The Last Thing We Needs Is Country Stars To Get Political (A Response)
When Rolling Stone started its first ever genre-specific subdomain with Rolling Stone Country in 2014, one of the primary concerns from country fans was that the outlet would interject its political ideologies into the music space similar to how the long-running left-leaning periodical has done throughout its history. When Saving Country Music interviewed the Senior Editor Beville Dunkerley before the launch of the site, she assured, “As far as government politics, hell no! We’ll leave that to the magazine and RollingStone.com.”
Of course, policies and personnel can change. Beville Dunkerley recently moved on to work for Pandora, and Rolling Stone Country‘s other Senior Editor Joseph Hudak assumed the reigns of the outlet exclusively in November 2016. Almost immediately, and amidst the contentious environment of the recent Presidential election, it was clear that Rolling Stone Country would be completely willing to get political compared to its previous stance, including a piece posted by Hudak days after the promotion where he compare the backlash to Beyoncé’s performance on the CMA’s with Donald Trump’s Presidential win.
Now Joseph Hudak and Rolling Stone Country have decided they’ve had enough of country artists sitting on the sidelines as Donald Trump trashes our country, and is basically trying to guilt trip them to getting involved in the anti-Trump movement.
“It’s no longer a reasonable excuse to say that country artists are stuck in the stranglehold of radio, or that speaking out means a guaranteed Dixie Chicks-style blacklisting,” the article says. “Yes, there will be fallout, but after this weekend’s parade of lies, falsehoods and ‘alternative facts’ bullshit by the administration, it’s too dangerous not to stand up.”
I don’t think Rolling Stone Country has fully thought through what they’re advocating for here. I think Joseph Hudak is a great writer and editor, and I’ve had respect for him going back to his Country Weekly days. But the last thing we need is country artists like Luke Bryan and Justin Moore getting all political on our asses. While we’re at it, how about we advocate for Dan + Shay to dole out tax advice, and nominate LeAnn Rimes for Interior Secretary? If you think the policies of the Camacho Presidency are ridiculous, wait until Florida Georgia Line starts sharing their political stances.
You can’t just call for the political activation of the artists of country music, and expect for only the ones that are opposed to Donald Trump to speak up. But that’s exactly what Rolling Stone Country is hoping for, and says so multiple times in the piece. “If you’re ambivalent about any of this, by all means, proceed with business as usual,” it says, while in the same breath, talking down to those artists who’ve turned an “ambivalent” eye to Donald Trump as being complicit to the problem.
I hate to burst your bubble, but most of the artists of mainstream country—which are the ones whose voices would make a difference if they spoke up because of the amount of people who would actually listen—are Trump supporters, or are at least conservatives, and probably feel positive about many of Trump’s policies. You don’t think that by doing a call to arms for political action from the country music talent pool you’re not going to awaken this conservative, pro-Trump beast as well? You think these artists will honor your request to just ignore the call to action if they’re fine with Trump? At the best this prodding to act out politically will result in a sum neutral for the anti-Trump forces, if not inadvertently ignite a fervor of Trump support among mainstream country music artists that heretofore has remained generally dormant, and curiously so.
In fact I’ve been both surprised and somewhat impressed that the vast majority of country music artists have chosen to remain on the sidelines throughout this political shit storm out of respect for their fans, the political process, and their place in it. I’ve found new admiration for some of these artists from the wisdom they’ve shown by not allowing the press and current events to not draw them offsides, understanding that we’re seeing one of the most politically contentious environments since The Civil War, and not in spite of, but due to the seriousness of the matter, have decided to remain on the sidelines, and focus on their sphere of the world: music.
This idea that country music artists need to speak out about Trump is predicated on the wrong-minded notion that celebrities, especially mainstream country music singers for crying out loud, have either some moral superiority or elevated political acumen to speak on these matters with more authority than the rest of us do.
As Whitey Morgan once said, “You’re a fucking entertainer. I don’t give a fuck what you think about the state of the goddamn world. Fucking entertain me, that’s what I paid you to do. I know that’s pretty harsh, but that’s the way I feel sometimes. Where do they get off thinking they know best?”
Who gives a shit what Cole Swindell thinks about how to resolve the insolvency of the Affordable Care Act? If anything, being a pop country music artist makes one uniquely unqualified to compose and share opinions on political matters. I love Alan Jackson, but he once won a CMA Song of the Year award while admitting he didn’t know the difference between Iraq and Iran. Belief that celebrity somehow elevates one’s political opinions is exactly how Donald J. Trump got elected President of the United States.
Don’t mistake this with the idea that I don’t believe country music artists or anyone else don’t have the right to speak out politically, or even include political messages in their music. As someone who operates under the auspices of the 1st Amendment on a daily basis, I will take up arms to ensure that Sam Hunt and Chase Rice can say whatever stupid-ass things they believe about politics, even if it’s against my own opinions, and unfairly bolstered by their celebrity status.
What is most dangerous here about Rolling Stone Country‘s assertions is this mindset that either you actively speak out and engage in political discourse, or somehow you are a party to the worst offenses of either Donald Trump or his supporters. In other words, you could have voted for Hillary Clinton, a third party candidate, or not voted at all. Yet if you don’t come out in vehement opposition to Donald Trump as an official stance as part of your pop country celebrity franchise, then you are complicit with racism, homophobia, lies, and environmental destruction. Even though Rolling Stone Country‘s Joseph Hudak at times tries to tell readers that if they disagree, the can feel free to stop reading, he also states, “You either accept that lying is wrong or you do not. You accept that mocking the disabled is wrong or you do not. And you accept that sexual assault is wrong or you do not. There is no middle ground.”
But there is middle ground, which is believing that just because you have been afforded an audience with the public through your celebrity status as a country music star, doesn’t mean you have a right to use that privilege to assert your political beliefs on the public. Or perhaps as a country music star, you believe that music should be a place apart from political polarization, and should be respected as an art form that can bridge differences as opposed to creating or exacerbating them, and this is more important now than ever.
Speaking of celebrities speaking out on political matters, John Stewart, the former host of the politically-charged and left-leaning The Daily Show, said recently in an interview,
There’s now this idea that anyone who voted for him has to be defined by the worst of his rhetoric. There are guys that I love, that I respect, that I think have incredible qualities, who are not afraid of Mexicans and who are not afraid of Muslims, and not afraid of blacks. They’re afraid of their insurance premiums. In the Liberal community you hate the idea of creating people as a monolith. Don’t look a Muslims as a monolith. They are individuals, and it would be ignorance. But everybody who voted for Trump is a monolith, is a racist. That hypocrisy is also real in our country. So this is the fight we wage against ourselves and each other.
What Rolling Stone Country is attempting to do by this call to political action is to politicize the institution of country music. This is a very dangerous thing to do. What happened when country music became politicized in the aftermath of 9/11? Toby Keith and his often belligerent rhetoric became the poster boy for country music for a decade, and the Dixie Chicks were unfairly ostracized from the genre due to the fury that swept over the country listening population.
As an institution, country music is doing exactly what it should be doing at this moment, which is staying the hell out of politics, trying to respect music fans of all belief systems, and trying to keep at least one sector of the American culture free and clean of the acrimonious environment created whenever anything political is broached.
