Why is it that so many country singers don't write their own songs?

This makes me disrespect them and country music. Plus most of the music I've heard has no real hook e.g. the chorus isn't even memorable, yet it's a song's identifier.

It really annoys me when someone gets Album of the Year and they didn't even write the songs. And remember when Trisha Yearwood and Leann Rimes both released that How Do I song? THAT was weird.

I think GB is mostly correct, but here's my take on it. Country music today = Nashville. Nashville is a machine. Only the faces of the performers change. Each label has their own staff of writers and stable of studio musicians. Pretty much every act on a particular label will use the same writers and backing musicians, that's why I say only the faces change. I suppose there might be room to get some outside writing in or to use your own material, but that would depend a lot on who you are and your track record. As far as bringing in your own band, forget about it. The musician end of it is tighter than a drum (sorry, bad pun). Studio time is very expensive and they can't have Joe's Honky Tonk Band needing 12 takes to do something that their guys can do in 1. Remember, this is the music business - key word here is business. The business types that run the music business, country, pop, or whatever, are marketing product, not music. And any successful business must produce product at the lowest cost to itself; hence the use of their own writers and musicians. The A&R guy is supposed to know the formula of what sells. The performer is essentially the "salesman" and is given "product" to sell. If you don't sell, you're gone like yesterday's newspaper. Back in the day, a new artist often got a 3 record deal. Now it's like 1. <end of rant>

this is in opinion..but i would say because they arnt talented enough to write their own music..

It's just easier for most of them to go into a studio and pick out songs and put them on a CD. Songwriters need to make money also. but I agree, If an artists putt's out a cd he/she should at least write half the songs on it.

actually most artists do write their own songs. The ones that don't are ones that write songs and give it to others because they realize that it is not the best fit for their music.

cuz they r losers

Honey, many brilliant songwriters can't sing, and many great singers can't write. That's just the way it works.

Great actors hardly ever write their own movies, do they? And when was the last time you saw a screenwriter act in his/her own movie? It's happened, but not very often. And I'm glad for that; it gives me a job. I love writing, but you'd have to pay me the equivelent of a small country's budget to actually act.

Many country artists, particularly the older artists, do/did write or co-write much of their own material. Merle Haggard, among others, is a "sterling" example of this

However, and particularly if you are still "climbing the ladder" in Nashville..........you deal with what is called an A&R man. A&R = Artists and Repitoire. These people are employees of the Record Labels, or Production Companies, that "sift" through suitable songs that fit the artist AND the listening market so as to ensure as much positive acceptance among the market as possible -and- without having to re-invent the artist.

The bigger and more popular you become, the more influence you have in chooing/writing your own material -and- selecting the studio musicians. Many of the established acts even go so far as to own and opearate their own publishing companies.

well Opal dear, if you look at other genres of music, I'm sure most of those artists don't write their own songs either. It's a little presumptuous of you to say that so many country singers don't write their own music, and not say that some many rap/rock/punk/whatever artists don't write their own songs. Taylor Swift wrote/co-wrote every single song on her album, which is amazing for a 17 year old. And Dan was right, not all singers can write, and not all writers can sing. If you find a singer/songwriter who is brilliant at both, you've found a jewel. Disrespecting them for not writing their own songs is ridiculous.

Gary Allan writes alot of his songs lately. I love them all. you should check in to his CD's Tough All Over & Living Hard. they both have songs on them written by him :)

There are a lot of very talented songwriters who cannot sing but have a wonderful story to tell. Just as there are singers who cannot write. This happens in ALL genres of music.