2:15 pm ET - I'm watching CMT right now...

[sngrchk04]

("Country Music Television")

For those of you within this time zone, flip to this channel right now, if you can...

Kenny Chesney is performing at a HUGE football stadium - 108,000 people - and it's STANDING ROOM ONLY!

From faraway shots, and helicopter angles, it looks like a certain rock documentary shot in Philadelphia.....back, oh, 20-odd years ago....see for yourself.

Is "Country" the new "80s Rock" stadium-filling musical format???

Asking rhetorically, BTW....not bashing this music at all.....

[heardonthestreet]

I've been noticing that also, Nora. It seems that a lot of the charting is either a country western singer or any vocalist singing the style. I like it fine, as long as it doesn't get too twangy. I didn't care for that S. Crow, Kid Rock thing at all.

[Guest]

Country is good when it's actually good. Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Patsy Cline, Emmylous Harris, Loretta Lynn, Hank Williams, Lyle Lovette, Merle Haggard, some alternative country and rockabilly...those are good artists and genres. Hell, even George Strait had a good song or three. But Chesney and others like him crap all over the legacy of country. I find most modern commercial country to be uber-patriotic/jingoistic drivel, with little style or substance, and too consciously twangy. Twang is fine when it's organic, but when it strives to be twangy, it's annoying.

So yeah. Chesney and his ilk don't deserve such accolades or fawning fandom.

[heardonthestreet]

Don't leave out Eddie Arnold, Sole.

[NealIsGod]

Kenny Chesney and Sammy Hagar are real tight. They write together.

[Guest]

Then at least there's a reason why they both suck.

[ohsherrie]

Great topic sngrchk.

In fact, this subject has been on my mind lately. I've had the same thoughts about the country artists filling stadiums whereas the rock artists aren't. My husband plays bluegrass/country banjo and guitar so I "second hand" listen to a lot of it. Even though I appreciate his talent, I don't like the overall sound of the music he plays. In fact, the only country music I like are the crossover type of songs. The pop/rock oriented country music isn't a new trend. The same thing happened in the mid 70's and again in the late 80's. I think it may have to do with the calibre of the fare on rock and pop radio. It seems as though some of the more progressive country acts play the music that rock artists used to play. If you compare the tempo and overall sound of those songs to that of the rock music of the 50's, 60's and early 70's I think you will find a similarity. It's as if the advent of hard rock and heavy metal types of music turned some people to the more traditional "rock" sound of the country rock or crossover artists. Now it seems that the rap and bubblegum music on the radio is driving people back to the sound of country rock.

As much as I hate to date myself, if you were to listen to some of the old songs by Jim Reeves, Faren Young, Sonny James, and Conway Twitty you would hear a lot of the same sounds that you hear in some of the newer country artists as well as the roots of "old time rock and roll".

[jrnyman28]

Is "Country" the new "80s Rock" stadium-filling musical format???

Yes it is. Has been since Grunge took hold. That is why Garth became so HUGE. He brought the rock style show of the 80's, and the melody that grunge was ignoring, to country music. Country music popularity took a huge upswing because of 80's rock fans who did not like the "anti-image" of grunge.

But every trend has a cycle. Country is a little more loyal to it's artists so their trends seem to stick better, but I think the cycle is about to regenerate again. And that will see this style of music start to fall out of fashion and you will probably see a return to "classic" country style.

[Monker]

Many years ago I wrote that country music seemed to acknowledge their roots and allowed themselves to be influenced by the past. But, rock music seemed to be at a point where it was acceptable to ignore the past, or even ridicule and insult it. That allows country music to bridge generation gaps which rock music, by its own rebilious nature, can not do.

Of course that was not too long after Nirvana took things down a twisted path...but I think it still applies today.

("Country Music Television")

For those of you within this time zone, flip to this channel right now, if you can...

Kenny Chesney is performing at a HUGE football stadium - 108,000 people - and it's STANDING ROOM ONLY!

From faraway shots, and helicopter angles, it looks like a certain rock documentary shot in Philadelphia.....back, oh, 20-odd years ago....see for yourself.

Is "Country" the new "80s Rock" stadium-filling musical format???

Asking rhetorically, BTW....not bashing this music at all.....

[NealIsGod]

Then at least there's a reason why they both suck.

Yeah, they suck so bad they can both buy and sell you 1,000 times.

[Guest]

Because they have money they're considered quality musicians? Because they happen to have rampant fame they're considered talented? Riiiiiiiiight.

Chesney and Hagar are JOKES. They may be laughing all the way to the bank, but I'm laughing at their non-talent that millions of morons lap up like so much spilt milk.

Next you'll be telling me that because George Bush is president he's actually a decent, caring guy!

[Rockindeano]

Because they have money they're considered quality musicians? Because they happen to have rampant fame they're considered talented? Riiiiiiiiight.

Chesney and Hagar are JOKES. They may be laughing all the way to the bank, but I'm laughing at their non-talent that millions of morons lap up like so much spilt milk.

Next you'll be telling me that because George Bush is president he's actually a decent, caring guy!

Hey genius....Explain why these guys are JOKES? I can't wait to hear this. Tell Me how Hagar can't play guitar, and how he cannot sing? Tell me why Neal Schon wants to play with him?

Chesney is a fairly talented guy as well. He writes a lot of his own tiunes, and can flatout sing..

So, when you're ready to explain how these guys are jokes, let me know...

Moron.

[Soledad?]

Hey genius....Explain why these guys are JOKES? I can't wait to hear this. Tell Me how Hagar can't play guitar, and how he cannot sing? Tell me why Neal Schon wants to play with him?

Hagar cannot play guitar, and he cannot sing.

Okay, I lied. He can play guitar, but he can't sing - well, anyway. I dislike his guitar style, but he can play technically well, I suppose.

Why does Neal Schon want to play with him? Maybe because he took too much acid and it's fried his brain?

I really have no idea. Why don't you ask him. "Neal, why would you, a lyrically proficient guitarist, want to play with a dork like Hagar?"

Chesney is a fairly talented guy as well. He writes a lot of his own tiunes, and can flatout sing..

Maybe Chesney can sing, but it's annoying singing, and the tunes that he writes himself suck ass.

Moron.

Dumbass.

[NealIsGod]

Why are there two Soledads -- one with a question mark after the name and one without?

[Rockindeano]

Ok Soledad.. let's drop the gloves..

I am ready for you...

[NealIsGod]

One of the Soledad's has been banned. The newbie remains. Is it the same person?