That doesn’t mean we don’t live in important times, and that people shouldn’t act upon whatever their heart is telling them. The American left is very angry at the moment, and this is understandable. But if we politicize every sector of American life, and continue to draw battle lines with each other, this politically corrosive environment could do just as much to undermine the arts, culture, and well being in American life as any policy of the Trump Administration.
We’re already seeing this happen in American media. The proliferation of ad blockers, and the rise of Facebook and the mobile web already bankrupted and put out-of-business a major portion of the independent and mainstream press coverage for music and other cultural interests at the end of 2015. Now the political season that once was regarded as cyclical, has become virtually endless, and the rapt attention by the American public has made everything else an afterthought.
Even the NFL has suffered this season, and though some have surmised that politics isn’t to blame because the lack of viewership extended until after the election, this is a shortsighted view. We didn’t reach the peak of political fervor during the Presidential debates, on election night, or even during the inauguration. Right now, today, the political acrimony and media chatter is just as widespread, and arguably even more strident than at any point during the election itself, and it’s getting worse. This is probably why Rolling Stone Country feels the need to delve into political waters. Trying to get people to pay attention to your artist feature or album review in this environment is like trying to roller skate uphill.
One thing Joseph Hudak does get right is that the artists of country music are in a unique position to reach many of the voters in Trumpland. But that doesn’t mean those listeners will be receptive to the message Rolling Stone Country wants them to heed, even if country artists were willing to deliver it, which they aren’t. These people have been marginalized, lampooned, called racists and homophobes in many cases simply for living in rural, Trump-voting areas and being white and male, and people wonder why they voted how they did. They’ve lost their jobs, seen their communities get ravaged, been forgotten in time, and marginalized. The rural disenfranchised don’t need celebrities shouting at them about what to think and how to vote, they need someone to listen to them. Donald Trump did, and now they’re listening to him. This is the lesson in believing the people of rural America were insignificant.
The election of President Trump has brought out a lot of ugliness in both sides of the political aisle. The reason it may look worse and more dire for people on the left at the moment is because they are out of power. It is a shame we live in an era when even our leaders can’t agree on basic truths, but everyone is pushing fake news, spurious facts, reading polarizing information from slanted sources, and passing judgement on one another. All the more reason to isolate this behavior within the political fold, and leave music out of it.
Charlie
January 26, 2017 @ 9:17 am
The last thing we need is for any entertainer to get political.
Good Gravy
January 26, 2017 @ 10:14 am
I see what you did there… :-0
Aaron
January 27, 2017 @ 7:01 am
Agree. Including the purveyor of this site. A light dusting of snide comments throughout a supposed apolitcal article puts the lie to your plea for no politics in entertainment.
Trigger
January 27, 2017 @ 11:05 am
Hey, I make sure to include snide comments about both sides equally. That’s what keeps it apolitical 🙂
A. Marie
October 26, 2020 @ 9:51 am
Exactly. I remember Dolly Parton being interviewed and asked about her view on politics. This was her comment.
“I have my own thoughts, my own opinions, of course,” Parton says, “but I don’t believe that I should offend people that don’t have that same opinion by voicing my own opinion. I’m an entertainer; I can live it, I can write about it, I can joke, lift people up in my own way. But I don’t see no reason for me to get involved in political fights. She continues: “Half my people are Republicans, half of them are Democrats, and I always joke that I’m just a ‘hypocrat’ — and in a way I kind of am. … I know we can’t ever all get along. But we could get along a little better if we tried a little harder.”
She said in another interview basically that the entertainment industry has no business sticking its nose into your politics. They’re not politicians they’re entertainers. If they want to be politicians, then stop entertaining.
I remember a few years back I bought tickets for Maroon5 to see in Charlotte and bc they got all.offended over the governor’s bathroom policy they cancelled their shows. That’s a bunch of bs. That was a gift for my autistic sons bday. I wouldnt leave anyone dying regardless of how they identify but I dont want a man in a dress pissing in the stall.next to me or.my daughter. There had been a lot of issues with pictures being taken at that point already which is one of the reasons the governor said no to open bathrooms. But of course Adam Levine had to.make a stance against it. I guess itll be ok when some perv comes creeping in on his daughter’s though, right? They had family and/or unisex bathrooms, they just refused to use them. A friend, who happens to be gay said to me “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, if I’ve gotta baptize a couple brown loaves, I’ll take whatever bathroom I’m told I can go into, not make it a big @ss deal. ”
This political garbage has gone too far and has not only taken a ride in every seat in the car, but now its driving and changing the radio station and its picking up friends in the way.
Sally
January 26, 2017 @ 9:25 am
Well said!!!!!
Elizabeth
January 26, 2017 @ 9:28 am
Yes. this. thanks. I live in the progressive SF Bay Area bubble and have had trouble to find the words to discuss trumplandia with my lefty friends and family. I think I will get Jon Stewart’s quote tattooed on my forehead. And also the rest of your article. I have a big forehead.
Music has been my respite and salve from all of the politics and acrimony and bullying musicians into expressing a political opinion seems dangerous, misguided and hypocritical.
Jf
January 26, 2017 @ 9:28 am
Well, we are seeing firsthand what happens when an entertainer gets involved in politics and it is not pretty. As for artists, I think if they have something to say, say it. I don’t view most mainstream country acts as “artists” though. Doesn’t matter to me what they say since I won’t be listening anyway.
C W
January 26, 2017 @ 9:39 am
I disagree with you on this. This may be an odd way to look at things but I want to know where my money is going when I buy something. I want to know if the money is going to be put to use in a way that is diametrically opposed to how I believe. I don’t want to support things that I believe are wrong. This is why I want to know what politics the artists espouse. I don’t want to pay them for seeing a show or for their album and the artist then use some of that money to support causes that I find abhorrent. Some people may find this nitpicky and silly but I feel that it is important to support what you believe in and to not support what you feel is wrong. I do my research on companies that I buy products from and would like to be able to do the same when spending money on music, books and movies.
Elizabeth
January 26, 2017 @ 10:11 am
I totally respect that you want to support companies aligned with your values. However, when it comes to creative expression like music, I think there is an opportunity to expand our horizons, hear different perspectives and get outside of our echo chambers. Yeah, I’m not going to support a band that actively promotes racism or violence against women but I don’t have a problem reading a book or watching a movie from someone who doesn’t vote the same way I do. I might actually learn something and find common ground. It seems one way to broker the divisiveness in our country.
C W
January 26, 2017 @ 8:16 pm
I didn’t say that I wouldn’t listen to an artist or read a book by an author that doesn’t vote the same way that I do. What I did say is that I didn’t want to give them my money so they can use it in ways I find wrong. Two different things. I can listen to album/song or read a book without paying for it. I want to monetarily support artists but not if that money is going to trickle down to pay for things I abhor. I agree we need to keep an open mind and expand our thinking so we are on the same page there.
Trigger
January 26, 2017 @ 10:31 am
The true exercise of freedom of speech is not what you say, but how you spend your money. If you want to know where your money is going, I can’t fault you for that whatsoever.
