#16
Shania Twain
The biggest-selling female country artist in history, Shania Twain achieved success on a worldwide scale that had never been seen before in country music, and hasn’t been seen since, either. Her stunning visual image made her an icon, but it was her songwriting that made her a superstar, bringing a female empowerment message that essentially ended the long tradition of heartbreak queens in country music.
She started out in her native Canada, raised in Timmins, Ontario. Her given name was Eilleen Regina Edwards, and she was adopted at the age of two by her mother’s second husband, Jerry Twain. Her mom noticed Eilleen’s gifts at an early age, and by the age of ten, she was being pulled out of bed in the middle of the night to perform country songs at the local bars. Because of her age, she could only sing in such establishments after they had stopped serving alcohol for the night. She would sing and play guitar, covering the songs by her favorite country acts of the seventies: Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson and fellow Canuck Anne Murray.
By the time she reached adulthood, however, her musical tastes had expanded, and she developed quite a liking of eighties pop and arena rock. She was already fronting a covers band at 21 when tragedy struck, and her parents were killed in a car accident. She was suddenly responsible for the care of her younger siblings. She moved them to Huntsville, Ontario, where she made good money performing at the Deerhurst Resort. When all of her siblings had graduated high school, she felt ready to pursue her professional recording career, and with the help of a manager who’d caught her act at the resort, she headed to Nashville.
Her demo tape earned her a recording contract with Mercury Records, who recognized her vocal talent but were hesitant about her unconventional self-written material. Now billed as Shania Twain, she was paired with veteran producers Norro Wilson and Harold Shedd, who felt her own songs weren’t up to the same standard as the material they had selected for her. Only one of the tracks from her debut album, Shania Twain, was co-written by Twain.
The album was released in 1993, but sounded like a project from the early eighties. The production was dated, some of the material was recycled, and her distinctive voice was marred with echo effects. Even the label didn’t seem to know how to market her. After producing a sexy video for lead single “What Made You Say That,” the accompanying album artwork was of Twain wearing a heavy coat next to a wolf by an outdoor fire. The wolf’s face was more clearly visible than Twain’s. After two low-charting singles and one that missed the chart entirely, the album quietly faded away.
However, the video clip for that first single would end up impacting her career anyway. When it was playing on CMT Europe, famed producer Robert John “Mutt” Lange caught the clip, and was intrigued by Twain’s voice. He contacted her on the phone, and she revealed that she was a songwriter as well. He asked to hear something she had written, so she propped up the phone and played him “Home Ain’t Where His Heart Is (Anymore),” after which he said that her voice sounded infinitely better singing her own material than it did on the record he had of hers. They became phone buddies and eventually arranged to meet at Fan Fair.
The professional became personal, and the pair soon married. Together, they co-wrote songs for her second album, which Lange produced. The lead single, “Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?”, went to radio in early 1995, while the album followed a month later. As the single gained traction at radio, eventually peaking at #11, The Woman in Me steadily rose in sales. Those sales exploded when the second single, “Any Man of Mine,” became a #1 smash that summer. Soon, the album was selling at a rate that was unheard of for a female country artist.
Her eye-popping videos made her a crossover star before pop radio even started playing her. Defying conventional wisdom, the now multi-platinum singer didn’t tour, as she was too big to open and didn’t have enough material for a headlining set. As the album became the top-selling by a female country artist in history, the awards rolled in. In 1996, The Woman in Me won Album of the Year at the ACM’s and Best Country Album at the Grammys. The set produced another three #1 singles, “(If You’re Not in it For Love) I’m Outta Here!”, “You Win My Love” and “No One Needs to Know.” By the time she was ready to follow it up, The Woman in Me had already sold nine million copies in America alone, on its way to an eventual twelve million in sales.
Twain’s image garnered the most press, but it was her songwriting that was truly revolutionary. The women in her songs demanded respect and fair treatment, refused to be compromised or give in to sexual pressures, and even when on the receiving end of a heartbreak, would not play the victim. The era of the heartbreak queen, best exemplified at the time by Reba McEntire but played on record by nearly every female country artist, even progressive ones like Rosanne Cash or Emmylou Harris, came to an end. From this point on, female country artists would embrace assertive material, and the crop of stars who have followed since Twain’s breakthrough, everyone from Jo Dee Messina to the Dixie Chicks, from Gretchen Wilson to Carrie Underwood, have all incorporated Twain’s girl power message in some form or another.
Her label head, Luke Lewis, said her third CD Come On Over would be country music’s Thriller. Released in the fall of 1997, it entered a respectable No. 2 on the pop albums chart, and sold three million copies by the beginning of the new year. Lead single “Love Gets Me Every Time” spent five weeks at No. 1 on the country chart. But the album really took off when third single “You’re Still the One” became a crossover hit. Twain appeared on the VH1 Divas Live special, and launched a sell-out international tour.
Meanwhile, her album was remixed for the international market. By the end of 1998, what had begun as a strong-selling album defied all conventional rules and actually gained strength with time. Twain scored another huge pop hit with “From This Moment On,” and she won two Grammys in early 1999. The big turning point for the project was the pop remix of “That Don’t Impress Me Much,” which not only pushed sales in America through the stratosphere, but was her breakthrough smash in England, Australia, Germany and other international markets.
“Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” repeated the success of “Much”, and by the end of its run, Come on Over had sold 35 million copies worldwide, including 20 million in America, the best-selling country album in history. The CMA and ACM both named Twain Entertainer of the Year, BMI named her the top artist-songwriter, and she won another pair of Grammys. She scored huge ratings for her two network specials, and her Behind the Music was the most-watched and most-repeated of all entries in the VH1 series. Her tour played to sell-out crowds around the world. Her album was the top-selling release in the U.K. in 1999, and the top-selling female album in history in both the United States and Australia.
Twain took time off to have a child and rest from the road, and she resurfaced with Up! in 2002. Lead single “I’m Gonna Getcha Good!” was a top ten hit around the world, and the album sold over 875,000 copies in its first week in America, staying at No. 1 on the pop charts for five weeks. Rather than decide which fan base to appeal to, she released three different versions of the album, two of which were paired together in America and two in international markets. The U.S. got the country and pop versions, while the rest of the world received the pop and “rhythmic” versions. “Forever and For Always” became the biggest hit stateside, topping the AC charts and going to No. 4 at country radio, while “Ka-Ching!”, her indictment of mass consumerism, was a huge hit in Europe.
Twain launched another hit tour, which would set a record for amount grossed in a country trek. Up! was certified for sales of eleven million, and it earned her four Grammy nominations over a two-year period. Rather than mine the album for ten singles like she did for Come On Over, Twain returned in 2004 with her Greatest Hits, an incredibly generous package that featured four new tracks and seventeen classics. It set a record for the biggest opening-sales week of a hits collection, and has already sold 4 million copies in America, despite being dominated by tracks from albums that had sold more than ten million copies each.
Twain’s been quiet on the musical front lately, but has indicated that she will return soon with more self-written material. When she does come back, it will be the homecoming of a woman who has only released four albums, but is already the biggest-selling female artist in country music history.
Shania Twain
Essential Singles
- “Any Man of Mine,” 1995
- “(If You’re Not in it For Love) I’m Outta Here!,” 1995
- “You’re Still the One,” 1998
- “That Don’t Impress Me Much,” 1998
- “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!,” 1999
- “Forever and For Always,” 2003
Essential Albums
- The Woman in Me (1995)
- Come On Over (1997)
- Up! (2002)
Industry Awards
- ACM Album (The Woman in Me), 1996
- ACM Top New Female Vocalist, 1996
- ACM Entertainer, 2000
- CMA Entertainer, 1999
- Grammy: Best Country Album (The Woman in Me), 1996
- Grammy: Best Country Song (“You’re Still the One”), 1999
- Grammy: Best Female Country Vocal Performance (“You’re Still the One”), 1999
- Grammy: Best Country Song (“Come On Over”), 2000
- Grammy: Best Female Country Vocal Performance (“Man! I Feel Like a Woman!”), 2000
Wow, the biggest selling country female of alltime with the biggest impact only made #16 on your list lmao!!!!
