Dixie Chicks' Home Makes EW's Decade List
If I made a list of all the lists this time of year, it would be very long. It seems most of them since we are about to finish off the '00s, are best whatever of the decade. And while I don't always agree with the folks at EW.com, this much is not debatable: the Dixie Chicks claimed one of the top albums of the decade. Their Home album from 2002 brought us the goodbye-small-town anthem "Long Time Gone," the gorgeous mandolin and harmonies on "Travelin' Soldier," the lightning-fast banjo picking on "White Trash Wedding" and the quietly hopeful "I Believe in Love." Then there was the bittersweet "Top of the World." I'd have to argue that the Chicks' 2006 album, Taking the Long Way, deserved a spot on that list, too. Especially because of the title track when they sing, "It's been two long years now/Since the top of the world came crashing down." There's something cool about artists who admit to their own troubles and controversies right in their songs.
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Mary says:
Decade long lists are coming. You’ll be suprised by some who made it. Some lists are quantity; some are quality. But congrats to all who made it. Miranda Lambert is a breakout!!!
Always Right says:
Just think. If the Dixie Chicks hadn’t have been kicked out of country music, mainstream country radio wouldn’t be all over this Taylor/Carrie garbage.
Dana says:
I was very happy that CMT didn’t join in the boycott, and ashamed of country radio and fans for their knee-jerk reactions. American patriots speak out to right wrongs, and I love that history has proven them correct. Too bad that country music won’t acknowledge its mistakes in blacklisting the Dixie Chicks.
Seth says:
Love Em! So Proud!! ‘Taking the Long Way’ should have been in the top 10 though. Great Music by Great Musicians!!! Go Dixie Chicks!!!
Jim says:
I miss the Dixie Chicks too. They were so right about the Bush administration it isn’t even funny.
D Trotter says:
I wouldn’t care if 3 or 4 of their albums made the top ten, they were that good. The Dixies are still missed greatly, and the reason they are gone is no good reason at all.
Osmond says:
I am not surprised that “HOME” made it, but “NRTMN”. 2010 is the year I thought we would hear from them again. I am just hoping to see a notice saying: “The Chicks are in studio”
Debbie W. says:
I agree with Mary! I love the DC and I love Miranda Lambert!
GUGU says:
DANAS WORDS I AGREE..FOR EIGHT YEARS I HAVE SEEN LIARS,THIEVES,GREED DONT KNOW IF WE COULD REALLY GET OUT OF THIS MESS BUT THEY WERE CORRECT ALL ALONG..PATRIOTS SPEAK OUT TO RIGHT WRONGS AND I ALSO LOVED THE FACT THAT HISTORY HAS PROVEN THEN CORRECT…I GUESS COUNTRY MUSIC AND MUCH FANS RATHER SEE UGLINESS THEN SAYING A SIMPLE WE ARE SORRY N COUNTRY REALLY MISSES U,ALSO ALOT HAS TO DO WITH TOBY KEATH HE REALLY TRY TO HURT THE DIXIE CHICKS.HIS MIND TELLS HIM THAT HE IS A AMERICAN BUT THE DIXIE CHICKS AREN’T.ALL I WANT IS TO HERE GOOD MUSIC THAT FEELS GOOD N DIXIE CHICKS THEY DO THAT.DIXIE CHICKS COME BACK WITH N ALBUM THAT KICKS BUTT,THANKS FOR SPEAKING OUT..COURAGE FEW PEOPLE HAVE THAT.
merlefan49 says:
My personal pick for top cd of the decade was Johnny Cash’s American IV “The Man Comes Around” With The unreleased recordings of Hank Williams coming in at 2. Porter Wagoner’s Wagonmaster was third.
ART says:
The Dixie Chicks are what turned me on to country music. Now if only I could hear them when I listen to the radio!
