Country Universe – A Country Music Blog

2013 ACM Awards: Staff Picks and Predictions

Saturday, April 6th, 2013

The stars are converging on Las Vegas this weekend as the industry gears up for this year’s ACM Awards.  We at Country Universe have been busily poring over this year’s list of nominees, picking and predicting the winners while getting ready for all the live-blogging madness Sunday night.

This year Luke Bryan replaces Reba McEntire as Blake Shelton’s co-host, and we have a roster of live performers that includes everyone from Eric Church and Hunter Hayes to Kelly Clarkson and Jewel.  On top of that, Shania Twain will return to present at the ACM Awards for the first time in a decade, and we look forward to a historic collaboration between George Strait and Garth Brooks as the two modern genre legends pay tribute to the late ACM executive producer Dick Clark.

Who would you most like to see emerge victorious at this year’s ACM Awards?  Share your picks and predictions in the comments section below.  Tune in to the live telecast tomorrow night at 8:00 p.m. Eastern/ 7:00 Central on CBS, and be sure to drop by Country Universe for our live blog.  Meanwhile, our friends at Engine 145 will be hosting a live blog of their own, so feel free to pay them a visit as well.

Entertainer of the Year

Should Win:

• Jason Aldean - Kevin
  
• Luke Bryan
• Miranda Lambert - Tara
• Blake Shelton - Dan
• Taylor Swift - Jonathan, Ben, Leeann

Will Win:

• Jason Aldean - Tara, Kevin
• Luke Bryan
• Miranda Lambert
• Blake Shelton - Leeann
• Taylor Swift - Jonathan, Ben, Dan

Leeann:  As far as I know, Taylor Swift had the highest tickets sales in 2012, so she remains a force to be reckoned with.  I, however, wouldn’t be surprised to if Blake Shelton won based on his high profile due to The Voice.  Then again, I also wouldn’t be too surprised to see Jason Aldean win based on the fact that he sold out Madison Square Garden in under 10 minutes.  I can’t imagine.

Kevin:  I’m going out on a bit of limb here by picking Aldean as the likely winner, but seeing him sell out Madison Square Garden in ten minutes indicates to me that his fan base is quite motivated.  I really think that Swift is going to suffer among the industry voters for going blatantly pop, and I suspect it will be enough to push them into Aldean’s camp.  Carrie Underwood, of course, is the real Entertainer of the Year. She’s just not nominated.

Jonathan:  It’s impossible, really, to envision Swift, the biggest star in this line-up by several orders of magnitude, losing an award that’s partially fan-voted.  And, even though I don’t think her Red era scans as country as any meaningful way, she’d get my vote, too, as the most compelling entertainer of the lot.  Though it’s worth mentioning that, had she been nominated, Carrie Underwood would’ve been my pick.

Tara:  Let’s try a little positivity – here’s what I still love: “Fly Over States,” the Pistol Annies, and Swift’s drive.  But frankly, I’m not comfortable with any of these artists – based on their current output and presence – representing our industry as EOTY, and that’s quite frustrating.

Ben:  Carrie Underwood would have been my choice without reservation had she been nominated.  But with her out of running, I’d have to shrug it over to either Aldean or Swift, and while neither of them are making music that feels country to me, Swift’s material has generally been more interesting.  Sadly, I still have to second Tara’s closing sentence, as I can’t wholeheartedly endorse any one of these five artists as the face of country music in 2013.

Dan:  So let’s see:  Swift is in full Top 40 mode, Lambert released her three weakest singles back-to-back (pre-“Mama’s Broken Heart”), Aldean and Bryan have totally burrowed into their respective formulae, and Blake Shelton’s best contribution is TV goofery.  I guess I’d be least put off by the goofery being rewarded, but yeah.

Male Vocalist of the Year

Should Win:

• Jason Aldean
• Luke Bryan
• Eric Church - Jonathan, Tara, Ben, Dan, Kevin
• Toby Keith - Leeann
• Blake Shelton

Will Win:

• Jason Aldean
• Luke Bryan
• Eric Church
• Toby Keith
• Blake Shelton - Jonathan, Tara, Ben, Leeann, Dan, Kevin

Jonathan:  Take a Mulligan on this one, ACMs:  Gary Allan, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, Darius Rucker, Chris Young.  There, now was that really so hard?

Leeann:  Toby Keith has the best voice of these men, but I have no doubt that Blake Shelton will win it, since this is his time.

Kevin:  I don’t see a way around a Shelton win, though I think Church would have a shot if he wasn’t also nominated for Album, giving voters an easy way to honor both Church and Shelton on the same ballot.

Ben:  Everyone here has a shot except Toby Keith.  From a critic’s perspective, Eric Church is a shoo-in per usual, but I expect the ACM will continue handing unearned trophies to the musically underachieving Blake Shelton.

Dan:  Church please, but I’d be fine if this category ended up rewarding Aldean or Bryan for their success. Just want to see some mix-up.

Tara:  Same ole.

Female Vocalist of the Year

Should Win:

• Miranda Lambert
• Martina McBride
• Kacey Musgraves
• Taylor Swift
• Carrie Underwood - Jonathan, Tara, Ben, Leeann, Dan, Kevin

Will Win:

• Miranda Lambert - Tara, Ben, Leeann, Dan
• Martina McBride
• Kacey Musgraves
• Taylor Swift
• Carrie Underwood - Jonathan, Kevin

Kevin:  Sheer power of wishful thinking?  Perhaps.  But to ignore Carrie Underwood’s stellar year artistically and commercially would be a sin.

Ben:  If there were ever a year in which Carrie Underwood deserved the Female Vocalist trophy, this would be it.  Unfortunately, Underwood’s lack of nominations

in the Entertainer and Single categories suggest that Miranda Lambert remains the current favorite.

Jonathan:  Even if I’ve been slightly disappointed by Underwood’s choices of singles during the eligibility period, I stand by what I said in our CMA picks and predictions last fall:  Whatever substantial limitations she may still have as an artist, Underwood is currently doing what is far and away her career-best work, and I’d like to see her rewarded for that.

Dan:  Or, to ape Jonathan’s mathematical approach from a few award shows back:  “Blown Away” + “Two Black Cadillacs” > “Over You” + “Fastest Girl in Town.”

Tara:  Based on vision, creativity and voice, this is a no-brainer.  I have a hard time picturing anyone dethroning the Lamberts, though.

Leeann:  I honestly won’t be upset if Miranda Lambert wins, because she’s got my favorite voice of the group, but I think Carrie Underwood actually deserves the award.  I’ve been liking her voice more these days and she’s just about always on target for live performances.

 Vocal Duo of the Year

Should Win:

• Big & Rich
• Florida Georgia Line - Ben? Dan?
• Love and Theft
• Sugarland
• Thompson Square - Tara?

Will Win:

• Big & Rich
• Florida Georgia Line - Jonathan, Tara, Ben, Dan
• Love and Theft
• Sugarland
• Thompson Square - Leeann, Kevin

Kevin:  Since they won the CMA’s, I’m assuming Thompson Square will follow up with an ACM.  My preference would be completely eliminating the category.

Leeann:  Sugarland hasn’t done anything in the last year and I have absolutely no interest in the others in this category, so my random guess leans toward Thompson Square.

Ben:  Of all these nominees’ recent output, “Cruise” seems to be the hit with the most staying power, so I imagine Florida Georgia Line will be this year’s stand-in while Sugarland remains MIA. Our vocal duos seriously need to step it up.

Jonathan:  I just can’t with this.

Dan:  I love “Cruise,” and even I’m going to be kind of depressed when this happens.

Tara:  Have we ever needed new Sugarland music more?

Vocal Group of the Year

Should Win:

•  The Band Perry
• Eli Young Band
• Lady Antebellum
• Little Big Town - Tara, Ben, Leeann, Dan, Kevin
• Zac Brown Band - Jonathan

Will Win:

• The Band Perry
• Eli Young Band
• Lady Antebellum
• Little Big Town - Jonathan, Tara, Ben, Leeann, Dan, Kevin
• Zac Brown Band

Jonathan:  So, how’s about we just reallocate the obviously superfluous Vocal Duo trophy to recognize two of the acts nominated in this category?  I am honestly fine with four of the five possible outcomes, but LBT is on a years-overdue roll that looks to continue here.

Leeann:  I think Little Big Town finally has a chance of winning this.

Ben:  I believe Little Big Town has this one in the bag, and I’m perfectly happy with that.  They already won Vocal Group at last November’s CMAs, and with a top-selling album and a number-one hit falling within the current eligibility period, the case is much stronger for an LBT victory at the ACMs.  I don’t see how they can lose.

Tara:  I’m with Jonathan – there are four possible deserved victories here. But Little Big Town stole my heart with Tornado, and I’m digging their time in the spotlight, even if it’s ridiculously overdue.

Dan:  Being real:  Their CMA victory for “Pontoon” and “Pontoon” alone was a little silly.  This one will be based on “Pontoon” plus another #1 hit plus an almost-Platinum album, and that’s delicious.

Kevin:  Now we’re all just going to predict Little Big Town after being burned for not doing so at the CMAs and the Grammys!

New Artist of the Year

Should Win:

• Florida Georgia Line - Dan
• Brantley Gilbert
• Jana Kramer - Ben, Leeann

Will Win:

• Florida Georgia Line
• Brantley Gilbert - Jonathan, Tara, Ben, Dan, Kevin
• Jana Kramer

Kevin:  Brantley Gilbert seems popular.  None of them seem award-worthy. Sorry to cop out again, but if I was a voter, I’d leave this category blank, too.

Leeann:  I have no idea who will win, but Jana Kramer is the only one I can remotely stand.

Ben:  All three nominees had solid successes this past year, but Kramer is the one I see as having the most potential.  But fan-voted categories are not based on potential, so Gilbert’s strong internet fan base will likely power-vote him to victory.

Jonathan:  Kramer is the Death Is Not An Option choice, I guess, but I am not at all invested in any of these three acts.

Dan:  FGL are the only ones here who have done anything I actually enjoy, so I’ll gamble on them despite their unbearable first album.

Tara:  Dude, where’s Kip Moore?

Album of the Year

Should Win:

• Carrie Underwood, Blown Away - Tara, Ben, Kevin
• Eric Church, Chief - Leeann, Dan
• Taylor Swift, Red
• Luke Bryan, Tailgates & Tanlines
• Little Big Town, Tornado - Jonathan

Will Win:

• Carrie Underwood, Blown Away - Ben
• Eric Church, Chief - Jonathan, Leeann, Dan, Kevin
• Taylor Swift, Red
• Luke Bryan, Tailgates & Tanlines
• Little Big Town, Tornado - Tara

Leeann:  Eric Church is no longer the underdog and Chief is my favorite nominated album.

Kevin:  With Miranda Lambert not nominated, I’m guessing Eric Church will fill their “honor the cool one in the Album slot” criteria.  Underwood made the best album.

Ben:  Bryan’s album is too uneven, and I don’t feel Swift’s album has any business being nominated at a country awards show.  Any one of the remaining three would make a worthy winner, but I’m hoping and tentatively (read: stubbornly) predicting that voters will recognize Underwood’s recent artistic growth with her second win in this category.

Tara:  I’m going out on a limb with both of these choices.  Blown Away isn’t technically a better album than Chief, but I’d really like to see it get some love, if only to continue to pump creativity and ambition into the Underwood team.  I think there’s a chance that Little Big Town’s heightened profile will give them some legs in this category, though, and I’m cool with that.

