707 - Music Biz Demographics Fantasy 🎯
Dateline 2025 –
The Incredible Shrinking Demographic – A History of Country Music Song Themes
STAGE 1: 1920 - 1990
There are several kinds of popular music -- one of the most popular being “Country”. Originally marketed primarily to an adult audience, lyric themes of traditional Country Music tended to be along the lines of:
1. My heart is broken without you
2. I will love you forever
3. Let’s go dancing
4. You’re/I’m drinking too much
5. You are so beautiful
6. Let's get married and have a family
7. She’s cheating on me/I’m cheating on her and feeling guilty
8. Please forgive me for cheating
9. We're getting divorced
10. Times are hard and I hate my job
11. My woman’s mean as hell
Because it was primarily an adult medium, Country recording artists could have viable careers fairly late into life, and address more mature themes. The songs had a relatively low level of bullshit – like 25% max -- i.e. most were rooted in the realities of human existence.
STAGE 2: 1990 - 2005
But it came to pass that during the late 20th century, as sophisticated market analysis blossomed, demographic data indicated that among those who loved Country, those most eager to buy records and go to concerts were females – ages 18 – 35.
Upon learning this, all the Country record labels began to target their product towards those younger females. The more traditional mature lyric themes were gently eased out to pasture, i.e. songs written with lyric content that would appeal to an older audience, and work only with adult artists who’d "been-around-the-block" – lyrics like: “my son’s finally out of prison”, or “send in the rodeo clowns", or "I stand accused - while you sit". Political correctness also began to infect much of the music, resulting in lyrics along the lines of “males are clueless, abusive bastards -- females are long-suffering saints”. Such sentiments were much in demand.
It made sense – tailoring your product to the most lucrative sector – but it was, however, self-fulfilling. So – eventually ninety percent of those who were attracted to Country were 18 – 35 females, and the songs were increasingly “young female-friendly”. Songwriters (male and female) realized that “female ass-kissing” was the most profitable way to go. The bullshit factor had now kicked in heavily, with most songs telling this now dominant female audience variations of “what-they-want-to-hear”. Principal lyric themes trended along the lines of:
1. I’m sick of his bullshit and I’m getting even
2. I’ve been dumped but now I realize how strong I am
3. I am a woman and am INCREDIBLY strong
3. I'm dumping that selfish, inconsiderate loser
4. Girl, you are so amazing to me
5. Girl, you are BEYOND amazing to me
5. Am I hot or what!
6. Hey girls -- let’s drink tequila and behave like male assholes
7. Alcohol removes her clothing
STAGE 3: 2005 - 2015
But -- by 2010 new demographic studies indicated these “younger” female themes had attracted a swarm of even younger women -- between the ages of 15 – 23, and these women had become the biggest buyers of Country product. Naturally, the labels responded accordingly.
The lyric trends aimed at this 15 - 23 demographic tended to be along the lines of:
1. He is so cute/hot
2. You’ll be sorry for breaking up with me
3. I’m in high school and miserable
4. It’s prom night and I might have sex
5. I just got my driver’s license – let’s party
6. They say my skirt’s too short
7. He misspelled my name on his tattoo
8. We'll be forever in love although my needs and career will always come first
9, You, girl, are beautiful and gifted
The bullshit “kiss-ass/tell-them-what-they-want-to-hear” factor was approaching 90%. Truth-telling had gotten lost in the wilderness.
STAGE 4: 2015 - 2020
Predictably, by around 2017 this marketing shift had resulted in a situation whereby the only people buying Country product were high school and college girls. Then – circa 2020 -- it was discovered that within that demographic the most enthusiastic fans were age 13 – 18 females. Ergo, we got younger, sexier female themes:
1. Girl, you are way beyond hot
2. They say my skirt’s WAY too short
3. He’s so cute/hot
4. Bad girls are cool
5. I’m grounded
6. I hate school
7. I wish my parents were dead
8. Girl, you are so, so fabulous
9. All the boys want to f**k me, and vice-versa
10. You can be anything you want to be
11. I will love you forever until school's out
12. My parents have me on the pill so let's party and hook up
CURRENT ERA: 2025
Now, in 2025, the result of this ongoing demographic research has narrowed the Country fan base to 11 to 13 year-old girls living in red states coming from broken homes. While this sector is small, what is great about such a narrow demographic is that it turns over every two years, allowing labels to recycle the same now-100% pure bullshit to a new batch of clueless but enthusiastic (and not the least bit interested in truth) females every other year. Performed by recording artists who average 16 - 20 years old, current themes include:
1. My face has broken out
2. My facebook page is totally cool
3. She sexted my boyfriend
4. When I'm babysitting, I text the entire time
5. OMG – I’ve got cramps
6. He’s so cute/hot
7. When I get my license I'm out of here
8. Girls rule
9. You are fabulous and can be a star
10. I'm being bullied by the cheerleaders
11. My parents are abusive
12. It's casual Friday -- let's all go to school "commando"
13. I love him and they say "oral" isn't sex
That is the miracle of demographic research.