2014 ACM Awards Nominees, Preview & Predictions
So we haven’t even had time since the 56th Grammy Awards to sort out if Madonna had the authority to preside over a mass wedding, or if Pharrell’s hat was indeed copyright infringement against the Arby’s logo, and here only a few days later we’re asked to crunch a fresh batch of data dealing with the nominees for the 2014 ACM Awards on April 6th. There really should be some sort of mandate that the bad taste in your mouth and the horror of one awards show should have long subsided before you have to interface in any way with the next one, but apparently this would have been the case if The Grammys hadn’t been moved up this year because of the Winter Olympics.
Already the ACM nominees have many rolling their eyes and crying foul for various reasons. But folks, don’t ingratiate the Academy of Country Music beyond its value by acting like these awards matter to a greater degree than they actually do. Sure, the presence of the CMT Awards, and now FOX’s ACA Awards have somewhat risen the ACM’s out of the country music award show basement, but they will always be the baby brother of the CMA’s, and will be beset by ridiculous backroom label politics resulting in the anomalies to downright ridiculous notions that some of this year’s nominees represent. Nonetheless, a nomination and win will mean more attention and revenue for a respective label and artist, so it is not fair to discount the matter completely.
Tim McGraw and Miranda Lambert landed the most nominations with 7, and this is where the sideways glances begin. Miranda, though undoubtedly enjoying great success, hasn’t even release an album in over two years. Tim, undoubtedly doing everything he can aside from posing nude or releasing a sex tape to get the public’s attention after years of being saddled by Curb Records, certainly deserves some attention, but like Miranda, is likely being padded behind-the-scenes by a powerful label.
Once again George Strait is up for Entertainer of the Year, gut-checking the ACM constituency into potentially registering a sympathy vote and certainly making this category a subject of great intrigue instead of a forgone conclusion. And the laugh out loud moment is the nomination of Sheryl Crow for Female Vocalist of the Year—the same 5th slot the ACM’s have been stretching to fill for a few years now, with Kelly Clarkson, and Kacey Musgraves before she had even released an album being the other recent anomalies.
Things can change, news can break, and artists can have big months between here and now, but here are some early picks and observations.
Entertainer of the Year
Two horse race between last year’s winner Luke Bryan that had yet another very commercially-successful year, and the sympathy vote for King George. Miranda’s inclusion here is somewhat interesting, and there may be a sentiment out there that at some point Miranda deserves an Entertainer of the Year from somewhere, but it’s hard to see that happening this year. Taylor Swift has no chance, and may not even attend the awards.
- Luke Bryan – Other Potential Winner
- Blake Shelton
- George Strait – Winner
- Taylor Swift
- Miranda Lambert
Male Vocalist of the Year
This comes down to the two hosts of the ACM Awards, Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton. Interesting to see Curb Records really pushing Lee Brice in this year’s cycle, but he doesn’t have the cred yet for this distinction. Keith Urban’s influence died off years ago, and Average Joe’s cash cow Jason Aldean’s Night Train just didn’t have the kind of wide impact My Kinda Party did.
- Jason Aldean
- Lee Brice
- Luke Bryan – Winner
- Blake Shelton – Other Potential Winner
- Keith Urban
Female Vocalist of the Year
This is a hard one. Of course Sheryl Crow has no chance, and Taylor likely doesn’t either. Carrie seems like a long shot, and always seems to be underdogged by the ACM’s. Kacey Musgraves has received love from the ACM’s early and often, and if she can make a splash between here and now on the radio, she might have an outside chance. But it’s all setting up to be Miranda’s night.
- Sheryl Crow
- Miranda Lambert – Winner
- Kacey Musgraves
- Taylor Swift
- Carrie Underwood
Single Record of the Year
Duh.
