Study Finds ‘Countryphiles’ Shy Away From Digital Downloads

I had a chance to watch Jamey’s webcast last night. Posted a little about it last night but figured it was worth a repost since you asked!

Holly Williams opened at 11 a.m. and was terrible. No stage presence, bad voice. This is the first time I’ve seen her perform and it was via webcast, so maybe my perception is skewed, but she was bad.

Jamey Johnson started at 11:30 p.m, opening with “High Cost of Living” and essentially playing down the album, adding in a new song (”Nothing Is Better Than You”) that all should hear. I’m not sure if it’s online anywhere yet, but it is some solid stuff. He even busts out the Jamey growl during it, showing some intense passion in the song.

After finishing his album, he covered just about every authentic country artist to complete his three hour set. Yes, he played for three hours. In the middle of the show, he called his dad on stage, who looks nothing like Jamey. No beard at all! He gave him a late Christmas present, which was a nice leather Harley jacket.

Jamey covered Patsy Cline, Jennings, Jones, Cash, Haggard, Seger, Coe, Gosdin, etc. He played his version of “Give It Away” and “Write Your Own Damn Song”, which was ironic seeing that it bashed radio executive during CRS week. He pretty much took requests from the shouting audience and played songs from the artists they were yelling.

Needless to say, it was an entertaining three hours. One of the site admins said they were going to put some of the clips on his Web site, so hopefully they stay true to their word. It’s definitely worth checking out if it happens.

Here’s a decent quality video of Jamey Johnson’s “Nothing Is Better Than You”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtiUutoAvfc

Looks like it’s from the Downtown Shutdown event. Definitely worth a watch.

Why does country need to break free of any perceived red-state mentality?

Actually, the study didn’t show that country listeners are “predominantly Caucasian,” except in the sense that the population of the U.S. is predominantly Caucasian. Instead, it showed that non-Hispanic white people and Hispanic people of any race listen to country music about in proportion to their presence in the general population, blacks listen to country music far less than other groups, and “other” folks listen to country music more often than other groups. (There’s a pie chart in the Tennessean showing the breakdown, which is easy to compare to general population figures.) I want to know why “Other” loves country music so.

“More than likely country fans fall into the older and less educated/hip to the tech. Seems kinda obvious, really”

Seems more like an old and tired stereotype, really.

Razor, you don’t think more digital music is bought by rap/r&b/hiphop/pop style kids than country? Ask itunes.. I bet you’d see it.

I’m not saying old ignorant people, I’m saying people who don’t use/understand digital music.

Brady, ahh understood. Is it there because the reds want to keep it, or is it there cuz the blues don’t want to be associated with the reds? ;)

Frankly, the older more stereotypical mold of country doesn’t appeal to me as much. Blasphemy around here sure, but that’s how it is.

Razor, I think that kinda lends towards my point.

Marc, since the study finds no particular income or age differences between country fans and other music fans, I’d say your assumption is wrong on the face of it. Isn’t it more likely that living in small towns (which the Tennessean points out is more prevalent among country listeners) means less access to broadband and that that accounts for less downloading?

Before folks get too deep into discussion of details and implications of the CMA report, it might be worth going beyond the Tennessean’s coverage to read the CMA’s press release about it, which can be found here: http://www.cmaworld.com/news_publications/pr_common/press_detail.asp?re=821 .

Eazor, then you missed it.

NM very much also a part of it, especially again compared to urban situations where “urban” music is more popular, and is also much more considered a youth area of music.

That’s pretty large for a market research study.

Marc, it would help if you had something other than some preconceived opinions to back up your claims.

I’m 25, thus am all but certainly among the youngest visitors here and am, more or less, approximately two decades younger than the mean country-music audience demographic (most statistics I’ve seen list the mean country-listening demographic between age 42 and 46)

I listen to many genres of music, but country music appeals to me particularly because, while while it’s not a bad thing rock and roll, in particular, tends to tap into more of the spontaneity and jugular aspects of life, I’ve found country music, despite being more simplistic in structure and style, nonetheless tackles deeper truths and revelations regarding our most purest, unembellished experiences, emotions and livelihoods, in a way that demonstrates how the simplest aspects of life are the stillest waters running deep.

That, coming from a particularly young listener here, is what attracts me to country music. And I don’t think many young demographics around my age tend to shy away from the country genre more because they simply dislike the music, but more because either 1) they’re only seeing a mere, watered-down facet of the genre that’s not exactly representative of the genre’s wide, diverse essence or 2) sometimes appreciating the topical beauty and poignancy of the genre doesn’t come immediately to many listeners, and it just takes time to “get” what distinguishes country music from other genres, so to speak, on a thematic level primarily.

I was at The Stage last night and I can tell you that Jamey is now playing with ‘house money’ in the industry. It was a veritable who’s who at the show. While they let fans into the show (there was a line wrapped around the block), it was mainly Artists, label and radio and other industry folk enjoying the show.

