Country Universe – A Country Music Blog

The Best Singles of 2010, Part 1: #40-#31

Monday, December 20th, 2010

Greatness comes in twos this year, as ten different artists make dual appearances on this list. Perhaps this demonstrates a greater truth about 2010.  Sure, there was some good music, but greatness was concentrated among a smaller group of artists than usual.

As is the annual tradition, we’ll reveal this year’s forty best singles, ten at a time.  Check back tomorrow for Part 2.

The Best Singles of 2010, Part 1: #40-#31

#40

Why Wait
Rascal Flatts

The Flatts boys return to their roots with this bright, infectious slice of country-pop. Bonus points for keeping both Gary LeVox’s voice and Dann Huff’s production in check. – Tara Seetharam

#39

That’s Important to Me
Joey + Rory

So far, Joey+Rory’s calling card has been their ability to exude authenticity through their songs with a naturalness and warmth as convincingly as a certain mother-daughter duo of the eighties, The Judds. Only, unlike the Judds, this partnership’s perceived connection isn’t marred by real accounts of strife and familial discord. Instead, by all accounts, Joey and Rory’s love is as sweet as their musical harmonies suggest. And this song is a nice encapsulation of what makes them who they are as a duo, both in a personal and professional sense. – Leeann Ward

#38

Where Do I Go From You
Clay Walker

Walker’s voice has matured so much over the past decade. Thankfully, he still has preserved his playful way with a melody, resulting in records like this that elevate radio fodder into something more than just filler.  – Kevin John Coyne

#37

Back to December
Taylor Swift

She ran from love “when fear crept into [her] mind,” but fear has long since given way to sorrowful regret. Swift knows there’s probably no reversing her mistake, but gets the grief off her chest anyway, with a chorus that sounds almost as nervous as you’d imagine the real-life plea to. – Dan Milliken

#36

Little Miss
Sugarland

My disdain for the duo’s label remains strong, as their lack of quality control let a terrible album reach the marketplace. But kudos to the folks who are picking the singles, as The Incredible Machine must sound like a great piece of work to radio listeners who’ve only heard the album’s two singles. It’s not quite “What it Feels Like For a Girl”, but as modern-day post-feminist explorations of gender go, “Little Miss” is very good. – KC

#35

Pretty Good at Drinkin’ Beer
Billy Currington

He ain’t cut out to sing great ballads. He’s not the type to make deep and introspective albums.  But he’s pretty good – no, pretty great – at laid back songs like this. – KC

#34

Temporary Home
Carrie Underwood

A story of shared humanity, brought to life by Underwood’s spot-on vocal interpretation. This is the first single in her catalog to slice through to the person behind the artist, and the payoff –striking, palpable personal conviction– is rich. – TS

#33

I’m In
Keith Urban

In an unusual accomplishment, Keith Urban manages to allow a drum machine to enhance a song rather than destroy it. What’s more, this lively Radney Foster penned celebration of commitment is both infectious and refreshing. When it comes to a new relationship, we don’t know what to expect, so the best choice is to be all in and present. – LW

#32

Pray For You
Jaron and The Long Road to Love

If we’re going to bring a college-boy mentality to country music – heck, Hootie’s already in the house anyway – let’s have it be as satisfyingly clever as it is juvenile.   – KC

#31

From a Table Away
Sunny Sweeney

Seeing the man she loves visibly enthralled by the wife he claims he’s leaving, the man’s mistress finally realizes how badly she’s being used. Sort of like “Stay” with more reserved narration. This is the kind of country single we don’t hear much anymore, with traditional-leaning vocals and production that work only enough to capture the song’s natural pathos, never overcooking things. – DM

Check out the rest of the list:

• The Best Singles of 2010, Part 2: #30-#21
• The Best Singles of 2010, Part 3: #20-#11
• The Best Singles of 2010, Part 4: #10-#1

2010 CMA Awards: Staff Picks and Predictions

Monday, November 8th, 2010

Sleepless Nights

Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010

I usually sleep pretty well.  In bed by 9, up by 5.   But last night, it didn’t work so well.  I was up by 2:30 instead!