- Florida Georgia Line – “Cruise” – Winner
- Lee Brice – “I Drive Your Truck”
- Miranda Lambert – “Mama’s Broken Heart”
- Darius Rucker – “Wagon Wheel”
Album of the Year
Man. This is a completely wide open field, and I have no confidence picking any one of these over the others. Obviously Kacey Musgraves would be the critical favorite. Blake Shelton also has to be considered a favorite since he won the CMA in the same category. It might be a little early for Florida Georgia Line to win an award like this, but it’s hard to argue with that album’s performance. And the ACM’s seem to love Luke, so he can’t be ruled out. Tim McGraw is about the only long shot.
- “Based On A True Story”¦” Blake Shelton
- “Crash My Party” Luke Bryan
- “Here’s To The Good Times” Florida Georgia Line
- “Same Trailer Different Park” Kacey Musgraves
- “Two Lanes Of Freedom” Tim McGraw
Song of the Year
We’ve seen “Mama’s Broken Heart” listed in the category for many of the year’s awards, but does it really have the kind of depth of a typical Song of the Year? “Wagon Wheel” doesn’t really either, but can’t be ruled out. Interesting to see Gary Allan get a mention here.
- “Every Storm (Runs Out Of Rain)” Gary Allan Songwriters: Gary Allan, Hillary Lindsey, Matthew Warren
- “I Drive Your Truck” Lee Brice Songwriters: Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington, Jimmy Yeary – Winner
- “Mama’s Broken Heart” Miranda Lambert Songwriters: Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves
- “Mine Would Be You” Blake Shelton Songwriters: Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington, Deric Ruttan
- “Wagon Wheel” Darius Rucker Featuring Lady Antebellum Songwriters: Bob Dylan, Ketch Secor – Other Potential Winner
Vocal Event of the Year
Were the contributions of Lady Antebellum to “Wagon Wheel” and The Pistol Annies to “Boys ‘Round Here” significant enough to consider them true vocal events? “Cruise” is the obvious commercial winner, but voters may shy away from the cross-genre collaboration.
- “Boys ‘Round Here” Blake Shelton Featuring The Pistol Annies
- “Cruise” (Remix) Florida Georgia Line Featuring Nelly
- “Highway Don’t Care: Tim McGraw Featuring Taylor Swift & Keith Urban – Winner
- “Wagon Wheel” Darius Rucker Featuring Lady Antebellum
- “We Were Us” Keith Urban And Miranda Lambert
Vocal Duo of the Year
I write about country music for a living, and this is the very first time I have ever heard of “Dan + Shay”. Previewing their music, hopefully I never have to hear from them again. Joey + Rory would have been the better pick.
- Big & Rich
- Dan + Shay
- Florida Georgia Line – Winner
- Love and Theft
- Thompson Square
Songwriter of the Year
Shane McAnally is who deserves it. Rhett Atkins would be the commercial pick. Luke Laird also likely has an outside chance.
- Rhett Akins – Other Potential Winner
- Rodney Clawson
- Ashley Gorley
- Luke Laird
- Shane McAnally – Winner
Vocal Group of the Year
- Eli Young Band
- Lady Antebellum
- Little Big Town
- The Band Perry
- Zac Brown Band
Video of the Year
- “Better Dig Two” The Band Perry Producer
- “Blowin’ Smoke” Kacey Musgraves Producer
- “Highway Don’t Care” Tim McGraw Featuring Taylor Swift & Keith Urban
- “I Drive Your Truck” Lee Brice Producer: Karen Martin Director: Eric Welch
- “Mama’s Broken Heart” Miranda Lambert
- “Two Black Cadillacs” Carrie Underwood
January 30, 2014 @ 10:57 am
Is the EOTY award voted by fans? If so, I would say Taylor Swift could win. I’m hoping Kacey wins again for her album, and Ashley Gorley for songwriter. Thanks for the article.
January 30, 2014 @ 11:25 am
Last year I believe that the ACM’s did have fan voting as a part of the Entertainer of the Year award, but it only counted 50% or something like that. However this year I’m not seeing anything about it, only for the New Artist of the Year to determine the finalists, which have yet to be determined.
Even with the fan vote, Taylor Swift still didn’t win last year, so even if they add that element, it may not make a difference.
