One time, I hijacked an interview with Kip Moore. When I moved in, I was unaware that I wasn’t a part of his strict schedule of making the rounds.
Kip silently held out his palm to indicate, “Don’t worry about it,” while his record label representative texted and knocked (or banged?) on the door. I asked him which he would prefer during that conversation: a No. 1 album or a sold-out tour. That rep probably didn’t appreciate his response.
Because I blend serious, thoughtful inquiries about his life and music with banter about his most recent hairstyle and romantic relationships, Kip alternates between enjoying my presence and putting up with me. Compared to other country music blogs, Taste of Country has always been a little more lighthearted, and a sizable portion of both our and his audience are pleased when he eye-rolls through scenes like these:
I questioned six artists about the value of record companies to their careers a few years ago. Walker Hayes, who was well aware that he lacked the resources to independently promote his work, made a compelling case for the piece’s necessity, but it never really took off.
Kip Moore does. He will release his new album, Solitary Track, on the Slowhearts Productions LLC label (via Virigin Music Group) on February 28. His target audience, which is slightly off-mainstream, is the target of the 23 songs, which promise to hit them in the heart. What has made him so intriguing—and perhaps irritating from the standpoint of the record label—is his determination to change his purpose.
Kip has officially had five Top 5 hits, with “More Girls Like You” from 2017 being the most recent. But it was after that he wrote his best songs.With songs like Janie Blu and Sweet Virginia standing out alongside his Top 20 hit, She’s Mine, Wild World (2020) is a multilayered epiphany.
Moore’s dedication on prioritizing his fans is exemplified by the fact that Red White Blue Jean American Dream was never a single. It’s a decent song that another performer might have made a hit with. Moore might have even made it to the Top 10, but he would have annoyed the left-leaning audience in the process.
Nevertheless, “She’s Mine” emphasizes the need for Kip to continue to be mindful of the mainstream as a possible source of new listeners. If he is allowed to form his own opinions, I fear he may become overly reflective. Balance is provided by enjoyable, pop-friendly country-rock songs like this one.
Another musician who recently went independent is Chase Rice, and he will benefit from it as well. What these two men have in common will help them get going. Zach Bryan is lacking something.
What New Artists Can Learn From Zach Bryan
What term would you use to describe Zach Bryan’s most outburston social media posts?
Is it a tirade?
Did he return the clap?
Maybe we should just refer to his recent batch of Instagram Story posts as an episode. Though it seems he blocked Taste of Country for unclear reasons, at least he kept his Instagram page intact this time.
This moment from The Office comes to mind.
Because Zach never eye-rolled during interviews the way Kip Moore did, he isn’t being given the benefit of the doubt. Though there hasn’t been much effort to make amends on the back end, Bryan’s rise to the top came before he had the opportunity to properly introduce himself to the larger community.
His social media presence and the opinions of others, such as his ex-girlfriend Brianna LaPaglia, define him because we don’t know him.
Even his own fans appear to be becoming tired of the extra drama he inserts between songs and albums, despite the fact that his talent and background have earned him some leniency. You would think he was supporting gun regulation because of how silent the rural community has been.
To understand what I mean, search for his name on Twitter/X.
Jelly Rollepitomizes the opposite strategy, and the media’s treatment of him reflects this. Therefore, the straightforward advise for aspiring artists is to emulate him more and less in terms of publicity than Zach. A long career is the result of playing the long game.
Self-Promotional Social Media Moment of the Week:
We questioned Ella Langley about her inner redneck when she joined us at CMA Radio Row. The girl isn’t playing around:
Future of Country Music
Next week marks the start of 2025’s first country music tours.The headlining tours of Cody Johnson, Zach Top, Muscadine Bloodline, and Randy Travis (Jan. 10) have begun. For very different reasons, I find each of these performers fascinating, but if I had to purchase a ticket to only one, it would most likely be Muscadine Bloodline. They do really unique things, and I’ve never seen them perform live before.
Big Machine signed them to a record deal earlier this month, I believe, for that reason. On January 21, look for a song called “10-90” to be played on country radio.
On the musical front, Lanco will release a new album on January 17. It’s their first since 2018 and is titled We’re Gonna Make It.
New Country Music Released This Week (Jan. 4-10):
The War + Treaty’s new single, “Save Meleads,” is a courteous collection of songs that were made available on digital platforms on Friday, January 10. You should read Carena Liptak’s conversation with Tanya and Michael from Taste of Country. They discuss their upcoming album, which will be released on February 14.
They also discuss why country radio hasn’t taken off with them yet.
This Week In Country Music History
George Clooney made his film debut as Ulysses Everett McGill in O Brother, Where Art Thou? on January 12, 2001.The film and its music were the year’s biggest surprise hits, and Dan Tyminski sang.
I return to see the last scene around once a year. I love an underdog, even when it makes me cry.
