For nine decades and counting, country music has been defined by the single, with only the format and definition changing over time.
Today, a single could be any one of the following: a CD sent to radio for airplay; a digital download released in advance of an album; a music video released to online websites and dwindling television outlets; and in a lovely throwback, a seven inch vinyl single sold in the indie record stores that have managed to outlast the chain stores that once threatened their existence.
Seven Country Universe editors and contributors each submitted their twenty favorite singles of the year. 59 different singles made the cut, and over the next four days, we’ll share with you the top forty. You can listen to a sample from each song by scrolling down to the bottom of the post.
A musical expression of gratitude from the incomparable Emmylou Harris to her late musical mentor Gram Parsons. Through her lyric and vocal, Harris conveys a wide array of emotions – obviously sadness, along with nostalgia for times past, wonderment and uncertainty, as well as determination to persevere in spite of heartache, while also highlighting the invaluable role of music in coping with a devastating loss.
Above all else, however, “The Road” is a song of thankfulness for having had such a friend in the first place, even if for only a brief time. – Ben Foster
#39
Shut Up Train
Little Big Town
Individual Rankings: Kevin – #13
Far from the first country song to build a train metaphor around a heartache, this one is distinguished by a strong vocal performance and the creative approach of having the protagonist talk directly to the train. – Kevin John Coyne
#38
Let it Rain
David Nail featuring Sarah Buxton
Individual Rankings: Sam – #15; Dan – #19
Nail’s moody streak continues, this time with a ringing cheater’s lament. He’s so appalled at himself that he calls on the heavens to rain down judgment. But it’s Buxton who strikes the gavel in the end, as her voice shreds with the pain of a woman whose world will never be the same. – Dan Milliken
#37
Ours
Taylor Swift
Individual Rankings: #12 – Sam
The pop-country version of Taylor Swift is a bona fide superstar. However, when she strips down the production and shows off her quieter, folksy side like she does on “Ours,” she really shines. Based on the quality of her past singles “Ours” and “Mine,” she’ll have a real winner if she ever gets around to writing “Yours.” – Sam Gazdziak
#36
Shanghai Cigarettes
Caitlin Rose
Individual Rankings: #12 – Jonathan
It’s often hard to separate Caitlin Rose’s music from her Manic Pixie Dream Girl persona– that she sings like Zooey Deschanel with a far better sense of pitch doesn’t help, either– but “Shanghai Cigarettes” makes it clear that she learned a lot about songcraft from her mother, frequent Taylor Swift collaborator Liz Rose. – Jonathan Keefe
#35
You
Chris Young
Individual Rankings: #11 – Tara
Two parts neo-traditional charm, one part that voice and a dash of breezy sensuality. Goes down smoother than anything since James Otto rode the airwaves. More, please. – Tara Seetharam
#34
Fixin’ to Die
G. Love
Individual Rankings: #14 – Jonathan; #19 – Dan
One of the elements that distinguishes contemporary country from traditional genre forms is a heavy use of percussion, and G. Love ups the ante in that regard on “Fixin’ to Die.” By marrying a straightforward acoustic blues arrangement to a rhythm section lifted almost entirely from J-Kwon’s “Tipsy,” G. Love effectively thumbs his nose at the idea of a rural vs urban divide. – Jonathan Keefe
#33
Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise
The Avett Brothers
Individual Rankings: #10 – Sam
The Avetts’ I and Love and You was one of the best albums of 2010, and this song was one of its highlights. For a band that can deliver some raucus punk-bluegrass tunes, they can also put together hauntingly pretty songs too.- Sam Gazdziak
#32
Barefoot Blue Jean Night
Jake Owen
Individual Rankings: #7 – Dan
Contrived, utopian visions of Southern partying are practically an entire country sub-genre now. “Barefoot” checks all the formulaic boxes, but for once the formula’s impossible details (“the girls are always hot and the beer is ice cold!”) are matched to an equally dreamlike, shimmering production, exposing what a fantasy the whole thing is. You can’t buy the premise, but you grant the underlying escapism.- Dan Milliken
#31
Down by the Water
The Decemberists
Individual Rankings: #11 – Sam; #17 – Leeann
As has been noted, “Down by the Water” seems influenced by an R.E.M. sound. However, the brightly placed harmonica and accordion, along with aggressive background vocals by Gillian Welch, make the melodic composition a memorable song on its own merits. – Leeann Ward
It’s hard to believe, but it’s that time of year again: the 2011 Grammy Awards air this Sunday at 8 p.m. Eastern. Country music has its hand in the Grammy pot via major nominations for Lady Antebellum, performances by Miranda Lambert, Lady A and Martina McBride, and appearances by Keith Urban, Zac Brown, Blake Shelton and Kris Kristofferson. We’ve picked and predicted the awards below – chime in with your own thoughts, and stop by on Sunday night for our live blog!
Album of the Year
Should Win
Arcade Fire, The Suburbs- Dan
Eminem, Recovery- Kevin, Tara
Lady Antebellum, Need You Now
Lady Gaga, The Fame Monster
Katy Perry, Teenage Dream
Will Win
Arcade Fire, The Suburbs
Eminem, Recovery- Kevin, Dan, Tara
Lady Antebellum, Need You Now
Lady Gaga, The Fame Monster
Katy Perry, Teenage Dream
Kevin: In a field of newer artists, Eminem is the established veteran that is overdue for this award. It helps that he also made the best album of his career, as well as of the five nominees.
Dan: I could actually see Lady A coming out on top, since they’ve moved a lot of units and are the least divisive act here. But Recovery was a big comeback, and NARAS likes to use this award as a lifetime achievement thing. I don’t like that tendency, though; I’d rather we just reward the best set. To me, that was Arcade Fire’s ambitious concept album.
Tara: I really respect The Suburbs and really dig Recovery. Both are deserving, but Eminem probably has the edge with NARAS for the reasons stated above. (PS – I’m still not over it. TEENAGE DREAM?)
Record of the Year
Should Win
B.O.B featuring Bruno Mars, “Nothin’ On You”
Eminem featuring Rihanna, “Love the Way You Lie”
Cee Lo Green, “F*** You” - Dan, Tara
Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys, “Empire State of Mind” - Kevin
Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”
Will Win
B.O.B featuring Bruno Mars, “Nothin’ On You”
Eminem featuring Rihanna, “Love the Way You Lie”
Cee Lo Green, “F*** You”
Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys, “Empire State of Mind”
Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now” - Kevin, Dan, Tara
Kevin: Perhaps it’s an instinctual reaction as a native New Yorker, but I still get chills every time I hear “Empire State of Mind.” Jay-Z’s casual “Long live the World Trade” in the second verse perfectly captures how our city moved briskly forward after 9/11 like we always do, but we haven’t forgotten it.
