Dixie Chicks Return to #1

The Dixie Chicks are back on top of the charts. After being basically ignored for the past three years, which came about when they criticized George Bush at a London concert back in 2003, the Chicks are back to #1.

The Dixie Chicks' latest entry into the number one spot on the country album charts and the Billboard top 200, for the album Taking the Long Way, proved that radio airplay isn't necessarily the most important element in getting to the top of the charts. The Billboard top 200 and the country album charts are based on sales, not airplay, and The Dixie Chicks scored 526,000 units sold in a week. According to The Chicago Tribune, Taking the Long Way outsold the Dixie Chicks' country rival, Toby Keith, whose album, White Trash With Money only sold 330,000 units in the first week. Wade Jessen, director of Billboard's country charts explained that these new numbers hint at the fact that fans may not be as bothered by the controversy as originally thought or the girls are attracting a wider audience base. In a quote, Jessen said, "There also might be a certain amount of support that may have been thrown their way by folks who are a little more liberal and that maybe never bought a country album in their lives but want to show their support."

Controversy can go either way. You get lots of helpful press, or you are shunned and ignored. In the case of The Dixie Chicks, it was the latter, due to the fact that lead singer, Natalie Maines, said at a concert in London back in 2003, that the group was embarrassed to be from the same state as President Bush. Now that the group has reached number one again, you'd think that they've toned down their view of the President, but this isn't the case. As Forbes reports, the first single, Not Ready to Make Nice, features Maines singing the chorus, "I'm not ready to make nice. I'm not ready to back down. I'm still mad as hell and I don't have time to go round and round and round." In the same article, when asked about The Dixie chicks future on radio, Billboard's Wade Jessen is quoted as saying, "Programmers are directly or indirectly responsible for the health of the bottom line, and if anything happens that distracts from that in the way they run their business, they won't deal with it."

Reuters reports that even though The Dixie Chicks have been ignored by the country music community, things are really starting to look up this year for the group, with a Time Magazine cover story, a segment on CBS' 60 Minutes, and a single at the top of the charts. Considering that for the past three years the girls have been laying low and working on this new album with producer, Rick Rubin, there's speculation that the group may be turning away from their country roots, as Rubin is better known for working with groups like The Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Beastie Boys. In an excerpt from their Time article, Dixie Chick Martie Maguire was quoted as saying, "I'd rather have a smaller following of really cool people who get it, who will grow with us as we grow and are fans for life, than people that have us in their five-disc changer with Reba McEntire and Toby Keith," adding " We don't want those kinds of fans."

The Dixie Chicks formed in 1989 in Dallas, Texas. The group achieved large-scale country and pop commercial success in the late 1990s, with hit songs such as Wide Open Spaces, Cowboy Take Me Away, and Long Time Gone. They became known for their lively group personae (including their fashion sense), instrumental virtuosity, and political views. Aside from their commercial success, the group's outspoken criticism of President George W. Bush in 2003 led to considerable controversy for the group and a loss of part of their core country audience. Their current lineup is made up of Emily Erwin, Martie Erwin, and Natalie Maines. In 2000, the Dixie Chicks won CMA Album of the Year for the album, Fly. In 2001, the Chicks went on to win the 2001 AMA for Favorite Band/Duo/Group, as well as the 2001 ACM Entertainer of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year, and Video of the Year (Goodbye Earl) awards. Continuing their success the following year, the Dixie Chicks won the 2002 CMA Vocal Group of the Year, 2002 AMA Favorite Country Band, Duo or Group, and Favorite Country Album (Home). 2003 saw the Dallas trio win Grammy Awards for Best Country Album (Home), Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal (Long Time Gone), Best Country Instrumental Performance (Lil' Jack Slade), and Best Recording Package (Home). After the statement about President George W. Bush, the Chicks went on to win their latest accolade in 2005, the Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal (Top Of The World).

[Additional Sources: Chicago Tribune, Forbes, Reuters, Wikipedia]