I am not surprised by this considering the lack of respect you and your posters show for her on this site.
I guess this is the respect Shania gets for not being part of the clique and not being truly country and part of the system.
Anyone who puts the biggest selling country femlae of alltime with so much impact on the genre only #16 has a serious axe to grind with Shania.
Now I can laugh and see the no names you put ahead of her.
Sales don’t equal greatness.
Who is talking just about sales,
Shania proved her greatness with her songs that touched tens of millions worldwide and her charisma and class.
Shania is about a heck of alot more than just sales, she changed the face of country music forever. It seems Kevin is going by age everyone from now on with be over the age of 50 on his list.
This has nothing to do with greatness or Shania would be in the top 5.
You can’t get anymore great than Shania, she is the one who made country music cool all over the world.
I would agree that I thought Shania would have been higher, but there are many more women still to come that have had much more of an impact on country music (ie. Reba, Dolly, Barbara, Patsy) It’ll be an interesting top 15 for sure.
Greg, really, I can’t think of anyone in history with Shania’s massive impact all over the world. Reba,DollyBarbara are all older. Mabye that is the criteria, you have to be older.
But to say anyone in history has had Shania’s massive impact on the genre is absurd.
Even CMT lists of greatest country woman had Shania at #7 after only 2 albums in 2001.
I expected Shania to be higher as well but think she is appropriately placed. For all her incredible accomplishments (I really am a HUGE fan), she hasn’t produced a great volume of material or been an active artistic force for very long. I expect the remaining 15 women to have more albums under their belts and more years experience in the business. Jake, I would not be so confident in your assertion regarding the age of the remaining women . The Dixie Chicks, Trisha Yearwood, Wynonna Judd, and Alison Krauss are yet to hit 50 and deserve high spots on this list. Hopefully Shania will return to the country scene in a major way and bump herself into the top 10 very soon.
As this is my first post I want to send a big thank you to Kevin and Leeann for maintaining such an excellent blog that is always thoughtful and entertaining.
This seems like a pretty good spot for Twain, although I was expecting a little higher as well. There’s no denying she’s one of the biggest global stars the genre has ever seen, but I don’t know if she’s had quite the influence that some of the other people sure to follow have. What I mean is that country stars past, present and upcoming still consistently cite Patsy, Loretta, Dolly, Barbara, Trisha, Alison Krauss as huge influences. Shania is a great artist but she is certainly not the most traditional, and in some ways her avant-garde approach to country music makes her almost TOO unique to emulate. I notice that Kevin’s rankings and write-ups really seem to take into account the impact that artists have had on other artists (Linda Ronstadt’s is a good recent example). I won’t deny that many, MANY artists have tried to cop Shania’s style over the years (and Kevin mentioned the spread of her girl power), but none of them have actually been anywhere near as successful because, again, she’s too original – she continues to stand alone, a striking presence in country music history, but not one with the most influence on the rest of the genre. For that reason and that reason alone, I think this ranking makes sense.
Also, kudos to Kevin for picking the perfect crop of essential singles.
Mike, thanks for the laugh but anyone who puts the Dixie Chicks ahead of Shania is totally insane or Trish Yearwood.
Mike, what makes you think this list is the be end of all lists lmao!!!
Shania placed #7 on cmt after only 2 albums.
We are talking about impact and greatest woman and nobody can say with a straight face that Shania is not in the top 5 greatest country woman of alltime.
For you to sit there and say that the Dixie Chicks,Trisha Yearwood deserve a spot higher than Shania is quite laughable.
How the hell does putting more albums out make you greater lmao!!!
Shania’s last 3 albums alone have done much more in country music and the music industry than all others combined.
Mike and you need to get back to reality. Shania is bigger than country music so she can’t always cator to only country music, she is global. All of these other acts are just small time country acts while Shania has to please the world in different genres.
You can make all the excuses you want but for the biggest selling country female with such a massive impact to place only 16 is absurd
Although Shania is widely considered a country artist, I think her pop sensibilities are what made her huge. Her songs are instantly catchy. I can’t think of another artist in any genre who has a collection of songs with better hooks. “Any Man of Mine”, “Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under”, “Man, I Feel Like a Woman”, etc. (Maybe Bon Jovi…)
Given that, however, I do think that her placement on this list is appropriate because her influence in the “country” genre – IMO – hasn’t been all that strong. Who’s the last country artist that named Shania as an influence? She may have sold a ton of records, and I think Carrie Underwood takes after her in many ways, but I think Shania is the perfect example of an actual pop artist who was marketed as country (think Rascal Flatts, although better). While Shania made it work for her, I hope new country artists don’t follow her path. It’s a fine line that Shania walked and it’s difficult to do.
Shania does have country roots though – if you look at her history. I wonder what a Shania album influenced more by Reba, Dolly or Patsy would sound like instead of one influenced by 80’s arena pop/rock. I hope her upcoming album, influenced by recent events, will be different. I think she can pull it off.
Dan, correction, Shania is the only big global superstar in country music history.
She took country music worldwide on a level never seen before.
And for this woman to only place #16 on this list is crazy.
Her influence and impact is without match. She has take 4 years off on hiatus and yet she is talked about all the time and is the standard for all country woman.
This placing on Kevin’s list is insulting to Shania and all her tens of millions of fans who still love her.
I guess Kevin doesn’t think he owes anyone an explanation for such a bad placing for one of the greatest music acts of alltime in country or pop.
And I would love his explanation how he can put the Dixie Chicks ahead of a music icon like Shania.
Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks, at the very least, are icons the world over. Beyond that, I think you can make a very strong case that artists like Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline have more than their share of global adoration.
Dan, you are wrong. Dolly is very well known just like Shania worldwide but she is more known for her boobs and personality, more people know Shania’s songs in mainstream.
Garth is only know in the country music community which is very small outside of North America.
There is only one true global superstar in country music and that is Shania with Dolly a close second and Kenny Rodgers. Johnny Cash also does very well in certain areas.
Shania went mulit platiunum in over 100 countries, no other country artist has even come close to that widespread global success.
Two things, Jake:
1. I’ve had a policy throughout this list of not defending/justifying the placing of an artist. I didn’t do it for the 84 women before Shania Twain, and I’m not going to do it now. Once the list is over, I can discuss particulars, but for now the list has to speak for itself.
2. Posting under different names from the same person are automatically deleted, so don’t post as “Sarah” or anyone else. I think as a whole you’ve already made your points about Shania and by continuing further, you’re revealing your general lack of knowledge regarding other female artists. It’s a shame that you care only about what number she ranks and have ignored the fact that this post is effusive in its praise of Shania Twain.
Kevin, with all due respect,, it is you who has insulted Shania and all her millions of country fans, not just pop.
You honestly think that any normal person would let this go by without seriously questioning your motive for placing Shania only 16.
Its shameful that you have insulted Shania like this.
She has done more for the woman in country music by letting them be themselves, than anyone else in history, thats what Reba said.
You say I lack knowledge of country woman? Well I am smart enough to know that you placing the Dixie Chicks or many others ahead of Shania is the most absurd thing ever.
It seems you are trying to please more traditional fans but if you were doing your job then you would actually judge by impact and greatness.
And for you to say anyone has had a bigger impact or is greater in her impact than Shania is very incorrect.
I am sorry but I have lost respect for your site.
Kevin, I don’t care how much the post praised Shania, you left off a bunch of great stuff she has done. All of what was said in the post is overshadowed by the horrible placing you gave her and how your site has insulted her.
While I do agree with Jake that Shania has done a lot for country music in our time, I also think that her placement here at #16 is appropriate, because I don’t believe that she is far and away the most influential female country artist of all time, nor the most culturally significant. You can make the arguement as to whether she’s the best in your own personal opinion, but the case can also be made that at least one or two of the fifteen women still yet to come (and many of those lower on the list than Shania as well) did as much for country music as Shania has done, if not more, and in ways that aren’t as out in the open. Shania herself has acknowledged this as such on a number of occasions, notably with respect to Dolly.
