ASCAP Awards Prove That Real Country Music Is Still Thriving
If you're worried about today's country music being too polished and pop-oriented, you might take comfort in the results of the 2008 ASCAP Country Music Awards. These awards go to the most-performed songs of the past year. (By "most-performed," we're essentially talking about the most radio airplay.) This year's Top 5 songs included "Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go)," "Lucky Man," "Don't Blink" and "These Are My People" -- all centering around mostly rural and small-town themes. In fact, the song of the year was "Good Directions," recorded by Billy Currington and co-written by ASCAP's Rachel Thibodeau and BMI writer Luke Bryan. To quote the song's opening lyrics, "I was sittin' there sellin' turnips on a flatbed truck/Crunchin' on a pork rind when she pulled up."
And Alan Jackson, the performing rights organization's songwriter-artist of the year, was honored for writing two of his hits, "A Woman's Love" and "Small Town Southern Man." Included in the latter song's lyrics: "Born the middle son of a farmer/And a small town Southern man/Like his daddy's daddy before him/Brought up workin' on the land." Beyond that, ASCAP songwriter of the year Dave Berg struck a strong country chord with "These Are My People," the Rodney Atkins hit he co-wrote with Rivers Rutherford. Those lyrics include such lines as, "We grew up down by the railroad tracks/Shootin' BB's at old beer cans/Chokin' on the smoke from a Lucky Strike/Somebody lifted off his old man."
Of course, there's plenty of pop-influenced songs and recordings parading as country music these days. That's been the situation for at least the past 40 years or so, and it's not going to change. However, as long as people are still being handsomely rewarded for writing songs that mention turnip trucks, pork rinds, shooting beer cans with a BB gun and, above all, celebrating the dignity of the common man, we're in no danger of losing our true country roots anytime soon.
©2008 Country Music Television, Inc., a Viacom company. A division of
RedMaZ says:
I’m not worried at all about todays country music being too polished and pop-oriented, and it has nothing to do with these Pop Country songs you listed. If it’s played on Pop radio, it’s Pop music. Just listen to the production of these songs (or should I say over production, and how it’s all pieced together) Ever heard of Roots Country? If you have, you know Country Music is in good hands.
Kevin says:
Country music is definitely in good hands with people like Alan Jackson, Dierks Bentley, Rodney Atkins, and Luke Bryan.
RedMaZ says:
I just check out Jsckson, Bentley, Atkins, and Bryan. That’s not the kind of country music I was referring to. I’m talking about Roots Country. Have you ever listened to it?
Kevin says:
Yes, i have… and thats not the kind of counrty music i was referring to.
Cj says:
I say good for Ascap. They picked the best. All 4 of these guys are awesome. That is what real country is. That is what we use to call the good old boy!
RedMaZ says:
Kevin, I’m interested in what Americana/Roots Country artists you’ve listened to, and didn’t like? Just curious, and maybe why you didn’t like them. Thanks.
Kevin says:
I didnt say i disliked them. However, my favorite music is country rather than roots country.
RedMaZ says:
Okay, but who are some Roots artists you’ve listen to?
Kevin says:
ive listened to some todd snider and zane lewis and a few others.
RedMaZ says:
Todd Snider? Zane Lewis? These are not Roots Country artists. Do you want to keep trying, or just admit you don’t know who or what Roots Country is?
Kevin says:
something im not?
countryfan11 says:
Don’t let RedMa bait you Kevin- he/she likes to eat pop country fans for breakfast. I’m not sure why YOU’RE the one being rated “angry.” Maybe just because you don’t care (like me) about Roots music and want to get Redma off your back. It doesn’t work, just ignore.
Kevin says:
Yeah, i agree. Id say she is a little jealous that us pop country fans have better music to listen to than she does.
Kevin says:
if her “roots” music was any good it would be POP too.
countryfan11 says:
RedMa’s rant on pop country and love for Roots is on EVERY blog and always the same. For someone who doesn’t like pop country, sure frequents their blogs, must need the attention.
