How can someone win "New Artist Of The Year", when he put out his first record 18 years ago and has sold over 25 MILLION records in the past 15 years, AND the stuff he's doing right now doesn't sound much different than his earlier "Hootie" stuff.
Well, he's only recently become a 'country' artist. In this case, it's simply a matter of 'country' moving to what he was already doing. It is very much my opinion that most modern country is simply relabeled blues-rock, southern-rock, or pop-rock, perhaps with a smattering of fiddle, steel, mandolin, or banjo. This happened in the early 90s when many LA musicians moved in.
My experience is that city punks are the ones that are now listening to hillbilly music. The old stuff had a raw energy that translates - newer country music is too smooth for them. If you want something that sounds like older country, then listen to alt-country and Americana, some folk-rock, and cow-punk. There's no problem finding it. Some of it is pretty rough and ready - but then again, some of the old hillbilly music was pretty rough and ready.
I think what a lot of people are so unhappy about is the fact that the big money has changed hands. There's no lack of traditional country music, but no real money in it.
If you want to make
real money in music, you need to start a cultural revolution, and that takes more than music. Nothing new there.
My opinions, of course.
