Need You Now by Lady Antebellum

My Promo Only CD has a version that it labels "2010 Mix" and runs 3:53. Is the version on Now 33 a different mix than the album?

Most of the stations around here (including our Hot AC) seem to be playing the version that was a country hit last year, though I did hear a remixed version recently which I presume was the "2010 mix" that seemed to have the drums & guitar mixed way down. Oddly, to my ears it sounds MORE "country" than the original.

I totally agree.
Can you imagine in the 70s saying "we're waiting for a less country mix of Kenny Rogers?"
Its not like its George Strait.
There was much confusion during the Shania Twain run when pop stations played remixed versions of her songs.
"Need You Now" is as much country as Crystal Gayle was in the 70s.

MMathews wrote: I responded yes, i have a few songs and they are "country" but only by the sad state of affairs of modern music industry thinking... I played her this song, and she agreed in our day we'd call this "soft rock". Now, as for the copy i purchased, maybe i should look for this other mix, because i noticed in my copy the drums have no definition at all.

It sounds like you have the remix...the drums are quite prominent on the version country radio's been playing for the past year.

I'm not sure the state of affairs of contemporary music is any "sadder" than it was for most of the last 50 or so years. Is this any less "country" than Glen Campbell or Kenny Rogers? It seems that there always seems to be debate/controversy over whether a given artist is "country enough", especially if they cross over. Tastes change, music evolves. Today's country artists didn't just listen to George Jones & Faron Young growing up...they were influenced by rock too. This is not a bad thing to my ears.


Edited by Hykker

MMathews wrote: ...a group making music like this usually gets put in the country category if they want to sell.

I've heard songs from both of their two albums, and they are truly are a contemporary country act. Perhaps "Need You Now" doesn't sound quite as country as some of their other songs, and perhaps the "2010 Mix" wasn't done to sound less country, but for other reasons. Lady Antebellum were already selling tons of records before hitting the pop stations, though.

Also, as mentioned above, the feeling that when a song IS country, they feel they have to change it for pop radio or it would offend someone.

I don't think this is necessarily the reason they would change it for pop radio. In some cases, though, maybe the label feels they have a better chance of making it a huge hit on pop radio if they take some of the "twang" out.

"Need You Now" had already been a huge country hit several months before it was released to pop radio. It wasn't until the new mix was pushed to CHR that it became a big pop hit. It's highly possible that the song would have been just as successful if it had been released as is, with no new mix. Maybe they figured a new mix would give it a fresh sound, since it had already been spinning in heavy rotation for three months on country radio.

.. all could be played on the same top 40 station and somehow it worked.

I really don't think things have changed all that much. My local top 40 station is spinning in heavy rotation Lady Antebellum (pop/country), Black Eyed Peas (hip hop), Orianthi (rock), Lady Gaga (pop), Train (alternative/rock), Young Money (rap/hip hop), and Jason Derulo (R&B). I think there's a pretty good mix on the charts right now.