of success and ought to stay home and raise their kids now.
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