SONGS YOU SHOULD BE LISTENING TO: FRIDAY, JANUARY 7

Welcome to a new year! This year, tune into newer artists as well as veteran artists who are still releasing new music and give them some exposure. There is some good stuff released to digital outlets everywhere this week - check 'em out and please #sharethemusic!

If you are able to leave a review on the outlet you use, please do so and let them know how you like the song. These reviews are so helpful to an artist and their team. If you don't like the song, be constructive in your review, not rude. The point is to help these artists, not discourage. And yes, I know there are LOTS of good songs that have been released the past week or two and they're not all listed here. I choose the ones that stand out to me and those might not always stand out to you but at least you've heard about them. Most of the time they won't be by artists who saturate today's country radio but there might be one or two in there if the song hits me right.

Be sure to check out the artist's websites and find out more about them and the latest tour dates. Connect with them on social media.

 "Forever Changed" (Family Reunion's Sweethearts Version) - T. Graham Brown

"Angelina" - Tracy Lawrence

"While She's Mine" - Paul Bogart

"Dreamer" - Home Free & Texas Hill

"Love Talking" - Eli Young Band

"Strangers" - Maddie and Tae

"Walk Out Backwards" - Teea Goans

"Whiskey Lullaby" - Jon Randall

"His Guitar" - Clayton Smalley

"All American Family Band" - Megan Mullins Owen

"Whiskey Wins" - Josh Kiser

"Long Ride Home" - Rick Huckaby

"Built Different" - Casey Donahew

"Upside of the Ground" - Ned LeDoux

POSITIVE MUSICAL INFLUENCES IN 2015

Music is a healing power, a sense of being, an answer to questions you never realized you had and answers to prayers you thought weren't heard. It's a positive influence on so many people in so many ways and we thought we'd share our choices of some of the artists that inspired, motivated and made us think about more than getting drunk, getting high or getting lucky in 2015. Their music had a message, the way they carry themselves left an impression and they created a positive presence in the world of country music. These artists provided a positive light to lead others, to be role models and to simply make a difference. These are the people whose influences we found to be most positive in 2015. If you have one you'd like to share, please leave a comment.

Joey and Rory

This couple defines inspiration. Joey gave birth to the sweetest baby girl with Downs Syndrome, Indiana in 2014 and in the middle of such a wonderful time for the family, also found out that Joey had cervical cancer. This year, it was announced that the cancer had spread and there was nothing medically that could be done so it was decided that she would halt treatments and leave her future in God's hands. During this time, you haven't heard a negative word from the family, you've only seen positive inspiration and a desire for Joey to live her days as only God knows and in the best way she can, as a mother, a wife, and a friend. Despite the prognosis and the physical pain she's endured, we have yet to see her without a smile on her face. With the country music world behind her in prayer, she has been seeing better days as of late, being able to actually get out of bed and spend time with her family laughing and smiling. If only we all had that positive spirit about us, this world would be a much better place.

Kelsea Ballerini

With a near constant smile on her face, Kelsea Ballerini can light up an entire room just by walking in, making the worst mood much better just with her positive attitude. There is nothing fake or put on about Kelsea, what you see is what you get. She's a positive role model for young girls, never selling herself on any assets other than her talent.  She's a breath of positive fresh air for this genre and it's refreshing that her voice doesn't need automated "adjustments", she is just perfect as she is. She's been on about every entertainment show there is, graced many a magazine cover, interviewed with countless outlets, won awards and done many things but what she hasn't done is let any of it change who she is.

Mo Pitney

Mo is an old soul with fresh ideas on how to bring the tradition and respect of country music back to the forefront, to remind us that it's ok to share your faith and to believe in a power higher than yourself. He's also a pleasant reminder that humility is a welcome thing and something we don't see that often in today's music world. He is always grateful and it reflects in his attitude and in his music. Mo has proven that it's ok to be a "Country" artist and that sticking to who you are is just fine.

Chris Stapleton

There is nothing about Chris Stapleton that isn't inspirational or motivational. His perseverance in the industry over the years without complaining that "Nashville doesn't know good music" or that certain artists or songs "aren't country" are things that reflect on the kind of person he is and what he's about ... he's content to just play the music and if the industry catches on, great, if they don't, he seems to be ok with that too. He's not about being the "next big thing" even though the industry FINALLY paid attention this year and now he really is the "next big thing". It hasn't changed who he is or how he behaves in the public eye. While the world is talking about how good he is, Chris remains the quiet, humble and appreciative guy he's always been. You won't see his face on every magazine cover. You won't see his shows crammed full of extra props and antics he doesn't need to distract from his talent .. what you'll see at a Chris Stapleton show is simply Chris, his guitar and a voice that was obviously one that God saw fit for the right person with the right heart.

