Comments on: Premium Label

By: Travis McClain

Travis McClain — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 18:16:59 +0000

The problem all the way around seems to be that each label has one A-level artist their marketing department spends their time on, a couple of B-level artists that kind of rotate and everyone else is on a very short leash with minimal support.

I’m very interested to see what happens at Big Machine Records now that Rascal Flatts (formerly the A-level act at Lyric Street) will be competing with Taylor Swift for marketing attention.

And it seems that this formula is found regardless of the size of the label. Lost Highway’s current roster is alright (I enjoy Hayes Carll and Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, though the latter isn’t country). But consider that just a couple years ago, they also released albums by Willie Nelson, Ryan Adams, Shelby Lynne, Van Morrison…all of whom have left the label.

By: Paul W Drennis

Paul W Drennis — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 14:30:32 +0000

I should mention that I expect Rounder to maintain its quality standards. Concord, primarily a jazz label, has, (along with Blue Note,Verve and Pablo) been the gold standard for quality jazz releases.

By: Leeann Ward

Leeann Ward — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 04:16:28 +0000

My bad for not mentioning MCC and Rounder.

By: John

John — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 03:41:53 +0000

Rounder has the consistent roster that I enjoy (and includes Mary Chapin Carpenter as well). There just doesn’t seem to be the commitment to building acts at the mainstream labels like there was in the 90s, which is why labels like Arista don’t have the same cred anymore. I’m interested to see what happens with Big Machine and Valory in the future.

By: Paul W Dennis

Paul W Dennis — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 18:07:49 +0000

During the 1960s and 1970s Decca/MCA and RCA were my favorite labels. Decca had ET, Kitty Wells, Webb Pierce, Red Foley, Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, Bill Monroe, The Osborne Brothers, Jimmy Martin, Cal Smith, Jack Greene, Matthews Southern Comfort, Burl Ives and many more.

RCA had Bobby Bare, Waylon Jennings, Charley Pride, Connie Smith, Elvis, Porter & Dolly, Kenny Price and Nat Stuckey.

Since the end of the 1980s, no label has maintained such deep rosters, so I really haven’t had a favorite country label other than Bear. In recent years Heart of Texas has produced the most consistantly good music

By: Razor X

Razor X — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 17:30:34 +0000

I have to concur with Leeann. Most of my favorite releases lately have been on Sugar Hill or Rounder. No major label is consistently putting out a good product these days. In the 90s, MCA was definitely the creme de la creme.

By: Sam G.

Sam G. — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 17:01:55 +0000

Arista in the ’90s was pretty reliable. Along with those you mentioned, the debut albums from Brooks & Dunn and The Tractors were pretty killer, too.

New West (Old 97s, Corb Lund, Buddy & Julie Miller, The Flatlanders, Steve Earle, etc.) is pretty high quality these days, as is Lost Highway (Hayes Carll, Ryan Bingham, Robert Earl Keen, Lucinda Williams).

By: Alan Jackson Recognized By ASCAP; New Releases; Stream Kenney Chesney; Elizabeth Cook Sessions | The 9513

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 16:30:47 +0000

[...] Country Universe’s Leeann Ward: What is the record label that you most admire and can count on to release your favorite music? [...]

By: Occasional Hope

Occasional Hope — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 17:48:45 +0000

I think Rural Rhythm is consistently good for bluegrass releases.

By: Jordan Stacey

Jordan Stacey — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 17:46:43 +0000

Well now days I don’t think any label really catches my attention. But when I look at my most played artists on LastFM it’s all from either MCA or Mercury from the ninties.

Terri Clark (Mercury)
George Strait (MCA)
Reba McEntire (MCA)
Gary Allan (MCA)
Trisha Yearwood (MCA
Sugarland (Mercury)
Lee Ann Womack (MCA)
Patty Loveless (MCA)
Shania Twain (Mercury)

those are all in my top 20 artists. So I guess I used to like their rosters.