Quite possibly the largest pile of BS ever...

Normally I respect other people's views on their choice of music. Case in point, all my roommates at college are either into rap or country. As long as they don't diss on my music, I don't diss on theirs. I am a DIEHARD rock and metal music fan...growing up I started out on country, moved to pop, then classic rock, and finally modern rock and metal.

So today as I am surfing the web, I come across an article on FOX News Business' website. Here's the link: http://emac.blogs.foxbusiness.com/2009/10/23/country-music-is-the-new-rock-%E2%80%98n-roll/?test=faces

This is possibly the largest pile of bullshit I have ever heard in my life. Written in a totally biased way, this is one of the most public insults to rock music and their fans that I have read. The article attempts to say that country music is becoming more popular than rock music. While I do not dispute that opinion, the writer did by no means have to take a literary shit on rock music.

"Could it be that music listeners are sick and tired of the fulsome, industrial-strength self-dramatization, the twisted acting out in rock ‘n roll songs that take on a relentless, infantile, perverse logic all their own?" Ok hold up. The twisted acting out? Relentless, infantile, perverse logic? Please elaborate on what country music has been for the past decade then? In a genre of music that glorifies getting drunk all the time, going to the bar to drown your sorrows, and echoes a feeling of self pity...the writer wants to accuse ROCK music of infantile logic? Please...

Next argument.

"Could it be that music listeners no longer want any part of the excruciatingly annoying culture of excessive, self-righteous self-indulgence, of narcissistic self-entitlement cemented in many genres of rock 'n roll?"

Oh dear God forgive me for wanting to listen to a genre of music that puts confidence at the forefront. I guess I better go feel sorry self rightous pity while drinking all the beer and whiskey I can throw down my throat. That's what 90% of country music is. Dare we attempt to put on a brave front and face our problems and announce that no one or nothing is going to get us down. Guess we all better go down to the bar and cry on each other's shoulder's all night then.

"Where listening to these songs is like chewing on Reynolds Wrap tin foil? Where you have to apply Novocain to your nerve endings as soon their songs are over?"

Ok....so you don't like loud music. At least you have to apply Novocain. Explain why I want to grab a handgun and blow my head off after listening to all the Debbie Downer 'OH WOE IS ME!' country music songs. Maybe some people use rock music as a motivator...maybe some people don't want to be lulled to sleep when they listen to music.

"Is it that consumers want more, they want to connect, they want music that quite purely and simply tells stories that move the heart and provide a compelling narrative about the human condition?"

Seriously...I mean c'mon. If I wanted to go hear a sad story and bawl my eyeballs out like a 14-year old girl who got dumped at the school dance I'd watch Lifetime TV. Country music, for the most part, is as sad and bummed out as you can get. Perhaps you prefer to wallow in the gutter of self pity, but I prefer to do something about the situation and listen to music that wants to kick somebody's ass.

And on the topic of artist callaboration....

"Fraser notes that when he produced the Mike Douglas talk show in the '60s, “it was hard to book a rock star with another rock star on the show to perform, because none of them wanted to share the stage with each other.”

HAH! HAH! HAH! If you have to use an example from FORTY years ago to try to prove your point, then that's pretty damn bad. Ok lets see...Fred Durst discovered Staind and put them on the map...Staind discovered Cold and put them on the map...oh yea these rock acts sure are selfish. Ever heard of Default or Theory of a Deadman? Chances are you wouldn't if it hadn't been for Nickelback's frontman Chad Kroeger pushing and promoting these bands. Rock bands love to help fellow bands, and do so when they can. Oh yea....rock music is so selfish. Not.

"According to Inside Radio, country music is by far the most popular format for programming. As of August 2009, 2,014 stations were programming country while 1,323 offered Rock, including Classic and Alternative Rock;

For the last decade or so, country music listening nationwide has delivered a steady 77.3 mn adults each week, according to the radio-ratings agency Arbitron;

In 2008, based upon total earnings, three of the top 10 acts were country--namely, Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts and Toby Keith, according to Forbes Magazine;"

Ok, so I'm not arguing that there are successful country acts and that the genre itself is not doing well. But let me point out something. Have you noticed that those 3 acts are so successful because they moved TOWARDS a ROCK music sound??? I sure as hell don't see rock music acts moving towards a country music sound. It's the other way around. Sure...when you try to copycat our music and sound like us, then of course you will gain fans. Case in point: Jason Aldean. His most successful songs have a tremendous amount of rock influence, namely distorted guitars and powerful, commanding drum beats. Hmmm...where have we heard that before? Oh yea! ROCK MUSIC. Come again sometime....

Even the writer admits a fact that supports rock music:

"Valentino notes this caveat: “Country is genre-specific music, while Rock, categorically, will usually encompass different styles such as alternative, classical and modern," which can torque the numbers."

Ok so you're admitting that rock music has different avenues and different sounds? Well damn...weren't you just saying that rock music is essentially all the same? Nice backstep. You want someone that sounds the same? George Straight. The guy can change one guitar chord per album and still sell a million records. Not hard to keep country fans occupied apparently.

"Looking closer, it’s true that country music had a pretty poor showing in 2008 versus other forms of music in terms of revenue, although it was on track to have better growth in the first half of 2009 versus other genres, notes Fox News analyst James Farrell."

Oh SNAP! So it's really not all it's cracked up to be is it? That's right...so get off rock music's case.

I would suggest this writer look into the actual facts before writing another article that insults and puts down rock music for no good reason. I myself enjoy some country music...Brooks & Dunn are my favorites...and they incorporate rock-style music and lyrical content.

Opinions are like assholes....everyone has one. Doesn't mean yours is any better than mine.