Benton Blount

Having dealt with a devastating blow a few years ago when his record label closed without warning just before the radio release of his first single, Benton Blount didn't let that hold him back or make him bitter. What it did do is make him more determined to do things HIS way and do them the way that felt right for him. He also realized that what it did for him was give him time with his family, to be a present husband and father to his wife and young son (and new daughter that's on the way). This year, his second chance came in the form of "America's Got Talent" where he auditioned and was cut just before the Top 5 finals. This second chance has put Benton back in the game with a fan base that has grown exponentially and he released a single, "God Talks to Me". God talked to Benton in a big way this year and that talk has put him back on the path to success and he's proven that even the toughest obstacles are put in your way to see just how hard you are willing to fight to get past them. He fought and he won. The best of the rest is yet to come.

Maddie and Tae

These two outspoken young women virtually came out of nowhere and shook up the "bro country" world with their retort that women are more than a pair of cut off shorts and a tank top, that they're more than the typical description of a "Girl in a Country Song" and opened the door wide open for a female movement in country music. They followed up their smash debut with a song about spreading your wings and believing in your dreams with the inspirational tune, "Fly". Maddie and Tae are showing young girls and women alike that it's ok to stand tall and do your own thing, to just fly.

Miranda Lambert

It was a rough year for Miranda, full of ups but also full of more downs than anyone should have to deal with - intrusions by the media and Internet trolls speculating and pointing fingers about her divorce from Blake Shelton, photos of Blake and Gwen's new "relationship" plastered all over social media and television every time she batted an eye and she's handled the entire situation with class, grace and dignity, never saying a negative word in the press (at least not that I've seen or heard), keeping her social media timeline above board and showing the world that she's getting through this just fine and that it's not keeping her down. She may be quiet for the time being, but that certainly doesn't mean she's down for the count. Expect Miranda to come back like a champ in 2016 and to keep reminding us why we love her.

Randy Rogers

Randy Rogers went through an emotional roller coaster this year with the excitement of the birth of a dark haired beautiful baby girl named Rumer Rain, posting his family's joy on his social media timeline with a photo and announcement, only to be shattered by her death six days later. Rumer was diagnosed with Nonketotic Hyperglycinemia (NKH), which is a rare genetic disorder affecting only about 1 in 66,000 newborns each year in the United States and unfortunately has no cure. The condition impairs the brain and leads to seizures, limpness in the muscles, breathing and difficulties with feeding and lethargy. Instead of retreating, Randy continued forward armed with the information he now had on this disease to help other parents suffering from the same situation by joining with Seton Medical Center Austin to fund "nesting suites" for families of babies who have been assigned to neonatal intensive care. These suites allow families to remain with their child around the clock, to talk to doctors and nurses, and be part of their child's care system even if the mother has been discharged. He's making a positive difference out of his own personal loss for so many people.

Rusty Golden

Rusty Golden, the son of Oak Ridge Boys member, William Lee Golden, has been dependent on pain medication since health issues back in 2002. This addiction was a struggle for Rusty and eventually took him to Rob's Ranch in Oklahoma where he began his fight against the demons to regain his inner strength and become sober again. During his stay at the ranch, Rusty began to write and perform songs for others in ranch fighting this difficult battle. These songs began his  road to personal healing and lead him to "Sober", his emotional and personal album of these songs that inspired and motivated him to put the struggle behind him and move forward. Rusty wants his music to matter, to make a difference in someones life. This album is his way of making that happen.

Wade Hayes

Wade Hayes was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer in 2011 which went into remission in 2012. Since then Wade has been a positive and inspiring voice for those suffering from this life threatening disease. Shortly after finding out he had cancer, he wrote and released a single about the realization that his time was limited called "Is It Already Time". His faith has never wavered and his hope led him to his 2015 album with a message, "Go Live Your Life".  He also talks about his battle and participates in cancer awareness events to spread his words of hope and to remind people that we all have an expiration date and none of us know when that date is and until your time comes, you just have to believe and get out and live with the best of your abilities, be the best person you can and love as much as you can.

Mark Wills

Mark may not have new music out right now, but if you pay attention to his social media feeds, there is nothing this guy posts that isn't positive. Whether it be the regular posts about his love of country, the personal photos of he and his family, his belief and support of our military and it's veterans, or his funny selfies and "Dubsmash" videos, Mark always keeps it real and keeps us entertained in a positive way. Look for new music on the way from Mark in 2016, we'll be talking A LOT about it!

- Jennifer Smith
Follow me on Twitter at @lovinlyrics

THIS WEEK'S MEDIABASE ADDS LIST .... IS RADIO TUNING IN TO YOUR FAVORITE NEW MUSIC?