While I am not really a fan of Shania’s music, I don’t take issue with anyone who is; nor have I taken any issue with those who aren’t fans of Linda Ronstadt like I am. We all have our differing opinions, and I’d like to think we can at least try to back up our opinions with facts. I do agree with Jake about Shania’s ability to sell records by the tens of millions, even if I’m not a fan and even though she’s not really the first to accomplish such a feat.
Erik North, you miss the point. It is not just the fact that she is the biggest selling country female of alltime and yes she is the only woman in any genre of music to have an album go double diamond. So she has been the first to do many things.
Her impact is unmatched and nobody is even close to what she has done worldwide for country music.
It isn’t about sales only which she is unmatched for woman in country music, it is about how she changed a whole generation of woman and influenced them whether you like it or not. Her sound,her image and the way she took charge opened a whole new wave of woman to country music trying to copy her.
She is the most unique artist in country music history because you can’t place her in a box. She has no boundaries or specific genres.
And yes Shania is the first to accomplish many feats in country music and music in general.
She deserved the top 5 spots and it is a total insult to see her out of the top 10.
I am a fan of Shania’s, but I think her placement here is very appropriate.
I remember the first time I heard “Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under.” I thought, “What the heck is this?” I also recall that my dad took quite a liking to it (before he ever saw her picture, by the way), which made me give it a fair chance. To this day, I continue to enjoy that song and subsequent other songs of hers. I love the innovative sound that Mutt helped her to create.
Also, I might add that I think #16 out of 100 is pretty dang good! I’m sure Shania wouldn’t complain.:)
Believe it or not, I bought her first CD on the day of release. I thought “What Made You Say That” was great. I bought “The Woman in Me” on release date too, even though I hadn’t heard the single yet. We didn’t have CMT anymore and the country station hadn’t started playing “Boots” yet. I’d gotten a CD sampler with New Country magazine that had “No One Needs to Know” on it, so I knew her sound would be cooler, but even that was pretty tame compared to the rest of the CD. My jaw dropped when I heard “Any Man of Mine” for the first time. I thought it was awesome but that country radio wouldn’t dare play it. Very happy to be wrong on that one!
I actually liked her first CD too, particularly “What Made You Say That” and “Dance With The One Who Brought You”, I believe it’s called.
Mike, thanks for posting! Even though I get to write for this site, I’m a fan of Kevin’s work too. I hope you keep on commenting.
I thought she would be a little higher, but taking into account that a big deal of her success has more pop oriented, this makes sense. As mentioned above, I don’t think any of her followers have been massivley successful, because her music is so unique, it is hard to imitate.
Growing up, I remember hearing her all the time before I really listened to music on my own. She was probably the first artist I was really a fan of when I was young, because I recognized that songs were by her, whereas when my mom and sister listened to the radio I couldn’t normally identify the singer.
I’m not as much a fan of hers as I used to be, but still it’s hard to turn of one of her songs when it comes on the radio. It’s like even though I feel like there isn’t a reason I should really like them, there addictive.
Selling tens of millions of copies of one album is a feat that shatters a long-standing glass ceiling in country music, yes, I agree on that score, Jake. What I meant in my post, though, is not the number of copies of one single album, but the number of albums sold in an overall career. And on that count, Shania is only one of the most recent to accomplish such a feat.
It’s also instructive to consider that selling 10 million or more copies of one album can put a hideous amount of pressure on an artist to come up with a follow-up that sells just as many, if not more. One such example of this is the Eagles’ 1976 album “Hotel California”, which sold 15 million copies originally; their next album didn’t come out until 1979.
It will be interesting, all the same, to see how Shania does in the long term. A lot of the women on this list as of this point haven’t sold as many copies of one single album as she has, but they’ve managed to sell tens of millions of albums over careers that have lasted upwards of four decades (Linda Ronstadt, for instance, is among the biggest-selling female artists of any genre in terms of album sales, at 60 million). Some others who are still to come still manage to sell huge numbers even if they’ve long since been ostracized from the radio, or are no longer with us. It’s important, I believe, to put such statistics into context to examine an artist’s overall value to the genre, even an unquestioned mega-seller like Shania.
erik north you make no sense at all. Shania is the biggest selling country female of alltime, not just one album but overall she is by far the biggest seller of alltime.
So you can add up everyones career on the whole list and none of sold anywhere close to Shania’s career numbers.
And get your facts straight not only did Shania’s THE WOMAN IN ME album sell 18 million worldwide but she followed that up with COM ON OVER album that sold over 38 million worldwide. She not only did Shania follow it up but she blew the doors off her own record.
So it doesn’t matter what context you put statistics in, Shania wins hands down in career sales and single album sales.
But like I said Shania is so much more than just selling albums, she changed the face of country music forever
leeann, why is this an appropiate placement for the biggest selling country female of alltime? Are you seriously trying to say 15 more artists are more deserving a higher spot.
It is an insult to Shania and her massive impact.
I find it really funny that CMT and other places have placed Shania in the top 7 after only 2 albums in 2001 but Kevin seems to discount Shania’s massive success and impact and greatness and insults Shania and her fans.
Like, how the hell does the Dixie Chicks Place higher than Shania?
Oh, thats right, the owner of this site, likes them better.
This list is not done by logic but in what order Kevin likes the artists.
If there was any logic then Shania would place in the top 5 easily.
Heh. If it was a list of artists I liked the most, Shania would be in the top ten.
The CMT list was done by popular ballot, so it’s hard to compare it to mine. Two different animals.
Oh and leanne, I don’t think the biggest country female of alltime, shania, cares what some site puts her on the greatest country females list.
Her impact and stats to all the talking, she deserves the top 3 spots and her fans find it an insult.
Placing top 16 out of 100 is great if you are someone with less impact. But for Shania to place 16 is a complete joke considering the impact,success and style she brough to country music.
But to say the Dixie Chicks should be higher than Shania is a complete slap in the face to Shania and her music and her impact,
Kevin, you make no sense at all. You are trying to say to everyone that Shania only deserves #16 but your the Dixie Chicks deserve higher lmao!!!!
Shania’s impact and her style blows away anything the Chicks have ever done but then again we all know how you a huge Dixie Chick fan.
Your list has no credibility when you place Shania only #16.
I agree, Jake. Shania wouldn’t care where she was on this list. Why do you? You disagree with the placement, okay. Why such frustration over a list that you consider meaningless on a site that you have no respect for?
I used to read Daily Kos a lot but lost respect for that site. I don’t read it or post there anymore. It’s really quite simple. Why stick around in a place that you don’t respect and that doesn’t matter?
Jake, I was being a bit flippant about Shania “caring” about her placement. Don’t worry, I have no unrealistic belief that she reads country music blogs.
Because you have no answer for your absured list or logic.
You can’t say with a straight face why Shania placed so bad even though she is the woman who set standards for females in country music and broke down barriers.
I am waiting for one good explanation and above all I can’t wait to laugh at some of the nobody artists who you placed in front of her.
This should be good.
I personally think you placed her so bad to start a contraversy and get people to your site and it will probably work.
Kevin, and get your facts straight. the CMT list was not done by popular ballot, it was done by country music experts in the industry for years.
And those experts seemed to use better logic than you.
lower-case jake,
Anybody who follows country music and has an understanding of the genre’s history can
already list the next fifteen artists who you dismiss as “nobody artists.” I think at this point readers are just curious what order they’re going to be in.
upper-case Jake,
I didn’t address the personal situation with Mutt that’s going on now because it hasn’t impacted her music (yet) and I try to avoid that stuff as much as possible on my site anyway.
I really feel we take these lists a bit too personally at times; it’s all subjective. Jake thinks that Shania should be higher on the list, and that’s fine. No problem there. Not everyone else does, and there shouldn’t be any problem there either. It’s only opinions.
What I think Kevin intended this list for, besides a look at the history of women in country music, is to stir debate, which this segment on Shania certainly has. In the segment on Linda Ronstadt, I didn’t argue for her being higher on this list than #21, I was happy that Linda was even on this list at all, let alone at so high a point, because her overall output of albums continues to influence female country singers to this day, including Shania, I might add–and this from an artist who recorded for most of her career in Los Angeles.
