Do Girls Rule the Music Charts in Country, Too?
The new issue of Rolling Stone magazine has a story about how girls are ruling the charts this year. If you look back historically, you can see their domination once in a while -- Alanis Morissette in the '90s, Britney Spears in the early 2000s. But the article doesn't really go into country. Numbers-wise, where do Miranda Lambert, Reba McEntire, Kellie Pickler, Carrie Underwood and Lee Ann Womack fit with those other girl singers? Or is it that the opposite is true for Nashville's ladies: that while girls dominate all the other charts, are men still the rulers in country?
Today, it seems to me like there's someone for everyone because the new female chart-toppers cover every demographic. By that, I mean the girls who are downloading Ke$ha songs are vastly different from the ones buying Susan Boyle's album. And the piece is backed by numbers. Boyle sold 3.1 million records, Lady Gaga sold 3 million albums and 15.3 million digital tracks, and Ke$ha sold 610,000 downloads in one week alone. In country music, Taylor Swift's Fearless was the best-selling album last year and she won four Grammys in January.
I tend to agree with the big-picture quote from Troy Carter, Lady Gaga's manager, when he says, "I'm sure the mandate at every other record company is 'Find me a Lady Gaga.' But it boils down to good music. Maybe women are making better records than guys right now."
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Tom says:
Women have been historically underrepresented on the country charts in terms of airplay. Men have seen their songs go to #1 for weeks on end based solely on name recognition, whereas women have had to struggle to get even one week at number one. When “Redneck Woman” went to #1, women had been shut out of the top spot for the better part of two years. Sadly, times haven’t changed much, unless you want to count on Taylor Swift to go up against Brad Paisley and others.
Tom says:
As an addendum: Ke$ha is basically trash, and it’s sad that she’s being pimped so hard by a dying music industry.
Kate says:
The only country ladies charting in the top ten or better are Carrie,(consistently) Reba,(occasionally) and most recently Miranda.
Yes Taylor is charting well but I just don’t consider her or her music country…but that’s just me.
TLC says:
They are definitely underrepresented (except Carrie and Taylor). Reba’s christmas reign with Consider Me Gone was the first time since ??2005 for a female artist not named CU or TS to get to #1.
Miranda got to #1 on Mediabase Chart , not on Billboard. Anyway, congrats to Miranda. It’s still very much the boys who rule the country radio. The girls in the band have a better chance of making it (Sugarland and Lady A), not as a solo artist.
Overall radio, girls are more popular but
lifetime says:
taylor reba and miranda are the ladies who rule and faith and shania did but maybe when they come out with new cd’s hopefully this year…taylor has a thrid cd coming out later this year Iam sure that will be amazing!
solongsowrong says:
Top ten on the Americana charts right now: Three men, three woman, three groups, and a varous artists album. seems pretty level to me.
brneyes says:
it’s a shame that even in a blog that talks about how unfair country music is to the ladies u still have to have your war . one of you leaves out carrie & another rants about taylor. both chart well & both would like to see a more level playing field for the gals . time to grow up ?
Dan says:
Of course Taylor has another album coming out. Borchetta has to make as much money as he can off of her before it all comes crashing down. www taylorswiftcantsing com
Dan says:
BTW, congratulations to Miranda, a true artist.
GoCubsGo says:
Just goes to show how impressive it is that Reba’s at 33 chart toppers and going. And that Carrie already has had 10 from her first two albums alone, plus “Cowboy Casanova” #1, and “Temporary Home” looking very promising.
Susan says:
What I’d like to know is why is everything turned into a contest? Women rule the charts…men rule the charts. It really shouldn’t make any difference. You either like the music or you don’t and gender should have no bearing on anything. If there were more talented female artists out there that were connecting…they’d be charting high like the guys. Who the heck cares? Sometimes these blogs are nothing more than avenues to start controversy/arguments when none should exist.
Traditional says:
Wow really you just write a complete article about pop music, and throw some girl country names in there to make it “seem” country. Everyday you get worse Alison.
sam says:
In the 21st century, pretty much all music has had a huge female impact. Now, Carrie, Taylor, and Miranda are played a lot. In the past decade, you had Shania, Reba, The Chicks, Joe Dee Massina, and Faith Hill.
Netteo says:
I think with artists like Reba, Faith and Martina you had an opening of the door. Then came Gretchen but she was pretty much gone fast (although she is a really good vocalist). When Carrie shattered those doors it made it much easier for Miranda, Kellie and Taylor to get recognition and radio play. I agree that it is mostly Carrie (all her singles have hit #1 on Billboard or Mediabase) and Taylor hitting #1 but Reba and Miranda also manage to get in there. I don’t see it as a male/female thing as much as a radio/label thing.
