Timeline Of The Craziest Year In Country Music Ever: 2013

Everyone needs a drink and to calm the heck down.

There's no doubt that 2013 has had Nashville's panties in a complete bunch. Mainstream Country Music is evolving; it's more electric guitars, more rapping infused, less fiddle, less steel banjo. It's more music to fist pump to rather than square dance with and it has caused numerous cheap shots and divides from country music's heavyweights.

Still good music indeed but, it's a new chapter of country music as it is the most popular, hottest music on the planet. Who knows what 2014 will bring us but, as we have a few weeks left of 2013, let's recap and highlight the 'Crazies Year In Country Music'

January 2013: Blake Shelton calls old time country artists 'old farts' + 'jackasses'.

“Nobody wants to listen to their grandpa’s music. And I don’t care how many of these old farts around Nashville going, ‘My God, that ain’t country!’ Well that’s because you don’t buy records anymore, jackass. The kids do, and they don’t want to buy the music you were buying", says Blake. The comment send legendary singer Ray Price into ticked off mode taking to his Facebook page to say a few words to Shelton:

"This guy sounds like in his own mind that his head is so large no hat made will ever fit it".

Country 'old timer' Dale Watson was even humored (and mad) enough that he wrote a song for Blake Shelton and his comments.

January 2013: Willie Nelson renames tour 'Old Farts + Jackasses Tour'

Perhaps the funniest 'actions speak louder than words moment of 2013':

April 2013: Brad Paisley and LL Cool J song 'Accident Racist' sends Twitter into a tizzy.

People were criticizing the song like it said something about their mother or something. The song actually had a good message about stepping outside of their comfort zones. Other country artists came to Pailsey's aid on Twitter

June 2103: Naomi Judd slams the CMT Awards.

“George Jones is to country music what The Beatles are to pop, the Rolling Stones to rock, Elvis to rockabilly, Mozart to classical and Aretha to soul. Yet, the ‘Country’ Music Television awards show allowed only a “by the way” mention of Jones’ death and legacy. Incongruously, they chose alternative music group the Mavericks to perform their short version of George’s ‘The Race Is On.’ True country music fans are a loyal bunch and are passionate about our roots and heritage. Every year, CMT includes artists of unrelated genres, many of whom some country music fans don’t even know. I suggest the CMT Awards show change its name. Perhaps to ‘the Multi-Genre Awards Show, Featuring Artists under 30.’ I realize speaking out will cause me to now be forever banned by CMT. But I’m tired of folks messing with my country music. Especially when it involves my dear friend George Jones.”

June 2013: Nelly closed the CMT Awards with Florida Georgia Line.

I don't think much needs to be said about this one and it certainly gave traditionalists ammunition to go after the changing ways of country music. Twitter goes crazy wondering why Nelly is closing a country music award show.

August 2013: Tom Petty calls country "bad rock with a fiddle"

“Well, yeah I mean, I hate to generalize on a whole genre of music, but it does seem to be missing that magic element that it used to have. I’m sure there are people playing country that are doing it well, but they’re just not getting the attention that the shittier stuff gets… I don’t really see a George Jones or a Buck Owens or any anything that fresh coming up. I’m sure there must be somebody doing it, but most of that music reminds me of rock in the middle Eighties where it became incredibly generic and relied on videos.”

August 2013: Kacey Musgraves says country songs about trucks need to go.

Earth to Kacey Musgraves, this IS country music.

I wonder what Kip Moore thought about this one: “Anyone singing about trucks, in any form, in any song, anywhere. Literally just stop – nobody cares! It’s not fun to listen to.”

**Something must have been in the Nashville water in September because it seems everyone during September wanted to have a hissy fit about country music:

September 2013: Alan Jackson basically says no country music is left. Sends newer artists a message:

"It’s not that I’m against all that’s out there. There’s some good music, good songwriting and good artists out there, but there’s really no country stuff left… It’s always been that constant pop-country battle. I don’t think it’s ever going to change… What makes me sad today is that I think the real country, real roots-y traditional stuff, may be gone. I don’t know if it’ll ever be back on mainstream radio. You can’t get it played anymore.”

September 2013: Gary Allan throws Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood under the bus.

“I would say they’re pop artists making a living in the country genre…". Maybe Carrie or Taylor will ask Gary to open for one of their sold out-stadium tours next year?

...and than sends a note to try and erase that one. Whoops.

September 2013: Zac Brown bashes Luke Bryan's music.

Zac Brown had no problem calling out Luke Bryan's song 'That's My Kind Of Night' and saying it was the worst song that he ever heard. “Country fans and country listeners deserve to have something better than that, a song that really has something to say, something that makes you feel something. Good music makes you feel something. When songs make me wanna throw up, it makes me ashamed to even be in the same genre as those songs.”

The two have since apparently reconciled seeing them hug after Brad Pailsey and Carrie Underwood joked about the two's battle during the CMA Awards.

Jason Aldean defended Luke Bryan via Instagram: "I hear some other artist are bashing my boy @lukebryan new song, sayin its the worst song they have ever heard........ To those people runnin their mouths, trust me when i tell u that nobody gives a shit what u think. Its a big ol hit so apparently the fans love it which is what matters. Keep doin ur thing LB!!!"

September 2013: Sheryl Crow is mad at radio for not playing women more.

"Why aren’t there women getting played at radio. Why aren’t there more female program directors? There’s, like, two! I don’t understand it"

Whoop, Whoop, Buffalo!! We have Wendy Lynn, the best in the biz here so she must be one of Sheryl's two women or something.

December 2013: Eric Church apparently 'guns for' Taylor Swift.

A creepy and eerie Eric Church video teasing Church's song 'One Will Rise and One Will Fall' features Taylor Swift and her speech at the CMA Awards in November. Swift's speech mentioned the reason she got on tour with the Rascal Flatts as a beginner was because Eric Church was fired. Apparently he didn't like that and it's hard to not think that '...One Will Fall' has to do with Swift. It's weird and creepy.

What do you think of 2013? Best year for country music ever? Arguably the most dramatic!