January 30, 2014 @ 11:17 am
The Vocal Duo Of The Year category again seems to be a joke. Is it like this every year? I’ve only started paying attention since I’ve been reading your articles.
January 30, 2014 @ 11:29 am
The flaw of the ACMs is they feel like they must represent top industry names, or what they think might become top industry names, instead of worthy candidates, so they’re willing to put a ridiculous name like “Dan + Shay” above a Joey + Rory. I swear to the good Lord, I had NEVER heard of that duo until these awards, but their signed to a big label, so what the hell, give them a nomination. Would have rather seen The Civil Wars even though they’re no longer together.
January 30, 2014 @ 11:33 am
The Linda Chorney of country music? Except for the big label part, I guess.
January 30, 2014 @ 11:43 am
Well, at least Linda Chorney put a full length album. It appears they have one single to their credit. No album yet.
January 30, 2014 @ 12:07 pm
This was the same case with Kacey Musgraves when they gave her a Female Vocalist of the Year nod, but at least “Merry Go ‘Round” was doing big things and had people talking. I just can’t get over Dan + Shay. It sounds like a hair product.
January 30, 2014 @ 12:36 pm
Dan + Shay. It sounds like a hair product.
Hand to God, I thought they were Hunter Hayes when I heard their song on the radio this morning.
Are we really getting a rant on the Chase Rice song? Christmas 2014 came earrrly. 😀
January 30, 2014 @ 2:41 pm
God are they awful….Myrtle Beach….sippin ‘n kissin….blech,
January 30, 2014 @ 11:45 am
This whole thing sounds awful.
It triggers my gag reflex.
It’s hard to imagine something worse than the Grammys, the Academy Awards, the Emmys, etc., but this may eclipse even them.
January 30, 2014 @ 3:31 pm
The Grammys surprisingly didn’t make make me want to shoot myself this year. In fact I had a lot of fun watching it.
Save for Macklemore getting way too big for his britches, the media jerking off the Beatles, and Taylor’s piano fucking, there were some pretty decent highlights. Kacey Winning twice, Kris Willie and Merle FUCKING Haggard, and though not country music I really enjoyed Kendrick Lamar spilling his guts out in his performance, Chicago pre-blurred lines, The NIN/Queens of the Stone age performance to close it out (Even though it was cut off)
Sure beat the crap out of previous years IMO
January 30, 2014 @ 11:55 am
Good article, but I’d stop short of calling an Entertainer of the Year vote for George Strait a “sympathy vote.” More like a sentimental vote. If he’d never won before I might call it a sympathy vote, but that’s not the case.
January 30, 2014 @ 12:03 pm
No matter the reason, I’ll gladly take a George Strait Entertainer of the Year for all the years he was passed over. I was thrilled beyond words for the CMA win.
February 1, 2014 @ 10:40 am
I agree, there was many, many years where Strait should have been named entertainer of the year but instead it was awarded to the flavor of the month. You could also say the same for the artist of the decade award, he should have been named artist of the decade as well in the 90’s. He beat Garth in many category’s.
When you look at George Strait’s career, what really stand’s out for me is the long list of “Next Big Thing”acts that have came and went. From Alabama, Randy Travis, The Judds, Garth Brooks, Brooks & Dunn, Shania Twain, Dixie Chicks, Lonestar and many others.
January 30, 2014 @ 12:25 pm
“Better Dig Two” being nominated for ‘Video of the Year’ seems really odd. It has to be one of the worst shoestring budget video I’ve seen from a major artist in a while. It looked really amateur and haphazard. “Highway Don’t Care” was a pretty awful video as well (as far as the art of making music video’s go).
BTW, I’m still waiting on a good article ripping apart Luke Bryan’s new protege Cole Swindell. After seeing his video and watching Luke Bryan brag about him and how he’s now on tour with him now, I’m nervous we’re going to get stuck with this guy. I bet he gets shown off at the ACM awards – maybe a side performance slot or something.