However the one argument I would make is that many of these artists don’t share their political opinions because either they just don’t really have any, or they don’t feel strongly about them. I think many mainstream country stars probably support Trump, but many are conflicted from some of the things Trump has said or done. They don’t want to be branded racists, and they don’t like some of the racial acrimony Trump’s presence has stirred, so they don’t say anything. So I’m not sure it’s fair to judge them on political merits. Others might not be politically active at all, especially now that the environment has become so toxic, many people are just tuning out. It’s not that they’re trying to hide anything, or that they don’t care. They’re just trying to shield themselves from the constant bickering.
The reason Saving Country Music doesn’t assert any specific political leaning (though I’ve been accused of favoring both sides) is because I don’t want people to not come here and share in the joy of music just because they think I have a certain political affiliation. Even then, there may be thousands of people who’ve sworn off this site from being left-leaning or right-leaning. Instead, I have taken the hardline stance that music so be a place aside from the political acrimony. I understand that in certain types of music, especially folk and reggae, politics plays an integral part. But there’s a way of saying political things where you don’t alienate half the population, but aid in understanding someone else’s perspective through music. The greatest songs, and the greatest statements rise above political discourse from how they resonate universally in the human heart.
Adrian
January 27, 2017 @ 9:57 am
Trigger, have you seen evidence that the majority of mainstream country artists are conservative? Or do you think they might be recording conservative sounding lyrics because their fans lean Republican?
On the one hand white rural residents are more likely to vote Republican than the country as a whole. On the other hand I think artists and entertainers tend to be much more liberal than the general population. It seems that there have been many major mainstream country artists with left of center views, e.g. Garth Brooks, Tim McGraw, Dixie Chicks. Even Toby Keith is a Democrat from what I have read.
Trigger
January 27, 2017 @ 10:57 am
Toby Keith used to be a Democrat. He is not any more. Though he did thank Obama for his service when he performed at the inauguration, and is probably less politically-charged than his music would imply. My evidence that the majority of mainstream stars are conservative is empirical, but that observation is recognized pretty universally. Of course there are exceptions, but even if it’s half of the performers, you’re still putting yourself at peril by asking the anti-Trump forces in country to rise out of the shadows.
Jack Williams
January 27, 2017 @ 11:06 am
Toby’s a Democrat….kind of.
— Willie Nelson (from Rednecks and Bluenecks book)
Eduardo Vargas
January 27, 2017 @ 2:03 pm
I’d say that the division of performers between liberal and conservative in country is roughly half, with maybe a bit more conservative, but it’s not the overwhelming majority as it may seem
Jonah
January 29, 2017 @ 5:19 pm
The fact that most country singers are deeply religious and originally from rural areas (with many being from the bible belt), its a great assumption that many are conservative. Its hard these days to find a super religious white person who would be considered a “liberal” especially with the Democratic party going further to the left.
Truthseeker destroys PC
January 26, 2017 @ 10:42 am
It’s entertainment ….that’s all…entertainment…music…so you are gonna demand a resume from every artist who is out there and choose your playlist accordingly? Well I don’t agree with many artists moral choices so honestly, the less I know the happier I am. Look, if it’s good music, then I like it. Why judge people on their politics, judge music on its own merits. People are complex and don’t all fit into neat little boxes. Are you really going through life judging people’s worth by their political stance? That attitude will only further divide people, is that your end goal? Sounds psychotic to me. But hey, I’m just another opinion, so no big whoop. Cheers.
Mark
January 26, 2017 @ 9:46 am
Oh for fuck’s sake, I thought this sort of asinine rhetoric from Rolling Stone was nipped in the bud after the backlash Pitchfork got for slamming Jason Isbell’s record for ‘not being political’, or the backlash that fell (wrongly, in my opinion) on ‘Southern Family’.
Look, do I think that country is in a unique position to speak to an audience about ‘social commentary’, of course I do, and I’ll be cheering loudly when Isbell and McMurtry and Clark deliver the sort of material that’ll strike back against one of the most flagrantly unqualified and irresponsible Presidents ever elected. Presuming it thematically works on their projects and contains the nuance I’d expect (and let’s make it clear, the left utterly shit the bed on this in 2016 with the exceptions of Kyle Craft and A Tribe Called Quest), I’d be fine with the politics.
But artists are under no obligation to make that sort of music if that doesn’t fit their artistic progression of the records they want to make, especially when it has been proven to impact their bottom line. Does anyone think the Nashville songwriting machine who spent the last five years playing it safe with regurgitated bro-country will want to touch the complexities of modern politics – and moreso, why in the Nine Hells would we want them to? It’s 2017 country radio, and one thing that’s all the more apparent is that everyone can be replaced and is disposable, even the presumed A-listers, so it makes no financial sense for them to even try pushing in that sort of controversial direction. And that’s before we even get into the question of delivery or whether it makes a damn bit of sense for artists who have never trafficked in that sort of material to try it.
In short, Trigger’s right on the money on this. I’d put money on some artists injecting political themes, primarily in the indie scene, but just because Rolling Stone wants country to start a culture war doesn’t mean the execution would fit their liking in the slightest.
Acca Dacca
January 26, 2017 @ 12:14 pm
There was backlash against Southern Family? I didn’t hear about that. Do you have any articles/sources I could peruse? I’d like to read what others were saying.
Trigger
January 26, 2017 @ 12:17 pm
I think the source of that is isolated to Saving Country Music comments sections where some have brought up the fact that very few artists of color were included on the compilation. I understand the point, but I think this wasn’t done to exclude anyone.
Scotty J
January 26, 2017 @ 12:17 pm
There was some commenter on here awhile back ranting about how there wasn’t any minority representation present on the record so it wasn’t really authentic or something so I’m sure that is what he was referring to and I’m sure there is some stuff out there preaching this.
Rachel
January 26, 2017 @ 9:53 am
While I think that anyone saying entertainers and artists have no place in politics is ironic because art and entertainment is and has always been generally based on social and political affairs (not to mention that California had a movie star governor and that Reagan and Trump were both celebrities before becoming president), I don’t think that it is a coincidence that few, if any, country artists have spoken out about the current political state (excluding the usuals). The article argues that the Dixie Chicks situation wouldn’t be comparable today but I think the writer is entirely too causal about it. Not only did radio stations ban their music, ex-fans rallied and burned their cd’s outside of the Chick’s shows, there were actual death threats against them. Those women went through hell for one comment. While the US was feeling very patriotic post 9/11 and I would argue that that same level of patriotism is being felt by Trump supporters now with the events and excitement following him being elected. It would be career suicide for any mainstream artist to speak out against him personally. Sure, some of the female artists supported the women’s march but did any of them say specifically that they supported it because they were anit-Trump? I don’t think so. No one is going to speak out in opposition that values their album and tour sales. Even someone who doesn’t get radio support, like Sturgill, needs Trump supporter support. And for artists that do support Trump but haven’t spoken out probably don’t see the point. If they’re successful singing their songs without including politics, why compromise it? I get where the RS writer is coming from but it’s not that simple in country music.
Ed
January 26, 2017 @ 9:56 am
Only teenages really care what millionaire celebrity’s have got to say, as the election proved. Adults make there choices on real issues
RD
January 26, 2017 @ 9:58 am
“The reason it may look worse and more dire for people on the left at the moment is because they are out of power.”