Redmaz says:
Radio? Art, do you mean mainstream commercial radio? Basically an obsolete media outlet. Besides that, if you want to hear Dixie Chicks on radio, you’ll have to start listening to Americana radio stations,,,,,,,,,
Tenn says:
They also made the Billboard list for Country Top Selling Albums of the Decade with two of their albums Fly and Home - Carrie Underwood had the #1 Billboard Country Album of the Decade followed by the soundtrack Oh Brother Where Art Thou at #2 - Shania Twain, Faith Hill were also on the list and Rascal Flatts with 2 albums at #7 and #8 and Taylor Swift with two albums at #9 and #10
D Trotter says:
Redmaz, so nice to hear that Americana stations play the Dixies (even though they ruled not only the Country Album charts but the Pop charts as well).
Now about that Billboard list of Tenn”s. I assume — once you get past the “O Brother” Soundtrack and the Dixie Chicks — that you would categorize the rest of Billboard’s “Top 10 Country Albums of the Decade” as mostly “Pop Country”, with a couple of straight “Pop” albums thrown in.”
Shouldn’t you be sending Billboard some of your standard terminology advice and tell them they are mixing genres, Redmaz? Seems to me if you really care about this terminology stuff, you should start where you can do the most good — at Billboard!
solongsowrong says:
DTrotter: You seem to be mixing the two era’s of the Chicks music together. The Chicks started being played on Americana radio after Mainstream gave them the boot. At the time, the album “Taking the Long Way”, was ranked in the Americana top 100 at #30 on their airplay charts.
Don’t quite understand what you’re asking Red here. Billboards top Country albums of the decade are based on sales, not genre. I would certainly hope the music that is most heavily promoted (Pop Country) would be the ones that got the most sales. All albums listed in the top ten were played on Pop Country radio, even the ones you are referring to as straight “Pop”… whatever that is. The Chicks albums that made the Billboard list, are from when Mainstream was still playing them. As far as the “Oh Brother” soundtrack, even though it was Roots orientated, it was still a major label that released it and promoted it. “Man of Constant Sorrows” was played on commercial radio, and at the time, the majors where chasing Dan Tyminski, the vocalist on that song, to sign with them. He turned them down, stuck to his roots, and stayed with Alison Krauss & Union Station… the old story of art over enterprise. If he would have gone with the money, he’d long since be a washed up has been as far as Mainstream goes. Instead, this past year he and his band, were up for nine IBMA awards, and was voted the Male Vocalist of the Year.
Anyway, sorry about the music lesson, just trying to say you’re comparing apples and oranges here.
D Trotter says:
So, let’s see, I ask Redmaz a question, and you answer, solongswrong? This some kinda song-and-dance act or something?
Whatever. You furnished a very convoluted answer — hardly an education — to a very simple question. “Red” is forever correcting CMT posts for referring to “Country” artists when the acts they are referring to are “pop country”, according to him, and I simply asked if he shouldn’t be applying the same standard to Billboard itself since their charts do the same thing. They just call it Country — no splitting it into Pop Country Roots country or Alt Country or True Country.
solongsowrong says:
No song and dance…. I blogged because I was on line. Sorry if that isn’t acceptable. Many year end charts cover the whole spectrum of Country music. Have you seen the one on the 9513 site?
As far as Billboard… you never heard of their Bluegrass charts? That’s Country music too, after all. I don’t subscribe, but I understand they have 100 different charts all together.
I too don’t like that some lump it all together. Mainly because of those who come on here to complain about what has happened to Country music, and how bad it has gotten. They need to be more specific about what they are complaining about, because I find plenty of good Country music that is as good as it’s ever been. Many don’t bother to look, because they think what gets played on commercial radio is all that is out there.
DIXIE FAN says:
the dixie chicks were amazing and i miss them so much. they deserve every spot they get in that top list. they need to come out with something new.. they are brilliant!
merlefan49 says:
I did a list of 75 here they are it was fun.
75. One foot in the Ether: The Band Of Heathens..
74 One Lonely Shadow: Blue Moon Rising
73. Drive Alan Jackson
72.That Kind of lonely Roger Wallace.