Netteo says:
BTW - I just checked the charts for today and Carrie is the only female in the top 10. There are a few females just outside the top 10. Does anyone know the % of male vs. female recording contracts on country labels?
timcun says:
The only thing country about Taylor Swift is that she wears cowgirl (cowboy?) boots and her record label says that county is her genre. There’s nothing country about her music. I remember an interview that Kenny Chesney did a few years ago where someone asked him why he was considered country. He said it was the way he talked and that he wore a cowboy hat and boots. I love Kenny and his sense of humor!
shirley says:
i SAY ONCE AGAIN TAYLOR SWIFT SHOULD NOT HAVE WON 4 AWARDS. SHE SUCKS
The evolved listener says:
Some thoughts …
– I think historically, sexism is as deeply embedded in country music industry as rhinestones and cowboy hats. Just look at the ACM nominations so far this year. The only women being recognized are part of groups. Look at your station’s playlists: Four songs sung by men for every song sung by a woman, and the last time I checked, it’s even more unbalanced if you only count solo acts.
– It’s sad to see so many WOMEN here throwing one another under the bus. Women make up the biggest chunk of the country radio audience. Why aren’t you demanding fairness from your stations? Someday, that might be your extremely talented daughter or niece who can’t get their songs heard.
– Carrie and Taylor fans: Learn to get along. A few among your ranks are just dragging them both down. … I don’t know why CMT moderators let them run amok.
– Country radio is a mess, run by suits who know nothing about music and think YOU are a moron. My local stations spend all their promo money on contests, many of which have nothing to do with music. Their “request” shows are a fraud: Try getting something played that wasn’t already on the playlist, and suddenly they “have to see if they can find it” even if they were playing it 12 times a day two weeks ago. And my “favorite” ploy, the infamous “interview” that is simply a string of canned 30-second sound bites they play about once an hour to keep you listening all night.
– I really don’t think country radio can be saved, or is worth saving. The people that run it are only in it for the money, and will run it into the ground until there’s nothing left to run.
– There’s so little true local content on any of these stations that it bothers me they’re using public bandwidth. Most of their “news” is days old or read straight from the newspaper. Almost every station plays the same songs no matter where they’re located.
– Now that we have the Internet, I can get a stream of music that suits my tastes for free, without the idiot talking heads using phony accents. Country radio is no longer where I look for new music; and likely never will be again. I’m finding better music and less aggravation using the Internet.
OldGoat34 says:
The last Guys I was a fan of was Conway and Elvis and Marty Robbins in Country.I was a long time fan of Patsy Cline and Barbara Mandrell.Now I’m a Carrie Underwood Fan but like Kellie Pickler and Jullianne Hough as well.Not because they are good looking Blondes but because they sing Great and have a special Quality that says I’m a Star.Something I don’t see amaongst many other Country’s supposed Stars.
shell says:
Sing great? They sound the same that forced nasal twang. I love jullianne great dancer and sweet girl, but not a good country singer. Pickler very hard to losten too and too pretentious!
Carrie is the real deal looks and voice!!
Think you guys just like to look at those blondes!!
Jim says:
Those blondes have just as many or more women as men fans. I like to listen to them sing and I like Reba, Alison, Carrie, Miranda, and Kellie because they all sing great. I also like to listen to many of the men and don’t care what they look like.
Elizabeth says:
Robin, why did they delete your post? It was great and you talked about how Kellie Pickler sells more albums than many men in the top 10 on radio. I agree, her songs are better and she doesn’t get the airplay she deserves. Many stations play her often while others rarely do and unfairly block her out of the top 5. They did the same thing to Miranda until her tenth single. I read that country radio plays 80% males so I looked at the chart and it’s true. Just eight of the top 40 are females. This bias isn’t right and needs to end. Why is country the only genre doing this?
Sis says:
I don’t see why this Alison woman wants to start fights all the time.
Redmaz says:
To Kate and Netteo, both of you are wrong. Patty Griffin, Allison Moorer, and Rosanne Cash are on the charts and in the top 10. (AMA) To the evolved listener you are speaking of Pop radio, please say so. If you are taliking about Roots radio, then we need to talk. To Elizebeth, where did you read that Country radio plays 80% males? I would like to read that. Was it in reference to Pop Country radio or Roots Country radio? You are also wrong about just 8 of the top 40 are female. Once again are you talking about Pop radio or Roots radio? Please specify.
Robin says:
Elizabeth - I have no clue why they deleted my post unless they didn’t like the fact that I said that there was no “commercial” reason other than bias that radio would have pushed “Red Light” from a new artist (David Nail), higher than Miranda’s “Gunpower and Lead” who’s album sold a ton more than Nails will and who’s single was a big seller on I-tunes where “Red Light” was not as successful. Clearly the women are more in touch with their audience than pop country radio programmers are representing by their playlists.
barb b says:
shirley you got that right
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