What I want to make clear is this: Shania selling tens of millions of copies of ONE album is a feat that no other female artist before her could claim. But Shania is not the first to have sold tens of millions of albums over an entire CAREER–that’s the difference. This is not to say that 38 million albums sold overall is chump change, but that there are others before her who have done exactly that same thing and have exceeded even that impressive statistic, often without the publicity that Shania has.
This is not to bash Shania. This is only to put things into some kind of context.
To the other Jake. She wrote a personal message to her fans that the whole world knows about. She said this is a new beginning and has lots to say in her music.
She says she will be back stronger than ever.
So it looks like she wants nothing to do with Mutt anymore with her music. She can produce her own music and be more creative now. She knows all of Mutt’s tricks in the studio and actually wrote most of the melodies for the songs herself and knows how to produce an album from start to finish.
When you have Shania’s massive wealth,status,power,talent and knowledge, then you have the world at your feet. Any new album will sell great and be huge worldwide.
Erik north, what the hell are you talking about. No female in country music has exceeded Shania’s overall album sales.
You make no sense at all.
Shania had many albums sell tens of millions worldwide.
Shania has sold over 80 million albums worldwide with only 4 albums.
nobody before Shania or after has sold as many albums in female country music.
I am not talking one album only, I am talking career album sales.
So get your facts straight. Shania didn’t just have one album sell tens of millions, she had several albums sell tens of millions.
The bottom line is the Shania is the biggest selling country female of alltime and that includes total career sales, not just one album.
Kevin., oh really? Well most people here thought Shania would be alot higher and nobody in their right mind would put the Dixie chicks ahead of Shania.
So don’t give me that garbage that we know who the next 15 are.
Your total disregard for Shania and her impact is unbelievable.
You have yet to give a reason for your absurd list.
Leeann? You wouldn’t think “Who’s Bed Have Your Boots Been Under” was so cool if you had an 11 yr old daughter (at the time) singing and line dancing to that song in a school talent show and got to hear the blasted song NINE MILLION times while the girls rehearshed at the house. NINE MILLION I tell ya’! I have nightmares that include that song. HA! :-o
I thought the placement was a little low Kevin. But only by one spot. I had her at 15 based solely on country influence. Great post on her BTW. I think you treated her fairly.
Shania is one of those I felt got the shaft on the ETOY ballots back in her heyday. I really thought she should’ve won three years running. She is definitely a performer and man did I love seeing her live. Talk about an energy level that was through the roof! She is the first act my daughter and I ever saw together and Shania started a tradition that my daughter and I share to this day. We try and make at least two concerts a year together and it is “our” time. For that I really thank Shania Twain! :-)
I’m really, really looking forward to a new album from Shania. I hope she goes back to her Country roots with this one. Maybe without the Mutt influence she will. Although I truly wonder if she won’t reappear in pop instead of Country this time around. Guess we’ll see.
jarheaddad, well,I guess maybe she will do a pop album since everybody here seems to think she had no country music influence at all.
Quite funny that a woman who didn’t influence country music much according to this site , is still the most talked about and debated woman in country music.
Actually I hope she does a full pop album this time. She has never gotten any respect from anyone in country music and nobody but her fans actually got her.
I don’t care if Shania sold 100,000,000 copies of one album…. that would not make her better than Loretta Lynn. Times change. In Loretta’s era, no one could sell ten million albums, one million was almost unheard of. We’re looking at country music history here, and things need to be kept in perspective. Someone here seems to lack perspective.
I guess I really ought to give up here. I don’t care much for someone who says that they don’t know what the hell I’m talking about. It only shows that you can’t be civil to someone who can’t defend their favorite without attacking other posters.
I guess those people that argue that Shania’s record sales are being “disrespected” would then agree that Bing Crosby was more important than Elvis or the Beatles, based on the same criteria.
The truth is that the more fanatical members of anybody’s fan club tend to be irrational in their “defense” of their idols. Give it a rest guys (and gals) – I suspect that Shania herself would regard her placement on Kevin’s list as being too high. I think he’s in the right ballpark at #16 (I have her only slightly higher on my list)
When your release multiple copies of the same cd remxied to fit that format you inflate the sales numbers and you don’t get a true picture imo
I agree when people say the CMT top 40 was more accurate. It’s a no brainer that Shania should easily make the top ten and in my opinion be dang near top five. I don’t care that she has only put out four albums, her success, groundbreaking, phenomenal stats, abilities a woman has and to take control of every aspect of her career in a male dominated industry is unmatched and never will be. Shania has had such a huge impact and influence in country music and music in general over the last decade. She has also become a one name icon around the world with the name Shania much like Cher or Madonna. She has great talents as a singer songwriter and in all other aspects of her career, first non American to win Entertainer of the Year, the fact she was not from America and rose as great as she has in country music says a lot. I also agree with people who say she should have won more EOTY awards. She’s a highly respectable woman (regardless of industry hacks opinions) and with all the naysayers she remains very humble, gracious, and without a negative reply she’s always a class act, truly a classy individual, she carries herself well and has been consistent. Shania not breaking into the top ten just shows me it’s the same old same old with this woman. I don’t know what more this woman has to do to be honored by industry hacks…
great info kevin!
its one thing to see how these women’s careers are shaping up as it is happpening, but once again its impressive to see the impact that these females have had when all the data is written out in one place
can’t wait to see the top 15
I agree 100% Joe, these people are just jealous and anybody with common sense knows Shania is in the top 5 of alltime country females. She became bigger than country music
Paul W Dennis, now you are speaking for Shania lmao!!!! First I highly doubt the richest and biggest selling country female of alltime cares what placement she gets on stupid list. But if she was the type that cared I am sure she would laugh at it.
First of Shania is the biggest selling country female of alltime without inflated stats, deal with it and move on.
Secondly if you read anything at all then you would know that Shania was much more than sales, she was groundbreaking and led the new country movement. She took country music worldwide with her sound and did things no other country artist has. She also did all of this without the help of Nashville or the support
ccf, and thanks for the huge laugh. The only reason Shania had to release another version in other countries is because she became popular in those countries long before she released a different version to them. It doesn’t matter how you look at it, Shania is in a league of her own in sales,success,impact.
Those of you making excuse and lying about her and just jealous because your favorite aren’t even in Shania’s league.
Yeah Joe and you are right, The CMT experts have a more logical list that placed Shania #7 in 2001 after only 2 albums. She would be in the top 5 by now.
But as far as impact, Shania is #1 without a doubt.
Joe, thanks for that great post. You have made the most sensible post of all here.
I think the ownere of this site placed the biggest of alltime,Shania, so low, because he knew it would start a contraversy or fight.
there is no way anyone with any common sense or logic would disregard Shania’s massive impact and ground breaking career and not put her in the top 5.
These same people who think Shania does’t deserve higher are the same people who put the Dixie Chicks higher than Shania lmao!!!!
It is a complete sham to think after all Shania has done she is treated with so much disrespect because of jealousy and the fact she is richer and more successful than all of Nashville and is bigger than Nashville.
jake a few things, as you keep saying “The CMT experts have a more logical list that placed Shania #7 in 2001 after only 2 albums.” I find it weird that you keep saying this, because it’s wrong. By 2001 she already had 3 albums on a major label (I believe that she may have had some on some smaller labels before that). Secondly nobody is saying that she didn’t influence country music. She hasn’t been the most influential because she hasn’t been around as long as others have. Her impact has been felt as Kevin said in the post, but I believe that there will be another generation who will cite her as a major influence. People my age will probably cite her because we grew up while she was making her impact.
I know that you think the Dixie Chicks shouldn’t be higher on the list than Shania, but I think they do (and I actually like Shania a little better.) The Dixie Chicks have place higher in my mind because of their accomplishments, one of which Shania will never be able to copy. I’ll let you figure out which one that is.
Having said that if I made the list I would have had her a little higher, maybe at #11. I understand Kevin’s reasoning though and am actually happy because this makes my guess ing for the remaining women much more interesting.
