Country Universe

Crunching the Numbers: July 2008, Digital Edition

July 25, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 7

One of the reasons cited for country's dramatic sales dip last year was that the consumer base was slow to adapting to digital distribution. Taking a look at both current and all-time digital sales, it's

Friday Open Thread: Personal Theme Song

July 24, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 30

Okay, I want to have some fun on this thread, and for good reason: As of 9:35 p.m., EST., I have completed the last of my work for my first Master's degree. Every big moment

Thursday Open Thread: Bring Back the Superstar Duet Albums!

July 24, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 29

This Robert Plant & Alison Krauss collaboration left successful behind a while ago and is entering full-blown phenomenon territory: Robert Plant and Alison Krauss' Raising Sand is one of 12 albums nominated for the Mercury

Kristy Lee Cook, “Fifteen Minutes of Shame”

July 23, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 14

I’m going to come right out and say it at the beginning: I like the single. Yes, Kristy Lee Cook was an instant punchline this season on American Idol, but she really impressed me when

Wednesday Open Thread: Blog Roll Call

July 22, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 28

I have a tendency to blog in a vacuum. The combination of work and school makes updating and maintaining my own site a challenge, so I don't get as much time as I'd like to

Sound Off: Danielle Blakey, "Driving Song"

July 22, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 51

Today's featured artist is Danielle Blakey, another talent from Australia. Here's a bit of her bio: Young, fresh and gorgeous, DANIELLE BLAKEY has already come to the attention of Star Maker judges, US TV producers

Blake Shelton, “She Wouldn’t Be Gone”

July 22, 2008 Leeann Ward 11

Blake Shelton has, arguably, one of the strongest voices in country music today. This fact is evident on his latest single, “She Wouldn’t Be Gone” While this song may be another composition about the regret

Dolly Parton, “Shinola”

July 22, 2008 Leeann Ward 2

Dolly’s had enough, and as you’d expect from Ms. Parton, she doesn’t mince words as she gives this arrogant jerk the proverbial boot: “You don’t know love from shinola/With You, love is not what I found/A

Trace Adkins, “Muddy Water”

July 22, 2008 Leeann Ward 7

Maybe he was helped by his stint in a gospel quartet, but Trace Adkins’ voice sounds like it was specifically made to sing gospel music. He sings this song of redemption with power, but does

Tuesday Open Thread: In Praise of the Ten-Song Album

July 21, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 0

Is it just me, or are country albums too bloated these days? Alan Jackson’s Good Time is a decent album, but at seventeen tracks, it’s too much to listen to in one sitting. I remember