Jonathan:  The Church and Little Big Town sets have the best balance between ambition and actual quality of these five albums, and either would be a richly deserving winner.  The bloated Red can be whittled-down to a flat-out brilliant 7-song EP, but even then it’s still a pop record that probably shouldn’t be nominated here on principle.  Church’s CMA win and his overall nomination tally make him the presumptive front-runner, but there isn’t an outcome here that I’d find surprising.

Single Record of the Year

Should Win:

• Eli Young Band, “Even If It Breaks Your Heart”
• Miranda Lambert, “Over You”
• Little Big Town, “Pontoon” - Kevin
• Eric Church, “Springsteen” - Tara, Ben, Leeann, Jonathan, Dan
• Hunter Hayes, “Wanted”

Will Win:

• Eli Young Band, “Even If It Breaks Your Heart”
• Miranda Lambert, “Over You” - Leeann
• Little Big Town, “Pontoon” - Jonathan, Tara, Ben, Kevin
• Eric Church, “Springsteen”
• Hunter Hayes, “Wanted” - Dan

Leeann:  The CMAs make me hesitate to bet against the Miranda Lambert single, but I vote for “Springsteen.”

Jonathan:  It’s great that he can play so many instruments and all, but Hayes is being grossly over-recognized during the current awards cycle:  I prefer rewarding actual merit to rewarding the potential for merit at some point in the future.  “Springsteen” is the best-produced track here, though the production is also the best attribute of “Pontoon,” which seems like the more likely winner.

Ben:  Quality lyrics with a cool Jay Joyce production gives “Springsteen” an edge in my opinion, but this award could go to any of the five.  My gut prediction is Little Big Town’s “Pontoon” (which incidentally also boasts a cool Jay Joyce production).

Tara:  I could see a surprise win for “Over You” or even for the better (think about that one for a sec) “Wanted,” but my guess is that “Pontoon” will get one last hoorah.

Dan:  It’s going to come down to “Pontoon” and “Wanted,” and just to be different, I’ll guess that the ACM go for the more recent of the two big hits.

Kevin:  “Pontoon” and “Wanted” are career records.   The former was also a career-reviving record, so I give it the edge.

Song of the Year

Should Win:

• “A Woman Like You” – Phil Barton, Johnny Bulford, & Jon Stone (Performed by Lee Brice)
• “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” – Will Hoge & Eric Paslay (Performed by Eli Young Band) - Jonathan, Tara, Dan, Kevin
• “Over You” – Miranda Lambert & Blake Shelton (Performed by Miranda Lambert)
• “Springsteen” – Eric Church, Jeff Hynde, & Ryan Tyndell (Performed by Eric Church) - Ben, Leeann
• “Wanted” – Hunter Hayes & Troy Vergas (Performed by Hunter Hayes)

Will Win:

• “A Woman Like You” – Phil Barton, Johnny Bulford, & Jon Stone (Performed by Lee Brice)
• “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” – Will Hoge & Eric Paslay (Performed by Eli Young Band)
• “Over You” – Miranda Lambert & Blake Shelton (Performed by Miranda Lambert) – Jonathan, Tara, Ben, Leeann, Dan, Kevin
• “Springsteen” – Eric Church, Jeff Hynde, & Ryan Tyndell (Performed by Eric Church)

Jonathan:  “Springsteen” and “Even if It Breaks Your Heart” have been relegated to the status of also-rans throughout the past year’s worth of country awards.  There’s no reason to expect that to change here even though they are, yet again, the best songs nominated.  Thankfully, this is the last major songwriting award Lambert and Shelton will receive for what is far and away the worst-written song in either of their respective catalogues.

Ben:  “Springsteen” and “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” are the only two worthy nominees in this field, the former of which has my heart.  But who am I kidding?  “Over You” will win, and I will be bracing myself for one final round of fan-gloating on my review of the song.

Kevin:  My preference is “Even if it Breaks Your Heart,” if only because it works as well as a song as it does as a t-shirt.  “Over You” has the star power, but again, the title sums up my feelings about both stars and their strangely popular song.

Leeann:  Again, I won’t bet against “Over You,” but I think “Springsteen” or “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” are the best of these choices.

Tara:  I hope I’m wrong.

Dan:  :-/

Songwriter of the Year – Already presented off-camera; Dallas Davidson won

Should Win:

• Rodney Clawson
• Dallas Davidson
• Josh Kear
• Luke Laird
• Shane McAnally - Ben, Leeann, Dan

Will Win:  

• Rodney Clawson
• Dallas Davidson - Ben, Leeann, Dan
• Josh Kear
• Luke Laird
• Shane McAnally

Leeann:  Since Dallas Davidson is part of The Peach Pickers machine, I expect him to win, but I like Shane McAnally’s work with Kacey Musgraves, Ashley Monroe, Lady Antebellum, Chris Young, etc.

Ben:  I’d love to support Josh Kear for having written “Blown Away,” but Shane McAnally’s fantastic work with Kacey Musgraves puts him over the edge.  Still, I’m expecting that the Peach Picker will pull of a repeat victory in this category.

Video of the Year

Should Win:

• Eric Church, “Creepin’” - Ben
• Kacey Musgraves – “Merry Go ‘Round”
• Little Big Town, “Tornado” - Jonathan, Dan
• Hunter Hayes, ”Wanted”
• Taylor Swift, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” - Kevin
• Zac Brown Band, “The Wind”

Will Win:

• Eric Church, “Creepin’”
• Kacey Musgraves, “Merry Go ‘Round”
• Little Big Town, “Tornado” - Dan, Kevin
• Hunter Hayes, “Wanted” - Jonathan
• Taylor Swift, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” - Ben
• Zac Brown Band, “The Wind”

Kevin:  Little Big Town’s clip seems the most “artsy,” but I do have to say that the Swift clip wins in my book.  It’s almost like she’s conceding how ridiculous the song and her entire public persona are.

Jonathan:  Hayes is being promoted so heavily that he’s going to have to win something, and this award is always the safest place for voters to recognize an artist that they feel obligated to vote for.  As much as I love the idea of Mike Judge winning, the animation and the music from the video for “The Wind” just don’t work together.  The stylish and not overly literal video for “Tornado” would get my vote, though I do like the videos for “Creepin’” and “Merry Go ‘Round” too.

Ben:  Church’s “Creepin’” video has a lot of energy and character to it, much like the song itself, but I’m smelling a Swift victory here.

Dan:  No clue, but isn’t it cool when Kim and Phil flash those death glares at the innocent townspeople?

 

Vocal Event of the Year

Should Win:

• Kelly Clarkson featuring Vince Gill, “Don’t Rush” - Jonathan, Tara, Ben, Leeann, Dan, Kevin
• Rascal Flatts featuring Natasha Bedingfield, “Easy”
• Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw, “Feel Like a Rock Star”
• David Nail featuring Sarah Buxton, “Let It Rain”
• Jason Aldean featuring Luke Bryan and Eric Church, “The Only Way I Know”

Will Win:

• Kelly Clarkson featuring Vince Gill, “Don’t Rush” - Jonathan, Tara, Ben
• Rascal Flatts featuring Natasha Bedingfield, “Easy”
• Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw,” Feel Like a Rock Star” - Leeann, Kevin
• David Nail featuring Sarah Buxton, “Let It Rain”
• Jason Aldean featuring Luke Bryan and Eric Church, “The Only Way I Know” – Dan

Dan:  “Easy” was released in June 2011, off an album from November 2010.  Lol.

Jonathan:  So… Kelly Clarkson is about to have more ACM Awards than Trisha Yearwood, Patty Loveless, and Pam Tillis.  I adore her, but that’s all kinds of wrong.

Kevin:  Because Vince Gill.

Ben:  I rarely support nominees that are not proper duets, but “Don’t Rush” is easily the class of the field.  Plus it’s always nice to see our old friend Vince get a new mantle decoration.

Tara:  Easy choice – just wish it had ended up being a more memorable collaboration.

2013 ACM Nominations

Wednesday, February 13th, 2013

After just enough time to catch our breath after the Grammys, this year’s ACM Awards are right around the corner.  The 2013 nominees were announced today, and are presented here with brief commentary from yours truly.  Eric Church leads the pack with seven nominations, followed by Hunter Hayes with six, and Miranda Lambert and Taylor Swift with five each.  Please share your thoughts on this year’s nominees in the comments section.

Entertainer of the Year

• Jason Aldean
  
• Luke Bryan
• Miranda Lambert
• Blake Shelton
• Taylor Swift

Thoughts:  Luke Bryan’s career momentum culminates in his first Entertainer of the Year nomination, and – in what feels like a historical moment – we have two female solo artists competing in the Entertainer race.

Male Vocalist of the Year

• Jason Aldean
• Luke Bryan
• Eric Church
• Toby Keith
• Blake Shelton

Female Vocalist of the Year

• Miranda Lambert
• Martina McBride
• Kacey Musgraves
• Taylor Swift
• Carrie Underwood

Thoughts:  Slim pickings in this category, as usual.  As much as I like Kacey Musgraves, there’s no way a guy could get into the Male Vocalist race on the strength of one Top 20 hit alone.  How about supporting more female artists, country radio?

Vocal Duo of the Year

• Big & Rich
• Florida Georgia Line
• Love and Theft
• Sugarland
• Thompson Square

Thoughts:  Still on board with the argument that the Duo and Group categories should be merged to cut the slack, but wow, this year’s category is almost actually competitive.  Four of these nominees had hits last year, with only Sugarland squeezing in on name recognition.

Vocal Group of the Year

• The Band Perry
• Eli Young Band
• Lady Antebellum
• Little Big Town
• Zac Brown Band

New Artist of the Year

• Florida Georgia Line
• Brantley Gilbert
• Jana Kramer

Album of the Year

• Carrie Underwood, Blown Away
• Eric Church, Chief
• Taylor Swift, Red
• Luke Bryan, Tailgates & Tanlines
• Little Big Town, Tornado

Thoughts:  Is Little Big Town on fire this year or what?  Good to see a well-deserved nomination for Blown Away.  Don’t quite get the rationale for nominating Red.

Single Record of the Year

• Eli Young Band, “Even If It Breaks Your Heart”
• Miranda Lambert, “Over You”
• Little Big Town, “Pontoon”
• Eric Church, “Springsteen”
• Hunter Hayes, “Wanted”

Song of the Year

• “A Woman Like You” – Phil Barton, Johnny Bulford, & Jon Stone (Performed by Lee Brice)
• “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” – Will Hoge & Eric Paslay (Performed by Eli Young Band)
• “Over You” – Miranda Lambert & Blake Shelton (Performed by Miranda Lambert)
• “Springsteen” – Eric Church, Jeff Hyde, & Ryan Tyndell (Performed by Eric Church)
• “Wanted” – Hunter Hayes & Troy Vergas (Performed by Hunter Hayes)

Thoughts:  So fed up with all the over-praise for “Over You.”  Tragic back story or not, a monkey could have written that song.  By the way… where’s “Blown Away”?