One last thing for now, you said in one of your posts that you can’t wait to laugh at the “nobody artists” who will be placed above her. If you find it laughable to place Dolly, Loretta, Tammy, Emmylou, and Kitty then you aren’t a true country fan.
bobby: I also grew up listening to her and she was one of only two artists I actually knew before really listening to music on my own. Her and Alan Jackson, when I would listen to the radio I always thought it was only them two, all the males were Alan, while all the females were Shania. I only really started listening to more when I was about nine, and I started with those two and expanded from there. If I were ever able to become a recording artist, I think they would be two of my biggest influences.
Jordon, I was talking about albums that she wrote,not her first album.
Secondly, Shania’s accomplishments and worldwide success and impact blow away anything the Dixie Chicks have ever and will ever do.
The only thing the Chicks are known for is opening their big mouth to get attention and use politics to get grammy awards.Shania is known for leading the new country movement and taking it worldwide and being the woman who took charge of her career.
I am sorry but Shania Twain is in a class of her own and league of her own.
She made it cool to be country all over the world.
The only reason Shania is’t #1 on this meaningless list is because she isn’t traditional and didn’t kiss butt with Nashville like everyone else.
The only women I can think of that would be placed higher on the list then Shania are those who opened the doors for her so to speak and have been huge impacts for decades, Dolly, Loretta, Patsy, Tammy, Emmylou, and Reba just as the CMT list did placing Shania #7. After a few more years I believe Shania will be worthy of the top five. I know Patty Loveless, Trisha Yearwood, Alison Krauss and Dixie Chicks will place higher than Shania on this particular list but that is plain wrong. They had big impacts but not like Shania. Heck it is known the Dixie Chicks received success as great as they did because of Shania as well as these others from the 90s who experienced their biggest numbers because of the draw Shania brought country music. She was huge and others during the times fed off it. No brainer. And to this day no female country act on her own name alone, sole headliner, can sell out huge arenas or bring in 55,000 to an outdoor Chicago show or 80,000 to an outdoor England show. The energy this woman possesses is electrifying, it was wonderful to witness. I look forward to her return.
Still doesn’t change the fact that she had three albums. Going by that logic Martina McBride only has one album because she didn’t write any songs on anything except her latest.
Secondly the Dixie Chicks, are known for great music. They don’t have “big mouths” as a lot of people say. Do you actually know what it was that they said? Also they didn’t use politics to get a Grammy, that was the Grammy’s decision.
Also Shania isn’t known for leading the new country movement, that would be Garth Brooks. I also believe that other women before her took charge of their career. Which she didn’t do alone, if it wasn’t for Mutt Lange she would still be recording songs written by other artists.
Also I don’t know why you’re defending her so much, I did say that I like her music better than the Dixie Chicks, and nobody has stated that they hate her. For me Shania places in my top 5 women of country as well (based solely on personal favorites) but my favorite artist (Terri Clark) was placed much lower on this list, and I’m just happy she made the list at all, as you should be for Shania making it.
P.S. Please don’t post comments on the remaining 15 women if you’re just going to bash them.
It will interesting to see how will Shaina does in music since the man behind the mixing board etc is out of her life.
Jordon Stacey, get a reality check. Are you for real?
Shania should of placed top 5 because of her impact in the genre.
Name one artists with that massive impact globally on country music?
Shania went mulit platinum in over 100 countries and made country cool all ove the world.
I have no clue why you are so jealous and diminishing what she has done in music globally.
The artists you name aren’t even in Shania’s league.
Why the heck should I be happy Shania place #16 when she is the biggest selling biggest country female of alltime who took country music worldwide.
her impact is much larger than any of those others you name.
And yes did lead the new country movement and opened doors for woman to follow, even Reba said so.
Shania is in a league of her own and I find it so funny that people like you and country music traditionalists try and minimize her huge impact.
LIkle I said, other lists have Shania in the top 5 of alltime and some have her #1.
ccf, actually Shania will sell tens of millions worldwide on her name alone.
Mutt is the one who pursued Shania and Mutt is the one who wanted to write with her, not the other way around.
He saw the massive potentional in Shania because Shania wrote her own music and had charimsa and a beautiful honey voice.
the facts are that it doesn’t matter who produces Shania now, she is a brand name worldwide and Shania herself can produce her own music. She has been helping produce and been in the studio from start to finish of 14 years with Mutt Lange. So she knows all Mutt’s tricks if she wants to use them.
But i think Shania is doing to re invent herself like all icons and create a new sound for herself and maybe produce it herself.
The facts are that Shania herself said she wrote most of the melodies for her songs anyway and Mutt was in charge of arrangements. So Shania can produce an album from start to finish or hire a young hip producer and re invent her sound.
botton line is Shania has the talent,money,connections and knowledge to make any type of record she wants and her millions of fans will support her.
I agree Joe, Shania is in a class of her own and became so much bigger than country music that the world claimed her for their own.
With all do respect to the traditionalists, Shania is just on another level and blurred the lines between country and pop and became a worldwide icon.
those who say she doesn’t deserve the top 3 spots in smoking some funny stuff or maybe jealousy just like all of Nashville.
Jake: This will be my last response to you. I’m not jealous of her talent, and I’m not diminishing what she has done. All I’m saying is that she isn’t top 10 yet. She’s been around for about 13 years with at least 4 or 5 of those years spent out of the spotlight. She hasn’t proved that she has lasting power yet. In my mind lasting power means you have a successful career for at least twenty years, she’s only at 13 (or 8 if you don’t count years spent out of the spot light.) Hopefully with her next album she’ll remain on top of her game, but who knows. Her career in both sales and charts dropped a little after Come On Over. Up! didn’t perform as well as many expected it to (me included), and the singles from the Greatest Hits package didn’t chart all that well (excluding Party For Two), so it will be interesting to see if she will be able to compete on the radio when she decides to come back. If she continues with her previous success then I don’t see why she wouldn’t move up the list should this be rewritten in the future.
P.S. Why isn’t Garth Brooks in Shania’s “leauge”?
P.P.S. I never claimed Terri Clark was as influential as Shania, all I said was I was happy for seeing my favorite make the list. Don’t bash other artists, if my fans were acting the way you are I would feel ashamed.
O:nen Ki Wahi
I thought I was going to give up on this, but I think I’m going to backtrack now.
Jake, I don’t know about anybody else here, but I can tell you right now, truthfully, that I am in no way jealous of Shania or her success. Nor have I attacked her in any way, which is why I don’t understand your need to go after fans of other artists simply because Shania’s not their #1 like she is yours. Nobody makes a convincing case for their favorite by going after those who favor singers other than their own in such a way, I didn’t go into attack mode in my advocacy of Linda Ronstadt being at #21; and I don’t think fans of any of the other artists here have done so either.
Whether or not you agree that other artists should be higher on the list is up to you. But I think it would behoove you not to attack fans of those artists just because Shania is at #16 and not at #1.
first of all, this is another piece of worthwile reading on one of the undoubtedly greatest among the women in country music.
however, since it results in a ranking the final outcome is more than questionable. shania twain gave female country music a new and very much appreciated (sales figures) and needed (artists picking up on the lead) direction. this cannot be valued high enough. like garth brooks, she opend up the genre to people (especially outside the usa), who wouldn’t touch a country album with a barchpole before. both of them were breaking new grounds for an industry as a whole and for the entertaining art form that country music is.
no such list can be expected to be “correct” and the strenght of this one clearly is the great summaries full of substance and useful bits of information about these wonderful and highly enjoyable artists.
even though, it’s absolutely legitimate to question certain positions on the list and post one’s own view in order to create a lively thread, i can’t help but feeling somewhat creepy about “jake”. frankly, i’d rather had dinner with hannibal lector than meeting this guy in his shania shrine. being a passionate fan is one thing, but this here has something pathological about it. step five yards back pal and gain a little bit of sensible perspective, will you?
Jordan Stacey, thanks for the huge laugh. But it doesn’t matter how you look at it whenever Shania decides to release music it is one of the top sellers in the world and her tours are massive globally.