This episode, coupled with recently watching a very long and very entertaining documentary called Elm Street Legacy has me thinking about sleepless nights. Besides the obvious classic that this post title references, what do you think are the best songs about not being able to sleep?

My pick is Keith Urban’s “You’ll Think of Me.”  The sleepless night is used as a springboard for the rest of the song: “I woke up early this morning around 4 am, with the moon shining bright as headlights on the interstate. I pulled the covers over my head and tried to catch some sleep, but thoughts of us kept keeping me awake.”

It’s such a vivid picture and really sets the tone for the rest of the song.

What’s your pick?

Single Review: The Judds, “I Will Stand By You”

Thursday, September 30th, 2010

In theory, Wynonna Judd has the gravitas to pull off a feisty inspirational song like “I Will Stand By You,” the kind that builds on momentum and resolve instead of hope and compassion. And the lyrics, though clichéd, aren’t necessarily enough to kill the song’s spirit – because who better than Wynonna to breathe fire and energy into nondescript lyrics?

Only she doesn’t. Her performance misses the mark on all accounts: she blasts her notes with so much splashy aggression that they can barely find their pitch, and her phrasing is painfully affected (what’s with the varying pronunciations of the word “you”?). Gone is her soulful conviction and unshakeable control; in its place is a voice that begs for a recharge. And then there’s Naomi Judd’s harmony vocals, which manage to be both barely there and glaringly off-key.

The vocals are so off-putting that they almost completely mask the semi-cool arrangement, which weaves in a tinge of Celtic flavoring – a little Mary Chapin Carpenter, a little Keith Urban. Some vocal fine-tuning might have allowed this driving production to make a more powerful impact.

Given that this is The Judds’ first single in over a decade –charity single or not– it’s a shame you have to wonder how many times the ladies went through this in the studio. What’s your guess? I know mine.

Written by Steven Lee Olsen, Robert Ellis Orrall & Angelo Petraglia

Grade: D+

Listen: I Will Stand By You

Buy:

Single Review: Keith Urban, “Put You in a Song”

Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010

There’s no denying Keith Urban’s immense talent, which was brightly showcased on his first three major label albums, particularly Golden Road and Be Here. The music sounded articulate and fresh while being extremely accessible.

Urban’s last couple of albums, however, have been heavily influenced by electronic production where electric keyboards and drum machines largely filled the spaces instead of his prior muscular, yet more organic, production choices. Of course, this isn’t to say that there still weren’t some really good moments on both of those albums, as should only be expected by such a talented force, but they just seemed to lack the heart that was displayed on the previous two records.

Keith Urban’s new single, “Put You in a Song”, is the lead single from his yet to be released album, Get Closer, and it seems that brighter sounds are here again. While it’s not exactly one of his strongest songs, it’s a big step back in the right direction. It’s clever, sprightly, and above all, devoid of any electronic instrumentation to muddy it up.

It’s true that Urban has never really been known for being a traditionally oriented country artist, but he can be counted among the best of the pop country artists with some terrific pieces of pop country ear candy to show for it. Therefore, “Put You in a Song” is not anything more than a fun pop country ditty, but it is pop country done well.

Best of all, “Put You in a Song” sounds more like it would fit on Be Here rather than Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Thing or Defying Gravity, which is hopeful for the upcoming album that will be released on November 16.

Written by Keith Urban, Jedd Hughes & Sarah Buxton

Listen: Put You in a Song

Grade: B+

CMA 2010: Female Trouble

Friday, September 3rd, 2010

It’s pretty rare that the CMA nominations garner much attention outside of the country music press, but the always excellent Whitney Pastorek at Entertainment Weekly has a lengthy article trying to rationalize the exclusion of Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift from the Entertainer category.

It’s amazing that in a year where a record was set for the most nominations by a female artist, there can still be a valid accusation of gender bias among the nominations.  Women have been poorly represented in the Entertainer category for pretty much the entire history of the CMA Awards.  Even when you include duos or groups with female members, there have never been more than two out of five nominees that are women.