January 30, 2014 @ 12:29 pm
Really did not enjoy seeing a bloody and battered woman hanging out of a wrecked car in “Highway Don’t Care”. Not what I tune into a music video for, and seemed like the type of overdramatic stuff that wins these type of awards.
Sure, I’ll get on Cole Swindell right after I get my rants up on Chase Rich, the new Florida Georgia Line / Luke Bryan, and…..
January 30, 2014 @ 3:38 pm
I only watch CMT and GAC at the gym (no cable at home), and I always change the channel when Highway Don’t Care comes on. I don’t mind the song, but I don’t need gore in my music videos. I’m getting soft in my old age I guess – I can’t stomach the crime procedural shows anymore either.
January 30, 2014 @ 1:04 pm
I think Kacey Musgraves is gonna win big again. I may be a little early on this, but there always seems to be an “it” female in country and for 2 or 3 years they win all the female awards. Miranda has had that role for a few years now and I think that is going to start being Kacey now. She is the new media darling. I could be one awards show too early with this prediction, but I think it will happen here, building on her popularity from the Grammy’s. Country music is such an outcast with the grammy’s that I think voters are gonna try to show how they recognize talent just like the grammy’s did and that will help Kacey even more. Sometimes when everybody is saying how great something is, you don’t want to look like the idiot and say it’s not, so Kacey is gonna start rolling here on these awards shows for a while.
January 30, 2014 @ 1:14 pm
I think Kacey is gonna win like Jamey Johnson did back in 2009. Below are his album and singles off that album that won so many awards. Someimes artist just get so much critical success that they win the awards, no matter what their sales are. I’m not saying Kacey’s album is as good as “That Lonesome Song”, but critics have loved it.
Album – “That Lonesome Song” – #6
Singles
“In Color” – #9
“High Cost of Living” – #34
January 30, 2014 @ 2:24 pm
You’re correct about how the trends seem to go with FOTY awards. And you are right about the Jamey Johnson win and I would throw in the year Alison Krauss won the CMA FOTY based on very little tangible success that year and she was even shocked at this victory.
But, both Johnson and Krauss were pretty much one time winners because the critical praise only took them so far and I think this will be true for Kacey Musgraves also. If she doesn’t break out of the critical darling niche pretty soon I can’t see her winning for very long.
I just don’t feel much passion for her on a widespread mainstream level even after the Grammys.
January 30, 2014 @ 3:41 pm
That is because the mainstream country world wants her to go away. They don’t like the fact that she is real and doesn’t sing crap songs or take their crap in interviews and play ball and they especially don’t like her lyrics which brought up topics that the mainstream country world would just rather ignore.
January 30, 2014 @ 4:34 pm
I was talking more about fans as opposed to industry types.
As for the industry not liking her I don’t know if that’s totally true other than that interview kerfuffle with Billy Bones I haven’t heard of any problems with her personally.
But it is also the way the game is played. You have to take part in the PR aspect when you are a new artist if you want to be a big name in the entertainment world. Just the way it is.
January 30, 2014 @ 6:06 pm
Another thing that I have noticed about Kacey is she really doesn’t seem to have much of a personality, she really seems like a dud to be honest. I think that’s why everyone thought she was mad about Miranda winning, but that is just her personality I think. I’m not even saying this to be negative, it’s just how some people are.
January 30, 2014 @ 1:19 pm
“…the laugh out loud moment is the nomination of Sheryl Crow for Female Vocalist of the Year””the same 5th slot the ACM”™s have been stretching to fill for a few years now, with Kelly Clarkson, and Kacey Musgraves before she had even released an album being the other recent anomalies…”
One thing I will say for Sheryl is that at least her nomination is based on a full album (‘Feels Like Home’), rather than just a song or two.
But yeah, I still find it kinda silly and sad that they have go to such odd lengths just to fill the category.
January 30, 2014 @ 2:33 pm
Really hope Lee Brice wins for his video, tells the story behind the song very well and there’s no grotesque car wreck
January 30, 2014 @ 2:55 pm
The nominees lists get more depressing every year. Good lord.