Congratulations to all of the artists making this week's Mediabase Adds list. People are paying attention to the new music and it's starting to show by these adds to reporting stations. Let's keep that trend going! 

REMEMBER: An add does NOT guarantee air play, it simply means the station has added the song to their library. Air play is based on demand and sales, so get on the phone/internet/text and start requesting your favorites now. Most major radio stations now allow you to text or email your requests so it's not just making a phone call anymore. If you don't request, don't complain when you don't hear your favorite artist on the radio, plain and simple. These guys need our help, so let's show them we support them and their hard work. Don't depend on their side to do all the promoting. If you really love an artist, jump in there and work with them to get the word out. Your voice does make a difference and it shows in these add numbers each week. Radio is listening, we just have to keep talking.

Just a side note: Notice the number of new artist adds this week. These numbers show that radio is listening to you. Keep requesting and get these artists added nationwide! Way to go!

THIS WEEK'S TOP 3 NEW ARTIST HEAVY HITTERS

Michael Ray ... 50 adds *MOST ADDED NEW ARTIST* for "Kiss You in the Morning"

Craig Wayne Boyd ... 12 adds for "My Baby's Got a Smile on Her Face"

Maddie and Tae .... 10 adds for "Fly"

CARRIE UNDERWOOD/Little Toy Guns (19/Arista) 58

MICHAEL RAY/Kiss You In The Morning (Warner Bros./WEA) 50

KENNY CHESNEY w/GRACE POTTER/Wild Child (Blue Chair/Columbia) 25

BIG & RICH /Run Away With You (B&R/New Revolution) 16

BRAD PAISLEY/Crushin' It (Arista) 13

CRAIG WAYNE BOYD/My Baby's Got A Smile On... (Republic/Dot) 12

MADDIE & TAE/Fly (Dot) 10

PARMALEE/Already Callin' You Mine (Stoney Creek) 10

WATERLOO REVIVAL/Hit The Road (Big Machine) 10

A THOUSAND HORSES/Smoke (Republic Nashville) 9

BRANTLEY GILBERT/One Hell Of An Amen (Valory) 8

KELSEA BALLERINI/Love Me Like You Mean It (Black River) 8

TIM MCGRAW/Diamond Rings And Old... (Big Machine) 8

FRANKIE BALLARD/Young & Crazy (Warner Bros./WAR) 7

KEITH URBAN f/ERIC CHURCH/Raise 'Em Up (Capitol) 7

KIP MOORE/I'm To Blame (MCA) 7

AUSTIN WEBB/All Country On You (Streamsound) 5

MIRANDA LAMBERT/Little Red Wagon (RCA) 5

CANAAN SMITH/Love You Like That (Mercury) 4

MO PITNEY/Country (Curb) 4

OLD DOMINION/Break Up With Him (ReeSmack/Crescendo) 4

CHASE RICE/Gonna Wanna Tonight (Columbia) 3

DUSTIN LYNCH/Hell Of A Night (Broken Bow) 3

EASTON CORBIN/Baby Be My Love Song (Mercury) 3

GLORIANA/Trouble (Emblem/Warner Bros/WAR) 3

JOE NICHOLS/Hard To Be Cool (Red Bow) 3

LITTLE BIG TOWN/Girl Crush (Capitol) 3

MICKEY GUYTON/Better Than You Left Me (Capitol) 3

RASCAL FLATTS/Riot (Big Machine) 3

SAM HUNT/Take Your Time (MCA) 3

BILLY CURRINGTON/Don't It (Mercury) 2

CAM/My Mistake (Arista) 2

DAN + SHAY/Nothin' Like You (Warner Bros./WAR) 2

ERIC CHURCH/Like A Wrecking Ball (EMI Nashville) 2

ERIC PASLAY/She Don't Love You (EMI Nashville) 2

JOSH DORR/Save Your Breath (RCA) 2

RODNEY ATKINS/Eat Sleep Love You Repeat (Curb) 2

BRANDY CLARK/Hold My Hand (Slate Creek) 1

DAVID FANNING/Doin' Country Right (Red Bow) 1

DIERKS BENTLEY/Riser (Capitol) 1

FLORIDA-GEORGIA LINE/Sippin' On Fire (Republic Nashville) 1

HALEY & MICHAELS/Just Another Love Song (H&M) 1

JASON CASSIDY/Cowboy Girl (Nine North/Turnpike/Edgehill) 1

LOGAN MIZE/Can't Get Away From A Good... (Arista) 1

MONTGOMERY GENTRY/Folks Like Us (Blaster) 1

RACHELE LYNAE/Whole Lotta Nothin' (Momentum/In2une) 1

SAM HUNT/House Party (MCA) 1

STRIKING MATCHES/Hanging On A Lie (I.R.S.) 1

THE SWON BROTHERS/Pray For You (Arista) 1

TOBY KEITH/Drunk Americans (Show Dog) 1

TRISHA YEARWOOD/I Remember You (Gwendolyn/RCA) 1

ZAC BROWN BAND/Homegrown (SouthrnGrnd/Varvatos/BMLG) 1

SINGLE REVIEW: "FLY" - MADDIE AND TAE

SINGLE: "Fly"