Songwriter of the Year

• Rodney Clawson
• Dallas Davidson
• Josh Kear
• Luke Laird
• Shane McAnally

Video of the Year

• Eric Church, “Creepin’”
  Produced by Iris Baker
  Directed by Peter Zavadil
• Kacey Musgraves, “Merry Go ‘Round”
  Produced by Perry Bean and Kacey Musgraves
  Directed by Perry Bean
• Little Big Town, “Tornado”
  Produced by Iris Baker
  Directed by Shane Drake
• Hunter Hayes, “Wanted”
  Produced by Stephanie Reeves & Eric Williams
  Directed by Traci Goudie and Patrick Hubik
• Taylor Swift, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”
  Produced by John Nguyen
  Directed by Declan Whitebloom
• Zac Brown Band, “The Wind”
  Produced by Ben Kalina
  Directed by Mike Judge

Thoughts:  It’s nice to see some love for “Merry Go ‘Round,” but why here instead of in the Song or Single categories?

Vocal Event of the Year

• Kelly Clarkson featuring Vince Gill, “Don’t Rush”
• Rascal Flatts featuring Natasha Bedingfield, “Easy”
• Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw, “Feel Like a Rock Star”

ACM Live Blog 2012

Sunday, April 1st, 2012

Show starts at 8/7 Central. Hang with us!

Also, if you have any trouble with the live blog client, let us know in the regular comments section!

WINNERS

Entertainer: Taylor Swift

Top Male Vocalist: Blake Shelton

Top Female Vocalist: Miranda Lambert

Top Vocal Group: Lady Antebellum

Top Vocal Duo: Thompson Square

Top New Artist: Scotty McCreery

Album of the Year: Miranda Lambert, Four the Record

Song of the Year: Lee Brice & Liz Rose, ”Crazy Girl”

Single of the Year: Jason Aldean & Kelly Clarkson, ”Don’t You Wanna Stay”

Vocal Event of the Year: Jason Aldean & Kelly Clarkson, “Don’t You Wanna Stay”

Video of the Year: Toby Keith, “Red Solo Cup”

2012 ACM Awards: Staff Picks & Predictions

Friday, March 30th, 2012

Throw on your bedazzled boots – the 47th annual Academy of Country Music Awards air live from Las Vegas this Sunday at 8 p.m. EST. The show promises to be a melting pot of performances, with oddball duets like Rascal Flatts and Steve Martin - and no, that’s not an April Fools joke. The CU staff picked and predicted the awards below. Tell us your thoughts, and check back for our live blog on Sunday night!

Entertainer of the Year

Should Win:

• Jason Aldean
• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley
• Blake Shelton
• Taylor Swift – Jonathan, Dan, Tara, Leeann, Kevin, Ben, Sam

Will Win:

• Jason Aldean – Sam
• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley
• Blake Shelton
• Taylor Swift – Jonathan, Dan, Tara, Kevin, Ben

Ben: Okay, so I was going to go with Aldean based on his massive success… but Swift’s music has just been too dang good lately.

Jonathan: Swift is the only one of the five who has released any music I really liked during the eligibility period; that fan voting is part of whatever mysterious algorithm is used to determine the winner of this award helps her case. I recognize that Aldean has a good look at this, too, but I’ll admit to just digging my heels in and refusing to get on board with the idea that he’s considered the standard-bearing artist in country music.

Tara: Swift released some of the best material of her career in the eligibility period, and her star seems as bright as it’s ever been. And while I can’t picture her losing something fan-voted, I wouldn’t be shocked if Aldean snuck up on her, especially given the secret fan / academy vote ratio. I just hope that this time next year, there are a few shake-ups in this category. I’m bored.

Dan: I like Swift the best, but can’t muster the energy to root actively against Aldean like I did with, say, Rascal Flatts.

Kevin:  Aldean vs. Swift, with me erring on the side of the one who made more music that I liked this year.

Sam: Just a hunch, but the Taylor Swift voters might be as fanatical as usual because Carrie Underwood isn’t nominated for this award. That might give Aldean the chance to sneak in.

Male Vocalist of the Year

Should Win:

• Jason Aldean – Dan, Kevin, Sam
• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley
• Blake Shelton
• Chris Young – Ben, Jonathan, Tara

Will Win:

• Jason Aldean – Dan, Sam
• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley
• Blake Shelton – Ben, Jonathan, Tara, Kevin
• Chris Young

Dan: Aldean remains the hottest guy out there by a huge margin, and occasionally puts out something decent like “Fly Over States.” I’ll just keep picking him to win this until he does. La la la.

Ben: Aldean’s success speaks for itself, but I would really like to see Chris Young take this. He released a solid new album, remained a consistent hitmaker at radio, and has made the most music that I’ve actually cared about. But seeing as the industry award voters have been showing a lot of excessive Shelton love as of late, my gut says that Blake Shelton is going to get this. (There are no awards for TV Judge of the Year or Newlywed of the Year, so the ACM will probably give him this one instead)

Jonathan: So let’s talk about Chris Young for a minute. The guy has a fantastic voice, one of the strongest and most distinctive instruments to come down Music Row in a minute, and that alone is enough to elevate him above most of the other men who have scored major airplay in the past couple of years. But the discrepancy between the quality of Young’s vocal performances and the quality of the songs he’s performing is a problem, and here’s yet another instance of an artist with the potential to be really and truly great receiving a thumbs-up from the industry for work that’s just occasionally on the better side of okay. Where’s the incentive for someone like Young to be even better if he’s being recognized now? And what does it say that, despite his wildly uneven material, he’s far and away the class of this particular field of nominees?

Tara: I have to disagree with Jonathan on this one; I find Neon to be a refreshing, neo-traditional gem, more organic than it is uneven. In this stage of Young’s career, I view his body of work as a stepping stone and an indication of potential, and I have no issue with it being rewarded. But it won’t be; Mr. Lambert’s got the entertainment industry on lockdown. And I can’t say I really mind.

Kevin: Picking Aldean as the “should win” solely because he had the biggest year, though I suspect Shelton will win anyway.

Sam: I get the love for Miranda Lambert, but the Blake Shelton love is largely lost on me. Not a fan of Aldean either, but he’s due for this award.

Female Vocalist of the Year

Should Win:

• Sara Evans
• Miranda Lambert – Dan, Ben, Tara, Leeann, Sam
• Martina McBride
• Taylor Swift – Jonathan, Kevin
• Carrie Underwood

Will Win:

• Sara Evans
• Miranda Lambert – Dan, Ben, Jonathan, Tara, Leeann, Sam
• Martina McBride
• Taylor Swift – Kevin
• Carrie Underwood

Dan: I think Swift has been the strongest solo act this past year, but Lambert released a decent fourth album and a terrific group one. With no place on the ballot to reward Pistol Annies (fix that, CMAs?), this’ll do.

Ben: Swift put out a string of very good singles, but… Four the Record + Pistol Annies = The Miranda Lambert love will be fully justified.

Jonathan: If we’re counting Pistol Annies, then I can absolutely see the case for Lambert and could be convinced to vote accordingly, and I think she still has the momentum to win here. If we’re just looking at solo material, though, I’m unapologetically sticking with Swift’s “Mean” and “Sparks Fly,” which trump anything that the other four women in the category released during the eligibility period. With Underwood having a new album to support and, hopefully, Kellie Pickler getting the recognition she deserves for her latest work, this category should be a hell of a lot more interesting and competitive come CMA time.

Tara: Swift delivered the better material, but Lambert delivered the better performances, Hell On Heels notwithstanding. By my definition of FVOTY, this should go to Lambert. (And I’m stoked for the fall award season, too.)

Leeann:  I have no real reason to believe that the Academy would take this from Lambert this year.

Kevin:  Can you believe that Swift is the only nominee who hasn’t won this yet?  I know Lambert should be the favorite, especially given the ACM’s fondness for her.  But I can’t shake the feeling that she’s lost some momentum with her latest project.

Sam: Miranda will continue to own this category until someone like Carrie Underwood steps up with a new album.

Vocal Duo of the Year

Should Win

• Love and Theft
• Montgomery Gentry
• Steel Magnolia
• Sugarland – Leeann
• Thompson Square – Dan, Ben, Tara

Will Win:

• Love and Theft
• Montgomery Gentry
• Steel Magnolia
• Sugarland – Dan, Ben, Leeann, Kevin
• Thompson Square – Jonathan, Tara, Sam

Ben: The Civil Wars are really the only duo I’ve cared about this past year, but they have been stupidly excluded in favor of Love and Theft (who only released one mediocre single in the past year), so I’m going with Thompson Square instead. They’ve been doing well at radio, and their music has not been terribly grating, but I’m pretty sure that the ACM will remain stuck on Sugarland.

Dan: With The Civil Wars absent from ACM’s roster and Sugarland having a messy year across the board, Thompson Square seems like the last band standing. And they’re cute, right?

Jonathan: The song remains the same: This category should’ve been merged with Vocal Group of the Year eons ago to trim the fat. Given that the ACMs are still ostensibly more radio-oriented than the CMAs and that Sugarland have actively alienated radio with the god-awful singles from their god-awful album, I’m going to say that Thompson Square pull off the upset here. Just don’t ask me to hum or even to name more than one of their songs…

Tara: I honestly can’t muster an opinion. What’s Sugarland been up to these days, anyway?

Leeann:  This category isn’t even worth comment this year.

Kevin: Saying somebody should win implies that I think there’s a worthy winner, so I’m just going to say that Sugarland will win.

Sam: No Bellamy Brothers nod? You mean country music actually had five legit nominees for a Duo award this year? Artistically, The Civil Wars and Foster & Lloyd would be the most deserving this year.

Vocal Group of the Year

Should Win:

• The Band Perry
• Eli Young Band
• Lady Antebellum
• Rascal Flatts
• Zac Brown Band – Dan, Ben, Jonathan, Tara, Leeann, Kevin, Sam

Will Win:

• The Band Perry – Sam
• Eli Young Band
• Lady Antebellum – Dan, Ben, Jonathan, Tara, Leeann, Kevin
• Rascal Flatts
• Zac Brown Band

Ben: I’ve tried to hold out hope that the award industries would lay off the ridiculous Lady A adoration, but the CMAs and Grammys have shown me otherwise.

Jonathan: No reason to think the ACMs will break the trend of giving unearned trophies to the C students in the class.

Tara: I remain firmly in ZBB’s corner; the band produced my favorite single of 2011. But I would much, much prefer this award to go to the flavor of the month Eli Young Band than the flavor of the year Lady Antebellum.

Dan: I miss Little Big Town, but this is the first time in recent memory that this category has had five competitive groups. Like Aldean in the Male Vocalist race, Zac Brown Band sell as well as anyone and haven’t won yet, so I’ll probably keep picking them until they do, too. La la la x2.

Leeann: I’d love to see Zac Brown Band take it this year, but I don’t have enough faith that Lady A won’t just keep the award.

Kevin:  Always gonna root for ZBB.  Just losing hope that they’ll ever actually win.

Sam: ZBB is operating on a higher level than any other vocal group, but I’m alright with The Band Perry’s quirkiness getting some recognition.

New Artist of the Year

Should Win:

• Brantley Gilbert
• Hunter Hayes – Dan, Tara
• Scotty McCreery

Will Win:

• Brantley Gilbert
• Hunter Hayes
• Scotty McCreery – Ben, Dan, Jonathan, Tara, Leeann, Kevin, Sam

Dan: Of the three, I think Hayes has the most raw talent (played every instrument on his album!) and could one day be an interesting artist. So, vote of optimism! ;D

Ben: I think this will be between Gilbert and McCreery. My gut says Scotty McCreery “will” win, but this line-up is just too depressing for me to make a case for who “should” win. Dan makes a good point about Hunter Hayes though…

Jonathan: I can’t.

