I'm a CountryPhile, Not a MusicPhile
When someone tells me they have key findings from a consumer segmentation study, I would normally tune out before they even get to first finding. Talk of two-year initiatives and reduced consumer spending and revenue pressures are just not turn-ons for me. But, this brand new study from the Country Music Association piqued my interest when it revealed that there are two kinds of country fans that make up the industry's core: CountryPhiles and MusicPhiles. ("Core," meaning they spend the most on the music.)
So I thought if I put this out there for discussion, readers could weigh in on which kind of fan group they belong to. First let me define the two groups the way the key findings did:
1. CountryPhiles: Passionate country music fans who appreciate the core values of the format and the artists. That commitment means big revenue but also "significant engagement time." So for them, country's not just background music. You know those people who can rattle off sports statistics, like who pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals when they won the 1982 World Series? These are the country version of those. If you know some of them, ask who is playing guitar in the background of Alan Jackson's "Mercury Blues" video and they will likely know it was a longhaired Keith Urban.
2. MusicPhiles are CountryPhiles' hipster counterpart. They are tech-savvy and have country music in the mix with other kinds of music. These are probably the people who might download the Train's "Hey, Soul Sister" on the same day they buy tickets for a Tim McGraw show.
I'm a CountryPhile. No doubt about it. I rarely listen to music outside the genre anymore, and I have built a career out of loving the music. So I think that counts as my "significant engagement time." Plus, I think to be a MusicPhile, you would have to have more than just one radio station pre-set in your car. But which one are you?
©2008 Country Music Television, Inc., a Viacom company. A division of
mahalia says:
I am telling you right now Tim Mcgraw is the TOUR to see this year, it is the best I’ve ever seen him. He plays for 2 hours, awesome set list, has gotten rave reviews on all shows so far. The video and lights with the songs is unlike anything you have ever seen. Saw him yesterday, here is the review from the paper. Do yourself a favor and SEE this concert, you will be blown away and its is COUNTRY.
Rich Copley & Copious NotesFeb
The rap on country music is that it’s forgotten where it came from. It has left its heroes behind, all sounds like 1970s rock now and boots out established stars for the latest pretty young thing at the drop of a cowboy hat.
None of this would explain the 20-year-plus career of Tim McGraw, at least 15 of which have been spent atop the country charts.
But his concert Friday night before 16,400 screaming fans at Rupp Arena sure did.
First and foremost, the man can put on a great show. For nearly two-hours and 24 songs, he worked the edges of the stage and a catwalk giving equal attention to the people with outstretched arms in front of him and the fans near the rafters. He even took a split second to autograph a picture for a little boy at the end of the show.
In that rousing set were hints of the country roots that have sustained McGraw’s career for a couple decades. One of the greatest testaments to the 42-year-old’s ability to put on a show was that he put himself in jeopardy of being upstaged.
Coming into the concert, the smashing success of Lady Antebellum’s January release, Need You Now, made McGraw’s four-month-old Southern Voice feel so last year. And the vocal trio acquitted themselves nicely in an 11-song opening set that followed a quick, generic warmup by the Lost Trailers. Our Kind of Love and Lookin’ for a Good Time were great Friday night party performances, and vocalists Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott and multi-instrumentalist Dave Haywood endeared themselves to the crowd by donning University of Kentucky jerseys for the closer, I Run to You.
The centerpiece of the set was Need You Now’s intimate title tune, with Kelley and Scott taking opposite sides of the stage and slowly moving closer together to dramatize the song’s forlorn late-night phone call. They manged to recreate the tension and avoid the revved up rendition that ruined Lady A’s Grammy Awards performance of the song.
Out of the gate, Lady Antebellum dragged a bit, not really kicking into gear until bringing their band into the act with Our King of Love. The group has a great promise but also some lessons to learn about playing to big crowds.
Those are lessons McGraw learned a long time ago.
He started his show with a four-song sprint from Real Good Man to Let it Go, before taking a moment to introduce himself, his band the Dance Hall Doctors and inform the thousands in attendance that they would be the entertainment for the remainder of the evening.
Emphasis on they.
In his trademark black leathery hat and tight blue jeans, sporting a full beard, McGraw was clearly the star. But he constantly yielded the stage to the musicians he readily admitted, “can play better than I do.”
That reference was specifically to brothers Brett and Brad Warren, who joined McGraw for an acoustic set at the middle of the concert that included the war casualty ballad If You’re Reading This, which McGraw co-wrote with the Warrens.
In his career, McGraw has always know the importance of writing and choosing great songs, and he has three greatest hits albums to show for it. Even packing in two-dozen songs, he left out some biggies including his first No. 1, Don’t Take the Girl, and Southern Voice’s first single, It’s a Business Doing Pleasure.
