Rascal Flatts – “Here Comes Goodbye”
Aside from the occasional up-tempo romp through the Sonic drive-through, there are essentially two primary types of Rascal Flatts song: A woman coming and a woman leaving. In one, she brings with her a love so epic that it could only have been predestined (see “God Bless The Broken Road” and “Here”), and in the other she exits with every bit of what made the singer’s life worth living, leaving behind a devastated shell of a man.
“Here Comes Goodbye,” written by Clint Lagerberg and American Idol: Season Six contestant Chris Sligh, is of the former variety, fitting snugly into the trio’s Emo-Country musical aesthetic, where the drama of every event is elevated to stratospheric proportions.
To be fair, Lagerberg and Sligh have crafted a song with a clear lyrical intent—the singer already knows his lover is about the leave him, and her subtle changes in behavior signal the onset of his impending loneliness. The problem is that the writing team has provided a story considerably less detailed than those that generally underscore the band’s soaring melodies, a fact which makes the song feel even more ridiculously overblown than usual.
The only actions ever performed by the departing lover are driving up the singer’s road more slowly than usual, and ringing the doorbell before entering. These are the only details provided about how the singer knows goodbye is coming—and what’s worse, we have no idea why goodbye is coming, nor do we gain insight into how the singer feels about losing the woman in question.
That’s because the entire song is comprised of simple, descriptive phrasing, like the chorus which states (very factually): “Here comes goodbye/Here comes the last time/Here comes the start of every sleepless night/The first of every tear I’m gonna cry/Here comes the pain…”
Gary LeVox actually offers up an atypically restrained performance for the first minute and a half of the song, his voice richer and considerably less whiney than usual. It’s an enjoyable vocal up until the onset of the second chorus, at which point the pace quickens and his delivery becomes almost hilarious in its urgency. By the 2:30 mark he’s singing like the universe is about to implode–which it is for him, I suppose, although we’re not really shown the reason why. We’re just asked to believe that goodbye is coming and that (trust him) it’s going to be terrible.
Love or hate Rascal Flatts, one thing that must be said is that they generally gravitate towards songs that strive for some type of emotional heft. Those songs are almost always wrapped up in layers of melodrama and unnecessarily embellishment, but there is often an underlying emotional truth for us to latch on to. “Here Comes Goodbye” is too nondescript and generic to achieve any of that resonance, but the trio still performs it as if it’s weighty—which leaves the whole thing sounding rather awkward.
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February 3, 2009 at 1:00 pm
I have nothing against this trio personally, but simply nothing they’ve released since “Skin (Sarabeth)” has stood out to me in their singles catalog.
Interestingly enough, that also happens to be the last single they recorded before drafting Dann Huff as the producer for each subsequent album era. To his credit, he has also produced records like Keith Urban’s previous album, which I thought showcased great growth for him in terms of playing with various different melodies while not overshadowing his charismatic persona, but largely I consider Huff’s production the most overproduced sound in contemporary country presently.
Thus, considering the last point, while LeVox’s almost cartoonish vocals mid-way into the song are a large fault here, I think Huff often inflates the weight of their sentiments to exaggerating, leviathan proportions, and is a central fault to trying to make hackneyed compositions like this pay off in their delivery.
February 3, 2009 at 1:03 pm
The song was not great but it was ok (I like the hook, I just dont thing the song lived up to what it could’ve been). I agree the vocals were way overdone on this one. When it first started out I thought I was actually gonna like it (I do like some of RF’s stuff), but as it went on I just starting thinking “turn it off” … and I did.
February 3, 2009 at 1:42 pm
When I hear Gary LeVox (BTW, when is someone going to call him out on that last name? Are we really supposed to believe his last name is “the voice”?!) sing it reminds me of Pee Wee’s Playhouse, when Pee Wee would wrap that jiggily belt contraption around his waist and scream.
February 3, 2009 at 1:44 pm
I’d have to agree that it certainly isn’t a ground-breaking performance… but I think compared to a lot of the other stuff they’ve done, it’s an improvement.
February 3, 2009 at 1:44 pm
Agreed. This song SUCKS!
February 3, 2009 at 2:07 pm
I don’t mind this single too much. It’s not as good as “What Hurts the Most”, “Fast Cars and Freedom”, “Stand”, “Winner at a Losing Game” and “These Days” but it’s certainly not as bland as “Bob That Head”, “Me and My Gang”, “Every Day”, “Take Me There”, “Love You Out Loud”, “While You Loved Me” and “Feels Like Today.” So I guess what I’m saying is… it’s just somewhere in the middle. A solid B.