No Urban or Hip-Hop record has ever won this award, so it pains me to predict that Lady Antebellum will triumph over four better records. I hope I’m wrong.
Dan: Cee Lo’s viral novelty hit was one of last year’s biggest delights. I could see this award going to any track but “Nothin’ On You,” but suspect voters will probably go with the least edgy track.
Tara: I could make an argument for four of the five songs here, but I can’t peel myself away from Green’s personality-packed throwback hit that practically begs you to love it. And do I. I agree with Dan and Kevin, though, that Lady A will take this.
Song of the Year
Should Win
“Beg, Steal, or Borrow” – Ray LaMontagne
“F*** You!” – Brody Brown, Cee Lo Green, Philip Lawrence & Bruno Mars
“The House That Built Me” – Tom Douglas & Allen Shamblin - Kevin, Tara
“Love the Way You Lie” – Alexander Grant, Skylar Grey & Marshall Mathers
“Need You Now” – Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott
Will Win
“Beg, Steal, or Borrow” – Ray LaMontagne
“F*** You!” – Brody Brown, Cee Lo Green, Philip Lawrence & Bruno Mars
“The House That Built Me” – Tom Douglas & Allen Shamblin – Kevin, Tara
“Love the Way You Lie” – Alexander Grant, Skylar Grey & Marshall Mathers
“Need You Now” – Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott
Kevin: I think the biggest hurdle for “The House That Built Me” was getting the nomination. It really stands out in this field. It used to be rare for the Song victor to not be nominated for Record, but it has happened three times in the last seven years, including last year.
Tara: I’d honestly be happy to see any of these songs win. I’ll back “The House That Built Me” and just take a guess that the voters will, too.
Best New Artist
Should Win
Justin Bieber
Drake
Florence + the Machine
Mumford & Sons - Dan, Kevin, Tara
Esperanza Spalding
Will Win
Justin Bieber
Drake – Kevin, Dan, Tara
Florence + the Machine
Mumford & Sons
Esperanza Spalding
Kevin: I dig Mumford & Sons the most, but Drake seems to be the guy to beat.
Dan: I think Mumford has the most potential going forward. They’re got a dark-horse shot at the win, too, though Drake does seem like the most logical choice. Bieber’s by far the biggest name right now, but NARAS didn’t give it to tween-fave forerunners Hanson or Jonas Brothers, so…
Tara: Ditto. Although I have an unexplainable inkling that the Bieber might nab the award.
Best Country Album
Should Win
Dierks Bentley, Up on the Ridge – Kevin, Tara, Leeann
Zac Brown Band, You Get What You Give
Jamey Johnson, The Guitar Song - Dan
Lady Antebellum, Need You Now
Miranda Lambert, Revolution
Will Win
Dierks Bentley, Up on the Ridge
Zac Brown Band, You Get What You Give
Jamey Johnson, The Guitar Song
Lady Antebellum, Need You Now – Dan
Miranda Lambert, Revolution- Kevin, Tara, Leeann
Kevin: I think Bentley made the best record, and perhaps the slew of collaborators will help raise its profile with voters. Usually the country album nominated for overall Album wins this award, but I’m thinking that Lambert’s recent awards streak will continue here.
Dan: I pick Johnson by a nose, but genuinely like every album here besides Need You Now. Hoping Kevin’s right about that one.
Leeann: Like Kevin said, Bentley deserves to win and I hope he does, but I think Lambert’s album may win due to accessibility and her reputation for artistic integrity.
Tara: Up on the Ridge and Revolution both hit my sweet spot: they straddle the line between reverent and relevant and make me genuinely excited about country music’s future. Bentley’s album is the better of the two (and the best of the bunch) – but I think Lambert’s will pick up the most votes.
Best Female Country Vocal Performance
Should Win
Jewel, “Satisfied”
Miranda Lambert, “The House That Built Me” - Dan, Kevin, Tara, Leeann
LeAnn Rimes, “Swingin’”
Carrie Underwood, “Temporary Home”
Gretchen Wilson, “I’d Love to Be Your Last”
Will Win
Jewel, “Satisfied”
Miranda Lambert, “The House That Built Me” - Dan, Kevin, Tara, Leeann
LeAnn Rimes, “Swingin’”
Carrie Underwood, “Temporary Home”
Gretchen Wilson, “I’d Love to Be Your Last”
Kevin: This is Lambert’s best shot at a Grammy. Underwood will threaten, as always, but I think the strength of this song makes it tough to beat.
Leeann: Lambert’s signature song is the strongest and likely most long-lasting of the bunch.
Tara: Lambert and Underwood turn in two of the most emotive, powerful performances of their careers, but “The House That Built Me” is undeniably the better song. Since Underwood’s Grammy streak seems to be up for now, I think the voters will side with Lambert.
Best Male Country Vocal Performance
Should Win
Jamey Johnson, “Macon”
Toby Keith, “Cryin’ For Me (Wayman’s Song)” - Kevin, Leeann
David Nail, “Turning Home” - Dan
Keith Urban, “‘Til Summer Comes Around”
Chris Young, “Gettin’ You Home (The Black Dress Song)” - Tara
Will Win
Jamey Johnson, “Macon”
Toby Keith, “Cryin’ For Me (Wayman’s Song)”
David Nail, “Turning Home”
Keith Urban, “‘Til Summer Comes Around” - Dan, Kevin, Tara, Leeann
Chris Young, “Gettin’ You Home (The Black Dress Song)”
Kevin: I am not going to complain about Urban winning again for my favorite single from his last two albums. But Toby Keith is way overdue in this category, and he’s nominated for one of his best vocal performances to date.
Dan: Nail’s nuanced performance brought what could have been a very rote song to life. And his career could use the boost.
Leeann: I think the Grammy voters will reflexively give the award to Keith Urban, but Toby Keith’s song is the most poignant of the nominees.
Tara: Urban’s got his hold on this category, but I’m in Young’s corner. His slow-burning hit is as charming as it is sexy, which isn’t an easy thing to pull off. And that voice.
