Due to being swamped with stuff this week, I didn’t have time to write an opener in the Hodgepodge. I had a topic in mind, but I needed to have more time to really flesh it out. So no opener this week. However since this is the case I thought it would be a good time to have an open thread Q&A in the comments. That means you can ask me any music related questions. Perhaps you want my thoughts on a certain artist or an upcoming release. Or you want to know my favorite country song from the 90s. Whatever you have on your mind throw it at me. I’ll take any questions about the site too. I promise next week I will have a normal opener. So be sure to ask me questions in the comments below!
Upcoming/Recent Country Music Releases
- Gary Allan’s “Hangover Tonight” is now out and will impact radios on March 2. I’ll have my review on it sometime next week.
- Drake White, a new country artist that is signed to Dot Records (along with Maddie & Tae), just released his debut single “It Feels Good.” It’s an interesting song and we’ll have a review on it soon too.
- Gwen Sebastian just released a new single titled “Throw It Back.” I haven’t got a chance to really listen to this one yet. I think Sebastian has good potential and could be a solid female country artist on the radio for years to come.
- Ashley Monroe’s “On To Something Good” is now available everywhere for purchase and streaming after being a Spotify exclusive for a couple of weeks. This is one of the more pop sounding offerings from Monroe. This will be reviewed soon too.
Throwback Thursday Song
Zac Brown Band – “Natural Disaster” – This is arguably the best song Zac Brown Band never released as a single. It’s catchy, it’s country and the instrumentation is fantastic. Many people don’t bother to check out the album cuts by Zac Brown Band, but that’s a big mistake. In fact when I see people complain about this band making too many beach songs, I laugh and ask them if they’ve ever bothered listening beyond their singles. Nine times out ten they say no. Anyway if you haven’t heard this song, give it a listen.
My Non-Country Song of the Week
Favored Nations – “The Setup” – This pop infused EDM song is fun and a great song for work outs. It’s also the conclusion song on Grand Theft Auto V‘s campaign. It’s how I found this song, along with several others. They do a great job with their radio station on their games. Their country music station plays Waylon, Cash and Haggard. Not a single bro-country song in site. Keep having an awesome taste in music, Rockstar Games!
Tweet of the Week
Some great Twitter advice.
An iTunes Review on Sturgill Simpson That Will Make You Face Palm
This was left under Simpson’s latest album Metamodern Sounds in Country Music. I got nothing to say except take a look at the bottom left hand corner of the review. That says it all.
That’s it for the Hodgepodge this week! Be sure to sound off in the comments!
Question. All righty I have a list of artists that if they would’ve qualified for the Ranking of Mainstream Artists where would they rank.
Gloriana
Jana Kramer
Chase Bryant
Kip Moore
I already know where Kelsea would be D-Rank but I don’t know where else.
Oh if you had to say for Taylor Swifts Country career where would she would’ve ranked.
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Gloriana I would put around the C to C+ range. The music they’ve released up to this point has been average to above average. I’ve expected more from them by now and it hurts them even more when there are several great duos and trios on the independent circuit that blow me away. I actually liked this group more when they were a quartet.
I would put Jana Kramer in the C to C+ range too. She’s released mostly average music in her career, other than her latest single “I Got The Boy.” If she makes more music like this she’ll move up.
Chase Bryant is N/A right now. I have to hear more from him before making a grade on him. That’s why I’m waiting until this summer to re-rank the mainstream artists so that gives me time to hear the new artists’ material. It wouldn’t be fair to judge him on one single pretty much.
Kip Moore I would put around a B-. Mostly solid, yet unspectacular music. I’m still waiting on him to impress me with something. Kelsea Ballerini is another one I need to hear more from before grading.
Taylor Swift’s country music career…hmm. When she was in country music I know I couldn’t stand her. I didn’t think it could get any worse for country music when she rose to stardom in the genre, but then bro-country came along and made her music not sound as bad to me. Still I hate the majority of her country material. The song I hate the most is the one that made her a crossover star: “You Belong With Me.” I found the song to be more creepy than sweet. Also every Swift fan girl I knew acted like this song was about their own lives. It made me sick. Also radio played it forever. So if I had to grade her career when she was in country music I probably would’ve put her at a D+. She would’ve avoided being lower because she actually gave a crap about her music and wrote the majority of her country songs. Personally I think her going pop was the best move of her career and I actually enjoy her music more now. She realized she needed to be honest about what her music is and I applaud her for it.