Never. Think about that for a minute. If this category’s nominees are to be considered reliable, the CMA is essentially saying that there has never been a time in the past 44 years that more than two of the genre’s top five acts have been female, and in the past decade, there’s never been more than one.

Why is this coming to a head this year, when it’s been a problem all along?  Because there is no rational argument that exists, in this era of decreased record sales and economic downturn, for the exclusion of Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift from this category.  Ironically, the inclusion of another female artist – Miranda Lambert – makes the oversight even more obvious.  By any historical standard for this category, Lambert would be jockeying for fourth or fifth place, at best.

With all due respect to Brad Paisley and Keith Urban, their success this year would not get them into this category if they were women. Yet two women who have far exceeded them this year by every measurable standard, two women who are more immediately recognizable and widely beloved than Paisley and Urban have ever been, are left off of the list.

There’s a bias here, and it’s hurting the credibility of the CMA. How is it possible that acts long past their prime, like Brooks & Dunn or Vince Gill, were still getting Entertainer nominations regularly, yet superstars like Shania Twain, Faith Hill and Taylor Swift only made the cut once?  Has there truly been no woman besides Reba McEntire in the last 25 years who has been one of the five top entertainers more than once?

Even if you strain your reason to justify Swift’s exclusion because she was a little less visible during the last three months of the eligibility period, the Underwood snub is the most blatantly unfair this category has seen since the days of Shania Twain, who somehow only earned one nomination while she was absolutely destroying the competition at an international level that has never been matched.

Perhaps the voting methodology of the CMA awards, which allows voters to pick up to five nominees in each category, has exacerbated the “token female” dilemma.  I don’t know, and I really don’t care. Because in an era where even the ACM Awards are showing better taste than the CMA’s, the flagship organization of country music needs to address its female trouble while it still has a single shred of credibility left.

Picking the CMA Nominees: Male Vocalist of the Year

Sunday, August 15th, 2010

If turnover has been slow in the Entertainer category, it’s been nothing less than glacial in the Male Vocalist race.  Over the past ten years, only eleven men have received nominations.  Four of those eleven – Dierks Bentley, Vince Gill, Darius Rucker, and Josh Turner – have been nominated only once.

Now, Toby Keith and Tim McGraw were regularly invited to the party in the first half of the last decade, with four and three nominations, respectively. But the race has essentially been dominated by the same five men: Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, George Strait, and Keith Urban, who combine for forty nominations in just one decade.

The recent history has been pretty boring. After two consecutive wins by Alan Jackson, we’ve had three consecutive wins each by Keith Urban and reigning champ Brad Paisley.

Will there be a new winner this year, or even a new nominee? Should there be?

Let’s take a look at last year’s race:

2009

• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley
• Darius Rucker
• George Strait
• Keith Urban

Darius Rucker was the new face to enter the race last year. No brand new nominee has been nominated again in this category since Keith Urban earned his first nomination in 2004. He’s been in the race ever since.  I’d say Rucker’s close to a lock, along with Paisley. But just like in the Entertainer race, a case could be made for a decent shake-up, especially some of this category’s veteran acts have dipped at radio and retail.

Here’s who I would nominate this year. Share your picks in the comments:

Jason Aldean

Anybody else notice that this guy’s outselling the rest of the male solo artists? All the while, he’s been completely ignored at the country awards shows for his last two projects.  He’s not overdue just yet, but he’s due.

Dierks Bentley

He went out of his comfort zone to release a bluegrass-flavored album that was pretty darn good.

Brad Paisley

He just missed my list for preferred Entertainer nominees, but he’s at the head of the pack in this category. With his domination at radio, not to mention a stronger studio album than his previous two, I wouldn’t be shocked for him to become the third artist in history to win four of these.

Blake Shelton

His hit-making has certainly been kicked up a notch as of late.  He may be destined to toil just under the radar of this category like Trace Adkins and Gary Allan before him, but it would be nice to see him get a nod.

Josh Turner

A decent comeback at radio and retail, coupled with him being a great singer who’s been overlooked, makes me hope he finishes out this category.