But there was little time to miss them while McGraw and his 10-piece band were raising the roof with homages like Back When and Down on the Farm, and more contemporary fare like Felt Good on My Lips, essentially three-chord rock with a “woo-hoo” chorus.
At the end of that song, McGraw raced along the catwalk asking, “Do you feel the spirit of country music filling this place,” so much like a revival preacher you expected him to start healing folks.
And yes, that spirit was alive in Rupp Arena, country past and future, because McGraw is a perfect conduit for it.
Bill says:
I am a countryphile and I imagine most people reading the CMT blogs are going to identify themselves as countryphiles. What reading your blog has reminded me of over the past few months is that there are at least two types of countryphiles. Those who accept big label’s formulaic pop country packaged with a nice website and a pretty face spouting off lyrics that don’t mean anything and compare it to “Dolly Parton” and call it a “breath of fresh air” and those who prefer even their new country music to mean something and have at least a trace of genuineness. Which type are you?
morgan says:
I agree with James. All the praise and constant blogs about your girl friend Taylor is making a lot of people uncomfortable. P.S. Taylor is not Country, so don’t say you don’t listen to music outside the country genre. Clearly, Taylor is POP!
hunny3 says:
I am a musicphile I guess. Because I love music…it does not have to come tied up with a genre label. I just appreciate good music.
Who cares if it is not country enough or is too pop. Don’t listen if you don’t like it. I listen to good music and change the channel when something comes on that I don’t enjoy.
Amy says:
I am a CountryPhile first and a MusicPhile second. I grew up with a music fan (my daddy) who had 78 rpm albums of the first country artists. He loved country which was part of the “pop” music he heard in the 30s through 50s. I also grew up with a brother who loved and performed the rock of the 60s. Then as he got older was a huge CountryPhile (exclusively). I believe the country music artists of any decade are probably MusicPhiles. I now live with 13 year old and 15 year old MusicPhiles. The latter who plans to be a country music star (her words from 3 years old, not mine.)
We usually know who wrote the songs, who is playing, who is singing backup and who produced. Most of what we know is country but the other genres just add to the enjoyment. And, yeah, the establishment and radio really screw things up with the formula. But, Chet Atkins started it! Who hates him?
I love this statement from Bill and identify with it. I am one of “those who prefer even their new country music to mean something and have at least a trace of genuineness” But, different lyrics and styles touch different people.
If I had to profess, I am a proud CountryPhile!! And I will defend Alison. She is a CountryPhile. And she is smarter than all the rest of us because she has turned her love of it into a career. Too bad she can go see and review the “real” historical country acts. Then we would see.
brett farve says:
tim mcgraw greatest of all time better then anyone lady antelbelum cant sing for their life they should not win over rascal flatts a group who deserves more reconition but i digres tim is looked over he is the brett farve of the countrey music world simple as that
Ashley says:
I’m a musicphile I like some country but I wasn’t raised on it so I don’t know any of the old stuff but I like it when I hear it. And Train’s hey soul sister is hilarious and fun. Good song and I love Tim’s new one too so there you go.
Michael says:
Alison = Gooberphile
elizabeth says:
I’m a musicphile. Have never heard better voices than Bing Crosby or Frank Sinatra. Classical/opera not included.
Robin says:
CountryPhile first MusicPhile second. While I appreciate all types of music (espcially jazz and blues), that music is “someone else’s party” that I join once in a while. Country music is “my party”, “my life”, “my people” and I’m glad to have others who are just MusicPhiles join once in a while.
One exception to the above note - I don’t like rap, but I can appreciate it.
Trailer says:
Hipsters like Train? Hmm. I did not know that.
truthteller says:
Nah, I’ll pass on McGraw’s tour. Frankly, I don’t enjoy listening to a singer who uses Pro-Tools in his live performances. There are many artists who use Pro-Tools in the studio, but McGraw uses these devices both in studio and in his live performances. He’s not a “true” talent — just a pretty boy poser.
Sarah says:
I definitely fall within both categories. I can tell you almost anything about country music & am one of the biggest country music fans my friends know. Country music is my favorite genre of music & is what I listen to the most. However, I love almost every type of music & have a variety on my iPod. I don’t listen to JUST country music. When I download new music, it’s usually a mix between new country songs (or an entire country CD) & songs of another genre. I love music!
In fact, Train’s “Hey Soul Sister” is one of my favorite songs right now & I am looking forward to buying my Tim McGraw tickets very soon. :)
Sissy says:
What’s the deal CMT??? No Taylor blogs??? Please blog about the only person saving country music from dying. CMT = Cover More Taylor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!