Many are those who have tried and failed to find a place on country music radio for alt.country over the last decade. I don't know of a single ratings success for alt.country programming in spite of attempts from Los Angeles (rip KZLA too..) to numerous Texas markets where otherwise top-rated country stations have experimented with alt.country weekend daypart specials and seen ratings tank.
No doubt, great regional acts like Kevin Fowler, Robert Earl Keen, Cross Canadian Ragweed and many others fill Texas road houses and night clubs every night of the week. But, it doesn't seem like the kind of people who love them live and in performance have much time to listen to even their most commercial country singles on the radio.
Now, it may even be time to say that the genre is fading. Browse through the list of the SXSW top picks from this year's Austin event which was actually designed as a showcase for alt.country in its beginnings and you won't find an alt.country artist or band listed by even the music critics from around the world who in the past have seemingly disdained country music for its mass appeal and popularity, then fawned over the alt.country/Texas country musicians at past events as the next big thing.
This year, it was all about rock. At a time when the rock radio format is losing shares.
SXSW = a place where bands who can't find an audience anywhere else go before they die?
No doubt, great regional acts like Kevin Fowler, Robert Earl Keen, Cross Canadian Ragweed and many others fill Texas road houses and night clubs every night of the week. But, it doesn't seem like the kind of people who love them live and in performance have much time to listen to even their most commercial country singles on the radio.
Now, it may even be time to say that the genre is fading. Browse through the list of the SXSW top picks from this year's Austin event which was actually designed as a showcase for alt.country in its beginnings and you won't find an alt.country artist or band listed by even the music critics from around the world who in the past have seemingly disdained country music for its mass appeal and popularity, then fawned over the alt.country/Texas country musicians at past events as the next big thing.
This year, it was all about rock. At a time when the rock radio format is losing shares.
SXSW = a place where bands who can't find an audience anywhere else go before they die?
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