___

I left off previous nominees Keith Urban, George Strait, and Darius Rucker because they haven’t put out new albums during the eligibility period, so it seems like a good time to let some new folks get a chance. I left off Kenny Chesney because he’s been doing nothing but stopgap releases for the past year, none of which sold to  his normal standards.  I left off Tim McGraw, even though he’s made some music I really like lately, because he hasn’t been doing as well as usual at radio and retail.

Picking the CMA Nominees: Entertainer of the Year

Friday, July 30th, 2010

As we did last year, it’s time to share our preferences for this year’s CMA Awards.  Last year, Taylor Swift was the belle of the ball, winning four awards.  Some long winning streaks came to an end, as Swift replaced both Kenny Chesney as Entertainer of the Year and Carrie Underwood as Female Vocalist of the Year.  Lady Antebellum ended Rascal Flatts’ long run as top Vocal Group, and were the surprise winners of Single of the Year as well.

Once again.  I’ve selected the five artists that I believe are most deserving of an Entertainer of the Year nomination.  But first, let’s take a look at last year’s race:

Entertainer of the Year (2009)

• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley
• George Strait
• Taylor Swift
• Keith Urban

Swift was victorious in her first nomination in this category.  She competed against three previous winners:  Kenny Chesney, who has gone 4 for 8 in this category;  Keith Urban, who is 1 for 5; and the incomparable George Strait, who is 2 for 17.  Brad Paisley lost for the fifth year, tying Kenny Rogers for the most nominations without a win.

As the numbers above show, this has been a largely static category for the past ten years.  Only thirteen artists earned nominations from 2000-2009. The CMA noms can be very predictable.

But looking at radio and retail these days, there’s been a big changing of the guard.  I think that this category more than any other should reflect that.  I’m putting my personal tastes aside here, as there are only two artists I list that I actually listen to regularly.

Entertainer of the Year (2010)

The nominees should be:

Lady Antebellum

Their second album has already spent 25 weeks at #1, and “Need You Now” was such a big hit that it’s led to pop airplay for “I Run to You”, the award-winning hit from their debut album.  It would be an early nomination in terms of their career, but Alabama and Dixie Chicks were elevated to this category even faster, so there’s precedent for vocal groups.

Miranda Lambert

She’s always had the critical success, and she’s always sold records.  But she’s selling them a heck of a lot faster these days and radio is suddenly, shockingly, spectacularly on board.  It’s time for the CMA to catch up with the ACM, who have been away ahead in acknowledging this artist.

Taylor Swift

Being nominated the year after winning is not a given, but it’s the norm.  While it was common in the seventies, it’s been very rare in recent years.  Shania Twain (1999) was the last winner to not receive another nomination the following year, with the others being:  Dolly Parton (1978), Mel Tillis (1976), John Denver (1975), and Charlie Rich (1974).

So she’s probably a lock for a nomination, and she deserves one. Though things have been quiet on the Swift front for the past couple of months, she had a massive tour and sold a ton of records during the eligibility period.

Carrie Underwood

She really should be enjoying her third nomination this year, but a (flimsy) case could be made for her not making the ballot in 2008 and 2009. But no nomination this year would be inexcusable. She had a very successful tour, continued to dominate radio, and her third album is quickly approaching double platinum.  At this point, she shouldn’t just get a nomination. She should win.

Zac Brown Band

Their live performances are well-regarded, radio is fully on board, and their first major label album is double platinum.  A case could be made for Brad Paisley getting this spot, but sales of his new album have fallen quite a bit short of previous efforts.  The same goes for other perennial nominees Keith Urban, George Strait, and Kenny Chesney.

So those are my five choices. What are yours?

Single Review: Keith Urban, “I’m In”

Sunday, May 30th, 2010

Keith Urban makes everything sound so effortless that it can be easy to overlook songs that legitimately could have used more effort.

This song sounds great, and will certainly pop on the radio. But for all his enthusiasm and the occasionally clever line, this doesn’t even approach the excellence of his earlier Radney Foster cover, “Raining On Sunday.”

If he’s going to use outside material, he should be more selective than he was this time around.

Written by Radney Foster and George Middleman

Grade: B-

Listen: I’m In

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.”