Shania long ago eclisped country and country radio so of course they are made at her and won’t play her as much anymore. Shania’s music is universal, she doesn’t have one specific genres, she is a global icon.
So it doesn’t matter what country radio does with her next album, she will sell millions all over world until she decides to retire. Thats what icons do. They don’t cator to one specific genre, they are universal like Shania.
Shania’s impact of 14 years already blows away anyone you can even name on the female country list.
I was about to comment on the ignorance of some of those who have posted on this thread, but I really don’t need to – their comments are there for all to read
Paul W Dennis, did if you ever think that your comments are ignorant?
I’m looking forward to the rest of the list I have a list of 14 names and I’m anxious to see where they are placed.
ccf.
I’m curious to see who the fifteenth person is that you’re missing. Your knowledge of country music is quite deep, so I imagine one’s just slipping your mind. I don’t think there are any surprises left (in terms of names, not rankings. Apparently Shania’s placement has people rethinking what this list will ultimately look like.)
Yea I’m really racking my brain to try and find one more name I have one name down but’ I’m not sure she will make the list. She is an older timer who’s guitar lick is what made her famous among other things. I know someone is sliping my mind.
I think impact goes WAY beyond sales. I love Shania but I’m waiting to see the lasting impact that she has made or the longevity she may achieve. Twenty years from now she may rank near the top of this list. But right now I think she is pretty appropriately placed.
I love what Bill Friskics-Warren wrote about “Any Man of Mine” in Heartaches By the Number:
“All you hear at first is a lone acoustic guitar, and then a bomb goes off… Shania hotwires hockey-rink hooks to down-home twang for a sound that’s at once more pop and more country than the Nashville norm.”
It’s a great assessment of her signature sound– one that, for better or worse, no other artist has yet been able to replicate with much accuracy. I can’t honestly say that I like all of her material, but I fundamentally respect Shania Twain (and the Twain – Lange team) for the way that she’s developed a real point-of-view and unique identity as an artist. That isn’t something that many of her contemporaries in Nashville– or anywhere else in the music industry– can claim.
My favorite single of hers is “No One Needs to Know,” which has a terrific, effortless melody and a much more low-key production than many of her bigger hits. But possibly my favorite thing she’s ever done is her hilarious, self-deprecating cameo in I Heart Huckabees, which showed that she understands her fame and public persona well enough to skewer her own image.
I can see why Shania is #16 and I agree with that placement. I have a ton of respect for Shania, what she has done for Country music, and how she has paved the way for many artists. For all the albums she’s sold and attention she’s garnered, she too is the product of influential women before her. Without the work of the strong women that came before her there is a good chance that Shania would not be as successful as she was. Just as artists like Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift are benefiting from the work of Shania.
Like I mentioned before, I think there are at most only six women who can be ahead of Shania who paved the way for her, who opened her doors, and have timeless success, but Shania smashed down many doors as Faith Hill said. Shania moved country forward like no one before and she took the most flak and the bulk of the criticism all the newer females are enjoying without negativity. They wanted to crucify this fine lady, some people just don’t get her and what she truly represents. And Shania did her thing,her way, and with grace and class never stooped down to the level of the critics and fired back. For that I have so much respect for her. She is a well admired woman, had a rough beginning and early life and now will have to get over yet another mountain to climb with recent events. She will comeback strong, she is a strong woman and I look forward to her return.
Joe, you make the most sense out of everyone.
I laugh at how when people try and justify Shania placing only 16th they say she hasn’t been around long enough but yet Kevin(owner of the site) places the Dixie Chicks ahead of the great Shania lmao!!!!
Shania paved the way for the Dixie Chicks and Shania made a much bigger smash and impact on country music all over the world.
So how the hell does the Dixie Chicks place ahead of a music icon like Shania who blew the doors open for the Dixie Chicks and so many others.
Oh yeah, I forgot, the one who made this list is a really big fan of the Dixie Chicks lol!!!
Your list has no credibility Kevin, and the only ones agreeing are the few posters who come her often.
you have no justification or reason for much of your list.
TO SAY THE DIXIE CHICKS ARE GREATER THAN SHANIA TWAIN WOULD BRING LAGHTER TO TENS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD .
I think Shania’s placement is correct. This is about where I’d put her. Her sales impact has been mighty for sure, but a big chunk of her success and impact was in the pop and adult contemporary market. Looking solely at her contributions to the country genre, I’d say #16 is about right. Yes she sold a ton of records, but there are those before her who had already proven that women could keep pace and even outsell the men. She just did so on an admittedly larger scale. I do enjoy her though and think she’s been a great ambassador to the genre worldwide.
I actually find Shania’s propesnsity for remixing her albums for the international market really annoying. I live in the UK, and we don get the majority of country albums released here, if only as very limited imports by minor distributors. Shania’s only come out in the remixed form, and so I generally have to import them from the US (or buy the European version and find the country versions online).
I actually still haven’t heard most of the original country versions of the Come On Over album. I find the whole situation really frustrating, since generally for me her ‘international’ versions lack something, and are just really bland and MOR. In fact, the pop CD of Up is really crappy, since on several of the songs they’ve just taken the steel guitar off and not replaced it with anything, leaving some mostly quite average. I don’t really find her must-listen material, on personal preference I would rank her below many other country singers.
Thank God other sites use common sense and have Shania in the top 5.
tony, get your facts straight, before Shania the woman weren’t even close to selling what the guys were.
And it is so much more than sales. Shania changed the face of country music forever with her sound and unique style.
Shania is the greatest female country act of alltime according to many experts.
I just think Kevin has insulted Shania and her impact.
He pretends he knows so much about country music but yet her has the Dixie Chicks ahead of Shania lmao!!! Shania opened the doors for the Chicks and so many others.
And Shania’s impact was so much bigger and larger on the genre itself. Nobody talks about the Dixie Chick era, They only talk about the Shania and Garth era.
This Kevin guy pretends to be a Shania fan but yet he places one of the biggest acts in all of music only #16.
Shania’s impact and greatness is far greater than Tanya Tucker,Dixie Chicks and so many others he has ahead of her.
When you go around the world, you only hear 3 country artists name when country music is brought up. That is Shania,Dolly and Johnny Cash.
Kevin has insulted Shania and if I hope he never comes close to one of her concerts again.
LIke I said, Joe is the only one that really makes sense out of the posts I have seen.
I have been sitting here reading jake, rant on and on about how wonderful Shania is (and laughed many times over how much time he has spent on his issues) – while I agree that she has had an effect on country music — I think Kevin’s placement of her is about right — there are a lot of women in country music who if they had not come before Shania, she would not have had a place to play her music — also, I am in the minority, I liked her first album better than any of the others.
Never was a great fan of hers but then again I respect what she has done, but that does not mean that I have to like everyone on this list because I dont but I respect what everyone has done for the genre —
Jake said “She has never gotten any respect from anyone in country music and nobody but her fans actually got her.”
How on earth do you breathe with your head so far up your anus? any other generalizations you’d care to make?
Just a note on the chicks they were picking music in texas before Shaina came along.
Also Kevin I finally thought of the name I think I’m missing.
Shania was picking guitar and singing in Canada before the Chix were born. The naysayers may trash Shania, but she has shown her great knowledge of this genre, she’s practically a historian of the music yet people trash her because she tried to find her own niche, created her own niche, her own originality and wasn’t as pure or traditional as some would like. That’s plain wrong. Shania is who she is by being different. She sounds unique on country radio as she does with remixes on pop and ac stations. Besides, The Woman In Me passed Patsy Cline’s Greatest Hits as the best selling female country album without crossover and strictly played on county format. Come On Over just took her to a new level. People came to her before she went out and spread the music to other formats. She’ll remain timeless and legendary.
Still to this day no female will sellout 55,000 to 80,000 in attendance either. After throwing her a bone in 1999 she has been robbed of EOTY repeats. Not even a nomination. Pathetic. At least Canadian Country awards know how to properly treat their favorite daughter.
