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Worst Country Hits of 2010

Calling some of these songs country is a stretch, but that's not why they're on the list. They're here because, in my humble opinion, they're bad in any genre and didn't deserve the unending airplay they received in 2010. Guess that's why my radio has lots of buttons!

10. "Stuck Like Glue" Sugarland

As catchy as a cold and just as annoying. It won't kill you but you sure don't want it in your head.

9. "Turn on the Radio" Reba McEntire

I love Reba, but this song stinks. The lyrics try too hard to be hip and clever, the music sounds like a reality TV show intro, and the singing ... well,, it's Reba, so the singing is just fine. But it's not enough to make me want to hear this song.

(And a side note: Why are Reba and Jeniffer Nettles torturing men in their videos? It's kind of sick, ladies.)

8. "Southern Voice" Tim McGraw

He's so much better than this silly little list of Southern-ism. Where's the passion, heart, soul and swagger of the old Tim? Oh, right -- he saves it for the movies now. (Loved you in The Blind Side!)
Update: I love "Felt Good on My Lips" so I guess he's not saving it all for the big screen!

7. "Anything Like Me" Brad Paisley

This song is just a re-write of the earlier hit "Letter to Me." The original was better.

6. Changed my mind and deleted this one!

5. "Bonfire" Craig Morgan

This song in indistinguishable from a dozen other country hits about the joy of stomping in the hillbilly backwood boondocks, except for maybe being the second worst use of a great country voice in 2010. (See No. 3 below for the worst use.)

4. "Hip To My Heart" The Band Perry

Instead of "More cowbell," I think someone said "More fiddle" and tried to make this a country song instead of a mediocre bubble-gum pop tune that even Katy Perry couldn't pull off. Cowbell might have worked better. And the lyrics were the second stupidest to ooze out of country radio in 2010.

Honorable Mention: The stupidest lyrics award for 2010 goes to "Who Are You When I'm Not Looking?" Rhyming lookin', bookends, cookin' and, well, lookin' again? Geez, buy a thesaurus or something! But the actual song is NOT on my worst list because Blake Shelton sings it so beautifully and I like the music (and video) so much. That, and because I adore Blake.

3. "Undo It" Carrie Underwood

The voice of an angel and she screams "uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh" and "na-na-na-na-na-na" or some other unintelligible gibberish? What a waste. Let's hope she's gotten whatever "It" was out of her system. (Her dancing in this video does look a bit like she's having an exorcism, so hopefully that took care of "It.")

2. "Keep On Lovin' You" Steel Magnolia

I really don't get the appeal of this song but I know a lot of people just love it. To me, it sounds like a rejected American Idol performance ("Simon, listen to my range!!!!) -- but without the humor. I'd rather hear "Pants on the Ground" or Snookie sing a Journey medley than listen to Meghan Linsey scream/sing/moan scales again.

1. "If I Die Young Young" The Band Perry

It's not the tween-pandering emo lyrics (I can still channel my inner Bella and go all moony if needed); or the catchy, sappy music that make me change the station every time this song comes on. It's Kimberley Perry's attempts to hit notes so far out of her range that I literally cringe in pain when I hear/feel them. When she sings, "The sharp knife, of a short liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiife," it feels like a sharp knife in my ear. If not for that painful pitch, I'd probably download this one.

So there's my list. Maybe it's just me!

Does Blake Shelton Have a "Hillbilly Bone" to Pick With Trace Adkins?

The web has been abuzz with speculation over Blake Shelton's next single, and it looks like it won't be a song from his current CD but a new duet with Trace Adkins called "Hillbilly Bone."

Blake added fuel to the fire this week, posting this clue on Twitter: "I'm gonig to kick the ... door down with this next one!!! Oh and I'm bringing a friend to help... And he can damn sure kick one down...."

Last week actor Sean Dennison posted to his Twitter account: "Also booked socialite role in Blake Shelton/Trace Adkins music vid 'Hillbilly Bone' films wed."

And apparently at least on DJ has heard the new track. Blake Shelton fan Pearl posted the following to the Blake Shelton Fan club site: "The DJ on my radio station Twittered some possible Blake news: DJ Tony Thomas: Mega-songwriter Craig Wiseman tweeted he's psyched about a new @blakeshelton cut called Hillbilly Bone!"

Dedicated BSer Pearl kept digging and later posted the following: "So, I went back to look at Craig Wiseman's original tweet: 'Craig Wiseman - MAN! I heard a cut today- Blake Shelton - HILLBILLY BONE!!!! DUDE it makes me proud to be doing this.....'"

Blake has been telling his Twitter followers about trips to Dallas to record but hasn't really shares many details beyond lamenting the fact that he's not allowed to drink while he's recording.

Jessica Harp also mentioned this summer that she had recorded vocals for a Blake Shelton song but no confirmation if she's part of this song.

Of course this could all be Blake BSing us all, so we'll just have to keep checking Twitter for details.

Jake Owen Lets Fans Handle His Award

Jake Owen won his ACM Award for Best New Male Vocalist back in March but didn't actually gets the trophy until he returned home from a long stint on the road last week.

He was so excited to finally get his hands on the fan-voted statuette that he posted a picture of him holding it on Twitter, and then promised to share the honor with his fans who made it possible.

