“Truck Yeah”: Big Machine & Curb Competing w/ Tim McGraw Singles
An outright street fight of mammoth proportions is breaking out on Music Row in Nashville, the legendary stretch of asphalt where many of country music’s major labels hold their headquarters. The brawl is pitting two of Music Row’s heaviest hitters against each other, Mike Curb of Curb Records, representing the old guard and the heavy-handed restrictive way of handling artists, and the up-and-comer, Scott Borchetta, the Country Music Anti-Christ.
The two Nashville-based record labels, located mere blocks from each other are lobbing competing Tim McGraw radio singles at each other like grenades, a very unique and virtually unheard of scenario in music. McGraw, who was signed to Curb for some 20 years, signed with Borchetta’s Big Machine label last month. At the press conference announcing the new McGraw signing, Borchetta hinted competing singles may be released, and today made it official when Big Machine announced that they will release “Truck Yeah” from McGraw on Tuesday, July 3rd.
Curb, who had been holding back McGraw’s last album Emotional Traffic in hopes to indefinitely extend his contract, immediately began releasing singles from the album as soon as they lost a key court battle that allowed McGraw to record with another label. McGraw has a current single from Emotional Traffic “Right Back Atcha Babe” out right now, climbing the charts. Now the two singles, the two labels, and the two men, Borchetta and Curb, will be competing for the attention of the general public.
This development is very significant for Music Row, a usually tight knit fraternity of music business colleagues. Now you have arguably the two most significant Music Row citizens duking it out. Many major labels have satellite offices on Music Row, but are based in other cities like New York, LA, or London. Curb Records and Big Machine are the two major Nashville-based, independently-owned labels that call Music Row home.
“Truck Yeah” also marks a significant change in Tim McGraw’s style. Aside from his first major single, the controversial “Indian Outlaw”, McGraw has been known for more serious material, sometimes labeled as the adult contemporary star of country music. “Truck Yeah” with it’s heavy guitar smacks of the arena rock, laundry list songs that have become so popular over the last couple of years in mainstream country music.
Who will win this battle we will have to see. But the most significant development to take away from this is that Music Row now is not only battling the forces from the outside–illegal downloaders, traditionalists mad at the direction of country, artists wanting more freedom, etc.–it is now fighting itself.
BigSTEM51
June 26, 2012 @ 9:33 am
I really don’t want to but I must listen to this song to see if it’s as fucking stupid as the name suggests.
desperado28
June 26, 2012 @ 9:35 am
I did, and it is
goldencountry
June 26, 2012 @ 10:13 am
ditto awful song.
Andy Vaughan
June 26, 2012 @ 9:42 am
Jesus H Christ, that is one of the worst fucking songs I have ever heard.
Andrew
June 26, 2012 @ 9:54 am
Well, Curb has the better of the two songs in this fight. But that’s like saying Curb is the tallest midget.
BCM
June 26, 2012 @ 9:55 am
Truck no.
BigSTEM51
June 26, 2012 @ 10:06 am
The sad thing is Tim McGraw has released some good songs…as far as main stream country goes. But for every good one, you get 2 piles of horse flop like this.
goldencountry
June 26, 2012 @ 10:15 am
I can barely make out the words. Maybe that is a good thing lol
Jack Williams
June 26, 2012 @ 10:37 am
This could work as an Earl Dibbles Jr. song.
Big A
June 26, 2012 @ 12:10 pm
I don’t know man. Doesn’t seem like there’s enough dippin’ and crackin’ cold ones for an Earl tune.
Jack Williams
June 26, 2012 @ 12:47 pm
DIP! I still laugh everytime I see that. And I’ve watched the video about a dozen times.
DownSouth
June 26, 2012 @ 12:51 pm
If McGraw’s truck has doors than Earl Dibbles Jr. don’t want any part of it. Doors are for city boys who always be runnin’ they mouths.
Big A
June 26, 2012 @ 1:12 pm
I hope McGraw’s truck gets stuck, ’cause you know Earl ain’t pullin’ him out.
Jack Williams
June 26, 2012 @ 1:17 pm
Best not ask Earl for any drinking water, either. Build yer own damn windmill, city boy!
TX Music Jim
June 26, 2012 @ 11:09 am
Truck yeah, seriously! Nashvegas is beyond hope may her walls come tumbling down once and for all.
PB
June 26, 2012 @ 11:52 am
He’s allmost rapping, cool that is so creative and unique. I’m impressed! He’s just as awesome as kid rock now.
The Triggerman
June 26, 2012 @ 12:54 pm
That’s all laundry list country songs are. They are rap songs. No melody, no story, simply a spewing of artifacts related to materialism and country living. In fact most rap songs have more story and creativity than this. It’s the mono-genre rearing it’s evil head. No contrast.
Dawn Of The Dan
June 26, 2012 @ 12:21 pm
With his newfound creative freedom, Tim McGraw unleashes a turd like this?
When Willie won his freedom, he released Red-Headed Stranger. Waylon released Honky Tonk Heroes. Hank 3 released Straight To Hell.
If this is truly the kind of music Tim has fought so hard to record, then I must question his sanity. He has the fans. Why not try for a wee bit of critical acclaim?
The Triggerman
June 26, 2012 @ 12:55 pm
I wonder if Mike Curb is secretly laughing his ass off at this. Tim and Borchetta better score big with this. From a creative point of view, it makes Tim look like a complete sellout.
Wade
June 26, 2012 @ 7:22 pm
Looks aint deceiving. He has been a sellout since about album #3.