Tara: Uh…I guess this is as good a time as any to confess my love for “Storm Warning.”

Leeann: I don’t even have the heart to choose who I think should win, but I’m guessing the “American Idol” winner will win.

Kevin: New Coke >>>> New Artist of the Year.

Sam: This is fan voted, right? Well, if McCreery’s fans can vote him to win “American Idol”…

Album of the Year

Should Win:

• Eric Church, Chief – Dan, Ben, Jonathan, Tara, Leeann, Kevin
• Miranda Lambert, Four The Record – Sam
• Kenny Chesney, Hemingway’s Whiskey
• Jason Aldean, My Kinda Party
• Lady Antebellum, Own The Night

Will Win:

• Eric Church, Chief
• Miranda Lambert, Four The Record
• Kenny Chesney, Hemingway’s Whiskey
• Jason Aldean, My Kinda Party – Dan, Ben, Sam
• Lady Antebellum, Own The Night – Jonathan, Tara, Leeann, Kevin

Ben: Eric Church edges out Miranda as my pick, but I’m fairly sure this will go to Aldean, and I refuse to predict that Lady Antebellum will win this.

Jonathan: I liked Lambert’s album exponentially less each time I listened to it, so I stopped listening to all but two of its tracks (“Fine Tune” and “Dear Diamond”) months ago to preserve at least some degree of fondness for it. Church’s album has some significant limitations of its own, but, song-for-song, it’s the strongest set in this line-up. I have no idea what I would ever actually say to a person who believes that Richard Marx’s Repeat Offender Amy Grant’s House of Love Lady Antebellum’s Own the Night scans as a country album in any substantive way, or that it’s the best country album of this or any year. But clearly there are people who do believe that, and recent history says there are enough of them for Lady A to win this.

Tara: It’s a toss up between Lambert and Church for me, with Church’s realized hard-assness giving Chief a slight edge. But it’s Lady A’s to lose – and I’m not sure anything in the industry has frustrated me more than their wins as of late. It’s worse than laughably unfair; it’s potential-threatening. And it has to stop.

Dan: When Church is bad, he’s cringe-worthy. When he’s good, he kicks most of the ass he told you he’d kick.

Leeann: I won’t be surprised if Lady A wins, but I’d love to see Eric Church win for the most interesting album of the bunch. I wouldn’t mind seeing Miranda Lambert win either.

Kevin: I just hope I’m wrong a lot this year.

Sam: Pretty sad when a “good for a Jason Aldean album” album beats out two superior albums from Church and Lambert, but I think that will be the case.

Single Record of the Year

Should Win:

• Eli Young Band, “Crazy Girl”
• Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson, “Don’t You Wanna Stay”
• Toby Keith, “Red Solo Cup”
• Chris Young, “Tomorrow”
• Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter, “You and Tequila” – Ben, Dan, Tara, Leeann, Kevin, Sam

Will Win:

• Eli Young Band, “Crazy Girl”
• Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson, “Don’t You Wanna Stay” – Dan, Ben, Jonathan, Tara, Leeann, Kevin, Sam
• Toby Keith, “Red Solo Cup”
• Chris Young, “Tomorrow”
• Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter, “You and Tequila”

Ben: “Tequila” outclasses most of the field, though “Tomorrow” is also a solid contender. I get the novelty value of “Red Solo Cup,” but Single Record of the Year? Nah…

Jonathan: Even for a novelty song, I thought “Red Solo Cup” was poorly constructed and lazily written, but I kind of hope it wins, if only to prove that this year’s ACMs are just a straight-up farce.

Tara: I don’t love any of these, but “You and Tequila” is the only one I can imagine holding up in ten years.

Dan: Whatever.

Leeann: I can’t even believe “Red Solo Cup” is a contender! I’d love to see Kenny win for one of his best recordings, though I suspect Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson will win due to their cross genre appeal and all.

Kevin: Please let me be wrong a lot this year.

Sam: I will be rooting for “Red Solo Cup” and its inspired idiocy, but this could be part of Jason Aldean’s big night at the ACM.

Song of the Year

Should Win:

• “Crazy Girl” – Lee Brice & Liz Rose
• “Home” – Brett Beavers, Dierks Bentley & Dan Wilson – Leeann
• “Just a Kiss” – Dallas Davidson, Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott
• “Threaten Me With Heaven” – Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Dillon O’Brian & Will Owsley – Jonathan, Tara, Kevin
• “You and Tequila” – Matraca Berg & Deana Carter – Dan, Ben, Sam

Will Win:

• “Crazy Girl” – Lee Brice & Liz Rose
• “Home” – Brett Beavers, Dierks Bentley & Dan Wilson – Dan, Ben, Jonathan, Tara, Sam
• “Just a Kiss” – Dallas Davidson, Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott – Kevin
• “Threaten Me With Heaven” – Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Dillon O’Brian & Will Owsley
• “You and Tequila” – Matraca Berg & Deana Carter – Leeann

Dan: “Home” has felt like awards bait to me since I first heard it. Me, I’m a “Tequila” guy.

Ben: Ditto to Dan.

Jonathan: As much as I’d like to see Berg and Carter pick up some new hardware, I’d still give the edge to Gill’s song. When “Home” does win, which I agree it will, I’ll just pretend it means that Jason Isbell has finally won a major industry award.

Tara: “Threaten Me With Heaven” is gorgeously written, but I won’t mind if (and when) “Home” takes the award. Country music could use a shot of graceful patriotism.

Leeann: I’m pleased to have three songs that I’d be happy to see win the award this year. I feel like either Chesney or Bentley will rightfully win…I hope so at least.

Kevin:  Pretty please?

Video of the Year

Should Win:

• Eric Church, “Homeboy”
• Lady Antebellum, “Just a Kiss”
• Taylor Swift, “Mean” – Ben, Dan, Jonathan, Tara, Kevin, Sam
• Toby Keith, “Red Solo Cup”
• Jason Aldean, “Tattoos On This Town”

Will Win:

• Eric Church, “Homeboy”
• Lady Antebellum, “Just a Kiss”
• Taylor Swift, “Mean” – Kevin
• Toby Keith, “Red Solo Cup” – Ben, Dan, Jonathan, Tara, Sam
• Jason Aldean, “Tattoos On This Town”

Ben: I could actually live with “Red Solo Cup” winning this, but I still enjoy “Mean” quite a bit more.  Plus I kind of hate Lady Antebellum’s video for being nothing more than a glorified iPad commercial.  I also think “Mean” deserved a nomination for Single Record of the Year, so I would like to see it acknowledged here.  Still, I don’t think I can bet against “Red Solo Cup.”

Jonathan: That “Mean” didn’t score the Single and Song of the Year nominations with the ACMs that it has elsewhere seems revealing, with “Red Solo Cup” as the most likely beneficiary. I just hope that the faux gravitas of the “Homeboy” clip doesn’t give it any footing.

Tara: I’m equally disappointed that “Mean” didn’t snag a nomination for Single or Song of the Year. With the video almost as freshly produced as the single, it’s an easy one to root for in this category. I have no inkling as to who will win, but I’ll piggyback off of my co-bloggers on the frat party anthem.

Dan: I could do without how the “Mean” clip ends with a little girl idolizing Taylor Swift, but am I gonna vote against the country music video that had the anti-gay-bullying message? No, I’m not.

Kevin: I think the Swift clip has enough pizazz to triumph in the end over Toby’s YouTube video.

Vocal Event of the Year

Should Win:

• Aaron Lewis featuring George Jones & Charlie Daniels, “Country Boy”
• Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson, “Don’t You Wanna Stay”
• Brad Paisley featuring Alabama, “Old Alabama”
• Brad Paisley duet with Carrie Underwood, “Remind Me” – Tara, Kevin, Ben
• Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter, “You and Tequila” – Dan, Jonathan, Leeann, Sam

Will Win:

• Aaron Lewis featuring George Jones & Charlie Daniels, “Country Boy”
• Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson, “Don’t You Wanna Stay” – Jonathan, Dan, Leeann, Kevin, Sam
• Brad Paisley featuring Alabama, “Old Alabama”
• Brad Paisley duet with Carrie Underwood, “Remind Me” – Tara, Ben
• Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter, “You and Tequila”

Jonathan: The Lewis track is one of the worst singles of the past five years or more, and its nomination is an indication of how deeply modern country music hates the actual traditions and values of the genre.

Tara: As middle-of-the-road as it is, something in the melody of “Remind Me” intrigues me. And I have a random feeling the voters will use this category to reward their dethroned male and female vocalists of the year.

Dan: It’ll be interesting to see if “Remind Me” can unseat “Don’t You Wanna St– oh, who am I kidding. Nothing is interesting anymore.

Leeann: Ugh. I pretty much know that Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson will win, but I’d love to be wrong. Meanwhile, I continue to faithfully root for the Chesney/Potter collaboration.

Kevin: I like my Vocal Events to be full-out Vocal Events, so I’m going for Paisley/Underwood over Chesney with backing vocals from Potter.  The latter pair made the better record, though.

Ben:  I’m with Tara and Kevin.  “You and Tequila” is the best record overall, but that has more to do with Berg and Carter’s songwriting than with Potter’s contributions.  “Remind Me” is the one that feels like an actual event.

Sam: Aldean & Clarkson outscreamed Paisley & Underwood, so they lay claim to the trophy. Chesney and Potter, what were you two thinking by just going out there and singing? Next time, I want to hear some wailing and primal screams, because that’s what makes for a successful duet these days.

2012 ACM Nominations

Friday, January 27th, 2012

The nominations have been announced for the 2012 Academy of Country Music Awards.

Kenny Chesney leads with nine nominations.   Jason Aldean, Lady Antebellum, and Brad Paisley follow.

Check out the entire list of nominees here.

ACM Picks & Predictions

Saturday, April 2nd, 2011

And some amount of us will be live-blogging the show tomorrow at 8 pm/7 central. Join!

Entertainer of the Year

Picks

• Jason Aldean
• Toby Keith
• Miranda Lambert – Dan
• Brad Paisley – Leeann, Tara
• Taylor Swift – Kevin
• Keith Urban

Predictions

• Jason Aldean
• Toby Keith
• Miranda Lambert
• Brad Paisley
• Taylor Swift – Dan, Kevin, Leeann, Tara
• Keith Urban

Kevin: With three of the genre’s biggest entertainers left off the list – Lady Antebellum, Carrie Underwood, and Zac Brown Band -  the field is clear for Taylor Swift, the only act of the six that truly was an Entertainer of the Year this year.

Dan: I’m mostly just Entertained by this bizarro Toby Keith nomination. But that’s why the ACMs are the Golden Globes of country music. Of the six, I’ll pick Lambert, who’s helped reinvigorate the mainstream creatively and now outsells many of the big guys. I’d be OK with Swift, too, though she’s carved out such a unique niche in popular music that it’s hard to think of her as “representing” a particular genre in the way this award suggests. With the fan vote still intact, I could see this going lots of ways, but I’ll guess Swift.

Leeann: Since Underwood isn’t in the running, Swift’s equally enthusiastic fan base seems most likely to push the votes her way.

Tara: I’d like to eventually support Lambert, but I’m not sure she’s fully formed as an entertainer just yet. Then again, this category seems to be morphing into something different than it used to be. Paisley and Urban are the consummate entertainers, Swift is a phenomenon, Aldean is a rising star and Keith, well, I’m as entertained as Dan is. It feels a little “take your pick”…and I guess my pick is Paisley. Now that Underwood’s voters are out of the picture, though, I think Swift will take this, with Paisley or Aldean as a close second.