71.Naked Willie
70. Secrets, Profane and Sugarcane Elvis Costello.
69.Dry Branch Fire Squad Echo’s of the Mountain.
68.Dark Bar and a juke box J.B Beverly and the wayward drifters
67.Trailer Tapes Chris Knight
66.Big Country Blue Grass 20 years of grass
65 In a perfect World Gene Watson.
64.The Good Life Justin Townes Earle
63.Dailey and Vincent: Dailey and Vincent
62.Yuma, Justin Townes Earle
61 Livin’, Lovin’, Losin’: Songs of the Louvin Brother
60. Lonesome highway Josh Williams
59.Saving the honky tonks Mark Chesnunt
58.Lovesick, Broke and Driftin’ Hank Williams III
57. Downtown Cowboy Tom Phillips and the men of constant sorrow.
56.The List Roseanne Cash.
55.Everybody’s Brother Billy Joe Shaver.
54.The Flatlanders Hills and Valleys
53.Population Me Dwight Yoakum
52. Tennessee Pusher: Old Crow Medicine Show
51.Viper of a Melody Wayne Hancock.
50.Big Iron World Old Crow Medicine Show
49. 50 years of hits George Jones
48.Balls Elisabeth Cook.
47.Flat mountain girls Wicked talk and idle deeds
46.Hits I Missed…And One I Didn’t George Jones
45 Soul Journey Gillian Welch
44.Halos and Horns Dolly Parton
43Highway for Dreams Bradley Walker
42.Sleepless Night Patty Loveless
41Tulsa Wayne Hancock
40.Here come the tear drops Amber Digby
39.Anchored in love tribute to June Carter Cash
38.Bar of Gold Arty hill and the long gone daddies
37.Honky Tonk Daddy The Bays Brothers
36.Head for the Hills Jim Lauderdale
35.Whiskey or God Dale Watson.
34.The Last Suit you wear Larry Sparks
33.12 ounce world Rodney Hayden
32.Caught in the web tribute to web Peirce
31.Mountain Soul Patty Loveless
30. Back roads Volatile Baby
29.Heartbreakers Hall of Fame Sunny Sweeney
28. Once upon a time. Kimberly Murray
27.Dona’s Got a Ramblin Mind Carolina Chocolate Drops
26.The Rock Stone Cold Country George Jones.
25.Empty Old Mail Box Don Rigsby
24.Sad Songs and Waltz (reissue) Keith Whitley
23.Charlie Louvin: Charlie Louvin
22. The Peer Sessions Merle Haggard
21. Kickin out the Foot lights. Merle Haggard and George Jones
20.Smokin and Drinkin Scotty Cambell.
19.A town Blues Wayne Hancock
18.From the Cradle to the grave Dale Watson
17.American Junk yard Brain Burns
16.Coal Kathy Mattea
15.All I intended to be. Emmy Lou Harris
14.Ralph Stanley 2 The one is two
13.Between the whiskey and the wine. Miss Leslie
12. Hero’s friends and Other Troubled Souls Billy Don Burns.
11.Timeless tribute to Hank Williams Various
10.Dirt Farmer Levon Helm
9.Volatile Baby Traveling light
8.Oh Brother were art thou various artists
7.The Last Of The Breed. Willie Nelson, Ray Price Merle Haggard.
6.Snake Farm Ray Wylie Hubbard
5.Van Lear Rose Lottera Lynn.
4.Press On June Carter Cash.
3.Fair & Square John Prine
2.Wagonmaster Porter Wagoner
1.American IV: The Man Comes Around Johnny Cash
Peacock Queen says:
I would like to see sisters Martie and Emily come back with someone else as the lead vocalist, although I doubt if that will happen. They are friends, and loyal to a fault, I guess. The sisters are very talented musicians, and do not deserve to have their careers tanked because of Natalie’s bad behavior. Even Toby Keith said he felt bad for Martie and Emily because they are very talented, in his opinion. Toby didn’t start anything with the Dixie Chicks, so it isn’t fair to blame Toby. Natalie started it with a childish and immature comment. Country artists usually support one another instead of going out and publicly bashing one another. Natalie’s comments turned a lot of people off, not necessarily because they are huge Toby fans, either. If she didn’t agree with Toby’s sentiments in his song “Angry American” that is fine. She could have simply said “I like Toby, he’s a good singer/song-writer, but I don’t agree with him.” If she had taken the higher road, even with President Bush, they would still have a career. It’s O.K. to disagree with someone, but you have to be nice and RESPECTFUL while doing it.
