Back To The Future

Back to the future, indeed ... think about it ... singles rule over albums ... Garth has returned ... The Broadway musical returns to TV for the first time since 1955! A boy-band rules pop music.

This has been an odd year. The hard news has been filled with negative and many stories like the health care issue ... simply dDepressing.

Sports have served their purpose as great distractions. I attended the Alabama/Auburn Iron Bowl and I'm still distracted.

The return of Garth Brooks' band and his sales strength sitting at #1 at Christmas, the loss of George Jones ... The rise of Fla-Ga Line, the fall of the female singers in Country.

When you thought Taylor Swift couldn't get higher, she did. Variety -- playing for Royals and the Victoria Secret fashion show. She was everywhere and selling concert tickets like no one. It will be an amazing story some day . How did this happen? Brilliant talent meets brilliant marketing is the answer.

How about Carrie Underwood snagging the TV event of the year or last few years, for that matter.

Sort of been a ... no. it has been a really bad year for the ALBUM. If anything died this year, it was album sales for veteran Country acts. Myself, I think the album is done -- but I don't have an alternate plan. People now buy their music a little at the time. Downloads like the 6 million Cruise tracks. Would that song have powered an album to 6-7 million sold? The old days, probably yes. Can't imagine what Taylor Swift sales would have been if there were no single downloads.

The business model is what's in trouble. The consumer just picks at the music like in a cafeteria. The single versus the album ... a battle the great Jimmy Bowen fought when he was King of Music Row. Album sales in Country used to be nonexistent. The single and jukebox were kings. Now the digital download rules. It's Back to the Future...

The rebirth of Tim McGraw has been amazing. He was the subject of Taylor's first song and is a King in her universe.

It wasn't voodoo. His project was really good. There is still a song about "Can't Imagine Nashville Without You" that is great. I'm glad Tim is back and Shania, too, for that matter.

Garth, Tim,S hania were all playing Vegas at the same time earlier this year. That was cool.

The senior tour is in good shape and the rookies are too many to count.

The TV talent shows keep sending us folks. They all are talented.

The artiss with 10 years under their belt ... that's where the crisis might be. Tim was one of those and look what they did with him. Find the formula and copy it, folks. There are so many great artists who started around 2000 who have a lot more to do. They just need marketing and imagination in projects. The labels of their birth seem to be stumbling.

Or have given up on them in general.

Let's hope the 10-year veterans find their way with some great imagination in 2014.

Garth has done all his comeback without radio, for the most part. Maybe that's the path. The corporate radio guys want to hang with the teenagers. That's fine since that is where the future is. But you can't make a meal out of baby acts.

The stars are the veterans. MERGE their lives ... everyone is happy ...

Make this tent as wide as we claim it is in 2014. So much talent in this town.

Nashville on TV ... soap operas ... Carnegie Hall ... Fenway Park ... Staples Center ... The Hollywood Bowl. We play second fiddle to no one.

2014: Amp up the imagination now so we keep all this...