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I agree on Gloriana I will say this Trouble is a nice place to start if they can have Rachel on leads and not the other guy I think they’d be better.
Jana Kramer agree word for word.
Kip………… yeah I agree although I find Beer Money catchy and fun as a drinking song can get.
Eh I found Taylor Swift country career as a C. Her first group of songs I found to be either perfect (Our Song Meh Teardrops Tim McGraw. Or Downright ugly Fearless time for her was still meh. Fifteen was good but the rest didn’t stand out. Speak Now in my opinion masterpiece Back To December Sparks Fly and Ours as well as Mean were awesome she was a B artist at this point than Red happened. We are Never Ever Getting Back Together was awful. But Begin Again and Red I found to be really good so overall a C+ to a C for me. I wonder have you guys yet to hear Raelynns new song just as bad actually in my opinion.
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Which song? Derek reviewed her new EP and all of the songs are terrible.
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She released another one not from the EP but it’s still awful you might throw something out the window in anger it’s that bad. Don’t worry she’ll suffer sophomore slump.
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Loud and obnoxious like “Kissin’ Frogs” was; actually, the chorus had a similar beat to that song. (God why is her annoying music imprinted in my brain???)
It’s not as bad as “Better Do It.” That song is absolute crap
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I listen to Chase Bryant 5 songs on Youtube few days ago and I would grade him maybe a c+.
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We need hope for country music.
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Great throwback song! Uncaged was an awesome album, and “Natural Disaster” is one of the best from it. “Day That I Die” is my favorite, but that one’s a close second. And if you haven’t listened to Gwen’s new single, prepare yourself to be disappointed. Based on the iTunes sample, to me, it doesn’t appear to be any deeper than, say, Lady A’s “Bartender”.
Also, what would you consider or argue to be the greatest country song? Whether it’s based on sheer quality or influence or any other qualification you deem necessary. For me, I’d say “Folsom Prison Blues.”
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Yes Uncaged was a fantastic album! I loved “Day That I Die” too. Ah that’s disappointing to hear about Gwen. But she’s another one that’s hypnotized by Blake and the country music industry.
As for what I consider the greatest country song ever, man that’s a tough one. By the way that reminds me we should rank the best of each decade sometime. I think that would be a fun thing to look at. After much thinking I would consider “Pancho and Lefty” the greatest country song of all-time. I consider it a tossup between that and “He Stopped Loving Her Today.”
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I’m all about the ranking decades idea! That’d be a awesome!
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Best song by decades would be a great if extremely difficult task. As I started tiring of the newer mainstream stuff about 10 or 15 years ago I began diving into the older country acts. It’s the great thing about country that (until lately sadly) there has been a great appreciation for those that have come before. Now most seem to be ashamed of the genre’s past. Very sad.
As for all time greatest most lists I have seen are topped by either ‘He Stopped Loving Her Today’ or ‘Stand By Your Man’.
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I think it would be tougher the further you go back in decades. Like I think a 2000s list wouldn’t be too difficult. A 90s list would be a lot more difficult because of like you said the hidden gems that get uncovered. For example I dove into Sammy Kershaw’s catalog this past summer and damn does he have a lot of great songs. I never realized how great he was and now I have a big appreciation for him. Also a really nice guy. One of my favorite artists I’ve interacted with on Twitter.
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And I think it would probably have to be limited to songs released as singles only because how do you compare some great album track with a huge #1 hit. But really you could sit down with Joel Whitburn’s Billboard country chart book and make a huge list and then start culling from there.
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Oh without a doubt it would be limited to singles. Derek and myself would probably come up together with our own lists and then we would work on combining them to make one big list. That’s what we did for our year-end awards. This would take a little longer, but it’s something I definitely want to do later this year.
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The following songs from the past 5 years are mine. Mainstream of course.
Sober Little Big Town
Sparks Fly Taylor Swift
Alison Krauss Paper Airplane
Kacey Musgraves Follow Your Arrow
Brandy Clark Stripes
Eric Church Creepin
Carrie Underwood Blown Away
Ashley Monroe Like A Rose
Jon Pardi What I Can’t Put Down
Chris Young Neon
Alan Jackson So You Don’t Have To Love Me Anymore
Pistol Annies Hell On Heels
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I really like Ashley Monroe she will do good in her career. I can’t stand Raelynn her voice is annoying. I agree with Derek. How you guy’s like Kip Moore’s new song?