Best Duo/Group Country Vocal Performance
Should Win
Zac Brown Band, “Free”
Dailey & Vincent, “Elizabeth”
Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”
Little Big Town, “Little White Church”- Tara
The SteelDrivers, “Where Rainbows Never Die” - Kevin, Leeann
Will Win
Zac Brown Band, “Free”
Dailey & Vincent, “Elizabeth”
Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now” - Kevin, Tara, Leeann
Little Big Town, “Little White Church”
The SteelDrivers, “Where Rainbows Never Die”
Kevin: I think it’s a race between Lady Antbellum and Zac Brown Band, with LA in the lead. But the SteelDrivers get the annual “song I discovered because it was nominated for a Grammy and fell in love with after hearing it” award from me.
Leeann: The SteelDriver’s song is my favorite with Little Big Town at a close second, but I suspect that Lady A won’t be shut out for such a hugely popular radio hit across the board.
Tara: Dear NARAS: since “Single Ladies” got screwed over for ROTY last year, please show Little Big Town some love for their crazy awesome countrified version. It’s just as good…maybe even better?
Best Country Collaboration with Vocals
Should Win
“Bad Angel” — Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert & Jamey Johnson
“Pride (In The Name Of Love)” — Dierks Bentley, Del McCoury & The Punch Brothers
“As She’s Walking Away” — Zac Brown Band & Alan Jackson – Kevin, Tara, Leeann
“Hillbilly Bone” — Blake Shelton & Trace Adkins
“I Run To You” — Marty Stuart & Connie Smith
Will Win
“Bad Angel” — Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert & Jamey Johnson
“Pride (In The Name Of Love)” — Dierks Bentley, Del McCoury & The Punch Brothers
“As She’s Walking Away” — Zac Brown Band & Alan Jackson – Kevin, Tara, Leeann
“Hillbilly Bone” — Blake Shelton & Trace Adkins
“I Run To You” — Marty Stuart & Connie Smith
Kevin: Best collaboration in a very long time. Love hearing an artist from my youth playing elder statesman so well.
Leeann: It’s difficult for me to imagine that “As She’s Walking Away” won’t be rewarded for both its popularity and the significance of the still active veteran, Alan Jackson, dispensing wisdom to the up-and-coming bright stars of country music in the Zac Brown Band.
Tara: I love the groove of “Bad Angel,” but its collaboration isn’t nearly as dynamic nor as fitting as that of “As She’s Walking Way.” I can’t imagine any “wise man” but Jackson pulling up a stool next to Brown in this song.
Kevin: Punch Brothers are approaching Nickel Creek levels of awesomeness. Possibly exceeding them.
Leeann: Kevin’s right. Even as someone who isn’t typically fond of instrumentals, I dig those of the Punch Brothers.
Best Country Song
Should Win
“The Breath You Take” — Casey Beathard, Dean Dillon & Jessie Jo Dillon
“Free” — Zac Brown
“The House That Built Me” — Tom Douglas & Allen Shamblin - Dan, Kevin, Tara, Leeann
“I’d Love To Be Your Last” — Rivers Rutherford, Annie Tate & Sam Tate
“If I Die Young” — Kimberly Perry
“Need You Now” — Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott
Will Win
“The Breath You Take” — written by Casey Beathard, Dean Dillon & Jessie Jo Dillon
“Free” — written by Zac Brown
“The House That Built Me” — written by Tom Douglas & Allen Shamblin – Kevin, Tara, Leeann
“I’d Love To Be Your Last” — written by Rivers Rutherford, Annie Tate & Sam Tate
“If I Die Young” — written by Kimberly Perry
“Need You Now” — written by Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott
Kevin: My heart is owned by “If I Die Young”, but I think that “The House That Built Me” is objectively the best song.
Leeann: While The Band Perry’s song sounds the coolest, the writing for “The House That Built Me” is clear frontrunner for the best song of the year. It deserves and likely will be recognized as such, especially since it was both very critically acclaimed and successful as a single.
Tara: No question “The House That Built Me” is the best written song of the group, and I think it’ll be recognized as such.
Best Bluegrass Album
Should Win
Sam Bush, Circles Around Me
Patty Loveless, Mountain Soul II
The Del McCoury Band, Family Circle
Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band, Legacy
The SteelDrivers, Reckless – Kevin
Will Win
Sam Bush, Circles Around Me
Patty Loveless, Mountain Soul II
The Del McCoury Band, Family Circle – Kevin
Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band, Legacy
The SteelDrivers, Reckless
Kevin: Kudos to Loveless for her nomination, but I like the SteelDrivers set more.
Best Americana Album
Should Win
Rosanne Cash, The List
Los Lobos, Tin Can Trust
Willie Nelson, Country Music – Dan, Kevin
Robert Plant, Band of Joy
Mavis Staples, You Are Not Alone
Will Win
Rosanne Cash, The List
Los Lobos, Tin Can Trust
Willie Nelson, Country Music
Robert Plant, Band of Joy
Mavis Staples, You Are Not Alone - Kevin
Kevin: So I think Staples is nominated for an awesome gospel album and Nelson for an awesome country album. This category is confusing.
“Let It Rain” kicks off with Nail’s cheating character claiming he’s more crushed by the pain he’s caused his wife than by his own feelings of shame – but does anyone really believe that? The chorus is nothing if not a pity party, centering on a singular theme: “She don’t love me anymore.”
But it’s an effective pity party. Nail delivers the song with tortured self-loathing, using the shades of soul in his voice to wring out his emotion. His character may not garner any sympathy (“When the shades start coming down/The guilt you feel’s the last thing on your mind”), but his pain is believable, in a pathetic sort of way. Sarah Buxton’s earthy background vocals serve as a gorgeous complement to the rawness of his plea, though they’re a little difficult to make out against the bombastic production.
Then again, sweeping self-pity is exactly the kind of thing that calls for a dramatic, Gary LeVox-style arrangement. A power ballad with a purpose? I’ll bite.