He did just that Saturday night at his show in rural Clarke County, Virginia, his first headlining show his getting the award delivered to him. He showed off the statuette from stage during his show and then invited fans to come by the merchandise table after his set to pose for pictures with him and it.

More than 100 fans (including me) took advantage of the offer, and the photos are posted on his new website, http://jakeowen.net under MEDIA.

My lousy photos are here: http://findingconor.typepad.com/photos/jake_fair1/

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Would you pay $100 for a VIP experience with your favorite country artist? Well, yes I would!

Part 2: My initial reaction to the Chuck Wicks VIP Experience was mixed-to-negative (see below). However, after speaking with other fans, all of whom said "Heck yeah!" to the idea, I have revised my opinion.

Increased access for a nominal fee is worth it to many fans, and Chuck Wicks and his team should be commended for their innovative idea.

In fact, I hope more artists consider the idea, particularly if they can keep the cost accessible. For $100 (which includes a ticket to the show for goodness sake! I missed that part.) Chuck Wicks is really going out of his way to give his fans access.

I stand corrected!

Part 1:

I thought this was fascinating: Chuck Wicks is selling "VIP Experiences" -- backstage or tour bus access for a private show, autographed photo, t-shirt, etc., for $100 (only 10 tickets per show). Have you ever heard of an artist selling this sort of access? (Details here: http://www.chuckwicks.com/vip.html)

 I know radio station and other promotions offer this as giveways -- I won a private concert with David Nail last month and it was great. Just me and a handful of WMZQ listeners before the George Strait/Blake Shelton show at Nissan Pavilion in Bristow, Virginia, got to meet David and hear a few songs, get a photo with him and autograph. (And Blake Shelton was hanging out, too. Very cool experience overall, actually!)

Winning this sort of access is a fan's dream come true. But selling it to fans . . . I have mixed feelings about it.

We fans do love to get up close and personal with our artists, no question there. But doesn't selling it to us seem a little, I don't know . . . weird?

Should artists sell us access like this? Part of me thinks it's just wrong on some level. The everyday joe/joan should have access to their favorite star, not just the fan with extra dough.

But would I buy that ticket is it was for Blake Shelton, Eric Church, Jimmy Wayne, Dierks Bentley or another one of my favorite artists? Yes. I'd jump on it in a second.

I make a good living, I can afford such a splurge once in a while, and winning this sort of access from a radio contest leaves it to luck (and/or connections). Such access is also sometimes available from a charity auction, as well I know. Don't ask me how much I donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society for a VIP ticket to the Blake Shelton Fan Club Party in June!

And when I buy concert tickets, I go for the good seats because I can afford it. Is this any different? I just don't know.

And all the fan club parties during CMA -- aren't they, at least on some level, about paying for access to artists? I know the artists don't make a killing on those parties -- far from it. But the fans are paying for access, even if the money just goes to cover expenses.

Maybe this is actually a cool new thing? Maybe it's just a great way to give fans more access to artists? I just can't decide. But like I said, if it was available for one of my favorites, I'd do it, no questions. So why does it bug me?

What do you think? Ever heard of anyone else doing this? Would you buy a VIP Experience ticket for your favorite artist? And if so, for which artist or artists?

Let me know!

Commercials During a Live Concert?! The Future--or the Death--of Country Music?

Is country music just like any other business? Is the new Brad Paisley CD or tickets to a Blake Shelton concert just another commodity -- a widget cranked out at the lowest possible quality and cost, served up in recyclable containers to be purchased by the naive and uninformed masses who don't know any better than to like what they're told to like?

God I hope not.

It all started with a discussion with a music biz insider about the unprecedented product placement and sponsorship by JCPenney of the current Rascal Flatts CD and tour. I know that sponsorships are a part of the music business, "Brought to you by . . . " doesn't bother me. We all know that George Strait wears Wrangler jeans and Kenny Chesney drinks Corona. Who cares?

But commercials during a live concert? A band putting a song praising a particular product line on their CD? Is that where we're going? Welcome to the 2009 American Living/Rascal Flatts tour.

The 2008 Rascal Flatts tour made $56 million, according to Forbes magazine, so obviously the band and the label know how to make money. But I was not the only person in the audience shaking her head at the blatant commercialism and over-the-top product placement during a recent concert. Commercials before and DURING the live show? Seriously!?

As someone near me said, "Jeez -- how much money do these guys need?"

I know that a business has to make money to survive. Touring is expensive. A lot of people work very hard to bring me the music I love, and they all deserve to be compensated for that work. But am I naive to think that it's not just about work and money when I hear a song I love?

Am I just being manipulated when I cry over the beauty of Caitlin + Will's "Address in the Stars," dance to Dierks Bentley's "Sideways" or smile at Blake Shelton's "Some Beach"? Is it all just an attempt to get me to buy a worthless widget?

"Artists have no control, no say," my insider friend tells me. "The business runs the business" and the bands who make it big do so by selling out.

Wow. The thought kind of broke my heart.

But then I played some country music, let it touch my heart again, and decided to not believe my music biz insider friend, at least not completely.

There's too much beauty, truth, love and passion in country music for me to believe that it's all just widgets. So I'll try to ignore the next commercial I see during a live concert, turn my head at the next obvious product placement and I'll just hold on to my naivete a little longer.

But will I be able to keep up the delusion if commercials, product placements and "inspired by" songs on CDs become the norm? I doubt it. Let's hope we never have to find out.