Did Country Music peak from 1989 to 1996? (sing, classics, cd, genre)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
11,974 posts, read 25,466,576 times
Reputation: 12187
Advertisements
Just wondering if I'm the only one out there that thinks that American Country Music was great from 1989 to 1996 and then started a slow decline - and today it just plain stinks.
Just wondering if I'm the only one out there that thinks that American Country Music was great from 1989 to 1996 and then started a slow decline - and today it just plain stinks.
IMO Country Music peaked from 1968-1970-late 80'sish, it's when alot of these pop-country acts showed up during the mid/late 1980's is when things started declining.
Though I will admit, Restless Heart, Diamond Rio, Toby Keith and Tracy Lawrence, even Cledus T. Judd and the DIXIE CHICKS were pretty good during the '89-2000 period.
What we are seeing right now is the full decline of Country music that started around when Garth Brooks hit the scene, we went all the way from Hank Sr, Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves and Ray Price (the really old classics) to Waylon, Willie, Loretta, Mel, Dolly, Merle, Johnny and Kenny (the peak era, aged all time classics today) to Taylor Swift (and I have no idea how that one's gonna end) .
Status:
"College baseball this weekend."
(set 6 days ago)
Location: Suburban Dallas
52,685 posts, read 47,940,162 times
Reputation: 33840
Quote:
Originally Posted by censusdata
Just wondering if I'm the only one out there that thinks that American Country Music was great from 1989 to 1996 and then started a slow decline - and today it just plain stinks.
That peak was not in the 1980s. The real explosive period for country was in the 1960s when a number of then-new artists (Merle Haggard, Leroy Van Dyke, Porter Wagoner, Buck Owens, Patsy Cline, George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, and others) were starting to hit their strides and make their careers happen. Sonny James had an incredible run of number one hit singles from December '64 to July '72, during which, 21 out of 25 hits reached number one for Sonny. Bluegrass was hitting it big, and the birth of countrypolitan occurred late in that period. The peak occurred from the early '60s until the mid-to-late '70s when many syndicated programs on TV (not to mention a few on the broadcast networks) were shows that featured country artists (Bill Anderson, Buck Owens, The Wilburn Brothers, Porter Wagoner, Barbara Mandrell, plus "That Good Ol' Nashville Music"). And then, we had the "Outlaw" country period with Willie and Waylon and others in the early '70s.
Not that country songs in the 1980s were bad, but the period I just mentioned was a really hot period for country as it gained more popularity with the mainstream of America at that time.
And by the way, DK, I wouldn't completely blame Garth for the decline in the genre. He had a few pretty good songs that I would say are legit. The problem is just Nashville execs making drastic changes to try to broaden their audience, but it's only resulted in a watered-down product.
That peak was not in the 1980s. The real explosive period for country was in the 1960s when a number of then-new artists (Merle Haggard, Leroy Van Dyke, Porter Wagoner, Buck Owens, Patsy Cline, George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, and others) were starting to hit their strides and make their careers happen. Sonny James had an incredible run of number one hit singles from December '64 to July '72, during which, 21 out of 25 hits reached number one for Sonny. Bluegrass was hitting it big, and the birth of countrypolitan occurred late in that period. The peak occurred from the early '60s until the mid-to-late '70s when many syndicated programs on TV (not to mention a few on the broadcast networks) were shows that featured country artists (Bill Anderson, Buck Owens, The Wilburn Brothers, Porter Wagoner, Barbara Mandrell, plus "That Good Ol' Nashville Music"). And then, we had the "Outlaw" country period with Willie and Waylon and others in the early '70s.
Not that country songs in the 1980s were bad, but the period I just mentioned was a really hot period for country as it gained more popularity with the mainstream of America at that time.
And by the way, DK, I wouldn't completely blame Garth for the decline in the genre. He had a few pretty good songs that I would say are legit. The problem is just Nashville execs making drastic changes to try to broaden their audience, but it's only resulted in a watered-down product.
While I agree with your point Case, I didn't specifically blame Garth completely. As above I said "around", as in "around the time Garth hit the scene". As in I meant to say the latter half of the 80's at least.
That peak was not in the 1980s. The real explosive period for country was in the 1960s when a number of then-new artists (Merle Haggard, Leroy Van Dyke, Porter Wagoner, Buck Owens, Patsy Cline, George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, and others) were starting to hit their strides and make their careers happen. Sonny James had an incredible run of number one hit singles from December '64 to July '72, during which, 21 out of 25 hits reached number one for Sonny. Bluegrass was hitting it big, and the birth of countrypolitan occurred late in that period. The peak occurred from the early '60s until the mid-to-late '70s when many syndicated programs on TV (not to mention a few on the broadcast networks) were shows that featured country artists (Bill Anderson, Buck Owens, The Wilburn Brothers, Porter Wagoner, Barbara Mandrell, plus "That Good Ol' Nashville Music"). And then, we had the "Outlaw" country period with Willie and Waylon and others in the early '70s.