And Sam, I do agree, I will say the international market is tough, but I wish she gave more access to her country versions then is made. It’s hard to please everyone, so I look forward to see what her next idea, her next direction is.
Joe, what has she done since 1999? 10 singles on the US country charts (none higher than #4), one album released … what’s she done since 1999 to “entertain” and justify another nomination?
At this point, based on current production, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, Miranda Lambert, hell, Kellie Pickler are more deserving of EOTY nominations than Shania. Release another album and then we’ll talk.
” naysayers may trash Shania”
Placing her at #16 is certainly not trashing Shania. I look forward to her next album– I hope it’s something more in the country vein, but I’ll listen to whatever she offers up. Aso my favorite is her first album, the one that’s only “single platinum.”
stephen, lets see, in 2003-2004 she launched a worldwide tour that grossed 120 million worldwide.Her last studio album in 203 was the biggest country album of the year.She headlined the superbowl halftime show in 2003 and had 2 high rated prime time specials on NBC in 2003. If that does’t get you an EOTY then nothing should.
Shania is a global icon and bigger than country music and has the money and power to do as she pleases. Country radio is meaningless to a big universal star like Shania.
There is no country female anywhere close to her.
Yes Shania has a lot of accomplishments but I don’t consider her impact on country music to be a good thing it was more negative to me in the direction it moved the genre and the image of the female vocalists.
Jake, I wasn’t talking to you. You’ve already made your point about 30 times in this thread; NOTHING you can say is anything new.
Well to answer your question Stephen, refer to jake’s reply. What more does she have to do? No Carrie or Taylor could accomplish what Shania did with network specials and having a sold out tour grossing over 100 million worldwide, Shania the sole headliner. Indeed, if this isn’t good enough nothing is. Shania should have not only been nominated but she should have won EOTY in 2004. Like I said she had 55,000 in Chicago and 80,000 in Hyde Park England during this time. What more is needed? Radio play is payola and rigged, Shania does as much as she does with tour and awards without #1s. Tells you a lot about this business.
When she comes back she will still be the only female selling out huge arenas and she will still be dissed by cma and acm.
And besides music as a side note, she has two successful perfumes so people are still aware of her and what she products. Plus she was given Canada’s highest civilian honor, Order Of Canada for her accomplishments, success, remaining to roots and decency and all her charitable work.
ccf, Shania will have haters and lovers, you must be a purist since you say her impact on country was negative. You can have that opinion but like in my previous note, no one can deny she moved the genre forward when it was heading for the toilet. You may not like her style but I’ve already said it and won’t fully repeat it, she knows the genre, can be considered a historian by any standard but she seeked her own niche and originality, no one like her on both country or pop radio. You either like it or you don’t, subjective matter but she does not deserve to be discredited for all she has done, positive or “negative.”
Kevin:
This is quite the discussion. I can only imagine the clamor when people find out you have Tammy Faye Starlight ranked #1. (should I not have revealed that?)
“Radio play is payola and rigged” You have proof of this Joe? Cos I’ve worked in radio for 22 years and have never seen evidence of this.
Please… I’ve heard from others in radio including reports and article on the subject. Attorney General of NY was after radio programmers and record labels for this.
If Shania can sell 20 million albums in the US alone since 1998 yet be denied a #1 doesn’t that tell you something is not making sense? And why do artists who sell barely gold or single times platinum get the radio hits? Foolish game the industry plays.
Joe, one of the things that Shania has going for her, album sales-wise, is crossing over, and that might say something for her viability of EOTY cross-genre, but it doesn’t say anything about her EOTY-worthiness country-wise. The “country” acts that sell the most records — Shania, Rascal Flatts, Faith Hill circa 2000, etc. — sell as many records as they do, and sell out as many shows as they do, because their music is less country and therefore accessible to a wide range of fans who don’t like country “because it’s country.”
As for payola and rigged, the only recent time I can think of that being realistic is Garth Brooks’ “More than a Memory” debuting at #1. It’s not like she’s on a no-name label — Mercury Nashville, I’m sure, promotes all of its artists fairly to radio, and it might just be an example of her songs not being as friendly to the radio format.
Shania’s song are obviously radio friendly and I recall an article that stated Shania’s Up cd sold 77% of what the entire Mercury label sold during that time and rather promoting her, she was already a well established artist of the time, so they decided to promote their lesser name acts like Julia Roberts, Emerson Drive and ect. Shania can stand on her own without radio and industry help. Few in music can claim that. And yes, Garth’s is one fine example of many as well as Reba and others. Just research the NY attorney general and record label radio payolas and you’ll see. And remember, before cross over Shania’s TWIM outsold Patsy’s to be #1 all-time and only on country radio format. Then radio was not as much a conglomerate but supported her before she was bigger than Nashville. It’s always easy to say she is “not as country” so her appeal helps her tour baloney. She does not have Tim for a headline husband and she is not a boy band, she is a single headlining female. No one can duplicate, no one.
Oh god, I can see that “jake” has made his presence made. He’s been such an annoyance on anything Shania-related online anywhere. I totally just passed all his posts b/c all they have are numbers and “lmao” and “laughable” blah blah blah everywhere on them. He actually turns more people off Shania than onto her. Sometimes I wonder if it’s on purpose.
But anyway, I love Shania and her music. Believe it or not, she used to be my #1 fav female singer. She has a lot of great songs and they’re very catchy. She’s still in my top 10 favorites list and I can’t wait to hear what her new music sounds like.
CCF –
I couldn’t have said it better myself! She may be a big seller, but sex appeal isn’t all the industry is about. She has never had the talent that many of the other leading ladies in the industry were blessed with….
First off, let me state that I have no problems with Shania Twain. Her music is fun, infectious, and is always a crowd pleaser. I have all her CD’s, and listen to her music quite often.
OK so I believe this is right around the perfect spot for Shania. I had her placed at 13 on my own personal top 20. However I did have her at 8 at one time. I find Shania to be a bit of a conundrum, because she is so huge yet I also feel that she isn’t (and you can see that on this board). I don’t think anyone on this board is arguing that Shania hasn’t had a major impact/effect on Country Music (all music in general), but the arguing is in where to place her.
Shania has become the #1 selling female country artist. World Wide tours, EOTY award…she has been very successful. She established a whole new feel for country music, and perfected pop-country. She blew down the doors for future female artists to break through and do their thing (the one who jumps to mind immediately is Taylor Swift). I love how she is strong and will do her own thing no matter what others say. When she didn’t want to tour – she didn’t. When she wants to wait a few years between albums – she did. This is her life and she does it her way.
However, I feel that her influence still doesn’t match other artists. Her biggest draw back in my opinion is her lack of substansive songs. Most of her songs are upbeat, fun, radio friendly songs, that are pleasant to the ear. True she has done some beautiful songs (God Bless The Child, Black Eyes, It Only Hurts When I Breathe), but I would state that other female singers have done this too (and some did better at it that Shania). Also, The Women In Me was a truly ground breaking album, followed up by Come On Over which was even more ground breaking. However, since then her albums have gotten less influential and she’s just going over the same things she’s done before, but with less effect (she used to be atop the coutnry charts all the time, and now she’s lucky if she gets a top 10 single.
Another negative to Miss. Twain is her vocal ability. She has a nice voice, do not get me wrong and jump down my throat, but I would state there are many other women with much better voices that her (ie. Patsy, Reba)
I would also state that Shania’s influence on country music hasn’t always been positive. Shania has gotten herself into a lot of trouble over things she has said (the f-bomb she dropped at the CMT music awards), the things she has worn, the “pop” sound to her, and in many songs her lack of lyrical inventiveness.
Also I commented on how Shania always did her own thing. But lets remember, it was the 80’s that women were still not able to do their own thing. It was people like Dolly, Barbara and Reba who took control of their music and gave women more of a voice in country music, and opened the doors for Shania, so then Shania could turn around and open more doors for future singers.
I am very interested to see in what Shania brings to the table next. Her music has been on the downward slope. And now without Mutt it’ll be interesting to see. Everyone here says she does it on her own, but Shania and Mutt were a team. They worked together and produced some amazing music. Can she do it without Mutt…I would venture a guess and say yes, but only time will tell. I agree that this next album will be big no matter because she has millions of die hard fans who will buy no matter what, but will it be successful?