The left and the right, more properly R and D, are both out of power. The “never-Trumpers” like Romney, Bush, all the tribe-neocons, National Review, etc. hated Trump more than the “Left” did. The Democrats loved Trump when he was raising millions for the Clintons. That is the point. Those in power, both R and D, had a 75 year agreement to share power, never rock the boat, never address any real issues, and keep their power, money, and patronage. Trump derailed their fucking gravy train. Trump is neither left or right. He is a populist. Both parties, the elites, the multinationals, and the media that they control will go to war against any populist they perceive as getting too close to the Presidency. They came out guns blazing against George Wallace, Ross Perot, Pat Buchanan, Ralph Nader, Dennis Kucinich, Jim Trafficant, Ron Paul, etc. If you are outside of the R&D paradigm, you are a threat.
Jacob
January 26, 2017 @ 10:09 am
For the artists this is a lose/lose situation so I wouldn’t expect anyone big coming for or against any time soon. But with time will come acceptance, one year from now everyone will be accepting going to war as normal run of the mill bullshit, they will become complacent in their protests and trump will have Rosie O’Donnell and Bill Maher hung for treason and everyone will eat popcorn and pay per view it.
Times are a changin again, big change. Who do you support? I support human rights over money or jobs. So I could see why anyone would want to know or try to recruit others to join them.
Jim Bob
January 26, 2017 @ 10:14 am
Love that Whitey quote! If a singer’s gonna get political, I’d prefer it be like Sturgill’s “call to arms.” Not about left-right, republican-democrat, just about “fuck both sides and their stupid fucking wars and fuck everyone who doesn’t get pissed off about the wars.”
Tom Smith
January 26, 2017 @ 10:24 am
No thanks. The last thing I need is more people vomiting their political opinions in my direction.
Brendan
January 26, 2017 @ 10:28 am
Amen, Trigger. Preach.
Jim
January 26, 2017 @ 10:35 am
I think if a musician wants to put himself out there into the political spectrum, go for it. Even if that means they say something that pisses me off and I stop supporting them because of it. But this insane demand across the board of “where do you stand?!?!” from Rolling Stone is wrong. I’m not surprised though. That website is filled with zealots and assholes.
Seak05
January 26, 2017 @ 10:59 am
The election is over. Now it’s all about the specific policies being discussed. You either support the wall, or you don’t (& the way things work not caring is implicit support), you call the president out for lying, or you don’t, you support defunding sanctuary cities, or you don’t, you support refunding w/o a replacement plan the affordable care act, or you don’t. Of course the irony is that the biggest benefactor from the aca was those rural counties that said they’ve been ignored.
Any person has the right to not speak up, and knowing the likely thoughts of many mainstream music stars, I’m probably happy that they don’t. But as an American, I feel that all of us, at some point have to stand up and make our voices heard, or we accept the policies that are being out in place. As a citizen if you don’t agree with what’s being done, it’s your responsibility to speak. So at a certain point if country artists don’t speak up….it is agreement. It’s no longer about supporting Trump, you can speak out for or against specific policies.
seak05
January 26, 2017 @ 11:30 am
(and yes obviously people should educate themselves before speaking up, but I know teachers who voted for Trump & hate Devos, and all the country stars who said nice things about Cody Allen, could speak up against the anti-LGBT bills in Texas, etc).
Elizabeth
January 26, 2017 @ 11:58 am
I agree everyone has the right, and in some cases an obligation, to express themselves but if Rolling Stone is publicly badgering a group of people into expressing a specific political opinion, it contradicts and undermines ‘free’ speech.
seak05
January 26, 2017 @ 12:06 pm
Way I read the article (& I actually read the whole article), is they were calling on those who opposed specific things Trump has said/done to speak out..in part bc they have a unique ability to reach Trump voters. But he was fine with those who supported Trump’s policies staying silent. I do think, he thinks, that country musicians are more liberal than they really are.
Trigger
January 26, 2017 @ 12:31 pm
One of the biggest problems with the current political climate is that everybody has retreated into like-minded reality bubbles where they think the rest of the world agree with them, and only people in the fringes could be the ones to disagree. Perhaps Joseph Hudak knows some closet liberals in Nashville and wishes they would speak out. But I think it is foolish to assume that is the majority of the artists. That is not my experience as a country music writer whatsoever.
Joseph Hudak does make a good point that people like Madonna speaking out doesn’t really do anything, because all they’re doing is preaching to the choir. I would go further and say that Madonna screaming “Fuck You!” and “very seriously” contemplating blowing up the White Hose doesn’t do anything for her cause, it actually emboldens and strengthens the case against people of her mindset. The law of unintended consequences is all over the political realm. If mainstream country stars start speaking out against Trump, others will begin to speak out defending him. And then it’s WW3 with country music as the battleground, and we all lose, while nothing is gained politically for either side.
seak05
January 26, 2017 @ 12:45 pm
I agree with you that Joseph Hudack probably thinks that country artists are more liberal than they actually are. But omg we might have a political debate is a really bad reason to not speak up. Sticking heads in the sand is generally a terrible policy & never works.
As a Jew who had family members come to the US as refugee’s and others who were turned away (& then died), this poem has been going through my head lately:
“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”
So yeah, if you disagree with Trump’s policies, country star or not, I do think you should speak up…you are of course not obligated to do so. And if you are a supporter of a policy you can/should speak up too. But let us not pretend that silence does not also have consequences.
seak05
January 26, 2017 @ 12:54 pm
I am curious Trigger, at what point do you think country stars should speak up? Many have spoken in support of the NRA in the past, bc they are gun owners & it’s an issue they feel strongly about. And for instance a repeal of the ACA will cost a lot of musicians & songwriters healthcare.
Trigger
January 26, 2017 @ 2:17 pm
Obviously there is a line where if certain current events come to pass, it would be imperative for all of us to stand up and speak out. But much of politics is driven by fear, like the fear of government taking people’s guns away, and now that the government is going to somehow severely restrict or prohibit women from obtaining birth control—both of which are ridiculous and the products of propaganda.
I thought about broaching the Affordable Care Act issue specifically in this article, but I didn’t want to bog down on policy. But I will say that as a independent business owner, I personally have had to use the Affordable Care Act to obtain health insurance, and I stand to lose if the law is revoked. At the same time, the marketplace is racing towards insolvency, and I can say this from my own personal experience. In the marketplace, I’ve been dropped by United Healthcare who left the marketplace, and Humana who left the marketplace. My premiums have skyrocketed, and doctors refuse to take many of the silver-level plans by saying, “We’re not accepting any new patients.” The idea that a vote for Trump is a vote against musicians having insurance is not entirely true. There must be an overhaul, or otherwise Obamacare fails under its own weight. Donald Trump has said he doesn’t want to kick people off insurance, but craft a better alternative and insure more people and more affordable prices. Is he to be believed, or will it be possible? That remains to be seen. But doing nothing to the ACA does not insure that musicians and creative types keep their insurance. It almost insures they don’t. This is just one example of how complicated these matters are, and how they won’t be solved simply by blanket opposing Trump or anyone else.
seak05
January 26, 2017 @ 2:33 pm
As an independent contractor I also use the ACA & I also pay a ton, my parents as small business owners pay less then they used to though (though also still a lot). So I’m happy to delve into the complexities of this or any other policy you want any day.