Top Male Vocalist of the Year

Picks

• Jason Aldean – Dan, Kevin
• Brad Paisley
• Blake Shelton – Leeann
• George Strait
• Keith Urban – Tara

Predictions

• Jason Aldean – Dan
• Brad Paisley – Leeann, Tara
• Blake Shelton – Kevin
• George Strait
• Keith Urban

Kevin: Too many repeat winners up against two newbies. I still find Shelton’s CMA victory ridiculous, and Aldean is long overdue for industry recognition.

Dan: But look – where’s Toby here?! Love you, ACMs! I’m thinking Aldean for this one, too. He’s not my favorite, but he does have his own thing going, and maybe the Academy has noticed that he moves lots of units and Blake Shelton doesn’t.

Leeann: While I’d love to see Shelton take it this year, since he somehow got nominated, I’m guessing it’ll reflexively go to Paisley again.

Tara: Lately I’ve been inexplicably craving Keith Urban: even the Urban-lite music of his past two albums excites me more than some of the stuff on the air right now. I think the voters will stick with the familiar, though, and reward Brad for the 61st time.

Top Female Vocalist of the Year

Picks

• Miranda Lambert – Dan, Leeann
• Reba McEntire
• Taylor Swift
• Carrie Underwood – Kevin, Tara
• Lee Ann Womack

Predictions

• Miranda Lambert – Dan, Kevin, Leeann, Tara
• Reba McEntire
• Taylor Swift
• Carrie Underwood
• Lee Ann Womack

Kevin: I think the Lambert victory lap will continue, but Underwood’s the only one with recent output that  I regularly listen to.

Dan: Lambert over Swift for the same reasons I mentioned in my Entertainer blurb.

Leeann: The Academy loves them some Miranda Lambert and, presumably, nothing in particular has happened in the last year to change that. So, this award is hers to lose.

Tara: Lambert is probably the best representation of the genre’s current momentum and direction, – and I think the voters will act on that, – but Underwood deserves some sort of recognition for her stellar Play On tour. This award is pretty much her last shot.

Top Vocal Group of the Year

Picks

• Lady Antebellum
• Little Big Town – Dan, Kevin
• Randy Rogers Band
• The Band Perry
• Zac Brown Band – Leeann, Tara

Predictions

• Lady Antebellum – Dan, Kevin, Leeann, Tara
• Little Big Town
• Randy Rogers Band
• The Band Perry
• Zac Brown Band

Kevin: I would be happy with LTB, ZBB, or TBP.

Dan: I mean, wouldn’t it be lovely to see Little Big Town rewarded just for being Little Big Town all these years? Back in reality, though, Lady A will fly a yawn cloud to the podium while Zac Brown Band and The Band Perry continue creeping up from behind.

Leeann: Randy Rogers Band out of the mix (let’s be realistic), Zac Brown Band is my favorite of the bunch. I expect Lady A to continue their winning streak, however.

Tara: Zac Brown Band released one of my favorite albums of 2010, and I’m digging how fresh their music sounds as of late. I think Lady Antebellum’s awards show ownage will continue, though.

Top Vocal Duo of the Year

Picks

• The JaneDear Girls
• Joey + Rory – Leeann
• Montgomery Gentry
• Steel Magnolia – Dan
• Sugarland – Kevin, Tara

Predictions

• The JaneDear Girls
• Joey + Rory
• Montgomery Gentry
• Steel Magnolia
• Sugarland – Kevin, Dan, Leeann,Tara

Kevin: Who else?

Dan: If we were judging just by singles, Sugarland’s win here would be as deserved as it is inevitable. I don’t feel like rewarding The Incredible Machine, though. I wonder who Thompson Square is going to end up ousting from this category – JaneDear Girls, Joey + Rory or Montgomery Gentry?

Leeann: I know Joey+Rory doesn’t even deserve to win, but they’re honestly the only duo that I like in this category. I’d be a fool to bet against Sugarland, especially (as the others have said) based on their strong singles.

Tara: …I’m going to judge by singles and back Sugarland. Yeah. I don’t know.

Top New Artist of the Year

Picks

• Eric Church
• The Band Perry – Dan, Kevin, Leeann, Tara

Predictions

• Eric Church – Kevin, Leeann
• The Band Perry – Dan, Tara

Kevin: The whole fan-voted thing makes me think that Church will win, even though The Band Perry is more popular with record buyers.

Dan: I have a little more faith in the Perry siblings’ tastes and talents moving forward. Church’s fans always seem pretty revved up, though; I bet they’ll power him to the win.

Leeann: The Band Perry’s music is at least interesting, but Church has been around longer. So, it’s anybody’s guess.

Tara: The Perrys are almost always spunky and interesting, while Church is only sometimes a legit badass. If we’re rewarding the artist(s) who has the best grasp on his or her potential, I guess I’ll go with the former.

Album of the Year

Picks

• Dierks Bentley, Up on the Ridge – Kevin, Leeann, Tara
• Kenny Chesney, Hemingway’s Whiskey
• Lady Antebellum, Need You Now
• Jamey Johnson, The Guitar Song - Dan
• Taylor Swift, Speak Now
• Zac Brown Band, You Get What You Give

Predictions

• Dierks Bentley, Up on the Ridge - Kevin, Tara
• Kenny Chesney, Hemingway’s Whiskey
• Lady Antebellum, Need You Now – Dan, Leeann
• Jamey Johnson, The Guitar Song
• Taylor Swift, Speak Now
• Zac Brown Band, You Get What You Give

Kevin: Somebody had to pick up where the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band left off.

Dan: I think Swift made the most consistently strong set here, but Johnson made the most ambitious and unique, and he hasn’t actually won a major album award yet. But Lady A made money.

Leeann: I have a bad feeling about Lady A, but I’d be happy if either Jamey Johnson or Dierks Bentley proved me wrong.

Tara: You Get What You Give is my favorite of the set, but Up On The Ridge is the best. I have a funky/good feeling that the voters will agree with me. (And yes, NARAS, in case you were wondering: I’m still mad at you for what you did with this category.)

Single Record of the Year

Picks

• Easton Corbin, “A Little More Country Than That”
• Zac Brown Band featuring Alan Jackson, “As She’s Walking Away” – Kevin
• Kenny Chesney, ‘The Boys of Fall”
• Lee Brice, “Love Like Crazy”
• Miranda Lambert, “The House That Built Me” – Dan, Leeann, Tara

Predictions

• Easton Corbin, “A Little More Country Than That”
• Zac Brown Band featuring Alan Jackson, “As She’s Walking Away”
• Kenny Chesney, ‘The Boys of Fall”
• Lee Brice, “Love Like Crazy”
• Miranda Lambert, “The House That Built Me” – Dan, Kevin, Leeann, Tara

Kevin: I prefer ZBB and AJ on this one, but Lambert’s hit is in the same inevitability league as “I Hope You Dance” and “Live Like You Were Dying.”

Dan: “As She’s Walking Away” and “The House That Built Me” will both hold up over time. My preference here is slight.

Leeann: With the exception of “As She’s Walking Away”, it seems that “The House that Built Me” was set up to win based on the inferior quality of the other nominees. Either that or 2010 really was as bad for country music as I remember.

Tara: Truth be told, I enjoy “As She’s Walking Away” more than I enjoy “The House That Built Me.” But there’s an intangible quality to Lambert’s vocal performance that puts it on a slightly different level for me.

Song of the Year

Picks

• “A Little More Country Than That” – written by Rory Lee Feek, Don Poythress, Wynn Varble; performed by Easton Corbin
• “As She’s Walking Away” – written by Zac Brown, Wyatt Durrettey; performed by Zac Brown Band featuring Alan Jackson
• “The House That Built Me” – written by Tom Douglas, Allen Shamblin; performed by Miranda Lambert – Dan, Leeann, Tara
• “If I Die Young” – written by Kimberly Perry; performed by The Band Perry – Kevin
• “Love Like Crazy” – written by Tim James, Doug Johnson; performed by Lee Brice

Predictions

• “A Little More Country Than That” – written by Rory Lee Feek, Don Poythress, Wynn Varble; performed by Easton Corbin
• “As She’s Walking Away” – written by Zac Brown, Wyatt Durrettey; performed by Zac Brown Band featuring Alan Jackson
• “The House That Built Me” – written by Tom Douglas, Allen Shamblin; performed by Miranda Lambert – Dan, Kevin, Leeann, Tara
• “If I Die Young” – written by Kimberly Perry; performed by The Band Perry
• “Love Like Crazy” – written by Tim James, Doug Johnson; performed by Lee Brice

Kevin: “The House That Built Me” is what Song of the Year awards exist for. But I like the tender melancholy of “If I Die Young” quite a bit more.

Dan: Please just go read the second verse to “Love Like Crazy” and then come back.

Leeann: I can’t imagine that “The House that Built Me” won’t take it, but I do have a funny feeling about “As She’s walking Away.”

Tara: No question here.

Video of the Year

Picks

• “The Boys of Fall” – Kenny Chesney
• “Hillbilly Bone” – Blake Shelton featuring Trace Adkins
• “The House That Built Me” – Miranda Lambert
• “Only Prettier” – Miranda Lambert
• “Stuck Like Glue” – Sugarland – Dan, Kevin

Predictions

• “The Boys of Fall” – Kenny Chesney
• “Hillbilly Bone” – Blake Shelton featuring Trace Adkins – Kevin
• “The House That Built Me” – Miranda Lambert – Dan
• “Only Prettier” – Miranda Lambert
• “Stuck Like Glue” – Sugarland

Kevin: I think the Sugarland clip is the only one that is truly memorable, but this race gives voters the opportunity to hit two B-list stars with one stone.

Dan: I’m still very, very entertained by the “Stuck Like Glue” video. Maybe I shouldn’t be, since it’s about stalking and kidnapping and drugging and stuff. But I am.

Vocal Event of the Year

Picks

• “As She’s Walking Away” – Zac Brown Band featuring Alan Jackson – Kevin, Dan, Leeann, Tara
• “Blue Sky” – Emily West featuring Keith Urban
• “Coal Miner’s Daughter” – Loretta Lynn, Sheryl Crow, and Miranda Lambert
• “Cold Beer” – Colt Ford featuring Jamey Johnson
• “Good to Be Me” – Uncle Kracker featuring Kid Rock

Predictions

• “As She’s Walking Away” – Zac Brown Band featuring Alan Jackson – Kevin, Dan, Leeann, Tara
• “Blue Sky” – Emily West featuring Keith Urban
• “Coal Miner’s Daughter” – Loretta Lynn, Sheryl Crow, and Miranda Lambert
• “Cold Beer” – Colt Ford featuring Jamey Johnson
• “Good to Be Me” – Uncle Kracker featuring Kid Rock

Kevin: As Vocal Events ago, “As She’s Walking Away” ranks with the best of the last ten years.

Dan: This field reminds me of when Heath Ledger was nominated for The Dark Knight. The preordained winner and…some other people.

Leeann: I’m cheating, but ditto to Dan.

Tara: The ZBB/Jackson duet never loses its fiddle-y sparkle. I wonder if ten years from now, I’ll still get warm fuzzies when Jackson starts singing?

