Thanks for the responses

I have been blogging on this website for quite some time. Typically, however, I don't get comments on my blogs.

But after writing a blog Wednesday, I received five comments on it.

That's really great. It shows me that readers are checking our entire website for content. That's great. The more the merrier.

We encourage all of you to check the content of our website.

Comments are wonderful and I'd like to respond to some of them.

Probably two months ago, I started listening to music on my computer at work rather than having the television on. Sure, the TV is great to have on while big events are happening, but in the news business, you can always check various websites and the Associated Press wire to see what's going on. That is something I do regularly, so I figured, while I'm doing that, I'll just listen to some music.

My computer has several different artists (musically-related) on it. Some of those artists include Breaking Benjamin, Butch Walker, Chris Cornell, David Bowie, Duran Duran, my own music, King's X, music that I have created with my band, music from Greencastle's own T.G.L., etc.

There's all kinds of music in my computer. I even have some B.J. Thomas ("Raindrops keep fallin' on my head," what a great song).

The purpose of my Wednesday blog was to point out the sad state of affairs going on regarding radio and the recording industry as a whole.

One reader commented that Country music artist Keith Urban "consistently puts out wonderful music."

This I can agree with. Urban is a good musician (his guitar playing is outstanding). He is a good singer and has sold tons of albums.

But on his last album, "Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Thing," he earned credit as a writer on only 10 songs, four of which he was credited alone.

His prior album, "Be Here," had him credited on only nine of 13 songs, of which only one was credited to him alone.

Sure, he churns out great music regularly, but it's not his alone. Which brings me to the second comment.

Another person commented, "Corporate country. Nothing different there."

I think that's true. Look at most Country artists. Do they write their own music? Most of the time, no they don't. The Country music industry has several great writers for the artists it "churns" out regularly.

Another reader commented regarding some other "good music" out there, pointing to Queen as an example.

Queen, in its heyday, was arguably one of the greatest bands to ever walk the face of the earth. But new compilation albums are nothing more than new "Greatest Hits" collections.

It's just the same thing over and over, proving once again that the recording industry truly believes the record-buying public is just not that smart.

Another person, who said they work in the music industry, commented that "not all record labels are looking to put only four songs and the rest fillers on a CD."

This person said the industry has always worked this way, but then states the "typical radio listener wants to hear only songs with catchy hook lines."

I am reminded of an interview given by Jani Lane (yes, the former singer of Warrant) regarding this sentence.

Years ago, Lane said after the band finished what was to become "Cherry Pie," insiders in the recording industry informed the band there was no single. Therefore, he whipped up the song, "Cherry Pie," which effectively changed the name of the album.

There's your single.

I understand the recording industry is a business. And in order for a business to thrive and keep its head above water, it must make money.

But something has changed musically speaking in the past 15 years. It's more of a single-driven world.

A good analogy would be how the National Football League (NFL) handles promotion.

The league doesn't necessarily promote players. It promotes teams. The league itself.

And the NFL has thrived.

Maybe the music industry should take a page out of the NFL's notebook and promote differently.

Hmm....