However, back to reality, the election is over. You keep saying vote for Trump, their is no more vote for or against Trump to be cast (until 2020). As it pertains to the ACA though, Republicans in the house though have already voted to repeal large portions of the ACA though, and the only two plans that have been offered (by Collins and Paul) would be terrible. Meanwhile, Trump has issued a very confusing exec order, yet failed to advance any actual policy. If Trump proposes a policy that will work, I will happily support it. I think almost everyone (including Obama) agrees that we need reforms, but repeal only is where we are right now.
seak05
January 26, 2017 @ 2:42 pm
BTW the issue with birth control isn’t that it would be made illegal, it’s that new rule passed by the house requires insurers to disclose if they cover it or not as part of a health plan to employers when the employer is deciding which policies to make available to employees. The worry is that employers would then choose policies that don’t cover BC, making it prohibitively expensive (this has already happened with abortion). Also living in DC area, I know a number of people who are currently impacted by Trump, including friends who are scientists at FDA & EPA, or gov’t contractors for NASA etc. I would honestly think though that farmers/country people would be more concerned about global warming/climate change, since it will massively impact agriculture eventually.
Ben
January 26, 2017 @ 6:31 pm
Free speech only applies to the cohercive power of the government.
Adam
January 27, 2017 @ 11:27 pm
We need a downvote button on these boards.
RZ94
January 26, 2017 @ 11:05 am
Rolling Stone wants to “McCarthy” anyone and anything that doesn’t bow down to their cop-killing, flag-burning, store-looting, Soros- funded, hate-mob ideology. I disagree with a lot of the right on a lot of things, but I’ll be damned if I want to hear SJW garbage in my country music.
Mike
January 26, 2017 @ 11:45 am
I don’t so much mind entertainers being political… but when their entertainment becomes an avenue for their politics, I’m out. I loved the first few Dixie Chicks album… but couldn’t stand the “Not Ready to Make Nice” album. I am a huge fan of Steve Earle’s early stuff, but found the last 10+ years of music just obnoxiously pedantic. Even if I agree on some of the points, I’m not listening to music to hear political parables, and even less to hear straightforward political rhetoric.
As a mainstream country artist, being political seems like a no-win situation. You come down on the side of our mainstream celebrities, you alienate your fans. You come down on the side of your fans, you become the subject of our mainstream celebrities’ Twitter rants.
I’m all for artists focusing on making entertaining, thought-provoking music. I don’t see anything thought-provoking coming from far-left or far-right America. It’s like watching a football game where the cheerleaders have no idea about the rules or the game their cheering for… they just want to keep the fans riled up.
Enjoyed the article… well written.
A.K.A. City
January 26, 2017 @ 12:04 pm
Some of the best art throughout history has come about as a commentary on politics. If an artist wishes to express their opinions through their art, I am all for it. Even if they want to go on a Tweet-Storm or rant at their concerts, that’s within their right. However, no one should be coerced into making a political statement unless they themselves are running for public office.
I see the point that the Rolling Stone author is trying to make. One of the cornerstones of country music is authenticity. They make a misjudgment, however. Turn on the commercial country radio station for five minutes, and then tell me your opinion of the mainstream country fan’s concern for authenticity.
Scotty J
January 26, 2017 @ 12:09 pm
The really ridiculous thing about this guy’s plea is that he basically just wants those who agree with him to speak out. He couldn’t even feign an interest in having performers of various political beliefs speak but instead only those that agree with him.
Just look at the response to Nicole Kidman’s rather bland and neutral statement and the brow beating that she received to see what would happen if some country singer made any kind of even semi supportive comment of the President. This guy and all the SJW’s would forever bring it up in a relentless effort to kill that person’s career.
The politicization of everything is one of the most corrosive developments in American society over that last fifteen years or so and any attempt to stop it can only be a positive.
Mel
January 26, 2017 @ 12:14 pm
I think you might have missed the point of that RS article. He was saying (well at least how I interpreted it) was that if you are going to claim you are authentically telling stories in your music, you better be authentically telling stories. If you pride yourself on your music being from your POV, it’s dishonest to then ignore or not speak on things from your POV. He’s not saying you have to speak out against Trump if you’re a supporter. And I don’t believe he was saying keep your mouth shut if you are a supporter either, he was saying that if you don’t see any cause for concern with our country right now, then by all means there’s no reason for you to comment because there isn’t anything for you to comment on.
It seems to be along the same lines of this tweet that Jason Isbell sent out recently: “If your beliefs are easily extricable from your work, you might want to call yourself something other than an artist.” (here’s the source: https://twitter.com/JasonIsbell/status/818879474754260992). That’s my take on things too. What’s the point if your art isn’t from your specific mindset?
With all this being said, I would probably ignore many of the political opinions of the mainstream artists that you mentioned in this (very well-written!) piece. Just as I do their music, LOL.
Trigger
January 26, 2017 @ 12:40 pm
What is brilliant about the work of songwriters like Jason Isbell, and James McMurtry (who won my Album of the Year a couple of years ago) is how they are able to broach subjects that some consider political in nature, but do it in a way that breeds universal understanding about a certain aspect of the human experience by using storytelling, poetry, allusion, and other literary tools that don’t immediately insult or turn off anyone. In my opinion, music can solve many of the same problems politics can, or may even be better suited. That is why in my opinion, I don’t want to see the music space get sullied by political discord, because it could erode its effectiveness to bring people together.
I understand that certain aspects of folk music has been used a a vehicle for protest for years, and I love some of that music. But from what I took from the Rolling Stone Country piece, they want to see artists speak out autonomously from their music on specific issues. If the artists want to do that themselves, then awesome. But if we expect that, or guilt that from artists, I just think all you do is exacerbate the same problems that led to the two worst candidates getting nominated for President.
Mel
January 26, 2017 @ 1:26 pm
I agree with everything you just said here. I also think I understand why we’re seeing this differently — I took the RS article to mean speak up IN their music (if they are going to continue to say their songs are telling honest stories), and autonomously from that music as a secondary thing. But I can see how the article can be interpreted as solely wanting the latter, which isn’t exactly something I think is a good idea for the reasons you said.
Your point about music being able to solve the same problems that politics can is really where my belief about this issue/article comes from, because I could not agree with you more. Music is one of the strongest weapons out there that, when used correctly, can result in a person thinking about something in a way that they hadn’t before. It can build understanding and empathy in a way that I think is necessary (& desperately needed today) without anyone feeling like they are being attacked or preached to. And I believe that country music is in a unique position in this, especially now, to tell these stories that could have an impact so it frustrates me to see it ignored.
Scott S.
January 26, 2017 @ 12:15 pm
Rolling Stone ceased being a rock/music magazine decades ago. They should just change their name to CNN the Magazine. I could care less about anything they report. Total rag.
Mike W.
January 26, 2017 @ 1:43 pm
Their Rolling Stone Country sub-site was/has been a real missed opportunity. It’s a weird mishmash of articles covering both the mainstream and indie side of Country music. I can’t imagine a Whitey Morgan fan being interested in Luke Bryan’s new song, the same way I can’t imagine a Luke Bryan fan caring about Whitey Morgan. It’s just a weird site.