D Trotter says:
Lot of good stuff on your list, Merlefan. Didn’t see Buddy and Julie Miller’s “Written in Chalk” listed. Not good enough for your top 75?
merlefan49 says:
I hadn’t heard that one. It’s on my never ending to get list lol I don’t think we ever get all we have on them.
merlefan49 says:
The only two I don’t have on the list is The last of the breed and Fair & Square
D Trotter says:
Gotta disagree, Peacock Queen. Although I don’t really pay too much attention to Toby Keith, my memory of that whole thing is that Toby is the one who popped off first, criticising the Dixies, and he was far from being “nice and RESPECTFUL” about it, as you say.
Besides, I’ve seen some comments by you on Taylor Swift blogs proclaiming your right as an American to say whatever you want. Certainly the Chicks had as much right to Freedom of Speech about something that was costing American lives and Billions of dollars as you do to gripe about some young girl’s singing.
Peacock Queen says:
Trotter,
No, if memory serves me correct, Natalie started it by making some nasty comments about Toby’s “Angry American” song. And Toby is also an American. He has a right to say what he thinks, even put it into song. The blacklisting came about after Natalie showed up in a concert, part of which was broadcast on one of the award shows (I cannot remember if it was the CMAs or ACMs) with “FUTK” on her t-shirt. That went just way too far. I can remember people calling the radio station the next day, pretty angry about that.
Yes, I am an American, and I have the same right to free speech as anyone else. As for the “griping”, I am not a fan of Taylor’s. I am sure I really like some artists you do not particularly care for as well. Also, I have never called Taylor Swift, or anyone else on this site, any derogatory names. Alison called the non-Swift fans “bullies.” You called me a “hypocrit” even though I was being very sincere in what I was saying about Taylor at the time. You cannot say that you are polite and respectful while disagreeing with others, now can you? Also, I don’t go around on this site, singling you out in order to bash you simply because I don’t agree with you. Like you do to me.
Peacock Queen says:
By the way, Trotter, my husband is a decorated veteran of the first Gulf war. You cannot tell me anything about the cost of war that I haven’t experienced for myself. Or the price of that freedom of speech.
DixieChicks4LIFE says:
This thing with Toby Keith is centered around a quote, which I agree with. Adding on to the fire that Toby, after the George Bush incident, proceeded to post pictures at his concert of Natalie with Saddam, which he had altered from a picture of Natalie and her husband. Yet no one blinked an eye. funny how that works huh?
and its interesting that now he’s in trouble with Asian Americans for adjusting his eyes during a song with Will Smith, when in reference to skin colors, the color yellow was said. maybe some people need to start looking around at others to blame.
D Trotter says:
Peacock, my comment stands. Not one word of it was critical of you, and itb hardly warranted your digressing into emotionalized flag-waving, your personal life or your feelings about Taylor. I still believe the sequence was: Toby jumped on the bandwagon to criticize the Dixies, and the t-shirt incident was a response to Toby’s comments about them.
Oh, and let’s not forget, almost the entire Country now agrees with Natalie.
Peacock Queen says:
D. TROTTER:
This is from buzzle.com:
“Who said country music was lame? Dixie Chicks frontwoman Natalie Maines’ loose tongue seems to have gotten her and her bandmates into trouble yet again. Hot on the heels of the controversy over Maines’ opinionated comments about President Bush, the feud between Maines and country singer Toby Keith has heated up considerably. The battle of the country stars started back in August 2002 when Maines criticized Keith’s single “Courtesy of the Red, White & Blue (The Angry American).” She said of the single, ‘I hate it. It’s ignorant.’ In turn, Keith was quoted in December 2002 as saying, ‘I’ll bury her. She has never written anything that’s been a hit’”
This is from allacademic.com:
“The result of this uncritical mislabeling of country music as the official soundtrack of Bush-supporting conservatives’ lives was that Maines’ comments were perceived to be anti-red state, elitist and anti-country music, as opposed to anti-Bush or anti-war.”