As for Holly, she is a great Piano player and works better when at the piano there. Still, She did well and was obviously nervous with playing in front of an industry invite-only crowd (”the public” was allowed into the show only after she was finished). The sound mix was being worked out while she played as well, which obviously didn’t help.

Drew: -phile= a Greek root for love/strong liking of something.

Got to see the webcast last night but boy was it late since we’re on Eastern time. I stayed up through Mary Go Round and had to go to bed so I could get up early to get to work. One of my friends watched the whole thing and mentioned that Jamey did a long show. I’ve seen him perform “Nothing Was Better Than You” but NOTHING compared to the sure intensity as it was last night. Wow, talk about power with the emotion.

We’re heading to NC to see his show Saturday night. Will try to post a report over on the forums whenever we get back! :)

“I’m not saying the stigma isn’t there, I’m asking why country needs to break free of it. To say it needs to break free implies that the stigma is negative.”

Isn’t any stigma negative by definition? The correlation of country music to a ‘red-state mentality’ is negative because it perpetuates the stereotype of the country music listener. To me, that implies that the music being made and labeled country is directed at conservative white Christians from the south. But country music goes so far beyond those boundaries these days that I think it’s almost insulting to assume that anyone who listens to country music fits this criteria. (Whether that’s good or bad is
purely a matter of individual taste.)

I thought country music broke free of its hayseed image long ago, but so many artists today seem to be exploiting a ‘country’ way of life – and in the process dumbing down the lyrics – that the image of the ‘backer-chewing redneck’ who listens to country music has returned. And he’s competing with the soccer mom audience for radio time.

The “red state mentality” of so much country music in the past is what I like about it. The blue state mentality applies more to the Alt. Country and Americana scenes since so many of the exalted practitioners in those realms are blue state ideologues (ie liberals). But I digress….

As for “Roughly 5 percent of American adults aged 18-54 qualify as “countryphiles,” and they’re not big fans of digital downloads.”, it’s nice to see I fit in somewhere. Music fans who love high quality audio are called audiophiles, so this new term hopefully describes audiophiles who love country music, like me. A well produced CD sounds better than an MP3 at a 256kps or lower bitrate. I prefer CDs because I just like hard copy items with inserts and a collectible disc. Browsing music stores has always been a hobby and when CDs go away so will that experience.

Trent Summar’s first recorded musical incarnation was in the short lived “Hank Flamingo” band on the now defunct Giant label. Any fans of Trent’s music need to track down a copy of that album just to hear the covers of “Baby, Its You” and “White Lightnin’”.

To include Chet Atkins in the top sessions guitarists article and not mention his inspiration Merle Travis is sinful. Without Merle’s influence Chet Atkins would never have become the stylist he did. Tsk tsk…

Yeah I voted for Jamie and Ashton too. I knew it was going to be hard for Ashton to beat Julianne but I thought Jamie had a chance. I thought Zak Brown was a good choice and I hope they win the main award on the ACMs.

Looks like it’s between “Fearless” and “The Lonesome Song” for album. I imagine though “Fearless” will get it mainly due to it’s weeks and weeks at the top. Besides, I have to admit, there are some well written songs on there. It would be a deserved award if she wins.

It’s true; Americans don’t understand statistics.

“Statisticians Blues”!

When studying Statistics (my math class of choice) in University, we had to read “how to lie with Statistics.”

Sad Breaking News from the folks at the “Heart of Texas” record label:

I am sad to report that Grand Ole Opry legend Hank Locklin passed away. Hank was a great entertainer and the oldest active member of the Grand Ole Opry family. He worked our Llano Country Opry four years ago and was a frequest guest on our Hillbilly Hits Radio show over KNEL. He will be missed.

Hank Locklin (born Lawrence Hankins Locklin, February 15, 1918, McLellan, Florida) is an American country music singer-songwriter. Born in the Florida Panhandle, he is one of country music’s Honky Tonk singers. He first recorded for 4 Star Records and had a long recording career with RCA Victor. A member of the Grand Ole Opry, Locklin’s biggest hits include “Send Me the Pillow That You Dream On”, “Geisha Girl”, and “Please Help Me I’m Falling”, which went to No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music chart. Billboard Magazine’s 100th Anniversary issue also listed it as the second most successful country single of the Rock and Roll era.

Other hits for Locklin included, “Happy Journey” (1961), “Happy Birthday To Me” (1962), and “The Country Hall Of Fame” (1968).

Locklin had a strong following in Europe, and in Ireland – his popularity was such that in 1963 he recorded an album called Irish Songs Country Style. He has a fan club situated in Langeli, Bjerkreim, Norway.

In 2006, he appeared on the PBS special, Country Pop Legends in which he performed “Send Me The Pillow That You Dream On”, and “Please Help Me I’m Falling”. Until his passing in 2009, he was the oldest living member of the Grand Ole Opry at the age of 91. Locklin recently released his 65th album, By the Grace of God, a collection of gospel songs.”

Godspeed, Hank….

I’m sorry to hear this. Two Opry legends within a week. Go rest high on that mountain, Hank.