I do like Matt Taibi though, even if I disagree with much of his political opinions, his articles using contain enough searing hatred aimed at both Republicans and Democrats and humor to make them worth reading.
Scotty J
January 26, 2017 @ 12:23 pm
There is also a lot misplaced arrogance in pieces like this by this writer and performers in general if they think that their opinions are really going to change anybody’s mind or belief system. While it’s interesting to know that Madonna fantasizes about committing terrorist acts it probably isn’t going to change any minds any more than if finding out that Cole Swindell opposes a border wall would change minds.
The vast, vast majority of people don’t care what celebrities think and if anything this type of commentary gets the opposite result than what they intend.
Scott S.
January 26, 2017 @ 9:23 pm
I agree wholeheartedly. While you can garner a musician’s political leanings a lot of times from their lyrics, it doesn’t leave the same bad taste in your mouth as having some holier than though dipstick preaching at you from the top of their ivory tower. Most often it just makes me want to stop buying their music, merchandise, and concert tickets.
So go ahead country stars, throw away your half your fans money to spout how your political views are smarter than mine.
FLYINGBURRITO2486
January 26, 2017 @ 1:22 pm
Trigger,
I know that this is not my website, however I have been coming to this site several times a day for years. That being said, the stories and articles seem to all have some sort of political undertone to them anymore. I would much rather read more great stories like the Eddie Pleasant story than ones like these that seem to get the most attention anymore. I know that these stories bring in more readers but I hope that this is something you will consider in the future. Thanks for listening.
Trigger
January 26, 2017 @ 2:03 pm
Flying Brurrito,
Thanks for the feedback. I’ve heard similar concerns from others, and I’m definitely listening. Keeping politics out of music is one of my pet issues, and it’s something that evokes a lot of passion in me. But I’m also aware that passion isn’t shared with everyone. I’m hoping as we get farther away from the election, articles such as this will become less necessary.
Mike W.
January 26, 2017 @ 1:40 pm
To me, most importantly, is that artists should be able to speak up/out without serious repercussions so long as they are not spouting falsehoods or nonsense. This cuts both sides of the political aisle, but the way that Tim McGraw and Billy Currington were treated by far-right leaning Country fans was disgraceful (regarding them playing a Sandy Hook benefit). We should all be adults enough to accept someone’s opinion and be willing to move on so long as they aren’t spouting hateful rhetoric like Madonna or Ted Nugent. Sadly, this people on both sides of the political spectrum are devolving to borderline children when it comes to their political opinions. The “Idiocracy” is real. Just see some of the comments regarding Sturgill playing “Call to Arms” on SNL.
RWP
January 26, 2017 @ 2:33 pm
I’ve always said celebrities,singers and whoever else have the freedom of speech to say whatever political opinion they want. Just be ready to hear hundreds,and even thousands of opinions with the same freedom of speech come right back atcha. Then prepare to lose a big chunk of your audience, from people using their freedom of choice of not buying your shit anymore..If you want to be a politican, run for governor or get a job as a pundit on FOX News or Cnn… Or go be a writer for ROLLING STONE..Until then,..kindly fuck off..
RWP
January 26, 2017 @ 2:37 pm
“The rural disenfranchised don’t need celebrities shouting at them about what to think and how to vote, they need someone to listen to them. Donald Trump did, and now they’re listening to him. This is the lesson in believing the people of rural America were insignificant.”
This nails it. And celebrities are going to assure he gets re-elected.
BTW,..Has Rolling Stone ever found the real UVA rapists yet?
Aerrio
January 28, 2017 @ 9:23 am
“Listen to them…” These people are going to get it painfully and Donald Trump has no listening skills; he is as far from rural, working America as one can be and is the antithesis of these people. He is a Hollywood reality television star celebrity and a product and the glamour of the establishment. I thought the days of selling snake oil would be over, but I guess not. Donald Trump does not deserve or declare, nor require a monopoly on celebrity political views, not back then, and certainly not now as president. (This is not a Hillary Clinton endorsement either.)
RWP
January 26, 2017 @ 2:43 pm
One more BTW -On a whole different subject, I seen your Viceland episode Trig and great job. Mikel Knight is more of a douche than what I ever thought,and glad you were there to make it a bit more clear to people who have never heard of him.
Looking forward to the first “Jellyroll” review on SCM!! ( I kid ! )
therhodeo
January 26, 2017 @ 2:54 pm
Cash and Haggard were plenty political in their day. I hear enough god and guns bullshit out of Nashville that you can’t say they’re not political. I’ve already said my piece on Toby Keith being more of a cultural figure for the right at this point than an entertainer. Cats already out of the bag on this one. I’d guess a lot of your mainstream stars don’t lay out political thoughts because half of them are too vapid to have them.
Jimsouls
January 26, 2017 @ 5:12 pm
Donald Trump will screw the rural disenfranchised maybe more than he will screw anyone. But thanks for those votes, y’all.
As for musicians or artists getting political, it has been going on forever. The world around them is what drives their work. It is why left-leaning people tend to make better artists; a wider, more empathetic and more inclusive worldview. They care about more than just their kind of people.
ShadeGrown
January 26, 2017 @ 6:42 pm
And like you, they often like to sniff their own farts
DJ
January 26, 2017 @ 6:43 pm
“They care about more than just their kind of people.”
LOL Madonna showed how much she cared huh? To name just one never mind all those who claimed they’d leave if Bush was elected…. hahhahahaha….. they’re still here and still crying, and no I’m not a Republican or Bush supporter and my vote is still out on Trump, but, he’ll not be any worse than the artist Hillary (piss poor actress) who finds those who disagree with her views as deplorable. That from one of, if not the most despicable person to ever inhabit DC, or politics for that matter, but, educated beyond their intellect morons with titles think(?) she would have been better. LOL
Cash and Haggard and Hank jr (right off the top of my head) have put their political beliefs in their music…. and except for Hank jr they changed their minds as they grew older and they didn’t need some educated beyond his/her intellect moron with a title important to no one but him/her to coerce them into it.
Aerrio
January 28, 2017 @ 9:31 am
You are obviously not participating in your government. The executive orders signed by President Trump and the first bills of this Republican controlled House are, for the most part, against the majority of the country’s beliefs and what people want. The snake oil was purchased. And, deplorable? Yes. Racism and misogyny are deplorable. Having the KKK and Alt-Right groups (Richard Spencer and company) endorse you is deplorable. She should have owned that statement. President Trump, another Hollywood reality television star has not showed how much he cares either and does not deserve the celebrity monopoly on speaking out politically; comparing him to Hillary Clinton and her agenda is false equivalency. (This is not a Hillary Clinton endorsement either.)
Truthseeker destroys PC
January 27, 2017 @ 7:49 am
Left leaning people make better artists?????
Wow, you are drinking, no gulping the Kool Aid. Do you by chance have pictures of Karl Marx and Joseph Stalin on your walls. Radical activist anyone???
I am actually not a political person. I enjoy music written by real people about the human condition and I really don’t care a rip about artist politics. They aren’t my God and they don’t represent me or offer answers . Music is a beautiful art form and should be enjoyed by all regardless of religion or political party. . Giving you benefit of the doubt as you like country music and I’m sure we could get along on some level, but please rethink that statement. It’s pretty divisive sounding.
