Do politics keep you from liking certain artists?

[superg]

fair enough. however, if you're looking to make as much money as possible, wouldn't you want to make a product that appeals to as many people as possible?

I think the lame excuse offered up my Mick may well have been in the interest of "un-alienating" some people, but I doubt that the song was written in the first place simply to make more money.

Anyway, I bet a lot of conservatives like the Stones. Rich old people are the only ones that can afford to see them live.

[chrisfan]

Do they try to appeal to as big an audience as possible? Or, do they try to appeal to as large an audience as possible for the music they're willing to make? The audience for a children's album of ABC songs may be bigger than the audience for a Stones album. But they're not going to go down that road.

I think that Mick's attempt to "un-alienate" proves that the whole thing was motivated by attention and making money.

[shin]

I wonder if the Rolling Stones are too big and too popular to be Dixie Chick'd.

[chrisfan]

The Dixie Chicks were "dixie chick'd" because they completely and totally either misunderstood their audience, or else they overestimated their popularity. You don't laugh in the face of the values your core audience holds the most dear, and expect them to just ignore it and keep buying your albums. The Stones on the other hand are not ignoring their core audience ... they're pandering to it to a degree.

[ken]

Or maybe the Dixie Chicks understood that controversy sells, as the fact that they sold out all over America proves.

[JACkory]

shin said:

I wonder if the Rolling Stones are too big and too popular to be Dixie Chick'd.

I daresay the Dixie Chicks are much bigger and more popular than the Stones at this point in time...

Another sad commentary on popular culture brought to you by yours truly.

[shin]

Or perhaps the Dixie Chicks felt what they were saying was important and true, and maybe they felt their audience at the time (those at their concert in England) would agree. I'd imagine that plenty of them did.

[JACkory]

ken said:

Or maybe the Dixie Chicks understood that controversy sells, as the fact that they sold out all over America proves.

You'll note that they have not released an album since said "controversy", so we have yet to find out to what extent it has helped or hurt their career or how well it "sells" in their particular case.
If I were a bettin' man I would put money on the probability that their career is on the downward spiral.

[JACkory]

Oh, and thanks to whoever smited me down to zero...
I hope to be in the deep negatives within a couple of weeks.

[chrisfan]

shin said:

Or perhaps the Dixie Chicks felt what they were saying was important and true, and maybe they felt their audience at the time (those at their concert in England) would agree. I'd imagine that plenty of them did.

I'm sure they did think it was important and true. I'm sure they figured that many would agree too ... and many do agree. But I can't say I see how that is relevant here.

[chrisfan]

jackory said:

ken said:

Or maybe the Dixie Chicks understood that controversy sells, as the fact that they sold out all over America proves.

You'll note that they have not released an album since said "controversy", so we have yet to find out to what extent it has helped or hurt their career or how well it "sells" in their particular case.
If I were a bettin' man I would put money on the probability that their career is on the downward spiral.

I believe they are working on their next album now, but they've said it'll be more pop than country. Right after all the controversy, they said they were done with country.

[shin]

It's relevant because you're suggesting they overestimated their audience, assumed to be the American red state country fans crowd. I'm saying the Dixie Chicks didn't say anything of the sort to that crowd so there's no miscalculation on their part. They said nothing of the sort in any concert they did in Texas or anywhere near. The magic of the internet combined with the lynch mob mentality of the modern mainstream conservative crowd that punishes any and all forms of dissent was what did them in, not their hubris.

[JACkory]

I'll be interested to see how the Dixie Chicks play out in the pop market.
I mean, they sucked pretty hard in their attempt at country...maybe they'll do better with pop...competing with Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake instead of Alison Krauss and Brad Paisley.

[chrisfan]

Give me a break Shin. There is pleanty of dissent out there, and it's not being stomped out by conservatives, liberals, or anyone else.

Now back to the actual non-BS of your post with the Dixie Chicks ...

Their misunderstanding their audience came in the shock they expressed over the reaction they received. For ANYONE to believe that something controversial or out of the norm could be said at a concert and NOT be reported to people outside of the concert venue is naive. Reports of what Natalie said did not spread because of hte magic of the internet. They spread because that's how news is spread. And like it or not, gossip is news in many many venues these days - including network news programs.

So, country music fans find out that Natalie insults "thier man" George Bush, and they get pissed. So they say so. They call their stations (stations that depend on the loyalty of the country listener as you know with the knowledge of radio you have) and tell them they're pissed at the Dixie Chicks, and don't want to hear them. The radio stations comply in some markets, knowing how much they need their listener loyalty. That furthers the news - on the internet as well as TV, newspapers, magazines, etc.

And Natalie and her girls whine and complain that they were being picked on. No one is denying her right to say what she wants, nor the resolve for which she believes what she beleives. But she grossly misunderstood her audience if she thought she could say anything, and they'd just smile and sing along.

IMO, their whining reaction to what was said about them is what did them in with their core audience. They were celebrated as being strong, independent women who did what they wanted and didn't care what was said about them. Their whining went directly against that image. Their crying to Diane Sawyer made them into anti-country whining weeping women who are nothing without the approval of others.

But, as Ken said, their concerts still sold out in the US, so "being Dixie chick'd" must not be THAT bad.

[chrisfan]

jackory said:

I'll be interested to see how the Dixie Chicks play out in the pop market.
I mean, they sucked pretty hard in their attempt at country...maybe they'll do better with pop...competing with Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake instead of Alison Krauss and Brad Paisley.

I like their music damnit. Country is a vast market. They certainly were not the same style as alison Krauss or Brad Paisley ... but neither is Gretchen Wilson and she seems to be doing okay.