MH
June 26, 2012 @ 1:24 pm
Much different era. Back in the 70s, you didn’t have Clear Channel owning umpteen million radio stations and controlling a 12-song playlist that consisted of bland, non-polarizing, vanilla songs for a suburban soccer mom demographic.
Dawn Of The Dan
June 26, 2012 @ 12:31 pm
Something else that bothers me about this: His stage show. How much time was spent rehearsing? This is horrible.
“Ok, gang. At the opening of Truck Yeah, let’s all take a knee stage center. It’ll be fabulous!”
I’m not complaining about the quality of the choreography. I’m complaining about the fact that the choreography even exists! I can’t imagine any of the legends EVER doing stage rehearsals. What’s wrong with just standing there, the band in the background, and you singing, front and center?
Chad Nordhoff
June 26, 2012 @ 3:07 pm
The legends surely had some stage rehearsals and such. Hank Sr did commercials. They were in showbiz after all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVr0M7WCBu4&feature=fvwrel
Not that that makes Tim McGraw any less of a douche.
MH
June 26, 2012 @ 1:15 pm
Oh look, another truck song.
MH
June 26, 2012 @ 1:28 pm
How about this gem from Music Row’s website:
Select members of the industry enjoyed a sneak preview of McGraw”™s music for Big Machine Friday (6/22) at Notable Blends Coffee House in Nashville. Before playing four tracks, including “Truck Yeah,” BMLG head Scott Borchetta told the attendees, “These songs coming are epic. I know that”™s a big word, but I believe these are the best songs Tim has ever done.” After one listen, it was apparent the invited guests agreed.
More like “epic failure.”
CapnWain
June 26, 2012 @ 1:54 pm
Holy Truck Stop (please…make it stop) Batman, that is just… I dunno, words escape me in trying to describe how bad that is.
Style question: Should one wear a black plastic cowboy hat with an all white suit? Shouldn’t he at least go Boss Hogg and wear a white hat?
MH
June 26, 2012 @ 2:14 pm
He looks like a damn house painter.
Allen Smith
June 26, 2012 @ 2:55 pm
Wow, just wow!!! If this is what it takes to make a song or an epic song, I’m in the wrong business.
Karen
June 26, 2012 @ 3:04 pm
I never did get Tim McGraw, or Faith, for that matter.
Wayfast
June 26, 2012 @ 3:30 pm
After forcing myself to listen to “truck yeah” i’d be very trucking surprised if this wasn’t a huge hit.
Jack Williams
June 26, 2012 @ 4:19 pm
I think this might be the most ridiculous laundry list song I’ve heard yet. Monumentally, stupefyingly bad.
doombuggy
June 26, 2012 @ 5:24 pm
Of course it is bad. It’s Tim McGraw. Did anyone expect it to not be? But I wonder, what is the aftermath going to be. Anything? Will it amount to anything more than mainstream country fans scratching their heads and sayin “Boy, Tim McGraw sure is putting out a buncha hits! Go buy botha them new records… especially that one he raps in. He sounds so gangster!”
David W
June 26, 2012 @ 6:29 pm
you know what the just absolutely sad things is….this will sell a million copies……it makes me want to stick a pistol in my mouth. This kind of garbage will be what introduces some people to country music. Its just…i dont even know . I guess depressing is the right word.
sama
June 26, 2012 @ 6:54 pm
i would of thought the first thing he would of done was get rid of that stupid plastic hat
RWP
June 26, 2012 @ 8:04 pm
I made it 46 seconds through that video.Kinda proud of myself.
HBHQ
June 27, 2012 @ 7:00 am
a great follow up to “Indian Outlaw”, way to go Tim! We are your biggest fans. Thank you so much for classin up country music! Im on my way to buy some v-necks – You insppire me.
Skelton
June 27, 2012 @ 7:43 am
LMAO…ya, that’s about what I expected.
Thankfully, the sound to this vid is bad so I couldn’t make all the words out but they seemed to get out many of the cliche words that will make the pop country fans run out and buy this shite.
I don’t get bent outta shape or waste time debating on the current state of country music, I listen the odd time to FM for nothing more than a laugh. Because that’s what it is, a joke and a nightmare all in one.
Thankfully, we can still turn the dial to a trustworthy station. Not sure what I’d do without Sirius 60 Outlaw country or Badlands station via Internet radio.
Thanks for the vid, it started my day off with a good laugh & made me feel like I should go shopping for White jeans…….Not!! 🙂
KC
June 27, 2012 @ 8:30 am
He must count his Escalade as a truck.
Lunchbox
June 28, 2012 @ 3:48 pm
Curb & Big Machine arent competeing anymore,lol. ol Timmy boy still owes them an album…and all the songs he made with Big Machine are property of Curb now.
The Triggerman
June 28, 2012 @ 5:02 pm
I don’t believe that is true. There’s a lot of misinformation about this story. That’s just what Curb is asking for.
Monalisa
August 12, 2012 @ 7:35 pm
I really loved the song! The music was great, because it was different! For people don’t understand the ref. to Lil Wayne; some of us listen to all types of music just like we hang out with all types of people! We know that there is so much more out there for us to learn and experience! I say “YEAH” to this new “Truck Yeah” song! I can’t wait for the album to come out! Tim McGraw listen to you sole to pick your music and remember “you can’t please everybody, you just please yourself” from “Garden Party”
Jmy
November 22, 2012 @ 7:48 pm
This song is badass if cant understand the lyrics lay off the shine and the fuckin drugs