Jack Williams
January 27, 2017 @ 8:18 am
Wow, you are drinking, no gulping the Kool Aid. Do you by chance have pictures of Karl Marx and Joseph Stalin on your walls. Radical activist anyone???
What hyperbolic nonsense, but completely par for the course for you. And equating someone who is “left leaning” with perhaps the greatest murderer of the 20th century is despicable. But you’re actually not a political person. Ha.
Truthseeker destroys PC
January 27, 2017 @ 9:31 am
Most radical lefties view Socialism as a Utopia, Jack. Those mass murders were Socialist leaders. Problematic when you idealize that form of government ; look at the examples of the ” great ” leaders the Socialist movement has had. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. If you study the continual rhetoric of far leftism, it will take you there. The enlightened think tanks of the movement espouse these ideas, no God, only a powerful central government , get in line and march. Within my church and community I have met some Russian Jewish immigrants with stories of life over in Europe under communist and socialist regimes. I personally met a concentration camp survivor named Anna who lost both parents in the camps because of a deranged Socialist leader. I was honored to meet a 90 year old vet named Ed who remembers freeing a concentration camp in Germany and seeing horrors that give him nightmares.
Btw, human rights are of extreme importance to me, but like all man made governments I believe failure and corruption are the end result.
That said, I don’t believe any of man’s governments are very good. Always corruption no matter the ideal. So I don’t endorse any political party. I’m looking elsewhere for answers. I don’t particularly care for all the politics in everything. Read the rest of my post. I believe in treating people equally and fairly and I currently enjoy the religious freedoms we have here, although they are on life support and will eventually go away. I suppose my sarcastic dig did make me sound flippant, but his comment that the left have the best songwriters was outrageous to my ear. But I still tempered my remarks . HAve a cold one, relax, enjoy some good ol country music. I recommend Waylon. Willie, Dolly, Merle, Loretta, Chris, Dale . I mean no harm.Cheers!
the pistolero
January 26, 2017 @ 7:23 pm
There is no middle ground.
No middle ground, eh? Do you want a Donald Trump re-election? Because that’s how you get a Donald Trump re-election.
Seriously, this ‘all politics all the time’ in every single thing is going to destroy us. You kinda should expect political commentary from Steve Earle or maybe (to a lesser extent) Jason Boland, but why should a George Strait or Randy Rogers be condemned for not going on anti-Donald Trump tirades in studio or on stage, or, fuck, anywhere else for that matter? It is grossly unfair to them as artists and to their fans, and as Americans they don’t deserve to be called out for bigotry they’ve never expressed by Progressive assholes who are all pissy about everyone not falling in line with their agenda.
Amber
January 26, 2017 @ 7:39 pm
I see songwriters running to their guitars to write left leaning politically charged Country songs for artists that want to be in RS. Was that the intent?
Big Daddy
January 26, 2017 @ 7:49 pm
I’m a relatively new fan of country music, about a year or two. I grew up on rock/metal music and I still love some of those bands. Rock music is inherently rebellious and has a political slant. What drew me into country is the real life, day to day “stories”. I can relate to working hard or being down on my luck or in love or…we’ll you get the point. That’s what I want when I flip on some Cody Jinks or Blackberry Smoke. When I feel like I want to rebel against the system, Motörhead suits me fine.
That doesn’t mean that country couldn’t get political, I just don’t expect it to and I would never think an artist has an obligation to.
Alexander Grant
January 26, 2017 @ 8:05 pm
The fact that people actually care what country singers or any celebrities for that matter think about politics is disturbing. Who the hell cares what they think about politics? Also I think the premise of the Rolling Stone article is flawed because it doesn’t seem to work when celebrities come out and endorse or support someone. They certainly have the right to speak up if they feel necessary but I know that regardless of if they support a politician or are against a politician it won’t sway me at all.
Big Red
January 26, 2017 @ 8:25 pm
Trig, I gotta give you props for NOT being political in this article. (And elsewhere, for that matter.) You write one thing that makes me think you might lean one direction, then, in the next paragraph, I wonder if you lean the other direction. Whatever way you lean, it’s written in a way that leads me to think you’ve got a good grasp on different issues from both/all sides. I hold to some pretty strong opinions myself but I’m sick and tried of every little thing being a political storm – no matter what side it’s on. I’m thankful to not have to see or hear the political stuff in your articles. I truly appreciate the fine line you walk here.
Rebecca Gavin
January 26, 2017 @ 9:26 pm
Musicians speaking out about politics is a dangerous and risky venture for them. There is a singer/songwriter I think highly of who wrote an impassioned FB message to all his fans about Bernie Sanders (as did Amanda Palmer). It so happens that I, though very Liberal,cannot stand Senator Sanders and think he has some blame in Clinton’s loss. My opinion is neither here nor there, but that FB message left a bad taste in my mouth. I would like to say that it has no bearing on what musicians I support, but my motivation to buy one of Webley or Palmer’s albums, or go see one of their shows, especially if there is competition for those $$$ is, for better or worse, lower than it was. And really, what do they know about politics? Not much. I think like Hank III said, musicians should not share their political opinions. If they do, they should be prepared to take the risk of alienating fans.
Adrian
January 27, 2017 @ 9:43 am
Clinton lost because of her own weaknesses as a candidate. There is a large population of left leaning voters whose could not relate to Hillary’s establishment friendly agenda and message. That left a big enough opening for Sanders to gain a following, but not to win the nomination.
Jack Williams
January 27, 2017 @ 10:27 am
That is true. She was a weak candidate with tons of baggage. Yet she still got almost three million more votes than Trump (2.1 % more votes), got roughly the same amount of votes as Obama in 2012, very well would have won if not for Comey’s letter to Congress (that’s the judgeement of 538 pollster Nate Silver, who had given Trump a very real 30% chance to win), and was hurt at least to some extent by Russian hacks, which were gleefully used by Trump.
Adrian
January 27, 2017 @ 12:29 am
This week there have been several rather entertaining news articles about T-Swift getting slammed on social media for not showing up for last weekend’s Women’s March. It’s the latest incident in the awkward dance that has been going on between Taylor and the feminist movement for years. It illustrates the confused state of mind of many of today’s young American females, largely created by progressives pushing political correctness. Anyway it is quite cathartic to see the feminists get their panties into a bunch over something this trivial.
Trigger
January 27, 2017 @ 11:02 am
The stories I’ve seen are Taylor Swift getting slammed for putting out a positive tweet about the march. This proves my point that as an artist, you can’t win when getting involved in some of these political arguments. She doesn’t go, and gets slammed. Shows her support on Twitter, gets slammed. Good thing she can just “Shake It Off” 🙂
She’s a pop star for crying out loud.
Adrian
January 27, 2017 @ 10:16 pm
I have a somewhat different perspective. Taylor has a “political” role of her own making. People who are not elected officials can have jobs that are highly political in nature. She did not make it on her vocal talent. She became a big star by making herself into a cult figure, representing a constituency (e.g. insecure white girls who felt that they were socially left behind). She sold millions of albums and sold out shows by speaking to the hopes and dreams and fears of this identity group, a demographic that the feminist movement also covets as potential supporters.