2011 ACM Awards Nominations

Tuesday, February 1st, 2011

Here are this year’s nominees for the ACM Awards. Biggest surprises: Lady Antebellum, Carrie Underwood and Zac Brown Band not up for Entertainer; Rascal Flatts out of the Vocal Group race; Jason Aldean finally scores major nominations, both Entertainer and Male Vocalist.

Entertainer of the Year

• Jason Aldean
• Toby Keith
• Miranda Lambert
• Brad Paisley
• Taylor Swift
• Keith Urban

Top Male Vocalist of the Year

• Jason Aldean
• Brad Paisley
• Blake Shelton
• George Strait
• Keith Urban

Top Female Vocalist of the Year

• Miranda Lambert
• Reba McEntire
• Taylor Swift
• Carrie Underwood
• Lee Ann Womack

Top Vocal Group of the Year

• Lady Antebellum
• Little Big Town
• Randy Rogers Band
• The Band Perry
• Zac Brown Band

Top Vocal Duo of the Year

• The JaneDear Girls
• Joey + Rory
• Montgomery Gentry
• Steel Magnolia
• Sugarland

Top New Solo Vocalist of the Year

• Eric Church
• Easton Corbin
• Randy Houser

Top New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year

• The Band Perry
• The JaneDear Girls
• Steel Magnolia

Album of the Year

• Dierks Bentley, Up on the Ridge
• Kenny Chesney, Hemingway’s Whiskey
  
• Lady Antebellum, Need You Now
  
• Jamey Johnson, The Guitar Song
• Taylor Swift, Speak Now
• Zac Brown Band, You Get What You Give
  

Single Record of the Year

• Easton Corbin, “A Little More Country Than That”
• Zac Brown Band featuring Alan Jackson, “As She’s Walking Away”
• Kenny Chesney, ‘The Boys of Fall”
• Lee Brice, “Love Like Crazy”
• Miranda Lambert, “The House That Built Me”

Song of the Year

• “A Little More Country Than That” – written by Rory Lee Feek, Don Poythress, Wynn Varble; performed by Easton Corbin
• “As She’s Walking Away” – written by Zac Brown, Wyatt Durrettey; performed by Zac Brown Band featuring Alan Jackson
• “The House That Built Me” – written by Tom Douglas, Allen Shamblin; performed by Miranda Lambert
• “If I Die Young” – written by Kimberly Perry; performed by The Band Perry
• “Love Like Crazy” – written by Tim James, Doug Johnson; performed by Lee Brice

Video of the Year

• “The Boys of Fall” – Kenny Chesney
• “Hillbilly Bone” – Blake Shelton featuring Trace Adkins
• “The House That Built Me” – Miranda Lambert
• “Only Prettier” – Miranda Lambert
• “Stuck Like Glue” – Sugarland

Vocal Event of the Year

• “As She’s Walking Away” – Zac Brown Band featuring Alan Jackson
• “Blue Sky” – Emily West featuring Keith Urban
• “Coal Miner’s Daughter” – Loretta Lynn, Sheryl Crow, and Miranda Lambert
• “Cold Beer” – Colt Ford featuring Jamey Johnson
• “Good to Be Me” – Uncle Kracker featuring Kid Rock

Thoughts?

ACM 2010: Ladies Night

Monday, April 19th, 2010

Female artists dominated this year’s ACM Awards in a way that would have been unimaginable just five years earlier, with nearly all of the major winners of the evening coming from a female solo artist or a band that prominently features a female vocalist.  More significantly, this year’s ACM dissented from the CMA this fall in the marquee categories of Entertainer and Female Vocalist, which makes this fall’s CMA Awards that much more unpredictable.

Here’s my spin on the show’s highlights:

Carrie Underwood wins Entertainer of the Year

Perhaps we should have known not to underestimate the fan base of Ms. Underwood, who helped deliver the singing siren her second consecutive win for Entertainer of the Year. With Taylor Swift dominating the Grammys and CMAs, it was easy to forget that Underwood has continued to do quite well in her own right. Her string of hits at radio – eleven consecutive top two hits, nine of which reached #1  – is unprecedented.  She’s also had ten gold singles, three of which have sold platinum or better. Her third album, Play On, has moved her cumulative album sales past eleven million.

She’s consistently proven herself as a live vocalist and entertainer as well, with her once-awkward stage presence now  a distant memory.  She remains the genre’s most constant and dedicated ambassador, shown again with her heartfelt acceptance speech for the quite silly Triple Crown Award.  So while I’m surprised by her win, I can’t say that I’m disappointed or that there’s another person who deserved it more.

Miranda Lambert wins Female Vocalist, Album, and Video

I suppose it shouldn’t be too shocking, since Lambert’s won Album at this show before and the ACM was the first to award Patty Loveless in the Female Vocalist category, proving that the CMA doesn’t always get it right before the ACM does.  “The House That Built Me” is shaping up to be a career record for her, making Lambert the presumptive favorite at this year’s CMA Awards. Much can happen between now and then, but it’s not difficult to imagine her repeating in these categories and adding Single and Song to boot.

Lady Antebellum wins Single, Song, and Vocal Group

Rascal Flatts had quite the run, but it’s clear that Lady Antebellum is now the group to beat. “Need You Now” is arguably more deserving of the hardware it won than its predecessor “I Run to You”, which earned Lady Antebellum a CMA and a Grammy.  This group is a force to be reckoned with, and has the potential to dominate its Vocal category for a long time.

Brooks & Dunn win Vocal Duo

I should’ve seen this coming, as all of my colleagues at CU were able to. The ACM has always loved these guys, giving them two Entertainer wins and sticking with them when the CMA switched over to Montgomery Gentry and Sugarland.  It helped that Sugarland was completely off the radar this year, clearing the way for a sympathy vote.  But as I watched them perform “My Maria”, the cover song picked by fans over two excellent originals, it felt like 1996 all over again.  They’re good at what they do, but it’s hard not to notice that their music never evolved much over the twenty years they spent in the spotlight.

Brad Paisley wins his fourth Male Vocalist trophy

It’s funny that the guy who waited forever to finally win this race has now become so dominant in it that nobody’s been able to take it from him. I can’t picture somebody else getting this in the fall. Can you?

Taylor Swift shut out

Our predictions for Swift varied, with all of us expecting her to win both Entertainer and Video, and some of us expecting similar victories in her other categories.  But the shut-out makes sense. “You Belong With Me” lost to “Need You Now” in the big races, and to belle of the ball Miranda Lambert in Video and Female Vocalist.  Her speed dialers just couldn’t keep up with Underwood’s in the night’s biggest category, resulting in the first Swift-free country awards show since the 2008 CMA Awards, I believe.  It felt rather abrupt after her CMA and Grammy sweeps, but it also felt good not having to wince at her being named a standard-bearer after yet another mediocre performance.

Laura Bell Bundy, Kenny Chesney, and live music

Though at least Swift sang live, and she wasn’t the only one to sound less than great while doing so.  Chesney lip-synched his heart out without moving a step on stage, while Bundy did an amazing song-and-dance number with a live mic that recalled the very best of Reba McEntire’s showstoppers from the nineties. The Broadway background helped her command the stage in the way that our B-listers simply couldn’t, and let’s be honest: the genre is mostly B-listers these days.

There’s certainly more to talk about.  Thoughts?

ACM Live Blog 2010

Sunday, April 18th, 2010

Winners

Vocal Event of the Year – Blake Shelton & Trace Adkins, “Hillbilly Bone”

Video of the Year – Miranda Lambert, “White Liar”

Song of the Year – Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”

Single of the Year – Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”

Top New Artist: Luke Bryan

Album of the Year: Miranda Lambert, Revolution

Top Vocal Group of the Year: Lady Antebellum

Top Male Vocalist of the Year: Brad Paisley

Top Vocal Duo of the Year: Brooks & Dunn

Top Female Vocalist of the Year: Miranda Lambert

Entertainer of the Year: Carrie Underwood

- – -

10:10 TS: Overall a solid show, with some colorful and sincere moments. And I had a blast doing my first live blog, y’all! Thanks so much.

10:07 DM: Anyway, it’s certainly been an interesting awards night. Thanks so much for your participation, everyone!

10:04 DM: I suspect the Carrie base was rattled by the CMAs and really buckled down this time. It’s hard to make numbers judgments, since Taylor has won other fan awards before (CMT Awards, for example).

10:03 KC: Maybe the Grammy performance did Swift in, though I suspect she was only hurt in the race for Female Vocalist because of that.  Carrie Underwood has a stronger fan base voting for her, I guess.

10:02 TS: I’ve been hard on him in the past, but I enjoyed Darius’ bluegrass-y performance.

10:01 DM: Also significant: After the major CMA sweep, a completely award-free night for Taylor Swift! Interesting.

10:00 KC: Carrie Underwood is the first woman in history to win ACM Entertainer of the Year more than once.

9:58 DM: Now Darius is up playing “Forever Road”, which has a pretty country arrangement here.

9:58 KC: No complaints from me on this one. I do love having this woman as a genre standard-bearer. She seems to actually give a darn about it as a cultural commodity, not just a radio format.

9:57 TS: Back to irrational fan mode. So insanely happy right now.

9:56 DM: Not terribly surprised, actually. I feel like fan-voting guaranteed it’d be her or Taylor.

9:56 TS: Speechless.

9:55 KC: SHOCKER! I’m actually speechless!

Entertainer of the Year: Carrie Underwood

9:50 TS: This is trippy.

9:48 DM: So Keith is letting his fans film him or something. Whatever. Important thing is that he’s doing “I’m In”, the great Radney Foster song he covered on the latest album. Hope it’s the new single; even though it’s not my favorite version of the song, it does have the rare cool guitar solo.

9:44 TS: Miranda’s moment. Finally. (Not trying to stir anything up, but when she listed the people she couldn’t take this award from in a recent article, she left off Swift. Wonder if it was intentional or not considering she included her just now.)

9:44 KC: Not surprised, but happy to see Miranda win.  Surprisingly Swift-free evening so far, but I still expect her to win entertainer.

9:43 DM: That was a Kool-Aid Guy thing, incidentally. Just the first thing I thought.

9:41 DM: OH YEAAAAAH.

Top Female Vocalist of the Year: Miranda Lambert

9:38 DM: Wow, and now Reba is performing “Keep on Loving You” right before the announcement of Female Vocalist. COULD IT HAPPEN?!?

9:31 DM: Third straight time tonight that an artist has performed right before the announcement of their win, if I’m counting correctly.

Top Vocal Duo: Brooks & Dunn

9:29 DM: Well, sound came back for the very end. Ronnie sounded great; bummed I missed most of it.

9:28 TS: Wow. Talk about anti-climatic. Come on.

9:25 DM: WHO IS F—ING UP THE SOUND ON THE FINAL BROOKS & DUNN PERFORMANCE? Someone’s getting fired tonight.

9:25 DM: The final Brooks & Dunn! “My Maria”!

9:18 DM: Brad Paisley makes a shirtless Matthew McConaughey joke.

Male Vocalist of the Year: Brad Paisley

9:15 DM: Well, he fell into a pool. Pretty close.

9:15 TS: I like everything about this song but the lyrics. Who thinks water’s going to come pouring down “Should’ve Said No” style?

9:11 DM: Brad Paisley shows up with “Water”. Most of his singles I either really like or really don’t. This is one of the few I feel pretty much nothing about.

9:03 DM: Another song I’m indifferent to on record, but which gains something from the added visual element of live performance. Tired of these guitar solos, though.

9:03 KC: KC: Four months into 2010, “Still” remains my favorite single of the year.