So in conclusion (wow this was long and hard to write), I love Shania. She has done lots for music and deserves a spot on this list. She has done many things, but in my opinion, there are artists that have done the same things she has done with much more substantive music, whereas Shania did most of her stuff with radio-friendly catchy songs. Now I’ll just sit back and wait to see what jake has to say.
(sorry for the length, at work writing this and just got on a roll. I hope all my points came across successfully.
“I’ve heard from others in radio including reports and article on the subject. Attorney General of NY was after radio programmers and record labels for this.”
So therefore all radio is rigged. Gotcha, sweetcheeks…..
Greg , you waited for me and now you got me.
Lets get realistic now, because you make no sense at all.
YOu said that there are many artists that have done the same things as Shania with more meaning to their music lmao!!!
Who has done the same thing as Shania? I can’t think of any country female in history who has done Shania’s amazing things. She set the standard and blew it away.
Who are you to judge what songs have more meaning?
For your information many of Shania’s songs have much greater meaning than the ones you like.
I think people like you who are stuck in a country mode need to get out of your nashville bubble.
Shania is so much bigger than Nashville and has all the money and power to do as she pleases.
I laugh so hard at people who say Shania shouldn’t be in the top 5 on this lame list but yet she is the most talked about country female in history with the most impact on the genre.
Shania is in a league of her own and thats why I see quite a bit of jealousy on this board. She became bigger than country music and the purists don’t like that she did what she wanted and became a massive icon worldwide.
I won’t even post about some of the others who will be placed above her on this lame list. It is just too laughable to even comment on some of these being placed hgher than the biggest of all, Shania.
It doesn’t matter if you talk about country genre or crossover, Shania’s impact was much.much bigger than anyone who will be on this list.
Greg, and greg you contradict yourself through your whole post.
You said TWIM was groundbreaking and COO was even more groundbreaking but then you bash her because UP wasn’t as groundbreaking lmao!!!!
I can’t think of any artist in history with 2 groundbreaking albums like Shania produced.
Shania’s massive impact blows away any country female ever.
It seems you are just making excuses as to why this is the only site that has placed her so low. You contradict yourself so many times.
There is nobody who has done what Shania has and there is nobody quite like her.
She deserved the #1 spot on any list.
Jake,
Shaina didn’t invent country music. Have you ever or heard of the Peer or Bristol sessions? Country was born in the 1920s in that town that is split down the middle between Tennessee and Virgina. Is where country music got it’s start.
Peter…
Not sure who you are calling sweetcheecks, but if it is me – I’ll take the compliment.
If Shania’s voice and style would have been coming out of Lulu Roman’s body, she wouldn’t have gone anywhere in the industry. Plain and simple.
And why do all of Shania’s songs sound like cookie cutters of the previous one? I can hear the first note of a new Shania song and know that it is her, because it sounds like all the songs before it….BORING!!
No Ms. T that was directed at Joe and his “one-size-fits-all” response. Sweetcheeks are appealing on a woman, I will give ya that ;)
As a postscript to my other comments, I am a Shania fan. But I’ll admit, I’m agreeing more and more with the placement on this list, as well as thinking she might even be too high, as I am incredibly tired of jake’s nonsensical ranting.
stephen, you are a Shania fan ? really? NOt juding by your comments.You haven’t said one nice thing about Shania.
Why is my comments nonsensical?
I have stated fact and everything I posted true.
I am still laughing at your comment which said what has she done since 1999? You still haven’t answered that one. Since 1999 and before 1999 Shania has sold more cd’s than any country female on earth. In 2003-2004 she had a massive worldwide tour that grossed 120 million worldwide and had the biggest country album of the year in 2003 with UP and headlined the superbowl halftime show in 2003 and had 2 of her own prime time NBC specials in 2003.
What Shania did in 2003 alone is more than what most country females do in a decade.
Stephen, you are not a Shania fan and neve were. You never said one nice thing about her. You are just posting discredit her.
Shania can’t help it if she is bigger than Nashville and more known and more wealthy.
Shania should of been #1 on this list.
I am also quite upset that Kevin is deleted some of my posts that were totally within the rules and innocent.
Are we not allowed to voice our opinion?
It doesn’t matter how many times I say the truth, there are always bashers like Stephen and others putting Shania down.
It is qutie sad that this site has become a place to bash Shania.
I think Stephen and others need to deal with the facts that Shania is the biggest selling country female of alltim known worldwide and she brought an impact on country music never see before. She took it to another level and many people wouldn’t even like country music if it weren’t for Shania.
Shania is in a league of her own and she proved that nobody can match her.
Man, the pure ignorance… I’m actually getting quite sick of the discrediting nature towards Shania here by many people. If she was in lulu roman’s body? Would Patty, Alison, Barbara or any of the rest have the success if they looked like that? What a ridiculous and rude comparison. It’s like Vince Gill, said if Shania weighed 200 pounds people would style love her and her songs. Cookie cutter? That is simply the way Nashville usually works it, the reason why Shania gets flak for being different and going against the grain. She’s original and found her own niche, people in the industry who complain are envious and think why didn’t I think of that first… With all the discrediting remarks I am happy and admire greatly that Shania has not returned the negativity and enjoys watching others succeed. Shania has more class in a single hair on her eyebrow than the whole rest who trash and put her down. I wish her the best in her future, may she still rein.
Rein? I knew she liked horses but really….
So much for your credibility re: radio payola LOL
Arguments in favor of Shania Twain, here and everywhere else, invariably seem to rest on matters of quantity. As Jake has taught us in an earlier post, Ms. Twain has sold more CDs than any other female country singer and had a tour that grossed over $100 million. While I defend Jake’s right to express his opinion, I suggest to him (and others who feel Shania deserves a high ranking on a list like this) that he’d be more persuasive if he spoke in terms of quality. For instance, no one can dispute that Connie Smith did not have a high number of #1 hits, but in terms of legacy and influence, she is a giant and well deserves her high place on the list. If one would follow Jake’s logic, since Smith did not sell out (double meaning here) arenas and have slews of platinum albums, one would suppose that her legacy is negligible. But any longtime fan of country music, and not someone who “wouldn’t even like country music if it weren’t for Shania,” would know better. Years from now, no one will remember who sold the most albums in 2003 or who had the most #1 hits in 1999. If people remember Shania, it will be for her songs and not for the redundant facts and figures that her supporters delight in recalling.
Great artist, but her later albums crossed too much over into pop. I mean Dolly has had pop chart success, but not this much :\ When it comes to “Man, I Feel Like a Woman,” there is very little country music involved. However, she is a fantastic song-writer
Personally, I wouldn’t rank her as high as others may have wanted her to be ranked. Sure, I love Shania but she became popular because she re-mixed her songs into pop, just like Taylor Swift is doing.
Shania, like Barbara Mandrell before is hated by many for being to POP, or being to glamorous, this or that…..If you don’t like these women, you’re old, your grumpy and you most likely just want women to cry while they sing or just stand behind the mike and not move til she’s TOLD to….
Having said this,, Shania’s only one up to Barbara is she is a songwriter, and like Dolly before her, it will carry her well after her face and voice fades from the radio…
Shania deserves EVERY award, EVERY number 1, and EVERY compliment she gets…. Like I’ve said before, it’s women like her and Barbara that carry sales so other lower level singers can survive… FACE it, country would be DEAD long ago had it not been for these women.. do the math…
Are you serious!?!?! Yes shania carried sales, but barbara……NO, based on her RIAA certifications barbara has only sold 1 million albums,whereas reba has sold more than 50 times that much. It was reba who really carried the sales for country women in the late 80s and early 90s. Im sorry but i just dont think that barbara should be ahead of reba.
Trisha Yearwood and Wynnona ahead of Shania and Faith? This definitely isnt a beauty contest! Just sayin’!
Ughhh … reading through jake and Jake’s comments were painful. Both of them should be banned.