The Changing Landscape Of Country Music

If you listened to this week’s Alive Country, you’ll probably be aware that this has been an exciting week in the Billboard Country Song Charts. So exciting in fact, that the entire landscape of country music may be about to change!

WHY?

Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”, which has seen much exposure on mainstream Top 40 stations, vaulted up a mammoth 21 places to reach the top spot. This alone is an exceptional achievement, but to cap it all the self same artist swiftly nabbed an additional two Top Ten slots! “Begin Again” reached number 10 whilst “Red”, the title track of her forthcoming album snapped Taylor Swift another podium place, crashing in at number 2 on its first week of entering the charts.

Taylor Swift is a gifted young artist who has captured the imagination of a very broad and sizeable worldwide audience. She delights her fans, and despite her natural talents I’m sure she’s also worked hard to reach this point in her career at such a tender age.

However, the fact remains that to have three Top Ten songs charting in the same week is a remarkable achievement for any artist. Especially when you consider that record companies usually release one single at a time. So, what is going on here? Allow me to share.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

From its inception back in 1944, the Billboard country chart has always been the definitive chart to follow.  Of course, there are other charts published to industry which can give valuable insight, but Billboard has always been seen as the yardstick. Recently, the organisation have changed the way their charts are compiled, in the words of Billboard Director of Charts Silvio Pietroluago “offering updated charts that better reflect the current music landscape”. Until now, the Country Song Chart was based on airplay on country radio stations. However from 11 October the Billboard boffins also take into account airplay on other radio formats, such as Top Forty stations, as well as digital sales and streaming (listening to songs using services such as Rhapsody or Spotify).

This means that songs by country artists Taylored (sorry, tailored) to appeal to a mass market are likely to be pushed further up the country charts. And consequently, acts who stay purer to country tradition look less likely to fare so well in this regard. Artists such as Miranda Lambert, Jake Owen and Easton Corbin have vanished from this week’s Top Ten in the Country Song Chart, despite receiving heavy airplay on country stations. In fact, it’s difficult to reconcile Billboards Country Song chart with its own new Country Airplay chart; this weeks number one Country Song curiously not making it through to the top ten songs played on country radio.

SO, WHAT NOW

Perhaps the gap will close over the coming weeks as the dust settles. But I suspect the music industry will move with the goalposts to get those all important scores on the doors. If I’m right, then the sound of country music is destined to change. Either way, we’ve got an interesting journey ahead. I personally don’t believe for one second that charts tell the whole story, but they do act as useful barometer as ones own outlook on a piece of music will always be subjective. It would be particularly sad if the raft of promising artists who are currently establishing their foothold in country music (such as Kip Moore, Dustin Lynch and Jana Kramer) get pushed off the ladder by climbers seeking mass market appeal at any cost. However, these changes might just raise the bar, causing artists to be more imaginative and step outside the confines of what was traditionally done and expected. This subtle change in the way figures are compiled could well mark the start of musical evolution on a grand scale. All I can say is watch this space!

Rest assured, whatever happens, Alive Country will remain focused on bringing you the best country music; classic country and the greatest new songs.

 

Dave Macfarlane