February 3, 2009 at 2:12 pm
here comes my lunch…
February 3, 2009 at 2:33 pm
I thought Vern Gosdin was Le Vox
February 3, 2009 at 2:48 pm
“[B]ut largely I consider Huff’s production the most overproduced sound in contemporary country presently.” I have to agree. All of RF’s Dann Huff-produced albums have been absurdly sterile.
RF have shown absolutely no artistic growth with each subsequent album; instead, they seem to be getting worse. With the exceptions of “Bob That Head” and “Me and My Gang”, they’ve done nothing but ballads and mid-tempos, and only one (“Winner at a Losing Game”) has been worthwhile in my opinion. They always go for hyperbole on their ballads, assuming that singing loud + playing loud = true emotion (Jimmy Wayne’s latest is guilty of this too). They rely on lyrics with a formula more set than KFC’s secret recipe, and it’s always about a love beginning or ending. Are music buyers really such sheep that we’ll push the blandest, most annoying songs to number one and multi-platinum status just because we know it’s “safe”? Don’t the increasingly hostile reviews sink into the guys of RF? Can they honestly say that this vanilla dreck is what they WANT to record?
Sorry, end rant. If nothing else, I sorta like this song, if only for the laughable production values.
February 3, 2009 at 2:50 pm
I don’t see how anyone listens to Gary sing….especially a whole album of him singing! The song in mention sounds like it should be in some musical. I cannot stand it or hearing him sing it! From day one, I was thinking…why are so many people crazy about these guys?? Only one thing worse than hearing him sing, is watching him sing!
February 3, 2009 at 2:58 pm
If only it really WERE goodbye, for once and for all. (sigh)
February 3, 2009 at 3:26 pm
Some people aren’t making it to the end of this song, but I think they really should. It’s then when the full hillarity of the awfulness of LeVox’s ridiculously mello-dramatic performance + cheesy electric guitar solo are fully realized.
This review is spot on!
February 3, 2009 at 3:34 pm
This could shatter my little remaining credibillity, but…
I like this song.
February 3, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Oh Rainbow….
February 3, 2009 at 4:40 pm
The begginning is good but, as the song progresses it seems to worsen so, it is better then other songs but, it still doesn’t make me like them.
February 3, 2009 at 4:58 pm
What do you know, a “thumbs down” for RF on the 9513. What a shock and a surpise!!
February 3, 2009 at 4:59 pm
“Are music buyers really such sheep that we’ll push the blandest, most annoying songs to number one and multi-platinum status just because we know it’s “safe”? ”
Sadly, the evidence so far seems to be yes.
I do find Rascal Flatt’s success slightly baffling, because to my ears, Gary le Vox’s voice doesn’t even sound pleasant, setting aside the quality of their material.
February 3, 2009 at 5:49 pm
What another surprise – Evie isn’t happy with a 9513 review …
February 3, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Lord! Oh Lord! When will Rascal Flatts’ 15 minutes end? They have never been a country act to me. They are an over-styled boy band who use country music as a background to their bland,pointless songs. Name one song ( outside of maybe “God Bless The Broken Road”) that will be remembered 20 years from now! I am just waiting for one of their songs to call their bluff and watch as they deflat into teen idol hell.
February 3, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Craig, I’ll never understand why people seem to think this is a country band.
February 3, 2009 at 8:34 pm
I think what hurts the most will still be remembered in 20 years
February 3, 2009 at 8:53 pm
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070327022328AAMlW3A
The first and last time I will ever Google Le Voice’s name.
February 3, 2009 at 10:27 pm
Spot-on, Jim.
February 3, 2009 at 10:45 pm
Rascal Flatts is living proof that genetic experiments cross breeding 80′s hair metal bands and Celine Dion need to be outlawed once and for all…..
February 3, 2009 at 11:29 pm
Every time I write about RF, I want to point out how stupid Gary’s last name is…but really, that would just be unnecessary. Thanks for the comments, y’all.
February 3, 2009 at 11:36 pm
now wait one minute….you’re telling me that Gary “LeVox” is 37 years old and named himself Gary “The voice”???????????
geez, wow, I….wow.
February 3, 2009 at 11:45 pm
To make it sadder, Le Vox does not mean The Voice in French. That would be Le Voix. Gary’s last name translates to The Brand of Clarinet I Used to Play In High School.
February 3, 2009 at 11:56 pm
we should make fun of that guy way more.
