The Whole Grammy Awards and Dixie Chicks Hoo Ha

The Grammy Awards were Sunday Night. Big deal. Even when I was in the radio business I didn't watch the Grammy Awards. Why? Because the Grammys are not a reflection of the musical tastes of radio listeners. The Grammys are a reflection of what the Industry elite likes and listens to.

Who cares what a bunch of over pampered chauffeured music industry people think? Not me. Am I surprised the Dixie Chicks won a bunch of awards? No. Am I surprised that country music radio still isn't playing the Dixie Chicks? No. Why am I not surprised?

I don't think it's smart business to alienate your core audience, the people who buy your product. And that's exactly what Natalie Maines did when she said "We're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas." Yes Natalie, the lead singer and lightning rod for the Chicks, did have the right to state her opinion. Again, doing it publicly and on foreign soil probably wasn't a good idea.

Did I like the Dixie Chicks before the whole controversy? They were okay, peppy, upbeat. My country music tastes are more George Strait, Garth Brooks, Allison Krauss and Union Station, Rascal Flatts. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that the majority of core country music radio listeners are hard core patriotic folks. And attacking the president wasn't the smartest thing to do if you're going to sell product to those folks.

Will the Dixie Chicks continue to sell music? Yes. Will their career go on? Sure, but it's probably not going to be remembered for the music, it's going to be remembered for the controversy. And who really wants to be remembered for that?