The Washington Post released an article on January 24, 2015 called, “How Blake Shelton replaced Taylor Swift as the face of country music.” This article was prompted after Blake Shelton hosted “Saturday Night Live.” The article goes on to explain that Blake Shelton “is the first country singer to host the famed late-night sketch show since Taylor Swift, who took the stage in November 2009, way back when she was decidedly still a country star.”
This isn’t Blake’s first television debut and rumors have been confirmed that it won’t be his last. Blake Shelton is one of the main coaches on today’s most popular singing competition, “The Voice,” and the “Rolling Stone” announced on January 27th that Blake Shelton would kick off his acting career in Adam Sandler’s new ‘Ridiculous 6’ movie.
Blake Shelton’s country music career started after he debuted his first hit single “Austin” in 2001 and it remained number on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for five weeks. Since then Blake Shelton has broken the Country Airplay record with 11 consecutive No. 1 singles, and is currently the reigning CMA male vocalist of the year.
I myself attended one Blake’s concerts last year and that is when I became a huge fan. I think that Blake Shelton is an incredibly humble performer and would make a great face for country music. Blake Shelton has made if very clear that he will remain loyal to country music and his own beliefs. He seems to thrive in the spot light and so far has made country music proud. Pop culture named Taylor Swift the face of country music and I do believe that they have now voted on Blake Shelton. Many fans criticize that Taylor Swift was never country, but “CMT All-Time top 40” placed her at No. 16. It is undeniable how many pop fans Taylor Swift has opened up to country music in her career, so I believe that is unfair to write her out of country music all together.
Blake Shelton has over 10.2 million followers on twitter and is married to country superstar Miranda Lambert. I don’t know how todays country artists feel about Blake Shelton being announced “the face of country music,” but I honestly can’t think of a better candidate, who has the opportunity in today’s media to bring in more country fans. I am studying TexasMedia advertising at The University of Texas at Austin and I personally believe he does a brilliant job of connecting with his fans and evolving with technology. I would have to agree that Blake Shelton is the new face of country music whether the country fans like it or not.
While I agree that Blake Shelton is an extremely talented artist and an even more talented entertainer in general, I have to disagree with the statement that he’s the possible “new face of country music.” By all accounts, he wouldn’t be a bad choice, however I don’t believe him to be the best choice. It leaves out the possibility of other great artists right now that have a very different sound. For the newer, more “bro-country” fans, Florida Georgia Line is absolutely rocking the charts and have been all summer. Meanwhile, Carrie Underwood just released a chart-topping hit in her single “Something in the Water” that not only showcases her amazing pipes but also more traditional country values. Lest we pass over Brad Paisley who has consistently appealed to a wider variety of country fans with many different themes in his songs, not to mention his epic guitar solos. I think jumping to conclusions about Blake Shelton might be a little to quick and some serious thought should be put into other contenders for that new title now that George Strait’s out of the picture.
i will agree with you on one thing Blake Shelton is a great performer and i do believe that he will stay true to country music. although i do not believe that he will ever be the fac of country for one no one will ever take George Straits as being the face of country because for one he George is the King of Country. Two even though Blake has been around for a while he hasnt been around as long as George. i too have been to one of his concerts and it was a blast and i enjoyed it alot but to me what country too me means simple the old way and although Blake Shelton puts on a hell of a show he will never have as good of a show as George Strait, for the simple fact that George doesn’t need fancy light shows nor fancy music boards all he needs is his guitar and his naturally gifted voice and the crowd will go wild
I have heard this phrase “the face of country music before,” and I don’t really know what to make of it. What’s hard for me to process is figuring out to whom this “face” is facing. If the face of country music is turned inward to country music fans, then it’s probably people like George Strait and Merle Haggard who have had long careers and consistently stuck to traditional country sounds. But if the face is turned to listeners of pop music who probably only have one or two “country artists” in their iTunes library, then yeah, Blake Shelton, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood. Ten years ago, it would have been Garth Brooks, and ten years before that, Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton.
I think this is a really interesting topic. Now that Taylor Swift is the “pop queen” who takes her spot? It seems as if right now no clear person is rising to the level that Taylor Swift had in country music. But it is interesting that Blake Shelton is the first country artist since Taylor Swift to host SNL. I definitely agree that Blake is high up there in the standings of country artist fame, but I don’t quite think he has reached the status that Taylor Swift was known for. It’s an interesting debate, who is now the face? I think it will be interesting to see where Blake’s career continues to take him and if, in my opinion, he becomes the new face of country music. I think that right now the title is still up for grabs, with tons of country artists similar to Blake Shelton. However, as you said Blake is in a popular TV show and he is linked to Miranda Lambert. Maybe he just needs a few more years to become the face.
While Blake Shelton may appear as “the face of country music” to many, I think that within the world of country music he does not. Yes, he is recognizable, primarily because of The Voice, but I think deeming him THE representative of country music is taking it a little far. As long as George Strait is alive, he will be the most respected within the industry. Also, I do not think Blake Shelton has quite reached where Taylor Swift was in country music four or five years ago. I do see your argument for Blake to be “the face of country music” I just don’t think he is quite there. He hasn’t even been around as long as Brad Paisley or Kenny Chesney, and both of them are just as popular. Maybe in several years with more tv appearances and music veering towards his earlier stuff, Blake Shelton can be “the face of country music”, I just do not think he is there yet.