February 4, 2009 at 8:17 am
I have stopped keeping track of Rascal Flatts ever since their second album. I enjoy a few of their songs, but considering they have supposedly quite a catalog in their discography, that’s rather disappointing. A group or artist who’s been around as long as they have should have more memorable songs.
Take George Strait for example. Ten years into his career, it didn’t take much to remember all the gems, and his albums are generally sprinkled with them. With RF I can only remember a couple of their hits over the past 10 years that are actually meaningful, but don’t stick in my head like ‘Amarillo By Morning’.
February 4, 2009 at 7:33 pm
ATTENTION ALL COUNTRY MUSIC SINGERS. 100.3 KILT -WHICH IS A COUNTRY RADIO STATION BASED OUT OF HOUSTON,TX- IS LOOKING FOR THE NEXT BIG COUNTRY SOLO STAR. JUST UPLOAD YOUR VIDEO OF AN ORIGINAL SONG TO IF.NET. AND GET YOUR FRIENDS/FAMILY TO VOTE FOR YOUR VIDEO. THE WINNER WITH THE MOST VOTES WILL GET AN ALL-EXPENSE PAID TRIP TO HOUSTON,TX AND PERFORM LIVE AT THE HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW, AS WELL AS APPEAR LIVE ON 100.3… FOR MORE INFO:CLICK (OR COPY AND PASTE)
http://if.net/contests/Music/607621?series=
GOOD LUCK!
February 9, 2009 at 8:34 pm
The only really country song Rascall Flatts has ever done is “Lonesome Road”. It’s a Target Exclusive bonus track from Still Feels Good. If you can find it, it’s a catchy song.
March 3, 2009 at 10:47 am
I think it’s a good song. Well sung too. Considering the sound: I have to admit I like RF more before Dann Huff started producing them. It’s just less country…
So Gary calls himself Le Vox…. Sean Combs called himself Puff Daddy, then changed it into P. Diddy. Some artists have stage names… so what??
I think RF is a great band. A lot of people have to agree otherwise there wouldn’t be a sixth album within 9 years. Nowadays most artists don’t even reach their second single…
I’m looking forward to the new album.
March 6, 2009 at 1:11 pm
It isn’t like your comments will make a bit of difference anyway. The song is good, vocals pretty much kill most anyone elses in Country Music in terms of being less Headvoice and more Diaphragm(if anyone here knows what that means) and they can get an emotional pull out of it which is what 99.9% of artists aspire to do. So in the end, cry all you want about what it isn’t to you and they will do what they do well, entertain. Most here have no clue muscically what it takes to do that.
March 6, 2009 at 8:33 pm
ALL you guys who don’t like Rascal Flatts SUCK BIG TIME
March 17, 2009 at 5:52 am
I like rascal flatts and no matter you people say it wont change the sucess that they have had. i like here comes good bye it had a family member in tears because they have lost a loved one. if thats not a emotinal song i dont know what is. i thinks its the most powerful song and best vocals since what hurts the most. if anyone asked me i would there the best group out there in all gene and they have worked hard for the sucess that they have had.
March 17, 2009 at 7:04 pm
I love Rascal Flatts! They are byfar my fav band ever. I saw them in concert 2 for my 16th birthday and it was so awsome! All of their music i think is great. my aunt got married to “God blessed the broken road” which is her fav song. I love their song “Bob that head” it is so upbeat and makes you want to dance and sing along i have great memories while listning to that song!
March 24, 2009 at 1:54 pm
Anyone who says they liked “bob that head” needs to e banned from this site. That song was an absolute joke. Does it tell you anything when pop band like Rascal Flatts with giant label promotion can’t get a song into the top 10? I like a few of their songs (Winner at a Losing Game, Stand) but everything they’ve done outside of “Bless the Broken Road” is instantly forgettable. Maybe you can exclude “What Hurts the Most” from that, but nothing else. I’m not bashing the musical ability at all, though Gary’s voice does make me want to die a little because it is so nasally and whiny…
March 25, 2009 at 10:03 pm
I disagree no matter what i say is gonna change your mind. but i will let you no that i do disagree
April 11, 2009 at 11:37 am
Seriously, the9513 has got some kind of grudge against Rascal Flatts for some reason. I still don’t know what it is, but how many songs in a row is it now that they’ve reviewed poorly of this excellent band?
And funny thing…searching through the archives, I didn’t see a review of “Winner at a Losing Game.” What happened? Did the9513 realize that they’d have no choice but to give one of this band’s singles a positive review and rather than do that just decide to ignore the song altogether?