Not that country songs in the 1980s were bad, but the period I just mentioned was a really hot period for country as it gained more popularity with the mainstream of America at that time.
And by the way, DK, I wouldn't completely blame Garth for the decline in the genre. He had a few pretty good songs that I would say are legit. The problem is just Nashville execs making drastic changes to try to broaden their audience, but it's only resulted in a watered-down product.
Solid commentary by case44 here!
In the early 1960's a lot of songs were being charted among both country and rock/pop charts. Here is a few; North To Alaska-Johnny Horton, Wolverton Mountain-Claude King, Crazy-Patsy Cline, Waterloo-Stonewall Jackson, Abilene-George HamiltonIV, The Three Bells-Browns, A White Sport Coat-Marty Robbins, Girl On The Billboard-Del Reeves, Ringo-Lorne Greene, and many, many more classic country tunes. By 1965 the top rock acts of the day were charting with their versions of some country standards, the biggest of the big being the Beatles with Ringo's version of the Buck Owens classic "Act Naturally". It's the flip side of the 45 "Yesterday".
By 1967 a country hit would hit the #1 spot on the rock pop charts (Ode To Billy Joe by Bobbie Gentry).
By 1968 (what a year for music), pretty much every month on the top 50 rock/pop stations I was listening to back in the day there was a country hit crossing over to the rock/pop charts. To name a few: Skip A Rope-Henson Cargill, Honey-Bobby Goldsboro, Little Green Apples-Roger Miller, Folsom Prison Blues-Johnny Cash, Then You Can Tell me Goodbye-Eddie Arnold, Harper valley P.T.A.-Jeannie C. Riley, Louisiana Man-Bobbie Gentry, Stand By Your Man-Tammy Wynette. You would have country songs done spoken word style (Vance by Roger Miller). You would have different versions of one song be represented by both charts (Little Green Apples by Roger Miller and O.C.Smith). You would have songs that somehow got lost in the shuffle on both charts (Johnny Darrell and O.C. Smith done great versions of "The Son Of Hickory Hollers Tramp).
In 1969 the Johnny Cash album "Johnny Cash At San Quentin" took it a step further. Not only was "A Boy Named Sue" would be played on the top 50 but some FM radio stations would play some other cuts, one of them they played the most was "San Quentin". I can still remember the first time my favorite FM station spinned the song-"San Quentin I hate every inch of you." Loved it!
I noticed a gradual change from the 80's to the 90's but a big change in the later 90's. Although I like some of the "new" country music (as they call it), I really like the 80's and 90's country music. Of course, I don't pay much attention to the when and who of a country song. I just know what I like when I hear it. If it gets my toe to tappin' and makes me want to sing along, I know it's a winner for me.
Well, I have something to add about it. I always thought it was funny to hear Country music coming out of yuppie SUV in the suburbs of BIG CITIES! Are you kidding me? The closest most of these folks came to a cow is when they stopped at Arby's to take a p*ss! It was all the rave for awhile and Garth Brooks was heading it up. Line and square dancing along with all the clothing was big too. I think it was more of a joke than anything else. There are some guys who always listened to it such as some of the CD Music forum posters and are the real Country music thing. They probably have been listening all their lives. I've owned and wore cowboy boots for years before they were the rage and in style. I think I got my first pair when I was like 5 or 6 years old. I prefer the older stuff like Willie Nelson, Buck Owens, George Jones, Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams SR & JR, Johnny Cash, Alabama, Roy Clark etc.. stuff like that. I grew up around it in the environment my whole life. With that said...I always seemed to lean more towards Rock and Blues. Once in awhile a new one will come out that tickles my fancy and is different. This is a newer one that I dig and think the video that goes with it is awesome!
From about 1975 country music started downhill and hasn't stopped since.
I would play you a new one that would knock your socks off! However, it has been disabled in the USA! Country music is the USA. I guess they know more about it than we do? My rants on "that" subject for the last few days have been seen and read! It drives me CRAZY and I hope people flog their YouTube comments with dirty words! LOL
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
.
It was all the rave for awhile and Garth Brooks was heading it up. Line and square dancing along with all the clothing was big too. I think it was more of a joke than anything else. There are some guys who always listened to it such as some of the CD Music forum posters and are the real Country music thing. They probably have been listening all their lives. I've owned and wore cowboy boots for years before they were the rage and in style. I think I got my first pair when I was like 5 or 6 years old. I prefer the older stuff like Willie Nelson, Buck Owens, George Jones, Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams SR & JR, Johnny Cash, Alabama, Roy Clark etc.. stuff like that. I grew up around it in the environment my whole life. With that said...I always seemed to lean more towards Rock and Blues. Once in awhile a new one will come out that tickles my fancy and is different. This is a newer one that I dig and think the video that goes with it is awesome!
My rants on "that" subject for the last few days have been seen and read! It drives me CRAZY and I hope people flog their YouTube comments with dirty words! LOL