ARTIST: Maddie and Tae

REVIEWER: Alyse Smith

Follow Alyse on Twitter at @ASmith1300

Maddie and Tae’s newest single “Fly” is a radical 180 from their debut single "Girl in a Country Song". There’s no teasing here, neither light-hearted nor heavy-handed. “Fly” is full of beauty in both vocals and story. A song meant to inspire perseverance and strength does an excellent job of both. One meant to dispel fear and grant hope done in a very poignant manner. “Fly” possesses an uncommon gentleness, deftly handling every moment with calf-skin gloves. I can’t get over how different their voices sound in this song. It displays both range and depth that bodes well for their sophomore single and career longevity. As polarizing as their debut was, this is a message that will and should garner mass appeal. Every line a strong statement of optimism and persistence, this is the kind of writing that deserves to be known by everyone. The kind that should flourish on the airwaves everywhere. Blasting from the tinny speakers of a bargain laptop in a college dorm, on the car radio cranked way up singing every line, on the way to a job interview or a new town. This story has no age limit because it is needed in every phase of life. A little boost to brighten someone’s day or to quell the nerves on the way to a huge presentation. Not only are the lyrics to be extoled but the vocals are beautiful in such a way it’s near otherworldly.

Maddie and Tae will be touring on Dierks Bentley’s “Sounds of Summer” tour as support along with Kip Moore and Canaan Smith.

Reviewer’s Note: Congratulations on the tour girls! Hope that plunge wasn’t as cold as it looked!

SINGLE REVIEW: "GIRL IN A COUNTRY SONG" - MADDIE AND TAE

SINGLE: "Girl in a Country Song"

ARTIST: Maddie and Tae

REVIEWER: Alyse Smith

Follow Alyse on Twitter at @ASmith1300

Purchase "Girl in a Country Song" on iTunes / Amazon

Maddie and Tae’s debut single, “Girl In A Country Song” has taken the country world by storm. They clearly dislike "bro country" and want something new in country music. They want women to be represented in a different manner. Though they’ve approached this in a humorous fashion, poking fun at several prominent names in country music today, I can’t help but wonder how serious they are about this and how offended they are by the typical representation of women in today’s country music. It does seem a bit one-dimensional and there is a bit of an oversaturation issue in mainstream country radio, but for the most part, the men they are calling out for this seem to represent the women they’re featuring favorably.

I always love any song that has “pretty bare feet” in it anywhere, because I am frequently sans shoes and am more often than not chastised for it. So whenever I hear someone appreciative of something I naturally do that I have been previously chastised for, I get a little bit excited. Apparently that is not the case with these girls as they feel like their lack of shoes is not their choice in this matter. I do agree with them on some points. I don’t think anyone’s going to call “slide that pretty little sugar shaker on over here” a radical or overly complimentary line. Nor have I ever heard anyone use the phrase in conversation. The songs that they reference are good time songs by guys whose radio-friendly singles are, by nature, typically surface songs. They weren’t written to be deep songs that smack you with the words woven, they’re meant to be everyday songs, or rather every weekend songs that sell, because everyone experiences them. Typically, you’ve had a night where you were going to head out and call it a night and then something happened. A night where you were excited to be with your friends, or the boy in the truck, or the girl in the truck. 

One of the things I love about country music is that there are songs for everything, no matter how mundane or unusual and this single and bro country both exemplify that. Does that mean I want to hear the same song or the same story over and over and have people view country music as solely that? No, and a wake-up call like this to add more depth and more variety to country music and what is played on mainstream country radio can only improve it. I always view "bro country" as I do any other sub-genre of country music, there’s some of it I like and some of I don’t. As many others despise the entirety of the sub-genre purely because it seems a bandwagon to hop on, I find myself unable to be as offended as they appear to be by the songs they reference or by "bro country" itself. Should one sub-genre dominate the airwaves? No, and I thank Maddie and Tae for shining a light on the absurdity of it doing so. Though it remains to be seen if Maddie and Tae can continue their streak of songwriting and singing after the sensational effect of this song wears off, they are quite talented singers and clever wordsmiths.

You can connect with Maddie and Tae online:

www.maddieandtae.com

Twitter - @maddieandtae

Facebook - MaddieandTae