April 11, 2009 at 11:42 am
Emgee, you have to understand that this is a country blog. Rascal Flatts is probably one of the better pop groups out there, but they are not country and need to stop pretending they are.
April 11, 2009 at 12:04 pm
No, people need to stop ignoring the fact that they ARE country. People need to stop ignoring the fact that cojntry music has changed since the 1960s (which I’m in no way diminishing the music of) and evaluate the music by 21st Century standards and not 1960s standards.
April 11, 2009 at 12:07 pm
And, I would still be interested to know WHY exactly the9513 decided to skip over a review of one of their singles? Did they actually feel they might have to give the band a good review and *gasp…perish THAT thought*
April 11, 2009 at 12:24 pm
I have a grudge against RF because their music slapped my mama.
Seriously, my mom lives in a small town with limited radio resources that has only one country station and its mainstream. Two years ago on her birthday I got her a radio/CD player. Now I have to keep giving her cds because the radio part is basically useless to her.
April 11, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Um, okay, and this relates to the discussion…how?
April 11, 2009 at 12:33 pm
You want to know why people don’t like RF. Because, aside from not being country, their music is realy just that bad.
April 11, 2009 at 12:57 pm
11 ACM Awards
7 CMA Awards
4 AMAs
5 Multi-Platinum Albums plus a new album which will undoubtably go multiplatinum.
I’d say people DO like Rascal Flatts.
April 11, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Not to mention their 21 Top 10 Singles including 9 #1 Hits.
April 11, 2009 at 1:07 pm
And when I was a child we bought millions of copies of Milli Vanilli and MC Hammer. That we bought their cds did not make them good.
April 11, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Stormy,
There’s no accounting for taste.
April 11, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Or lack thereof.
April 11, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Oh, I get it Razor X. You’re saying that *I* have no taste in music. Ha ha, very funny.
Well, keep telling yourself that Rascal Flatts is not a good band and I’ll keep laughing at you as their success continues for years.
April 11, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Ya know, I actually liked their debut album. The harmonies on “Prayin’ For Daylight” are damn good. The problem is, it’s been all downhill from there. I was pretty much indifferent to the rest of their albums. What really pushed me over the edge against them was when they recorded “Life is a Highway.” That’s one of my favorite Chris LeDoux songs, and they butchered it.
And yes, I’m aware LeDoux’s version was a cover of an older rock song.
April 11, 2009 at 4:09 pm
Razor,
That’s the complete reasoning behind the phrase “There’s no accounting for taste.” Meaning what you may consider crap or what you consider tasteful may not be the same to someone else. It’d be pretty damn egotistical to say that only what you like is ‘tasteful’ and what you don’t like is crap.
April 11, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Some people like crap.
April 11, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Actually Andrew, it’s all been uphill from their first album. Their music just keeps getting better and better.
And you’ve ignored my comments from before completely. You’ve denied that Rascal Flatts are Country. I said that people need to quit ignoring that we’re no longer in the 1960s and Country Music has evolved.
And I’m just ignoring Razor X. I recognize his narrow-minded ignorant ass from the Amazon boards. Wouldn’t surprise me a bit if he’s one of the bloggers on the narrow-minded site.
Rascal Flatts is an awesome ban and no matter how much people try to discredit them, it is not going to change the fact that they are amazing.
April 11, 2009 at 5:43 pm
“Some people like crap.”
And there you have it. No need to form your own opinions – just ask Razor X, he’ll tell you what to think.
You know, when you bend backward that far to look down your nose at other people, you run the risk of falling flat on your ass.
April 11, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Spend much time flat on your ass, do you, Jon?
April 11, 2009 at 6:09 pm
Not me, pal – I’ve learned to be cool about other people’s tastes, even when they doesn’t coincide with mine. It’s the ones who metaphorically wear that “your favorite band sucks” shirt all the time, no matter how ratty and stinky it gets, who run that risk.
April 11, 2009 at 8:34 pm
That is Razor X in a nutshell Jon.
April 11, 2009 at 9:00 pm
Emgee,
You mentioned the 60′s just a point here Country Music was around long before then.
April 11, 2009 at 9:28 pm
I know that…
I picked a decade at random before people started the daily accusations that Country is no longer Country.
April 11, 2009 at 9:45 pm
I picked a decade at random before people started the daily accusations that Country is no longer Country.
You think that argument wasn’t going on in the ’60s?
April 11, 2009 at 9:47 pm
Not on a daily basis, no.