Like I said, just ignore.
RedMaZ says:
You two are proving my point without me saying a thing. Feel free to ignore the facts, but it’s not going to change them.
Kevin says:
keep telling us some more “facts” maybe you will convert us to your way of thinking
Small Town Girl says:
Congrats to Kellie Pickler for winning her second ASCAP award for I Wonder, one of the best songs of 2007! She has 2 songs in this year’s awards because the writers of Things That Never Cross a Man’s Mind also won. Last year she won an ASCAP for Red High Heels, so all 3 of Kellie’s singles from Small Town Girl won ASCAP awards! I wonder how many other albums released within the past 2 years can claim 3 ASCAP awards? Probably not many, if any. If more songs from Small Town Girl were released to radio, I bet even more would have won.
Interesting point about the top 5 songs centering around mostly rural and small-town themes. Kellie’s fans wanted her label to release Small Town Girl, which she co-wrote about growing up in the small town she’s from and it’s one of the best songs on her debut album.
As you said, ASCAP awards are mostly about songwriters and radio airplay, and if Kellie’s debut album got the promotion and airplay it deserved then she’d probably be winning more of these and other awards. They released just 2 of the 5 songs she co-wrote, and of those 2 I Wonder deserved to hit #1 and have a shot at Song of the Year. It’s also interesting that all of the top 5 songs are male artists.
RedMaZ says:
First one would have to have an open mind, and accept all of todays music for what it is without prejudice, including all of todays country music.
Kevin says:
Well unfortunately, by you always ranting on here about pop country and roots country and americana and red dirt and whatever else, I now will refuse to listen to any song or artist that is introduced to me as “roots”. You have succeeded in causing me to now have a closed mind. Now, if somebody (other than you) introduces me to a song or artist and just says they are country, then ill be glad to give it a listen. Even if does happen to be something that you might refer to as “roots”.
RedMaZ says:
That certainly is your choice, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Continue to stay close minded because of me. I had no idea I had that much control over you.
Kevin says:
Merely stating the facts here… the days of country is country are NOT over. If you want to call an opinion FACT then i will too.
RedMaZ says:
Just stick with Pop Country Kevin…we’ll all be better off.
Kevin says:
I do plan on sticking with country.. thanks for the advice
RedMaZ says:
Now you’re taking my advice too? You’re welcome.
Kevin says:
No, i never had any intention to do anything besides stick with country…so thanks for nothing.
RedMaZ says:
Once again…you’re welcome.
countryfan11 says:
What did I tell you Kevin, you’re NOT listening. RedMA has to have the LAST word, and HAS to be right. He/she is NEEDING confirmation & attention. GIVE UP & IGNORE!
That said, GO KELLIE PICKLER!!!! Please come back to our neck of the NW woods next year so we can see you again.
RedMaZ says:
I don’t have to be right, and I’ll be the first to admit when I’m wrong. If I don’t know about something, I choose to do research on the subject as to not prejudge, and I never talk about something I know nothing about unless it’s to ask a question. That’s how I learn. I’m not in any need of confirmation ot attention. I’m simply posting on a music blog. If you feel the need not to reply to me, that’s fine too. You seem to be the one turning every blog into something about me. I’m just trying to talk about music.
ash says:
as waylon jennings said its all turning Vanilla.. very sad i miss real country music. Its a shame!
colb says:
ok i know this is almost a year old but almost all of what you hear on the radio today is pop music or rock with a little country thrown in. RedMaz is right. Dont call yourself a country music fan if you think kellie pickler is real country. same with rascal flats, keith urban, sugarland and all the other bullshit on the radio. The subject of the song is not what makes it country. Hank Williams never wrote about being from a small town. Listen to the actual music and then listen to pop music. its the same. if you want to listen to real country listen to hank williams, jr., waylon jennings, john anderson, buck owens… those are classics. there are some modern country artists like alan jackson, george strait, luke bryan, josh turner and maybe brad paisley. maybe