Growing up I LOVED the Billboard charts. Then in the 90's they became meaningless when the labels realized how easy it was to manipulate them.

I guess with the end of Payola they had to find another way.

Anyhow, now albums routinely debut at number one, because everyone knows the best price is available the first week. Labels also shift street dates, and pull various other scams to make sure their artist debuts at the top spot.

This EVEN happens on the singles chart, where a song can debut at number one. Before the mid nineties that NEVER, EVER happened.

ANYHOW.

All the liberal media was rushing to point out the Dixie Chicks new CD debuted at number one, so America must have forgiven them, blah blah blah.

Just before this release, with the Prez's numbers in the toilet Natalie Maines decided it was a good time to recant her earlier recanting of her comments about Bush, saying now that she meant what she said the first time and shouldn't have apologized. Proving how spineless ehe is. Even if it was for apologizing in the first place.

NOW the Dixie Chicks US Tour is a shambles. They are cancelling dates left and right and can't sell out most places, often not even coming close. To make up for this they are adding dates in Europe where they are having more success.

I wonder if this means it's time for Maines to recant her recanting of her earlier racant?

If there's one thing I hate more than an artist who has to spew their political views on a paying audience that was there to hear their music, it's an artist who spews their political views based on which way the wind is blowing that particular day.

She has every right to her opinion, she even had every right to state it in her concert, but they ARE paying a price for it and I hope they remember that the ticket buying public has a RIGHT to react in whatever way they see fit when it comes to attending concerts.

I don't want to see Maines in tears on Barbara Walters in two years whining about how unfair it all is.