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Check out Derek’s review of Kip’s new song he did a couple weeks back here: http://countryperspective.com/2015/01/16/review-kip-moore-hopes-to-regain-early-success-with-im-to-blame/
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I like the idea, what are your thoughts on Steve Earle’s latest album? Also Josh and Derek, who do you consider, in no order, your top 10 favorite country artists of all time?
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I haven’t got a chance to listen to Earle’s new album, but I hope to soon.
My top ten favorite country artists…that’s a hard one. Without a doubt my favorite is Waylon Jennings. I connect with him more than any other artist. Now keep in mind this is my personal favorite top ten to anyone who is reading this, not who I consider the 10 best of all-time. So with that in mind here are my top ten favorite country artists of all-time (no specific order):
Waylon Jennings
George Jones
Johnny Cash
Alan Jackson
George Strait
Merle Haggard
Sturgill Simpson
Jamey Johnson
Sammy Kershaw
Zac Brown Band
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What are your top 10 favorite Female Artists.
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Dolly Parton
Patsy Cline
Tammy Wynette
Loretta Lynn
Lee Ann Womack
Sunny Sweeney
Kacey Musgraves
First Aid Kit
Alison Krauss
Martina McBride
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Females…
Terri Clark
Holly Williams
Sunny Sweeney
Kacey Musgraves
Kellie Pickler
Lee Ann Womack
Brandy Clark
Tami Neilson
Carrie Underwood
Angaleena Presley
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Suprised Reba wasn’t there ok next question bottom 10 artists who’ve ever released country music overall.
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Although I respect her, I’ve always found Reba to be a little overrated.
Bottom ten…
Florida Georgia Line
Sam Hunt
Chase Rice
Thomas Rhett
RaeLynn
Jerrod Niemann
Taylor Swift
Luke Bryan
Toby Keith
Jason Aldean
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Ok my bottom 10 if you wanna ask
Raelynn
Cole Swindell
Florida Georgia Line
Sam Hunt
Thomas Rhett
Justin Moore
Chase Rice
Luke Bryan
Rascal Flatts
Jason Aldean
Dishonorable Mentions
Cassadee Pope
Lady Antebellum
Brantley Gilbert
Dustin Lynch
Toby Keith
Parmalee
Dan + Shay
Artist that have since been forgotten or broken up that are terrible.
The JaneDear Girls
Maggie Rose
Love & Theft (before going independent
The Cadilac Three.
If the Pistol Annie’s were together where would they rank?
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10 all time favorite artists in no order….
Will Hoge
Johnny Cash
Zac Brown Band
Wade Bowen
Sturgill Simpson
George Strait
Dierks Bentley
Hank Williams
Alan Jackson
Waylon Jennings
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Hey Derek what about your tip 10 favorite female artists and then your bottom artists.
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Just posted females.
Bottom 10….
FGL
Chase Rice
RaeLynn
Thomas Rhett
Cole Swindell
Colt Ford
Cadillac 3
Justin Moore
Sam Hunt
Brantley Gilbert
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Dammit I forgot to put Swindell in my bottom 10. Completely forgot about that moron. Maybe that’s good I forgot about him though.
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my top ten
George Strait
Alabama
Waylon Jennings
Alison Krauss
Johnny Cash
Willie Nelson
The Oak Ridge Boys
Brooks & Dunn
Merle Haggard
Tammy Wynette / George Jones
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My bottom top 10
Garth Brooks
Florida Georgia Line
Chase Rice
Raelynn
Sam Hunt
Maggie Rose
Faith Hill (2006 forward)
Cassadee Pope
Jewel (trying to be country)
Jessica Simpson (trying to be country)
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Hey Josh
Toby Keith?
How about Justin Moore
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Since I asked you guys, I’ll show my top 10 as well.
Gary Allan (after him there is no order)
Dierks Bentley
Steve Earle
Tim McGraw (I don’t let Lookin For That Girl or Truck Yeah get in the way of his gems)
Merle Haggard
Josh Turner
Johnny Cash
Waylon Jennings
George Strait
Glen Campbell
Honorable Mention to Sturgill
Idk if I can think of 10 I truly dislike, but here’s some
Darius Rucker
Sam Hunt
Raelynn
FGL
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Wow I forgot Jamey Johnson and Hank Williams for my top and Thomas Rhett for the bottom….I can’t believe I let myself get away with such an atrocity!
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