Vocal Group of the Year: Lady Antebellum

9:00 KC: Funny that a ridiculously fake award produced the most genuinely real acceptance speech of the night.

8:59 TS: Excuse me while I turn into an irrational fan. So proud of that girl!

8:59 DM: A heartfelt moment is weirdly followed by the presentation of a totally weird “Triple Crown” award to Carrie for winning a bunch of other stuff. The new Crystal Milestone, I guess.

8:57 TS: Here’s the thing: this is as honest a moment as Miranda’s, regardless of how much more flash or vocal bombast it includes. Carrie’s emotion in this song is so incredibly pure.  And I really wish people would see that.

8:57 KC: As always, I love Underwood’s sincerity and conviction. Her vocal isn’t up to her usual par, though.

8:54 DM: Carrie doing “Temporary Home”. Looking super pretty in pink-purple. Guitarist needs a tune-up, though, and I question the producer decision to have this performance directly after the other quiet, well-sung acoustic number of the evening.

8:50 TS: I feel like Seacrest should be giving out the EOTY voting numbers. There’s an amusing visual in my head of George Strait holding up four fingers and mouthing “Please!” OK, no more Idol references from me.  Promise.

8:49 DM: A very frat-tastic performance with Jack, Dierks Bentley and a bunch of random crowd girls.

8:46 DM: Love that the ACMs gave Jack Ingram a performance slot, and love that he’s doing his old fan favorite, “Barbie Doll.” Good song.

8:45 KC: Nice to see MG get some love though, as they’ve had to play Bellamy Brothers to Sugarland and Brooks & Dunn for so long.

8:44 KC: Country Universe is proud to present the CU Humanitarian Award to the viewers at home for enduring this evening so far.

8:42 TS: Such an honest moment. And I’ll say it again – Miranda does not get enough credit as a strong vocalist. Although I think she’s about to get some.

8:41 DM: There’s a projector image of what looks like the Ryman in the backdrop toward the end. Intriguing.

8:38 DM: Miranda doing “The House that Built Me”. Excuse me while I actually listen to a performance.

8:33 TS: Miranda’s wonderful, fabulous, etc., etc.  AOTY win made me immune to Jason Aldean’s performance. Thanks ACM!

8:31 DM: Jason Aldean’s terrible “Crazy Town” sounds exactly like Jason Aldean’s pretty bad “She’s Country”, miraculously making the latter sound good by comparison. Is that mean? Sorry.

8:31 KC: Lambert looking like a lock for Female Vocalist at this point. If she wins that, she gets to claim “big winner of the night” bragging rights that she’s currently sharing wtih Lady Antebelum.

8:28 KC: As for studio albums, only Dixie Chicks can claim two wins among those with XX chromosomes.

8:28 TS: Woah, not cool.

8:28 DM: Frank Liddell or Mike Wrucke (didn’t see which) gets cut off just as he’s starting to talk.

8:27 KC: Wow! First solo female artist in ACM history to win this award twice, unless you count Emmylou Harris for Trio and O Brother.

8:26 TS: YES!

8:26 DM: D@@#0wF%$*#*#W YES

Album of the Year: Miranda Lambert, Revolution

8:21 DM: As much as I still dislike a lot of mainstream country, I can’t tell you how much happier I am with the genre now that we’ve definitively cleared Rascal Flatts’ peak.

8:19 DM: Hey, butterfly reader! If you can’t get enough live-blog snark, might I shout out the good people at Entertainment Weekly and The 9513.

8:16 KC: Nobody’s owning the stage the way Bundy did.  Perhaps we’ll make a stint on Broadway a new requirement for country music stardom.

8:16 DM: The chorus has a pretty melody, I’ll say that.

8:16 TS: Loved the intro to “Ameri-kin Honey,” but not so much the vocals. The song still makes me teary every time I hear it. I’ve moved past feeling like I need to explain why (I think).

8:11 TS: That was an awkward way to present an award, with mini sing-offs.

Top New Artist: Luke Bryan

8:08 KC: If the nineties were country music’s spin on seventies California rock, this decade must be country’s spin on eighties hair bands.

8:08 TS: I prefer Gloriana’s 25 seconds of cheese-tastic performance to Taylor’s pseudo-epic performance. So kill me.

8:07 KC: Hough apparently celebrated her Top New Artist win last year at the tanning salon.

8:07 DM: “Last year’s Top New Artist, Julianne Hough.” THIS IS WHY YOUR SYSTEM IS BROKEN, ACM.

8:05 KC: A big, loud choir should accompany every Taylor Swift glory note.

8:04 DM: Ah, here’s the outfit change. I was beginning to wonder.

8:01 DM: People keep describing Taylor Swift’s writing her own songs like it was a completely revolutionary idea.

7:59 DM: The Laura Bell Bundy haters are already coming out in droves on the social networking sites.

7:58 DM: Grumble, grumble.

7:58 TS: So predictable, but so deserved.

7:54 DM: I started typing that “Need You Now” was the winner before it was even announced.

Single of the Year: Lady Antbellum, “Need You Now”

7:46 DM: I don’t mean this cynically (especially since they were my choice), but I bet Zac Brown Band is currently receiving a good last-minute boost in the Entertainer race thanks to all the attention given to their USO stuff.

7:44 TS: TS: I think Toby is the only artist that elicits from me such polarizing feelings. That was lovely.

7:40 DM: “Cryin’ For Me (Wayman’s Song)”. Never been able to get into the recorded version personally, but it makes for a moving live performance.

7:35 TS: Ok, maybe a lot happy.

7:34 KC: Well, that was the best thing of the night so far. The most country, too. Things are weird.

7:34 TS: I’m having a similar reaction to Kara DioGuardi’s after Adam Lambert sang “Ring of Fire.” LBB left me “confused but sort of happy.”

7:31 DM: Laura Bell Bundy’s much-anticipated (by me, at least) performance going on now. She’s done well keeping up with the song so far. I think people are either going to hate this or kind of love it.

Song of the Year: “Need You Now”

7:28 TS: Faith looks younger. How is that even possible?

7:28 KC: Great. The first person I want to hear perform is presenting! Love Faith Hill.

7:27 DM: Reba wants to remind you to vote for the song Brooks & Dunn will perform tonight. “My Maria”, “Red Dirt Road”, or “You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone”. I love all of them, but I’d rather one of the two oldies.

7:24 TS: Touche.

7:23 KC: I thought they were all non-country performances, and I’m hardly a purist.

7:23 TS: Four performances so far, and I’ve only enjoyed the non-country one. I feel a little bad.

7:19 KC: I think Kenny Chesney is lip-syncing.

7:18 DM: Kenny Chesney performing his current single, “Boring Freewheeling Lifestyle Song #7″.

7:16 DM: Billy Currington performing his recent #1, “Stupid ‘Country Boy’ Mentality Song #14″.

7:13 KC: NYC people know about country music, and we’ve all been south of Queens. This entire song is built upon a ridiculous stereotype.

7:13 DM: Blake and Trace doing “Hillbilly Bone.”

7:12 DM: Miranda looked like she had NO IDEA who that person was. Love it.

7:12 TS: Is anyone else completely blind-sided by Cher? What…?

7:11 KC: Cher and Reba share a doctor.

7:08 KC: A Kirstie Alley fat joke? Really?

7:05 KC: KC: Couldn’t this have been done just as easily with a country song and a country legend?

7:05 TS: Um, I kind of ridiculously loved that. FIERCE vocals.

7:03 DM: Carrie, Miranda, Brad, Fogerty, and CHARIE FREAKIN’ DANIELS rocking out to “Travelin’ Band.” Pretty kickass, although it might have been nice if they’d done a slightly countrier CCR song like “Lookin’ Out My Back Door.”

7:00 DM: Yes, Matthew McConaughey is back! His Carrie speech shout-out last year was classic.

6:58 TS: Let the shenanigans begin. I’m pretty stoked for this much-buzzed-about opener…ready to see Miranda and co. rock out!

6:51 DM: RAaAaaaAAAHH DANNY GOKEY RaAAaAH GO AWAY!!!

6:50 DM: John Fogerty on the carpet now. He’ll be playing tonight with Brad Paisley, Miranda Lambert, and Carrie Underwood. Shaping up to be a super-cool night.

6:30 DM: I’m happy to see Sarah Buxton staying in the public eye on the orange carpet, but I’d be happier if she still had a record deal. Stupid Disney.

6:15 DM: Apparently CMT is going to be re-airing this past year’s CMA Awards at the same time as the ACMs. Doesn’t that seem kind of like a cheap attempt to grab confused viewers?

6:08 DM: All right folks, Kevin, Tara and I will be triple-teaming it tonight! And Blake Shelton is on the orange carpet doing some great fake-bragging about his Vocal Event win.

2010 ACM Awards: Staff Picks & Predictions

Friday, April 16th, 2010

Nashville takes over Vegas this Sunday for the 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, and it could actually be an interesting night. Eight acts are vying for Entertainer of the Year, one trio is poised to sweep the show, and a certain artist’s performance may solidify her as Music Row’s Lady Gaga. We’ll find out for sure Sunday at 8 pm Eastern, but in the meantime, we’ve picked ‘em and predicted ‘em. Sound off in the comments below.

Entertainer of the Year

Should Win:

• Kenny Chesney
• Toby Keith
• Brad Paisley – Tara
• George Strait – Kevin
• Taylor Swift
• Carrie Underwood
• Keith Urban
• Zac Brown Band – Dan, Leeann

Will Win:

• Kenny Chesney
• Toby Keith
• Brad Paisley
• George Strait
• Taylor Swift – Dan, Tara, Kevin, Leeann
• Carrie Underwood
• Keith Urban
• Zac Brown Band

Kevin: While I suspect that this will be the end of her impressive awards show victory lap, Swift should easily win this award. Does she deserve it? Probably. If I was an ACM voter (traditional member or willing to go vote online), I guess that I’d vote for George Strait, though my favorite among those with a real shot at this is Carrie Underwood.

Leeann: I predict Swift, though I don’t know if the backlash against her will thwart my prediction. Then again, the fan voting debacle will likely still work in her favor. I’ll throw my personal vote to Zac Brown Band, since I’ve really dug their live performances that I’ve seen on television. They seem like natural entertainers.

Dan: Fan-voted = Taylor Swift, with a possible Underwood repeat. But Swift hasn’t been as interesting post-Grammys. So I’ll also go with our resident grassroots heroes, ZBB.

Tara: One of the most rewarding aspects of being a five-year Underwood fan has been watching her stage presence gradually become as killer as her vocals, resulting in a powerful combination. I’d love for this to be properly recognized, and rationale seems pointless now that the EOTY race is a glorified internet fan war…but I can’t ignore that Underwood spent most of 2009 off stage. I’m going with Paisley.

Top Male Vocalist of the Year

Should Win:

• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley – Tara, Dan, Leeann
• Darius Rucker
• George Strait
• Keith Urban – Kevin

Will Win:

• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley – Kevin, Leeann
• Darius Rucker – Dan
• George Strait – Tara
• Keith Urban

Dan: It feels like Paisley’s winning streak may be just about up, which is a shame, since this year has actually been stronger material-wise for him than the years for which he’s won. Honestly, as much as I hate to say it, Jason Aldean had a bigger year than any of these guys.

Tara: Paisley and Strait were the only two who impressed me in 2009, and Paisley’s material feels fresher and more interesting. But I agree with Dan that his winning streak has probably run its course, so I’ll go out on a limb and say Strait will be the one to edge him out.

