Web site Pitchfork weighs in on today’s country music.

RATINGS
Nashville Star network NBC finished fourth in last night’s (6/23) overall ratings. In the 8 PM CT hour, the show drew a 3.6 rating/6 share to come in fourth, reports Zap2It.com. Then at 9 PM the program jumped to second place with 4.2/7.

This is similar to ratings in previous weeks: fourth overall and during the 8 o’clock hour, then moving to second place for the show’s last half.

This week writers Ross, Skates and Freeman not so gingerly sound off about the show’s highpoints and lowpoints.

HIGHS AND LOWS
David Ross
LowPoint: Maybe it’s the network suits trying to boost what have so far been lackluster ratings, but someone should install a large yellow caution sign on the Nashville Star highway. Week 2 brought us Katie Cook—a welcome addition—to offset Billy Ray’s wooden hosting profile. But this week Continued

June 2008

Just Browsing, Thanks

Web browsers abound, but which is the right one?

THE BIG IDEAS TOPIC:  A browser is essentially a viewer, the window through which we “see” the Internet. As online computing has increased dramatically in the last several years, the available web browsers have multiplied in corresponding fashion. The Big Idea behind browsers is the different audiences they appeal to and how they present your product or service. Continued

The second episode of Nashville Star’s sixth season aired last night (6/16) on NBC. Viewers were treated to some strong performances, some awkward exchanges with the judges and even a couple pleasant surprises.

The remaining contestants were thrown a slight curveball when they were split into three factions: men, women, and groups. One celebrity judge was assigned to mentor each— Jewel with the men, John Rich with the women, and Jeffrey Steele with the groups. Each competitor was given feedback and suggestions about song choices before the big performance night. Contestant Ashlee Hewitt lit up the stage with a revamped version of “Ring of Fire” and Gabe Garcia turned in a sturdy rendition of “Have You Ever Seen The Rain?”

One-by-one, the night’s “safe” contestants were called to perform until the two lowest vote getters remained—Melissa Lawson and Third Town. After a maligned performance of Alabama’s “Mountain Music” Third Town was sent packing. Continued

Nashville Star’s promising sixth season got underway last night (6/9) on a new network—NBC—and clearly separated itself from past iterations. Production values are noticeably improved, but in reality, it’s the show’s professional cast that turns straw into gold. The 90-minute weekly episodes are judged by industry icons Jewel, John Rich and Jeffrey Steele. Billy Ray Cyrus hosts the proceedings. Over 45,000, wannabe artists, age 16 and up, including duos and trios auditioned to make the show’s final 12.

The judges wasted no time in staking out their territory and mixing it up. Here’s some sample dialog (approximate quotes) where the judges began talking to the contestant, but soon were slamming each other:
Steele: Well you sang pretty well, but it got a little pitchy at times.
Jewel: Pitchy? What are you talking about? The pitch was perfect.
Steele: I heard problems.
Jewel: Yeah, well let’s play back the tape and see….
Rich: I don’t know Jewel. I’ve just been in the studio with you and you have some pitch issues…
Jewel: Pitch. Well how would you know. You only have a one octave singing range…
Continued

Nashville is a close knit community and changes are carefully scrutinized. Publicity leading up to this year’s new fan voted ACM Entertainer of the Year was mostly positive. But shortly after Kenny Chesney was awarded the trophy on Sunday’s telecast (5/18), the four-time ACM Entertainer winner was backstage criticizing the new methodology. “It’s complete disrespect of the artist, what they’ve lowered it to,” said Chesney. “It really diminishes the integrity of the music that we’re making. They took it from what the award really represents into a sweepstakes to see who can push people’s buttons the hardest on the Internet.”

Chesney label head Joe Galante suggests that fan voting may be more appropriate for a newly created award. “There seems to be a movement across a lot of media platforms to get fan involvement and that is obviously part of what we are doing from a marketing standpoint on lots of properties,” says the Sony BMG Nashville Chairman. “And it is probably very good for the show to bring the fans closer. However, there is no problem creating a new fan voted award. Kenny, in the sense of the Entertainer of the Year category, has a valid point. It is the pinnacle of your career, everything you do—writing, performing, selling records and TV performances.” Continued

If Award shows were really about awards, don’t you think they would spend more time on acceptance speeches? Duh! Of course. These extravaganzas are about entertainment, ratings, glamour and hopefully getting a few extra records sold in the process. So yes, there’s a winners list below for the record, but let’s talk about the entertainment value of Sunday’s 43rd ACM Awards (5/18).

Three hours is a long time for an ADD nation, but fortunately, there were some outstanding moments to partially justify the time commitment. Topping the list was triple Platinum Taylor Swift. The precocious teen’s performance was a study in dynamics and theatrics. She began singing “Should’ve Said No,” with just her own guitar, wearing an oversize charcoal hoodie, stage center. Soon her band appeared and two male dancers literally pulled on her sweatshirt which obediently split down the middle revealing an elegant black gown underneath. The song’s finale found Swift getting drenched under a lifesize waterfall. (Fortunately this compelling stunt did not result in a wardrobe malfunction.) Continued

Say you’re Craig Wiseman. You’re already one of Nashville’s top songwriters and independent publishers, written more than 100 charted singles and 14 No. 1 hits, been named writer of the year by NSAI and ASCAP (three times), started a successful administration company, expanded your Nashville publishing interests to a London office, and amassed a fierce collection of big, loud shirts. What do you do next?

No, not go to Disney World. If you guessed launch your own label, you’d be correct.

Except that if you use words like “launch” to describe the status of Wiseman’s new 1111 Music House (pronounced “eleven eleven,” after the company’s street address), you’ll get a hearty laugh from the man himself. The same happens if you ask pesky questions about things like, say, distribution plans. Such questions, Wiseman says, give him “the heebie jeebies because they are so associated with what everyone recognizes as a dying business model.”

The label’s debut is more of a soft launch and, as Wiseman will repeatedly note during an interview, what happens from there will be “organic,” and completely dictated by the music and what needs arise to give it a wider platform.

Big Loud Shirt COO Marc Driskill calls the decision to create a label “a move that was more creative than financial.” Continued

The new game Grand Theft Auto IV lets players download the tracks at the push of a button. Read more.