Would a song by any other artist be as sweet?  Ok, enough of my attempt at Shakespearean-esque humor.  The issue I am getting at, though, has often bothered me.  We label songs and artists as “bad” or “good,” but do we really take the time to dissect why we have this feeling?  Have we ever tried to look at the situation from a different perspective?  If a song is bad, is it because of the lyrics of the song or because of the artist singing it?  If an artist is bad, is it because of his or her voice or because of his or her song choices? Do the same rules apply to a song that is “good?” If a song was sung by another artist would the song turn out better?  Would it turn out worse? Should some songs just never be recorded at all?  Let’s dissect the bias.

Some artists appear to have the Midas touch: everything they come in contact with turns to gold or platinum! Record sales are off the charts, he or she is firing off consecutive #1 hits, and the music world seems to be groveling at his or her feet. I do not have a problem with artists ruling the charts.  In fact, more power to them.  The problem I have is whether or not these artists are actually putting out material worthy of the lofty status. Artists often record material that lacks substance, heart, and soul.  I understand that not every song on an album can be stellar and artists may need some “filler,” but when the lyrics of every song on an album come off as little more than “filler,” I find myself left wanting.

To better understand where I am coming from, a few examples may be needed. I’ll start with a bad song, all the way around, a song that should not have been recorded.  It saddens me to say this, but “Friends with Benefits” by the Randy Rogers Band is the first song that comes to mind.  I love the Randy Rogers Band, so this song is not a case of singing.  I read the lyrics and they are just overwhelmingly awful.  Had this song been recorded and sung by another artist, say Wade Bowen or Cross Canadian Ragweed, the song would still be bad. A second example is from a lesser known artist that some may remember, Ashley Monroe. Ashley released two singles from her never-released album Satisfied, the first single of the same name, and the follow up, “I Don’t Want To,” her duet with Ronnie Dunn. She wrote a song, however, that was picked up by none other than Carrie Underwood.  The song was “Flat on the Floor” and it was probably the best song from Carrie’s sophomore album, Carnival Ride (2007). While the song would do nothing for Ashley, had Carrie released it as a single, it would have gone Top 10, guaranteed. A third example has to do with the song, “Long Line of Losers.” Originally written and recorded by Kevin Fowler, it enjoyed a modicum of success on the Texas Music Chart.  A few months after, the song was picked up by Montgomery Gentry and went nowhere on the charts. The reason?  The song was perfect for Kevin, but not for Montgomery Gentry.  Their styles are completely different and it showed.

So the next time when discussing a song, whether good or bad, think to yourself, is the artist making the song, or is the song making the artist?