Here are the ten singles that were almost the best of the year:
The Best Singles of 2010, Part 3: #20-#11
#20
Crazy Women LeAnn Rimes
Poised, calculated and ferocious all at once, Rimes’ performance captures the exact persona of the scorned “ex-wives and old girlfriends” she sings of. It’s a wiser, cooler revenge anthem than we’ve heard in awhile, and it takes the crown for the year’s most fabulous opening line: “Who’d have guessed that Aqua Net could start a fire with a single cigarette?” – Tara Seetharam
#19
What Do You Want Jerrod Niemann
A contemporary spin on the standard country theme of heartache, “What Do You Want” owes its brilliance to its perfect storm of elements: The raw honesty of Niemann’s plea (“I get so tired of living like this/I don’t have the time/Neither do my friends”). The hollow, pulsing arrangement that mirrors his cycle of pain. The killer vocal performance, soaked in emotional fatigue. Each element draws out the potency of the next, culminating in one of the most captivating releases of the year. – TS
#18
Steal You Away Randy Rogers Band
If you can say anything about Randy Rogers, it’s that he emotes somberness in every note that he sings. In this song, he is tortured by the knowledge that the object of his affection is not properly appreciated by the man that she’s currently with. More than anything, he’d like to steal her away from her loveless relationship, but moral boundaries stop him from carrying out his desire. – Leeann Ward
#17
Kiss Goodbye Little Big Town
If you love somebody, set them free. Easy to say, maybe even easy to do, but what’s left behind is empty and cold. This powerful song explores that truth with subtlety and sincerity. – Kevin Coyne
#16
Lover, Lover Jerrod Niemann
I heard Sonia Dada’s Dan Pritzker wrote this goodbye number when his real-life lover forgot to make him a pot of coffee or something. That should give you a good sense of the depth here. But a ditty like “Lover, Lover” is really only about one thing: achieving a compulsive singalong. And it gets that job done ably, even offering equal opportunity for all voice parts with its thick, stacked harmonies. – Dan Milliken
#15
Undo It Carrie Underwood
Judging from what I’ve heard people say about this song, I don’t think there’s any middle ground on this one. Either turn the radio off in disgust, or turn it up and sing along. – KC
#14
Still Tim McGraw
Memories. The very best ones are stripped of all the reality that existed in the moment. All the irks and irritations and utter banality of every day life fade away in hindsight, and all that’s left is the warm comfort of knowing that in a certain moment of time, you were there and so were they. There isn’t a reference to Christmas in “Still”, but the holidays make it feel that much more real. Achingly real. – KC
#13
Rain is a Good Thing Luke Bryan
One of the more charming frat-country hits in recent years, as Bryan celebrates how precipitation in a farm town nourishes both the crops and the spirit. Oh, and helps him get some! Yeah, bro!!! – DM
#12
Swingin’ LeAnn Rimes
It’s always a bold move to try to recapture the novelty of an already dubbed novelty song. Instead of recreating what John Anderson had already done with “Swingin’”, LeAnn Rimes wisely reinvents the tune by ramping things up up with a jaunty, high octane production that dares us to try to sit still. The result is one of the most energetic, free spirited songs of the year. – Leeann Ward
#11
Turning Home David Nail
High school nostalgia songs are typical these days, but Nail’s soars above most others with a sensitive performance that brings each little detail to life. Annoyingly loud production toward the end keeps the single from home-run territory, but unfortunately that’s pretty typical now, too. – DM
Sometimes – most of the time – I fall behind on my planned CU work and wind up with a backlog of opinions. And it can be so mentally taxing carrying all that around, you know? Gotta clean out the file sometime. So if you happen to be feeling nostalgic for, oh, five months ago, please join me in considering a bunch of singles which came out around then and pretending like they’re brand-new.
- -
Rodney Atkins, “Farmer’s Daughter”
A warm production, likable vocal by Atkins. I just can’t bring myself to care about the story. Nothing about it feels urgent or revelatory. Grade: C
How this has crept up to become his first Top 30 single in eight years is beyond me, since it’s about as exciting as a dreamless nap. A true “sleeper hit,” yuk yuk. Oh! And does it not totally sound like that “Ooohhh, but I feel it” song from the 90′s? Anyway, a pleasant enough listen if you’re in the mood for it. Grade: C+
It sounds like what would happen if Taylor Swift listened to one Caroline Herring track – just one – and decided to come up with her own version. I mean that in a good way, mostly. Kimberly Perry has written and performed a very pretty-sounding record here, gratuitous “uh oh”s aside, and and Republic Nashville should be commended for releasing something with such ambitious subject matter as a second single.
I just wish the song itself had undergone some more revision first. The pieces are set for a sweet, eloquent hypothetical about premature death, but then that third verse comes and it sounds like she’s actually anticipating her demise and has an agenda for it. It’s muddling.
So, not the home run it could have been. But still an admirable effort. Grade: B-
It looks like this single has already fallen off the radar, which is a big shame. Bundy’s controlled performance demonstrates why she’s among the most promising new acts out there, and the song is a sweet sip of lounge-y countrypolitan.
What’s missing is a great hook. “Drop on By” is a kind of a ho-hum central phrase, and it isn’t matched with a memorable enough melody here to make it really stick. Then again, the tracks on Bundy’s album that do have good hooks (“Cigarette”, “If You Want My Love”) won’t fit radio anyway because they’re too sharp and unique. The gal can’t win. Grade: B
For a number of reasons – the biggest of which was “Love Your Love the Most” dancing on my gag reflex, but there were others – I passed altogether on listening to his sophomore album, and ignored this single’s existence for a good while.
Now I’ve heard it, though, and damn it, I can’t go back. This ode to substance-fueled escapism may be the most daring country single of the year, even without the “stash” reference in the album version. The record actually sounds like a weird high, with snaky acoustic guitars, jarring electrics, and creepy-cool effects on the vocals, yet it never sacrifices accessibility in pursuit of its aesthetic. It ain’t a country sound (check those Collective Soul-aping “yeah”s), but it’s serving a very country theme, and for once, Church’s frat-boy cockiness actually works. Grade: A-
More lightweight, breezy Strait-gazing. The chorus has a bit of an awkward meter, but I’ll deal. In earlier days, this might have been a bit boring compared to its company at radio. Today, it’s just refreshing. Grade: B
Don’t care for this guy’s name – sounds like a rodeo emcee’s or something – but what a cool-sounding debut single. Mournful guitar licks, propulsive beat, appealingly gritty vocal. If only the melody were as confident throughout as it is in the second half of the chorus (“The heaven we had / The hell that I’m going through / Other than that / There ain’t much left of lovin’ you”). Still, not too shabby. Grade: B+
- -
Justin Moore, “How I Got to Be This Way”
Strike three. Moore seems to have potential, and I don’t mean to pick on him or his writers, but his output since “Back That Thing Up” represents everything I don’t like about mainstream country today. This is loud, one-dimensional, and worst of all, uninteresting. Grade: D
I’ll say this for David Nail: he’s ambitious. Though his first two singles didn’t win me over, I found something bold to admire in each. “I’m About to Come Alive” cast him as a co-dependent loser – not exactly flattering – while “Red Light” aimed for psychological depth with its focus on the mundane nature of break-ups. Both were refreshingly moody for country radio, and both could have made great breakthrough hits were the songs themselves a bit more compelling.