I know who started it, Trotter. I remember it quiet well. I don’t write comments I cannot back up with FACTS. Go on the internet and search it for yourself.
I like Emily and Martie, and I would love for them to have a career again. They didn’t do anything wrong. They are both talented. They are both lovely women. They are both entertaining. I would like for them to have a career, without Natalie if that is how it has to be. Right or wrong, the reality is that if they want to come back, that does seem to be the case. If Natalie wants to have a solo singing career, that will be fine. She will have some fans, but she will also have her detractors. But at least the sisters will be able to get back out there, get their fans back, and have a successful career again, which I believe they so very much deserve.
Peacock Queen says:
This is from theboot.com:
“The feud between the Dixie Chicks and Toby Keith started when Natalie Maines was quoted as saying that Keith’s song ‘Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue’ made country music sound ‘ignorant.’”
Key word, Trotter: STARTED.
D Trotter says:
Ah, yes,Natalie’s criticism of sensitive Toby’s song — how terrible! In your mind, this justified Toby using a blown-up doctored photo showing Natalie with Saddam Hussein as a stage backdrop?
Gee, I’ve seen you criticize a number of songs and artists — would you agree that a blow-up of you hanging with Saddam would be a fair response?
Ed Sommers says:
I am so pleased to see that so many people have come to understand that Natalie Maines was both within her rights to speak our against Bush’s Iraq war, and that she was insightful and correct to oppose that war. I’m also pleased to see that many people now believe that “country radio” was wrong to blacklist the Dixie Chicks. Like many others on this board, I miss the Dixie Chicks. I hope that they will release new music again, and lots of it for many years to come. Whether their new music is country, alternative, Americana, pop, or rap, count on this: it will be great music!
Peacock Queen says:
Wrong again, Trotter. I have not criticized “a number” of artists and songs. I have said that I do not care for ONE artist. That is not “a number” of artists and songs. That is ONE. And only one, because I am simply not a fan of that person’s ART. Not the person, but her ART.
And you are wrong again, in that I am neither for or against Toby Keith or the Dixie Chicks in the whole debacle. I SAID that Toby did not START the feud between the two artists (neither did he have anything to do with Natalie’s other comments that got the group into trouble) so it isn’t FAIR to blame Toby. I believe in taking responsibility for one’s own actions instead of blaming others. But that is not the point I was trying to make to begin with. The POINT of my original comment is that Martie and Emily are TALENTED, ENTERTAINING, LOVELY, and INNOCENT of any wrongdoing and that I would like to see them have a career because they deserve one, without Natalie if need be. Can you not read? Or are you into the “selective listening” mode again so you can bash a fellow blogger simply because that is what you seem to prefer to do on this site instead of listening to what is REALLY being said.
D Trotter says:
Peacock, both myself and “DixieChicks4Life” have clearly stated our feeling that Toby’s concert blow-ups of a doctored photo depicting Natalie with Saddam was WAY out of proportion to Natalie’s simple criticism of his lyrics. Criticism of your lyrics is something that happens in music, all the time — MAN UP, TOBY! Toby’s reaction was over-the-top, quite possibly defamatory. (You conveniently ignored that lovely display — which came BEFORE the famed Natalie t-shirt episode.)
Your point that Martie and Emily should ditch Natalie and reform w/o their lead singer makes, um, NO sense to me! Especially since Natalie would be punished for saying something with which most people Americans now agree.
So you only criticize artist, Peacock? Okay, using proper semantics then … Would it be alright for that ONE artist to post a giant doctored photo of you and Saddam on stage? Would that be a far response to your criticism?