Kevin: I agree with Dan but suspect that there isn’t another nominee with enough momentum to upset the status quo in this race. If I’m wrong, I hope it’s because Urban or Strait pull it off.

Leeann: I think Paisley just might have another year of winning left in him.

Top Female Vocalist of the Year

Should Win:

• Miranda Lambert – Dan, Leeann
• Reba McEntire – Kevin
• Taylor Swift
• Carrie Underwood – Tara
• Lee Ann Womack

Will Win:

• Miranda Lambert – Kevin, Leeann
• Reba McEntire
• Taylor Swift – Dan
• Carrie Underwood – Tara
• Lee Ann Womack

Tara: It’s really a toss-up between Lambert and Underwood for me, with personal preference and investment swaying me towards the latter artist. I’m eerily optimistic that the ACM voters will stick to the truest sense of the award’s title – as I adamantly believe they should – and sidestep Swift.

Kevin: This is the first time in my twenty years as a country fan that I’m rooting for Reba McEntire to win Female Vocalist, though I wanted her to win Entertainer every year she was nominated in the nineties. Consider me smitten by “Consider Me Gone.” As always, I’d be happy with an Underwood victory and I wouldn’t mind Womack or Lambert, either. I’m guessing that Lambert will actually win, given her widespread appeal among ACM voters and the fact that she’s had a big radio and retail breakthrough during the voting period.

Leeann: The Academy seems to like Lambert pretty well. Since this has been her biggest year to date, it’s hard for me to imagine that she won’t be rewarded for it.

Dan: I’m going to cautiously predict that Swift’s CMA win will carry over to ACM, but Underwood has been reliably successful, and Lambert’s got stronger momentum than ever. The latter is also my favorite mainstream act at the moment, so it’s a no-brainer that I’m rooting for her to take it.

Top Vocal Group of the Year

Should Win:

• Lady Antebellum
• Little Big Town
• Randy Rogers Band
• Rascal Flatts
• Zac Brown Band – Dan, Tara, Kevin, Leeann

Will Win:

• Lady Antebellum – Dan, Tara, Kevin, Leeann
• Little Big Town
• Randy Rogers Band
• Rascal Flatts
• Zac Brown Band

Leeann: Lady A has the hype and momentum that makes it impossible for me to bet against them. I’d sure love to see ZBB prove me wrong ,though.

Dan: Little Big Town’s new single has me thinking I’ll probably be gunning for them again soon, but for now, I’m with Zac Brown Band.

Tara: I have a feeling the coming year(s) is going to be Lady Antebellum’s year o’ accolades, so I’d like to see the equally deserving Zac Brown Band pick this one up while they still have some momentum.

Kevin: This is becoming a habit. Predict LA, root for ZBB. This was so much easier when the Dixie Chicks were in the running.

Top Vocal Duo of the Year

Should Win:

• Brooks & Dunn
• Joey + Rory
• Montgomery Gentry
• Steel Magnolia
• Sugarland – Kevin, Tara, Leeann
  

Will Win:

• Brooks & Dunn – Dan, Tara, Leeann
• Joey + Rory
• Montgomery Gentry
• Steel Magnolia
• Sugarland – Kevin

Kevin: A sympathy vote might give B&D one more trophy, but it seems that both the CMA and ACM see this award as one that is passed down from one duo to the next, and not very often at that. I wonder if they will be calling this “The Sugarland Award” like it was once called “The Judds Award” and “The Brooks & Dunn Award.”

Leeann: I’d love to see Joey + Rory win, but I know it wouldn’t actually be fair if they did. So, I’m not officially picking them here. I’m pretty sure this one will go to Brooks & Dunn as a parting gift, though they’d be totally undeserving at this point. Really, Sugarland is probably the duo that makes most sense. It’s just too bad I’m not more personally invested in them, though I’ve warmed up a bit.

Dan: Sugarland have been off the radar since “Joey” trailed off months ago, and I still remember how ACM stuck with Brooks & Dunn that one year even after CMA had passed the torch. So I see the veteran duo winning again in a shrug. I’m indifferent, personally.

Tara: I keep going back on forth on this one. I want Brooks & Dunn to win, but I can’t rationalize it. I think the ACM voters may feel the same.

Top New Artist of the Year

Should Win:

• Luke Bryan
• Joey + Rory - Kevin, Dan, Tara, Leeann
• Gloriana

Will Win:

• Luke Bryan - Kevin, Dan
• Joey + Rory
• Gloriana – Tara, Leeann

Kevin: It’s categories like this that make me feel out of touch with contemporary country music. I love Joey + Rory, but can’t see them winning. Who’s bigger now, Bryan or Gloriana? I’m taking a guess here.

Leeann: I’m like Kevin. I love Joey + Rory, but don’t imagine they’ll have enough votes to win. So, between Bryan and Gloriana, I’ll flip a coin and predict the latter.

Dan: Given the fan vote, I imagine this award will boil down to whether or not Taylor Swift has been urging her peoples to back Gloriana like she did with the AMAs. She hasn’t tweet-commanded it, and that’s as much research as I’m willing to do on the subject. So I’ll go with Bryan.

Tara: My best guess is that there’s enough fan overlap for Swift’s votes to lift Gloriana to victory.

Album of the Year

Should Win:

• Brad Paisley, American Saturday Night
• Lady Antebellum, Lady Antebellum
• Miranda Lambert, Revolution – Tara, Dan, Leeann
• Carrie Underwood, Play On – Kevin
• Zac Brown Band, The Foundation

Will Win:

• Brad Paisley, American Saturday Night
• Lady Antebellum, Lady Antebellum – Kevin, Dan, Leeann
• Miranda Lambert, Revolution – Tara
• Carrie Underwood, Play On
• Zac Brown Band, The Foundation

Kevin: I’m expecting a Lady Antebellum sweep. They’re just ridiculously popular right now. But I could see any one of these five winning. I revisit the Underwood set more than any of the others.

Leeann: I can’t ignore Lady A’s popularity right now, but I’d love to see Lambert be recognized for one of my two favorite albums on this list, Paisley’s album being the other one.

Dan: Revolution doesn’t have the punch or consistency of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, but it’s got some brains, and I like that. I’m expecting a Lady A sweep too, though.

Tara: If my co-bloggers are right about a Lady A sweep, I’ll be pleased to see the trio’s underrated debut album take this award. But frankly, every album in this line-up is substantial, authentic and layered. I’m backing Revolution because it’s the sharpest of them all, created by the artist who has the firmest grasp on her potential.

Single Record of the Year

Should Win:

• Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now” – Tara, Kevin, Leeann
• Billy Currington, “People Are Crazy”
• David Nail, “Red Light”
• Zac Brown Band, “Toes” – Dan
• Miranda Lambert, “White Liar”

Will Win:

• Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now” – Tara, Dan, Kevin, Leeann
• Billy Currington, “People Are Crazy”
• David Nail, “Red Light”
• Zac Brown Band, “Toes”
• Miranda Lambert, “White Liar”

Kevin: There’s only one career-changing single in the running here.

Leeann: Ditto to Kevin. But also, it’s my favorite in terms of melody.

Dan: I swear I’m not just being a spoilsport. I know “Need You Now” sounds great, and in many respects it was the single of the year. But I can’t get past how boring Lady A’s lyrics always are. There’s just not a single original phrase in that song, and it puts a damper on my experience listening to it.

Tara: It’s never been my personal favorite, but “Need You Now” finds the trio excelling at what it does best – honing in on specific, raw emotion and expressing it potently and believably. In a category as weak as this one, and with a performance as haunting as Scott’s, “Need You Now” is the clear winner.

Song of the Year

Should Win:

• “Cowboy Casanova” – Mike Elizondo, Brett James & Carrie Underwood
• “Need You Now” – Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott – Tara, Kevin, Leeann
• “People Are Crazy” – Bobby Braddock & Troy Jones
• “White Liar” – Natalie Hemby & Miranda Lambert
• “You Belong With Me” – Liz Rose & Taylor Swift – Dan

Will Win:

• “Cowboy Casanova” – Mike Elizondo, Brett James & Carrie Underwood
• “Need You Now” – Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott – Dan
• “People Are Crazy” – Bobby Braddock & Troy Jones
• “White Liar” – Natalie Hemby & Miranda Lambert
• “You Belong With Me” – Liz Rose & Taylor Swift – Tara, Kevin, Leeann

Kevin: I like the writing of “Need You Now” more than the performance, even if it’s just a college dorm knock-off of “I May Hate Myself in the Morning.” I range from indifference to active dislike for the rest of these entries.

Leeann: I think Lady A will sweep these awards, but I doubt that Swift will walk away with nothing. Since she’s most lauded for her songwriting skills, I predict that the Academy will continue the trend in this category.

Dan: “You Belong with Me” combines a memorable melody with telling details. Subject matter notwithstanding, it’s the only one of these songs I take seriously as a composition.

Tara: Unlike Kevin, I think “Need You Now” is better performed than written, but it’s still a great composition. I wouldn’t mind if Swift took this award, though.

Video of the Year

Should Win:

• Randy Houser, “Boots On”
• Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”
• Brad Paisley, “Welcome to the Future”
• Miranda Lambert, “White Liar” - Kevin
• Taylor Swift, “You Belong With Me” – Dan, Tara

Will Win:

• Randy Houser, “Boots On”
• Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”
• Brad Paisley, “Welcome to the Future”
• Miranda Lambert, “White Liar”
• Taylor Swift, “You Belong With Me” – Dan, Tara, Kevin

Tara: The “You Belong With Me” video is brilliant in that it embodies everything that makes Swift relevant and appealing. I just really wish Paisley’s video had been better directed, because its message is so compelling.

Dan: That Swift video is mega-charming. But Lambert’s is a close second.

Kevin: I’m rooting for the only video I don’t reflexively skip past while channel surfing.

Vocal Event of the Year

Should Win:

• Blake Shelton feat. Trace Adkins, “Hillbilly Bone”
• Brooks & Dunn feat. Billy Gibbons, “Honky Tonk Stomp”
• Carrie Underwood feat. Randy Travis, “I Told You So” – Tara, Kevin, Dan, Leeann
• Kenny Chesney with Dave Matthews, “I’m Alive”
• Jack Ingram with Patty Griffin, “Seeing Stars”

Will Win:

• Blake Shelton feat. Trace Adkins, “Hillbilly Bone” – Dan, Tara
• Brooks & Dunn feat. Billy Gibbons, “Honky Tonk Stomp”
• Carrie Underwood feat. Randy Travis, “I Told You So” – Kevin, Leeann
• Kenny Chesney with Dave Matthews, “I’m Alive”
• Jack Ingram with Patty Griffin, “Seeing Stars”

Kevin: Nice to see Griffin on the ballot, but “I Told You So” is among both my favorite Underwood and favorite Travis singles.

Leeann: Frankly, I’m not crazy about any of them, as long as the B&D collaboration doesn’t get the token vote.

Dan: Wish I liked “Seeing Stars” more. I’d actually probably go with presumptive favorite “Hillbilly Bone” if the song itself didn’t feel like such a Music Row toss-off. There’s charm in the idea and performances, but again, limp lyrics.

Tara: Underwood and Travis’ collaboration is the strongest and most exquisite of the bunch, but it feels a little like old news, with the news of the day being the inescapable (but nonetheless solid) “Hillbilly Bone.”