From a compositional standpoint, “Turning Home” isn’t actually as risky or complex as those forerunners; in fact, it’s very much your typical nostalgic Kenny Chesney co-write. But it’s crisp and coherent enough to give Nail some interpretive room, and he reaches for the stars, delivering an emotional, octave-sweeping performance that goes a long way toward breathing new life into the well-trod themes.
He unfortunately has to do battle with a screechy electric guitar that surfaces in the instrumental break, and there’s no denying that this single owes much more to Elton John or Gavin DeGraw-type artists than it does to anyone in the realm of traditional country. Nevertheless, Nail’s ambition was well-spent here. Grade: A-
His ”Beer on the Table” was enjoyable, if a bit derivative-sounding, but I’ll pass on this one. It’s pretty much a less friendly, slightly wittier version of “Small Town U.S.A.”, of which I was never a fan in the first place. Grade: D+
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.
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.”
As with the similar CMA category of Single of the Year, looking over the history of this category is the quickest way to get a snapshot of country music in a given year. There is a quite a bt of consensus among the two organizations here, and it is very rare for the winner at one show to not at least be nominated at the other. The winners list here would make a great 2-disc set of country classics, at least for those who don’t mind a little pop in their country. The ACM definitely has more of a taste for crossover than its CMA counterpart, and the organizations have only agreed on 17 singles in the past four decades and change.
As always, we start with a look at this year’s nominees and work our way back to 1968.
2010
Zac Brown Band, “Toes”
Billy Currington, “People Are Crazy”
Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”
Miranda Lambert, “White Liar”
David Nail, “Red Light”
There’s usually a “Huh?” nominee among the ACM list in recent years. This year, it’s David Nail. Good for him! Currington hasn’t won yet for this hit, even though he got himself a Grammy nomination for it. With Lady Antebellum reaching the upper ranks of the country and pop charts with “Need You Now”, my guess is that they’re the presumptive favorites. Then again, Miranda Lambert is a nominee for the third straight year, and she’s up for her biggest radio hit.
2009
Trace Adkins, “You’re Gonna Miss This”
Jamey Johnson, “In Color”
Miranda Lambert, “Gunpowder & Lead”
Heidi Newfield, “Johnny and June”
Brad Paisley, “Waitin’ On a Woman”
Adkins has been a fairly regular fixture on country radio since 1996, but this was his first major industry award. He also won the ACM for Top New Male Vocalist in 1997.
2008
Gary Allan, “Watching Airplanes”
Big & Rich, “Lost in This Moment”
Kenny Chesney, “Don’t Blink”
Miranda Lambert, “Famous in a Small Town”
Sugarland, “Stay”
“Stay” swept the Song of the Year categories at all three industry shows, along with winning the ACM for Single Record. Allan’s presence here shows that being a little West Coast can still help a guy at the ACMs.
2007
Heartland, “I Loved Her First”
Rascal Flatts, “What Hurts the Most”
George Strait, “Give it Away”
Josh Turner, “Would You Go With Me”
Carrie Underwood, “Before He Cheats”
George Strait earned his second ACM Single Record award a decade after his first (“Check Yes or No”) and two and a half decades after having his first radio hit. Underwood won at the CMAs later that year. “Give it Away” is one of a small group of ACM winners to not receive a nomination at the CMA ceremony.
2006
Gary Allan, “Best I Ever Had”
Brooks & Dunn, “Believe”
Brad Paisley, “Alcohol”
Sugarland, “Baby Girl”
Carrie Underwood, “Jesus, Take the Wheel”
In the battle of biblical hits, the CMA picked Brooks & Dunn but the ACM picked Carrie Underwood. Much like George Strait would later win a CMA trophy for a different single (“I Saw God Today”), Underwood later triumphed at the CMA with “Before He Cheats.”
2005
Tim McGraw, “Live Like You Were Dying”
Brad Paisley with Alison Krauss, “Whiskey Lullaby”
Rascal Flatts, “Bless the Broken Road”
Keith Urban, “Days Go By”
Gretchen Wilson, “Redneck Woman”
Lee Ann Womack, “I May Hate Myself in the Morning”
Because McGraw picked up the trophy at the CMAs in 2004, the field was cleared for Womack to win the CMA later in 2005. McGraw had won the ACM before for “It’s Your Love.”
2004
Brooks & Dunn, “Red Dirt Road”
Alan Jackson with Jimmy Buffett, “It’s Five O’ Clock Somewhere”
Alan Jackson, “Remember When”
Toby Keith, “American Soldier”
Randy Travis, “Three Wooden Crosses”
Among all the lead nominees, only Toby Keith wasn’t a previous winner. Still, the award went to the new alcoholic’s creed, winning over a more pensive Jackson track and a big comeback hit for Randy Travis.
2003
Kenny Chesney, “The Good Stuff”
Toby Keith, “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Angry American)”
Trick Pony, “Just What I Do”
Keith Urban, “Somebody Like You”
Mark Wills, “19 Somethin’”
Chesney spent nearly two months at #1 with this hit, perhaps giving him the edge over the other mega-hits at radio from Keith, Urban, and Wills. As for the Trick Pony nomination, somebody really should find out what Heidi Newfield has on those ACM voters.
2002
Brooks & Dunn, “Ain’t Nothin’ ‘Bout You”
Diamond Rio, “One More Day”
Alan Jackson, “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)”
Toby Keith, “I Wanna Talk About Me”
Travis Tritt, “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive”
Jackson’s powerful 9/11 reflection stands out as the only ballad among his four ACM Single Record victories.
2001
Toby Keith, “How Do You Like Me Now?!”