My point is people need to quit bitching and realize that Country Music needs to be judged on the stadards of its own time and not with the narrowmindedness that “it’s not Country.”
April 11, 2009 at 11:47 pm
Emgee: RF is far worse than OCMS.
April 12, 2009 at 6:18 am
Don’t know any of OCMS stuff. But Rascal Flatts is the best band there is.
You only keep making yourself look foolish.
April 12, 2009 at 8:30 am
OCMS last cd “Tennessee Pusher” was number one on my personal top 10 list list year. I just bought the new Flatlanders Cd download last night “Hills and Valleys”
April 12, 2009 at 8:43 am
Ho hum. Another bland, inoffensive offering from Rascal Flatts. Just what the doctor ordered to kill a few minutes of airtime on “Today’s Hot Country” stations
Whoopee !
April 12, 2009 at 8:45 am
Emgee,
Why not check out Old Crow Medicine Show (ocms)
April 12, 2009 at 9:49 am
In the words of Dale Watson “You Can Grow When You Rip Your Roots Out Of The Ground”
April 12, 2009 at 10:06 am
Opps I meant to say
In the words of Dale Watson “You Can’t Grow When You Rip Your Roots Out Of The Ground”
April 12, 2009 at 10:10 am
Don’t know any of their stuff, but Rascal Flatts is the best band there is.
How can you make that claim, Emgee, when you’ve admitted that you’re unfamiliar with the band RF is being compared to?
April 12, 2009 at 10:39 am
“Rascal Flatts is an awesome band and no matter how much people try to discredit them, it is not going to change the fact that they are amazing.”
Um, it’s a fact that they’re popular; not the same thing. Personally, I don’t feel as though I’d be missing anything if I never heard them again.
And, BTW, same goes for Old Crow. Nice fellers, and I wish them well (same as for Rascal Flatts), but their music does nothing for me.
April 12, 2009 at 10:49 am
The evolution of entertainment things isn’t always for the best.
In 1939 Clark Gable shocked movie goes with the line
“Frankly my Dear I don’t give a “Damn” now most movies are riddled with profanity.
in 1952 Lucille Ball was pregnant on her tv show not only could they not say the word Pregnant they were not allow to show a married couple in the bed.
Now many shows have way to many characters hoping in and out of bed or in bed leaving nothing to the imagination. With little or no family friendly show on the air.
In 1965 I Dream of Jennie debuts, Barbara Eden was not allow to show her Navel.
Now we see way more.
April 12, 2009 at 10:58 am
Forgot to add
in 1976 Rod Stewart’s song “Tonight’s The Night” a a song about a girl losing her virginity was banned from many radio stations. (not in favor of banning music)
April 12, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Wow Merlefan86, your examples have shown me the light…
LOL.
Hey, Razor X. How can I say that Rascal Flatts is the best band? By the mere fact that they are my personal favorite, that’s now.
April 12, 2009 at 1:14 pm
Just because a band or artist is your favorite doesn’t mean they are the best.
April 12, 2009 at 1:32 pm
And just because a band doesn’t fit into the narrow minded view that Country Music should stay the way that it was in the 1960s doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t be given fair reviews. Something that this site should learn.
April 12, 2009 at 1:44 pm
To be honest country in the 60′s was starting to getting pulled down by Chet’s Atkins Nashville Sound. Don’t know why you keep mentioning the 60′s
April 12, 2009 at 2:15 pm
Try the 20′s though the 50′s
April 12, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Emgee: You really should check out OCMS. You won’t like them, but they will show you that a band can stay country and be compltely contemporary.
April 12, 2009 at 4:02 pm
“Emgee: You really should check out OCMS. You won’t like them, but they will show you that a band can stay country and be compltely contemporary.”
“Stay country,” hoo boy.
April 12, 2009 at 8:32 pm
That’s the whole narrowminded mindset I’m talking about. Why would you say that I won’t like them? It just shows how little you know what you’re talking about.
April 12, 2009 at 8:36 pm
Because they have fiddle, banjo, nasal twang and songs about drug deals and MLK. They are kind of the anti-RF.
April 12, 2009 at 8:48 pm
“Because they have fiddle, banjo, nasal twang and songs about drug deals and MLK.”
Is that what you have to have to “stay country” these days?!
April 12, 2009 at 8:53 pm
Once again Stormy, you show the narrowminded mindset that someone can’t like different styles of music within the same genre. Are you sure you’re not one of the writers for this website?
