The Clarkson nomination is a complete joke. Just shows how big of a role politics play here. It adds insult to injury that Kelly’s duet was in 2011. Ugh. No wonder no one takes these awards seriously.

Miranda, Blake and Eric getting lots of love is no surprise. It’s just a shame that the former two went from being excellent to middle of the road once they were noticed by the industry.

I’m not much of an LBT fan, but I dig Pontoon, and the recognition was long overdue. It is a shame it had to happen among such a weak field though. They deserve to be among stronger competition.

As much as I think Rascal Flatts deserve to be among the vocal group nominees, this is the first time I really can’t against the inclusion of one. All had a really great year and actually deserve to be there.

Carrie’s “Blown Away” can be nominated at the 2013 CMA’s. As bummed as I am to see her snag one nomination, I can see the logic in waiting to push her until she has finished a full tour and made more appearances.

@Nick Completly agree. Chris Young is so talented and definetly should’ve won something for “Tomorrow”, in my opinion.

RE: LBT
I don’t think “Pontoon” is their worst single by any means– it has a stronger melody and more creative production than, say, “A Little More You”– but it’s the least successful and most literal, one-dimensional track on the album. I just hope they have the change to perform the set’s second single, whatever that turns out to be (“Sober,” preferably), on the actual CMA show.

It turns out though Vicki didn’t make up the claim that Sony gets a higher split from Miranda’s album than Carrie’s but it’s not as damning as she said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCEK0Cv__do&feature=player_embedded

Around the 35:00 minute mark.

I don’t recognize the guy who said it. The only truly “inside” person in that chat I recognized was Chuck Dauphin of Billboard and formerly of country radio. He’s the one talking about jealousy related to Carrie’s Idol head start as a possible reason for CMA voters being hesitant to support her now. POSSIBLE reason. The other guy gave nothing to back up his comment about splits and it sounds like he’s just speculating why Sony Nashville might have a reason to support Miranda instead of Carrie.

I personally find that reasoning to be specious and I feel they were answering a loaded question in the 1st place. But, I’m no insider.

I don’t know about this new theory but there seems to be plenty of confusion about whether albums are eligibility in multiple years like they are at the ACMs. If so then Alan Jackson, Josh Turner, Kenny Chesney, and Carrie still have some hope for next year. I’d take Alan, Josh, and Carrie’s albums over the Luke, Lady Antebellum, and Dierks Bentley albums but they were all released this spring.

George Strait’s album seems to be out of luck though and that’s too bad.

The Kelly Clarkson nomination should open the industry’s eyes up to just how hard they are on the genre’s females. That nomination is more about the lack of depth in the women’s field than about Kelly. I guess you can factor in Kelly’s ties to Reba and the Blackstock clan too. I guess the Blackstocks are really looking to give her a position in the country world.

When Carrie won AI right out of the gate, she was making a world more money than Miranda. So the split didn’t matter then. That was when Carrie’s first album sold 7 million copies which is unheard of today. Miranda too , took a few years to become noticed. Now that she’s notice and some of Carrie’s fans have now latched on to Taylor, the split of money matters to Sony.

Count me among those excited to hear the new Little Big Town album, especially having read Jonathan’s Slant review. Sounds like it’ll be a keeper.