John Michael Montgomery, “The Little Girl”
Jamie O’Neal, “There is No Arizona”
Aaron Tippin, “Kiss This”
Lee Ann Womack with Sons of the Desert, “I Hope You Dance”
Toby Keith’s run of four consecutive nominations began this year. His album of the same name proved victorious that evening. Womack’s massive hit became an instant standard, and is incidentally the most recent winner to also be a genuine crossover hit.
2000
Dixie Chicks, “Ready to Run”
Lonestar, “Amazed”
Tim McGraw, “Please Remember Me”
Brad Paisley, “He Didn’t Have to Be”
George Strait, “Write This Down”
As pop hits go, this one was a monster. “Amazed” even topped the Hot 100, the first country single to do so since “Islands in the Stream.”
1999
Faith Hill, “This Kiss”
Martina McBride, “A Broken Wing”
Shania Twain, “You’re Still the One”
Steve Wariner, “Holes in the Floor of Heaven”
The Wilkinsons, “26 Cents”
Hill and hubby Tim McGraw each have two ACM trophies in this category, one solo and one shared.
1998
Diamond Rio, “How Your Love Makes Me Feel”
Tim McGraw with Faith Hill, “It’s Your Love”
LeAnn Rimes, “How Do I Live”
George Strait, “Carrying Your Love With Me”
Trisha Yearwood, “How Do I Live (from “Con Air”)”
While Yearwood had won over Rimes at the Grammys a few weeks earlier, the ACM sidestepped the big controversy of the year and gave the trophy to the biggest hit in the bunch.
1997
Brooks & Dunn, “My Maria”
Deana Carter, “Strawberry Wine”
Tracy Lawrence, “Time Marches On”
LeAnn Rimes, “Blue”
George Strait, “Carried Away”
It’s rare that the ACM goes with the song that was least successful at radio, but don’t let that #10 peak of “Blue” fool you. That hit was responsible for millions of record sales.
1996
Brooks & Dunn, “You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone”
Faith Hill, “It Matters to Me”
Tim McGraw, “I Like It, I Love It”
George Strait, “Check Yes or No”
Shania Twain, “Any Man of Mine”
It was a stroke of marketing brilliance: add two singles to a box set of a genre superstar. When the first single became one of his biggest hits, the box set quickly became the top selling in country music history.
1995
Joe Diffie, “Third Rock From the Sun”
Vince Gill, “Tryin’ to Get Over You”
Alan Jackson, “Livin’ On Love”
Tim McGraw, “Don’t Take the Girl”
John Michael Montgomery, “I Swear”
There have been a few wedding standards to win this award, though Montgomery’s hit didn’t cross over in its original form.
1994
Clint Black with Wynonna, “A Bad Goodbye”
Garth Brooks, “Ain’t Goin’ Down (‘Til the Sun Comes Up)”
Alan Jackson, “Chattahoochee”
Reba McEntire with Linda Davis, “Does He Love You”
Dwight Yoakam, “Ain’t That Lonely Yet”
Jackson won the ACM with his massive hit, but the McEntire/Davis duet and the Yoakam track were Grammy winners.
1993
John Anderson, “Straight Tequila Night”
Brooks & Dunn, “Boot Scootin’ Boogie”
Billy Ray Cyrus, “Achy Breaky Heart”
Collin Raye, “Love, Me”
Tanya Tucker, “Two Sparrows in a Hurricane”
Brooks & Dunn are among the most nominated artists in this category’s history, but this is their only victory.
1992
Clint Black, “Where Are You Now”
Garth Brooks, “Shameless”
Alan Jackson, “Don’t Rock the Jukebox”
Travis Tritt, “Here’s a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)”
Trisha Yearwood, “She’s in Love With the Boy”
This was Jackson’s first major industry award.
1991
Alabama, “Jukebox in My Mind”
Garth Brooks, “Friends in Low Places”
Vince Gill, “When I Call Your Name”
Alan Jackson, “Here in the Real World”
Shenandoah, “Next to You, Next to Me”
Garth-mania was beginning to peak in 1991. He swept the ACMs that year.
1990
Clint Black, “Better Man”
Garth Brooks, “If Tomorrow Never Comes”
Patty Loveless, “Timber I’m Falling in Love”
Keith Whitley, “I’m No Stranger to the Rain”
Hank Williams & Hank Williams Jr., “There’s a Tear in My Beer”
Clint Black is one of only three artists in the last twenty years to win for their first proper single, with Carrie Underwood and LeAnn Rimes being the other two.
1989
Kathy Mattea, “Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses”
K.T. Oslin, “I’ll Always Come Back”
Ricky Van Shelton, “I’ll Leave This World Loving You”
Randy Travis, “I Told You So”
Keith Whitley, “Don’t Close Your Eyes”
Mattea’s award-winning hit had such a high profile that it was even referenced in the dialog of the hit movie Rain Man.
1988
Restless Heart, “I’ll Still Be Loving You”
Ricky Van Shelton, “Somebody Lied”
George Strait, “All My Ex’s Live in Texas”
Randy Travis, “Forever and Ever, Amen”
Hank Williams Jr., “Born to Boogie”
Travis won for the second year in a row with what would become his signature hit.
1987
Alabama, “Touch Me When We’re Dancing”
Janie Fricke, “Always Have, Always Will”
The Judds, “Rockin’ With the Rhythm of the Rain”
Reba McEntire, “Whoever’s in New England”
Randy Travis, “On the Other Hand”
This was technically his first single, but when released under the name Randy Traywick, it bombed. Warner Bros. then released “1982″ under Randy Travis, and it went top ten. They then re-released this song, and it became his first #1 hit.
1986
Lee Greenwood, “Dixie Road”
Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, “Highwayman”
The Judds, “Love is Alive”
Mel McDaniel, “Baby’s Got Her Blue Jeans On”
Hank Williams Jr., “I’m For Love”
So successful was this winning single that the four legends would go on to release future collaborations as the Highwaymen.
1985
Alabama, “When We Make Love”
Julio Iglesias & Willie Nelson, “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before”
The Judds, “Why Not Me”
John Schneider, “I’ve Been Around Enough to Know”
Conway Twitty, “I Don’t Know a Thing About Love (The Moon Song)”
Say what you want about this winner, but it was popular enough to sell two million 45s.