April 12, 2009 at 9:09 pm
Have you listened to them and was I wrong?
April 12, 2009 at 9:12 pm
I have not had the opportunity yet, but that’s hardly the point.
April 12, 2009 at 11:00 pm
I’ve really liked all their albums up until, “Still Feels Good”. I feel they rushed the production on that album and it shows. There where a few good songs on there my favorite being, “Everyday” but as an album goes it was weak and did not flow. I was very disappointed. As for there new album “Unstoppable” I think it’s better than “Still Feels Good” but not by much. I do like “Forever” “Close” and the others are ok but don’t really stand out. I’m afraid the band is becoming too commercialized.
April 12, 2009 at 11:24 pm
“And just because a band doesn’t fit into the narrow minded view that Country Music should stay the way that it was in the 1960s doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t be given fair reviews. Something that this site should learn.”
I haven’t seen you refute a single point in a review yet, nice try, though. I’d also like you to point out a statement by a writer on this site saying country music should be just like it was in the 60s. And while you’re at it, maybe you could let us know if they were playing music like this in the 60s.
April 12, 2009 at 11:57 pm
No they are not country esp their new stuff they are pop but I like both genres so it doesn’t matter. In the end it’s just a label who cares? If I like a band’s sound then great I don’t obsess over what their “official” label is. The majority of country music these days is pop anyway.
April 13, 2009 at 9:32 am
A) They are Country.
B) If you haven’t seen me refute anything, you haven’t been reading.
April 13, 2009 at 10:40 am
Just a thought here how many fans would have if they had pot bellys and were bald. :D
April 13, 2009 at 10:54 am
Their older albums could be considered country but definitely not their last two albums. That’s pure pop under the guise of country.
April 13, 2009 at 1:10 pm
You all sound just like the writers on this site–i.e. full of shit
April 13, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Emgee,
No need to get nasty with name calling, that’s nothing more than childish.
April 13, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Merlefan,
I’m pretty sure Gary Levox goes on the “Vince Diet” for every album shoot.
April 13, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Matt B,
The thing is that what I say is the truth. Five singles in a row have been reviewed poorly. They even skipped over a major one for no discernible reason. These facts tell me something…that the band is not getting a fair shake from 9513. The writers make up their minds that they don’t like Rascal Flatts and don’t give them fair reviews. It’s as simple as that.
April 13, 2009 at 3:06 pm
This is an interesting debate. Is Rascal Flatts Country or not? … are they “good” or not?
There can be little debate that they have been “successful” in most respects.
Like several “hot” artists in mainstream / Top 40 Country nowadays … many of us on this site just find their success in the Country market an aberration or a curiosity; something we just can’t figure out.
And yet … there it is. As much as we may not like it, however, we OUGHT to accept it to some degree. Radio stations play their stuff and people actually go to see them.
April 13, 2009 at 3:44 pm
I think radio stations play what they are told to play or paid to play there are ways to get around the payola laws.
April 13, 2009 at 4:31 pm
And radio stations are going to play what is popular and well-liked to continue to get people to tune in.
April 13, 2009 at 4:33 pm
Agreed, Finally someone with some sense on this site.
April 13, 2009 at 4:56 pm
You don’t think corporate radio isn’t told what to play?
April 13, 2009 at 7:30 pm
Matt: Too many things have come out in the past decade that point to payola for that to be believable.
April 13, 2009 at 8:22 pm
If you think radio stations are going to continue to play music that people don’t like, you’re insane.
Face it, Rascal Flatts is a popular band, like it or not. And they will continue to be successful and continue to make amazing music.
I’m done with this discussion. I don’t know if ignorance and stupidity are contagious, but I’m not taking any chances on catching anything.
April 13, 2009 at 9:25 pm
If country radio stations were willing to take cash to play Somebody by Reba, why would they do less for RF?
April 16, 2009 at 12:37 pm
i PERSONALLY lOVE THiS SONG. iT iS THE bEST iT REMiNDS ME OF MY dAD AND hOW hE iS FiXiNG TO hAVE hiS GOODBYE/; _& tHE PART WhEN THEY TAlk ABOUT THE BRiDE i UNDERSTAND hOW HARD THiS WilL bE FOR MY dAD NOT TO bE ABlE TO WALk ME dOWN THE iSLE. yEAH iT hURTS AND ThiS SONGGG. iN AMAZiiiiNG !!!!!! i LOVE YOUUU GUYSz _& i WiLL SUPPORT YOU THROUGHHHH EVERYTHiNG -
THANkSSS GUYS
April 16, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Well, I so idsagree. I love country music. People have been tellin’ me that I shouldn’t be listening to this music because Country Music has been known for a little sueicide for people. The Drummer from Emerson Drive killed himself apperently because he killed himself. I thiunk that it was stress that got to him, not country music. Beside I love Emerson Drive, but I love Rascal Flatts as much as the next person. If you have a problem contact me at BlackRose1991@live.com
Thanxxxxx,
Kya
April 16, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Kya,
The drummer of Emerson Drive didn’t die. It is true that a former member of ED committed suicide but he had severe depression issues which lead to his death, not the fact that he liked country music.
