Many of us wonder on a regular basis where the music industry is headed. The concern is both songwriting and the things you hear played on the country stations across America. For those of you who read our monthly E-News, you see reviews of singles and albums. In all cases, we urge writers to look to these reviews because the biggest part of the review is based on songs contained in the albums. Songs are what make albums the valued ‘keepers’. As we looked for singles this month to review, it has been very hard finding single records that can become hits.

We are fortunate enough to get the same CD compilations that radio stations get. Therefore, we have the opportunity to listen to records companies plan to release as singles. Usually they are the tool to force album sales. Writer Ann Bruce wrote a letter that we published last month. She was right on the mark complaining about listening to country radio and the weakness of the songs. In our speaking with producers, they claim they are only making records radio will play.

In speaking with several radio programmers, the say they can only play what Nashville sends them. They lay the blame on each other. The economic situation across the country has radio hurting for advertising sales. This will continue ad infinitum. There are so many locations on computers to hear commercial-free music. There are those listeners who are distracted by commercials while preferring to listen to uninterrupted music.

Radio has a competitor today, as the ad supported MySpace Music joint venture will allow customers to stream for free virtually any song ever published. The service launched includes content from all four major labels (as 40% equity partners), as well as indie distributor The Orchard and four major music publishers. Users can also create 100-song playlists and share them with others, purchase downloads, via Amazon in a non-DRM mp3 format and buy ringtones, videos and, soon, artist merchandise and concert tickets.