1984
John Anderson, “Swingin’”
Anne Murray, “A Little Good News”
Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard, “Pancho and Lefty”
Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton, “Islands in the Stream”
Shelly West, “José Cuervo”
Another pop smash that moved two million 45s. Is there anybody over 30 who can’t sing along to the chorus?
1983
David Frizzell, “I’m Gonna Hire a Wino to Decorate Our Home”
Willie Nelson, “Always on My Mind”
Kenny Rogers, “Love Will Turn You Around”
Ricky Skaggs, “Crying My Heart Out Over You”
Sylvia, “Nobody”
Nelson’s had quite a few signature hits, but none bigger than this one.
1982
Rosanne Cash, “Seven Year Ache”
David Frizzell & Shelly West, “You’re the Reason God Made Oklahoma”
Barbara Mandrell, “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool”
Ronnie Milsap, “(There’s) No Gettin’ Over Me”
Oak Ridge Boys, “Elvira”
This might be the most pop-flavored lineup in category’s history. Even the Mandrell hit doth protest too much.
1981
George Jones, “He Stopped Loving Her Today”
Johnny Lee, “Lookin’ For Love”
Dolly Parton, “9 to 5″
Eddie Rabbitt, “Drivin’ My Life Away”
Don Williams, “I Believe in You”
Jones capped his biggest comeback in a career defined by them with several awards for this classic hit.
1980
Charlie Daniels Band, “Devil Went Down to Georgia”
Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers Band, “All the Gold in California”
Crystal Gayle, “Half the Way”
Waylon Jennings, “Amanda”
Kenny Rogers, “Coward of the County”
West Coast represent!
1979
Crystal Gayle, “Talking in Your Sleep”
Loretta Lynn, “Out of My Head and Back in My Bed”
Willie Nelson, “Georgia On My Mind”
Waylon & Willie, “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys”
Don Williams, “Tulsa Time”
In a category of superstars, the Gentle Giant of Country Music was the victor.
1978
Debby Boone, “You Light Up My Life”
Crystal Gayle, “Don’t it Make My Brown Eyes Blue”
Waylon Jennings, “Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)”
Kenny Rogers, “Lucille”
Linda Ronstadt, “Blue Bayou”
All of these records made a big impact on both the country and the pop chart.
1977
Mickey Gilley, “Bring it On Home to Me”
Loretta Lynn, “Somebody Somewhere (Don’t Know What He’s Missin’ Tonight)”
Marty Robbins, “El Paso City”
Red Sovine, “Teddy Bear”
Waylon & Willie, “Good Hearted Woman”
A surprising win, perhaps fueled by the momentum of Gilley’s previous single, “Don’t the Girls All Get Prettier at Closing Time.”
1976
Glen Campbell, “Rhinestone Cowboy”
Freddie Fender, “Before the Next Teardrop Falls”
Mickey Gilley, “Overnight Sensation”
Willie Nelson, “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain”
Kenny Starr, “The Blind Man in the Bleachers”
Campbell made quite the comeback with this one, and it later inspired the Dolly Parton film vehicle Rhinestone, which earned an ACM nomination of its own for the Tex Ritter Award.
1975
John Denver, “Back Home Again”
Merle Haggard, “Things Aren’t Funny Anymore”
Ronnie Milsap, “(I’d Be) A Legend in My Time”
Cal Smith, “Country Bumpkin”
Billy Swan, “I Can Help”
Smith may not have gotten all the recognition that his talent warranted, but he made two undeniable classics: “The Lord Knows I’m Drinking”, and his winner here.
1974
Merle Haggard, “If We Make it Through December”
Byron MacGregor, “The Americans”
Jeanne Pruett, “Satin Sheets”
Charlie Rich, “Behind Closed Doors”
Charlie Rich, “The Most Beautiful Girl”
Rich’s two hits were so big that even with vote-splitting, he still emerged the winner.
1973
Donna Fargo, “The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.”
Merle Haggard, “It’s Not Love (But It’s Not Bad)”
Johnny Rodriguez, “Pass Me By (If You’re Only Passing Through)”
Jerry Wallace, “If You Leave Me Tonight I’ll Cry”
Faron Young, “Four in the Morning”
Fargo was a local star on the West Coast before she broke through nationwide with this hit, dominating the 1973 ACM Awards as a result.
1972
Merle Haggard, “Carolyn”
Freddie Hart, “Easy Loving”
Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty, “Lead Me On”
Loretta Lynn, “One’s On the Way”
Charley Pride, “Kiss an Angel Good Morning”
This gold-selling classic helped Hart triumph over the superstars of his day.
1971
Lynn Anderson, “Rose Garden”
Merle Haggard, “The Fightin’ Side of Me”
Anne Murray, “Snowbird”
Ray Price, “For the Good Times”
Sammi Smith, “Help Me Make it Through the Night”
Each one of these is a classic in its own right. In a battle of Kristofferson-penned hits, Price emerged victorious, though Smith won the CMA later that year.
1970
Glen Campbell, “Try a Little Kindness”
Johnny Cash, “A Boy Named Sue”
Merle Haggard, “Okie From Muskogee”
Billy Mize, “Make it Rain”
Elvis Presley, “Don’t Cry Daddy”
Freddy Weller, “Games People Play”
Tammy Wynette, “Stand By Your Man”
Haggard’s only victory in this category came on a night where he also won Album of the Year for the only time in several nominations.
1969
Glen Campbell, “Wichita Lineman”
Merle Haggard, “I Take a Lot of Pride in What I Am”
Merle Haggard, “The Legend of Bonnie and Clyde”
Merle Haggard, “Mama Tried”
Roger Miller, “Little Green Apples”
Miller’s known for his legendary songwriting, but his winning hit here was penned by Bobby Russell.
1968
Glen Campbell, “Burning Bridges”
Glen Campbell, “Gentle on My Mind”
The Gosdin Bros., “Hangin’ On”
Bobbie Gentry, “Ode to Billy Joe”
Merle Haggard, “Branded Man”
Merle Haggard, “I’m a Lonesome Fugitive”
A young Vern Gosdin made up half of the nominated Gosdin Bros., a nice historical footnote to the first year of this category. Glen Campbell’s victory was appropriately West Coast for the ACMs first attempt at honoring the national country music scene.
Facts & Feats:
Most Wins
(4) – Alan Jackson
(3) – Willie Nelson
(2) – Glen Campbell, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Kenny Rogers, George Strait, Randy Travis
You know the drill. For each of the categories, we’ll look at who’s broken in since last year, who’s been excused, and then make a totally judgy statement about what it all means.