April 18, 2009 at 11:26 am
Guess what the Top Selling Country Album is.
UNSTOPPABLE by Rascal Flatts.
BUH YAH!
April 18, 2009 at 11:30 am
Albums shipped or albums sold?
April 18, 2009 at 12:41 pm
“The Drummer from Emerson Drive killed himself apperently because he killed himself.”
Yeah, if I killed myself, I’d probably want to kill myself too.
April 18, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Albums sold, Stormy – that’s what Billboard’s sales charts report. Unstoppable was the top-selling country album, top-selling digital album, top-selling album, period. You may not like Rascal Flatts, but there are plenty of folks who evidently do.
April 18, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Jon: What method does Billboard use to track sales? RIAA or soundscan. I really don’t care if Emgee likes RF, but I am worried about this persistant belief in myths which have already been debunked.
April 18, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Billboard uses Soundscan.
April 18, 2009 at 4:54 pm
Indeed it does, and has for about 18 years. Before that, it took reports from retailers, and it’s never based its charts on reports from labels. Sheesh – “myths” indeed.
April 19, 2009 at 7:39 pm
#1 Country Song – “Here Comes Goodbye” – Rascal Flatts
#1 Country Album – “Unstoppable” – Rascal Flatts
#1 Album Billboard 200 – “Unstoppable” – Rascal Flatts
# Digital Album – “Unstoppable” – Rascal Flatts
BUH YAH!
April 19, 2009 at 7:41 pm
And btw Stormy, Billboard is THE source when it comes to music charts.
April 19, 2009 at 9:14 pm
Is soundscan for actually sales or units shipped to the stores and warehouses?
April 19, 2009 at 11:01 pm
As its name suggests, SoundScan collects data at the point of sale, when the bar code on a CD is scanned by the retailer. It also offers a way to report venue sales, where an actual bar code scanner may not be used, and can track sale of digital downloads as well.
April 20, 2009 at 1:46 pm
I prefer quality music to quainty sold. Yes their sales numbers are large. Their music produced for sale to the masses and you always get the large numbers in that case.
April 20, 2009 at 2:54 pm
Rascal Flatts = Quality Music = Large Quantity Sold
April 20, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Emgee I just don’t find any quality to the flats music. Their music isn’t gritty or edgy enough for me. btw have you checked out Old Crow Medicine Show?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ug7IgB8MfWE
April 20, 2009 at 3:05 pm
“Their music produced for sale to the masses and you always get the large numbers in that case.”
Well, that’s obviously not true; most records produced for sale to the masses fail miserably. And on the other hand, you can’t infer from the commercial success of a release its producers’ intent.
But y’all go on ahead and argue about whether Rascal Flatts, Old Crow Medicine Show and anyone else makes “quality” music.
April 20, 2009 at 3:16 pm
The Old Crow Video I posted the link to sounds like something Bob Dylan or Woody Gunther might have written.
Sorry Jon but I have to disagree about not selling to the masses. Music is produced to appeal the masses. When is the last time a bluegrass cd sold in the millions on a continuous basis, or artists like Jimmie Dale Gilmore.
April 20, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Jon, Btw I like your music, some good picking you have :D
April 20, 2009 at 4:37 pm
Well, thanks; I’m pretty proud of my record.
I’m not sure exactly what part of what I wrote you disagree with. My point was that you don’t, in fact, get the large numbers with most music made for sale to the masses; most music doesn’t pay back its production and promotion costs. And you can’t infer from a successful album’s sales that the music was made the way it was simply in order to sell large numbers.
Most artists – and I include bluegrass artists – are happy with bigger sales than with smaller, if only because sales are a tangible reflection of how many people are hearing and liking their music.
I can just about guarantee that’s true of the Old Crow Medicine Show guys, and more power to them – though as I said earlier (maybe even in this thread), their music doesn’t do anything for me, and I haven’t heard anything from them that I would mistake for a song by Dylan or Guthrie. But I’m ok if you don’t share my taste in that regard ;-).