Her message has largely been about female identity. She also evolved her persona and her message in recent years to expand her fan base into the 18-25 urban and college female demographic, which identifies strongly with progressive feminists. But some feminists don’t like her because they think she isn’t really one of them. So even if she doesn’t want to talk publicly about Republicans and Democrats, she cannot realistically avoid politically sensitive subjects around gender. Many other music artists have positioned themselves such that they can avoid contentious political issues, but she cannot because of choices she had made in her career.
Rick
January 27, 2017 @ 12:54 am
Rolling Stone magazine has always been a steaming pile of leftist bullshit, so is it surprising their so called country music magazine would follow down the same manure ridden pathway? I don’t give a rat’s ass about what any leftist leaning publication has to say on any subject, and anything related to Rolling Stone falls squarely in the middle of that cesspool…
Jack Williams
January 27, 2017 @ 9:22 am
For some reason, the country music artist that jumped into my mind when hearing about this article is Marty Stuart. From his work and some statements he’s made, it seems to me that he has compassion for all disenfranchised Americans and not just the white ones. Also, I would think he’s smart enough to see through Trump’s New York City huckster act (If anyone thinks Trump really cares about the rural disenfranchised and “loves the poorly educated,” as he said, I have a bridge to sell you.). I’ve seen Marty twice at The Birchmere in Alexandria, VA. Alexandria is the bluest part of Blue Virginia, but I would not say that the crowd that he draws there is blue. I think a fair amount of people might have traveled an hour or two to see him there and that’s all it takes to no longer be in Blue Virginia (and even Blue Virginia isn’t all blue). He’s going to be there again in late April and I need to buy my ticket. Also, I’ll need to show up a little earlier if I want a better seat. Last time, I got there about 90 minutes before the show and the place was almost packed. I would be interested to hear what he thinks about the current situation, because of his background and my respect for him as an artist, but he’s under no obligation to do so. I certainly would rather he not do so at a live show, whatever his views might be.
Chris
January 27, 2017 @ 10:38 am
I agree completely with Trig’s assessment.
I truly appreciate it when actors, musicians, athletes, etc. don’t burden me with their political ideas.
I don’t look to them for that type of guidance and I ignore it when they feel the need to “get political”, so to speak.
If they are too overpowering, I tune them out altogether (literally).
Country music doesn’t have the same agenda-driven history as rock.
With some exceptions, of course.
And let’s not forget that Rolling Stone (and its sister country publication) do not exactly have the journalistic gravatis and moral standing to be calling anyone to action for anything (other than to keep playing great riffs).
Rolling Stone, with its false and defamatory rape accusation against a UVA fraternity, puts a name and a face on “fake news”.
Rolling Stone should be a wholly-owned subsidiary of a fraternity right now.
I would no sooner look to Rolling Stone for political analysis than I would to Gun and Garden (which is a pretty cool magazine, I might add).
Rolling Stone, as an institution, has itself become somewhat of an anachronism.
Jack Williams
January 27, 2017 @ 10:47 am
I’m not a conservative, but I agree with every word you wrote about Rolling Stone. And actually, I don’t even go to it much for musical info. For example, I do love Bruce Springteen, but when they gave his Working On A Dream albums 5 Stars (!), that was the last straw.
Will James
January 27, 2017 @ 11:01 am
When I had a chance to book the pedal steel great Jay Dee Maness, I went to his Facebook page and was not thrilled with some of the Trumpesque memes and stupidity there. I called him and talked to him about it. He just said, “Well I think we can agree that politics and religion aren’t going to solve anything.” I could live with that. He’s a great guy, was super at the show, and asked for my opinion on his latest disk. And besides, he doesn’t talk on stage! Great guy.
Dan
January 27, 2017 @ 11:28 am
I don’t really care if an artist has political opinions or even if they express them so long as they don’t shit on MY opinions in doing so. It’s OK to disagree but be respectful about it.
Neutral Canuck
January 27, 2017 @ 3:55 pm
Personally, I don’t care who somebody voted for, or who they support. If George Strait said “I am a Hillary/Trump supporter and I donated $10,000 to her/his campaign”, I would have no problem with that. When people ask me who I vote for, I tell them. Why shouldn’t famous people have the right to do so as well? I also have no problem with songs tackling controversial social issues, even when I disagree with them. As long as they’re done in a thought-provoking and intelligent way.
For me, I’m pretty easy going, even on controversial topics like gay marriage. Some people are anti-gay marriage, and some people are anti-people who are anti-gay marriage. For me, I don’t care. As long as you’re not either waving a gay flag in my face, or telling me that you hate gay people, I don’t care what you think.
Where I draw the line, however, is when these “political” stances just turn into grotesque displays of virtue-signalling and senseless drivel. Look at Madonna, for instance. She’s ‘anti-Trump’ as RS seems to want. Is she really helping anything? Soon, their music seems to come in second to their political agenda, and I have no interest in taking part in that.
So basically: I don’t care who you vote for, or who you support, on a personal level. Just don’t push it in my face, especially not in a condescending way. And don’t let politics become the primary focus of your career.
DT25
January 27, 2017 @ 9:28 pm
If I cared about the politics of my favorite artists, there’s no way I’d be as big of a Steve Earle fan as I am. But the music is so good I just don’t care.
Mike W.
January 28, 2017 @ 12:04 pm
I will say, while I don’t need my artists to get “political”, I do want more artists to explore rural disenfranchisement and the struggles of rural/rust belt America more. I know a lot of the independent artists have been doing this and they deserve credit for this, but Country radio once wasn’t afraid to explore what was going on in the Country. I don’t need Tim McGraw to stump for Democratic policies, anymore than I need Toby Keith to stump for Trump’s policies. What I DO want to see more of are songwriters and artists who aren’t afraid to explore what is actually happening in America. During the Great Recession, we heard nary a peep about the struggles of working-class and middle-class Americans (who were exponentially hurt more by the economic collapse than the wealthy) from Country artists. Sure, an artist might record a song on an album that hinted at it, but by in large Kenny Chesney sang about the islands that working-class people will never be able to visit and Brad Paisley sang another soccer mom song. Maybe its unrealistic to expect since the void of talent at Country radio is so damn deep, and maybe mainstream Country fans are content to be blissfully unaware of the hurt and pain going on in large sections of America.
It’s a damn shame however that the 1960’s and 70’s had historically great Country songs talking about War, poverty, and shifting social dynamics and when historians look back on this era of Country music the content will only cover beer, trucks, and cut-offs. That’s just damn sad.
U.S. SAM
January 31, 2017 @ 2:37 pm
If your a citizen of the U.S.A. you got a right to speak your mind.. Celebrity or NOT… I think the biggest issue folks have with “stars” speaking their minds is that People are actually listening & care what they think..unlike Every Day Joe/Jill Nobody.. whom no one really gives a flying fish what they think…..
Greg Green
February 13, 2017 @ 9:19 pm
I’m a little late, but Lady Gaga had a non political half time show that “just” entertained. Her sales jumped 1000%. There’s money to be made in non political entertainment!
Fuck Trigger
March 29, 2019 @ 10:46 am
You literally comment daily about how things are too P.C. and “the monoculture” and yet you publish this… I have to laugh.