Entertainer of the Year
Kenny Chesney
Toby Keith
Brad Paisley
George Strait
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood
Keith Urban
Zac Brown Band
Who’s In: Who isn’t?
Who’s Out: No one.
Snap Judgment: My best guess about the surprise expansion of this category is that ACM thinks the Oscars are onto something. They’re not. But while the Oscars risk having a Best Picture nomination lose some of its prestige, I don’t think the same quite holds true for ACM Entertainer, since an artist can already be nominated multiple times throughout a career anyway (and most are). So this could actually work, I guess. If nothing else, it’ll be interesting.
Top Male Vocalist of the Year
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
Darius Rucker
George Strait
Keith Urban
Who’s In: Darius Rucker
Who’s Out: Toby Keith
Snap Judgment: No surprises here; it’s the same pool the CMA picked this past fall.
Top Female Vocalist of the Year
Miranda Lambert
Reba McEntire
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood
Lee Ann Womack
Who’s In: Reba McEntire
Who’s Out: Martina McBride
Snap Judgment: Martina shaft! Drama drama!
Top Vocal Group of the Year
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Randy Rogers Band
Rascal Flatts
Zac Brown Band
Who’s In: Zac Brown Band
Who’s Out: The Lost Trailers
Snap Judgment: I imagine Love And Theft’s and Gloriana’s managers will be spending the morning trying to figure out who the hell Randy Rogers Band is. Seriously, I don’t know how RRB keeps squeezing into this race. Not complaining, though!
Top Vocal Duo of the Year
Brooks & Dunn
Joey + Rory
Montgomery Gentry
Steel Magnolia
Sugarland
Who’s In: Steel Magnolia
Who’s Out: Big & Rich
Snap Judgment: What’s this? Five duos who actually did something in the last year? Get outta here.
Top New Solo Vocalist of the Year
Luke Bryan
Jamey Johnson
Chris Young
Who’s In: Chris Young, Luke Bryan (both re-entries from previous years)
Who’s Out: Jake Owen (won last year), James Otto
Snap Judgment: I’m just pretending this is the Top New Male category, since ACM’s annual changing around of award names and criteria can be kind of silly. This is going to be an interesting race to watch, especially since all three of these guys are nominated their second time here. It’s the last chance any of them will have to win it.
Top New Vocal Duo of the Year
Bomshel
Joey + Rory
Steel Magnolia
Who’s In: This category was merged with New Vocal Group last year, so none of these duos (being duos) were there.
Snap Judgment: Seriously, doesn’t this whole “actually having semi-active vocal duos” thing kind of weird you out at this point? (P.S. Vote for Joey + Rory!)
Top New Vocal Group of the Year
Eli Young Band
Gloriana
The Lost Trailers
Who’s In: Gloriana
Who’s Out: Zac Brown Band (won last year)
Snap Judgment: Love And Theft HQ must be a grim, grim place today.
Album of the Year
Brad Paisley, American Saturday Night
Lady Antebellum, Lady Antebellum
Miranda Lambert, Revolution
Carrie Underwood, Play On
Zac Brown Band, The Foundation
Snap Judgment: Not a bad lineup, but the ACM’s lenience in the Album category never ceases to amaze. Lady Antebellum came out two full years ago.
Single Record of the Year
Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”
Billy Currington, “People Are Crazy”
David Nail, “Red Light”
Zac Brown Band, “Toes”
Miranda Lambert, “White Liar”
Snap Judgment: I’m used to scratching my head in this category. Whatever.
Song of the Year
“Cowboy Casanova” – Mike Elizondo, Brett James & Carrie Underwood
“Need You Now” – Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott
“People Are Crazy” – Bobby Braddock & Troy Jones
“White Liar” – Natalie Hemby & Miranda Lambert
“You Belong With Me” – Liz Rose & Taylor Swift
Snap Judgment: …It’s like, do people even pay attention to lyrics anymore?
Video of the Year
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”
Snap Judgment: Actually not a bad pool. The Lady A video is pretty boring, though.
There’s a potentially interesting song underneath all the lyrical unfocus and musical melodrama that couch David Nail’s third bid to country radio.
The story is this: a girl breaks up with a guy while the two are stopped at a red light. The end. That’s the story. But the guy has taken this time to tell us about it because he’s flabbergasted that she would let their relationship end under such ordinary circumstances, like she doesn’t even care enough about her decision to set aside some actual time to break it to him. It’s a good start, and one could see how that might make for an interesting song, or at least an interesting moment in a broader song about a collapsing relationship.
Problem is, the songwriters chose to hone in on that singular moment. And in all honesty, that moment isn’t nearly interesting enough by itself to sustain an entire song. Oh, they try to make it work by mentioning other details about the moment, presumably in an attempt to “paint a picture” of it. But the details are just irrelevant – how in the world does noticing a mom calming down her baby in another car, for example, factor at all into the moment he’s chosen to sing about? We can picture what he’s talking about, sure, but does it really forward the main idea he wants to drive home to us?
And really, what is that main idea? Is he angry at the girl? Shocked and heartbroken? Kind of disgusted at her coldness? A tangled mix of all that? We don’t really know, because all David Nail tells us is that his “world’s crashing down,” and all his performance suggests is that he knows how to sing pretty.
It’s singles like that get critics in a tizzy about country radio. The fact that “Red Light” doesn’t sound like traditional country music isn’t the crux of the problem – that’s an easy-out. The problem is that, like so much modern country-pop does, it skates by on a catchy melody and skimps on any real lyrical substance. Some will hear this and find it totally meaningful, a wonderful catharsis that speaks on some level to relationship woes they’ve experienced. But they probably won’t feel that way because of anything the song actually says; they’ll just be reacting to a surging, pulsing melody.
And yes: it’s a very effective melody, the kind that’s able to stick in your head for a few weeks or months or however long it takes you to go out and buy the record. Perhaps if the lyric hit its intended mark, or just weren’t so ambitious in the first place, that melody would carry some of the emotional weight it aims for. As it is, the song is left in a state of pleasant but forgettable clutter.
For nine decades and counting, country music has been defined by the single, with only the format and definition changing over time.
There’s a potentially interesting song underneath all the lyrical unfocus and musical melodrama that couch David Nail’s third bid to country radio.
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