April 20, 2009 at 4:46 pm
I listened to some OCMS. They’re alright. I like some of their stuff, but it doesn’t really stand out to me. I might dl a couple of tracks from Amazon, but they’re not a group I’d buy a CD of.
April 20, 2009 at 4:47 pm
To be honest I’ve become a big bluegrass fan in the last few year I went to a festival and got hooked. The power was out Del McCoury and Marty Stuart dealt with that by, not staying on their buses in the dry and away from the lighting. They just all got together under a big tent and jammed for about 2 hours. No I would confusing OCMS vocals for Dylan or Guthrie either, I meant the content of “I hear them all” reminded of a protest style song that Dylan might write or sing. You know this board would be dull and boring if we all agreed :D
April 20, 2009 at 4:52 pm
Emgee,
Fair enough this is how I feel about Rascal Flats.
April 20, 2009 at 5:05 pm
It’s pretty hard to get Del perturbed.
April 20, 2009 at 5:37 pm
It was a one of a kind show! No mics etc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHm1ffaEGR4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOX4u82Tdhk
April 30, 2009 at 11:33 am
Rascal Flatts are SO over rated it sickens me!
April 30, 2009 at 11:40 am
“Someone committed murder down on Music Row.”
Nashville: the site of the birth – and death – of Country Music.
April 30, 2009 at 11:42 am
When was Nashville recognized as the birth of country music?
April 30, 2009 at 11:44 am
I thought the birth place of country music was in Bristol TN/Va ?
April 30, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Actually not one of a kind, since they did exactly the same thing 2 years ago at the ROMP festival in Owensboro, KY ;-). See http://bluegrass-museum.org/riverofmusic/romp_past.html .
April 30, 2009 at 2:19 pm
You know, if every one of you folks who invoked “Murder On Music Row” would bother to actually come out and buy a ticket to see the guy who wrote it sing it, I’d be too dang busy to argue with y’all as often as I do now.
April 30, 2009 at 2:21 pm
Ha, I liked that.
April 30, 2009 at 3:26 pm
I think you’ll always find time to argue, Jon.
May 24, 2009 at 12:49 am
gary levox sings like a angel and rascal flatts rock country music im a member of thier fan club and they can sing and all of us rascal flatts fans know they are hot and thier voices make us melt and gary levox is my favorite member of rascal flatts
May 24, 2009 at 12:56 am
Fail.
May 24, 2009 at 1:09 am
^ Said the Faith Hill addict xD
May 24, 2009 at 1:18 am
Yes – but I’m an addict with good grammar.
May 24, 2009 at 1:46 am
Well, better at least.
May 24, 2009 at 9:48 am
Jon,
The videos I post were from the tent show at romp It was awesome. It was my first Bluegrass festival I agree with your comment about seeing Larry Cordell also. For those who may not know he and Larry Shell wrote Murder on music row.
June 3, 2009 at 10:24 am
i likeee all the songs(:
June 11, 2009 at 12:33 am
Rascal Flatts is up for 2 CMT Awards! They really need your help so get to voting! In the category of Group Video of the Year, they have 2 videos: “Everyday” and “Bob That Head.” PLEASE ONLY VOTE FOR “EVERYDAY”–we DO NOT want the vote split!!
Tell all your friends to vote! Vote with every e-mail address you have!! PLEASE!!
Thanks so much for all of your support!!
http://www.cmt.com/cmt-music-awards/vote
June 11, 2009 at 1:33 am
^ I alrdy voted for “Every Day” awhile ago, but thx for the reminder
June 23, 2009 at 3:28 pm
I can not understand why this group wins all the awards it does and why people are crazy about them!
Their songs stir up nothing in me like country music should.
I would really appreciate someone anyone explaining their popularity to me!!
January 19, 2010 at 8:13 pm
Razor X said: “Some people just like crap.”
Hey! Look at me! I’m Razor X! And I’m the only person on earth who has good taste in music and everyone else who disagrees with me is a complete and total retard!
Seriously, though. I don’t even like Rascal Flatts all that much, but I’m not going to go around insulting other people just because they DO like Rascal Flatts. It’s called “OPINIONS”, buddy. Everyone has their own opinions, and you have no right to tell people off just because their opinions are different than yours. It’s a free country – let other people like what they want to like and stop telling other people what to think. Okay? Okay. Good. Moving on, now.