January 30, 2014 @ 3:11 pm
I don’t get all the Miranda Lambert love.How many years can you be nominated for the same album?
Also you said Carrie is underdogged by the ACM”™s.Didn’t she win a couple of ETOY’s from them or am I thinking of one of the other20 award shows?
January 30, 2014 @ 6:47 pm
I don’t get the Lambert love, either. I’m completely baffled by the fact that she can re-release “Gunpowder and Lead” with a different title over and over again. It’s ridiculous. Now, she releases great songs now and then (Over You, All Kinds of Kinds) but it doesn’t make up for all the faux sassy, bitchin’-about-men-and-how-dare-you-question-me-or-you’re-a-chauvinist garbage.
Country Music would be better if Miranda Lambert left her early 20s “I’m an independent and there’s no way I can show you without throwing it in our face” girl bullshit in the past.
March 14, 2014 @ 8:30 am
Personally, I like the sassy bitchin music ( in which you call it). I personally don’t like the trend for most male country singers. It is all about driving your truck, drinking beer on the tailgate and watching girls in sundresses. If you don’t like the girl power songs then you do not have to listen to them. I happen to love them as I am a woman and would rather hear girl bitchin songs then hearing lovey dovey you broke my heart break up songs. No need to hate on Miranda. If you don’t like her that is your problem.
March 14, 2014 @ 9:32 am
First things first, what truly bothers me is that every bitchin’ song she releases is just a rehash of Gunpowder and Lead with a different title. Second, I don’t like mainstream male country, either, at this point, so it’s not like I’m trying to tell you that the men of popular Nashville are making better music (with the exception of Eric Church). Every other good mainstream Nashville artist isn’t nearly as popular as the Mirandas and the Erics so it’s not like I was trying to tell you that the Cole Swindells and Luke Bryans of the world are making better music than Miranda’s bitching music, because they aren’t.
However, those bitchin-about-men songs get to me because they’re obnoxious, and their content is aimed at a small minority of men who abuse,cheat, etc. And that’s the problem, it singles out men. There are women who cheat and abuse, too. Miranda takes the subject content too far.
January 30, 2014 @ 4:04 pm
The article says that the ACMs have been stretching to fill the 5th female vocalist award nomination-why can’t they just leave it at 4 then I wonder-do they have to have the same amount of nominees in both the male and female vocalists? The biggest stretch often seems like the vocal duo category-they’re just searching for anyone to add to their list it seems.
January 30, 2014 @ 4:43 pm
There are plenty of established artist that could fill these slots, but the ACM’s for some reason only seem to want to cater to either the very top tier of talent in country, or artists that are slated to become the very top tier of talent. Why not nominate Kellie Pickler or Ashley Monroe? And it’s not just because Sheryl Crow is new to the genre, it’s because her album and songs didn’t really go anywhere.
January 30, 2014 @ 8:43 pm
I never really got the whole Sheryl Crow thing. I mean, she’s ok, but hasn’t been That good in either rock or country to garner all the nominations and awards that she has for the last 20 years. I just don’t get it.
January 30, 2014 @ 7:28 pm
How are Big & Rich nominated for duo of the year, when they only recently put out a new single, and seem to be focusing more on solo projects now?
January 30, 2014 @ 8:19 pm
We know these and most awards are really ‘who radio played to #1-20 so they sold more music and got label lobbying and block voting’ awards, country radio robs most women so they can’t get nominated and that’s why 4 of 5 album slots went to men.
Kellie Pickler (The Woman I Am) and Ashley Monroe (Like A Rose) were completely robbed at radio and therefore robbed of Female Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year, song and video nominations. Both albums are better than every one nominated, they outsing 3 of the vocalist nominees and at least tie Miranda. Kacey’s album is the best nominated and she was my pick to win the Grammys.
If you think the Dan + Shay pop boy band nomination and 19 You + Me is bad, what’s worse is it’s the latest weak and pop song radio played more than much better country songs from critics’ album of the year list toppers Kellie, Ashley and other better songs. People used to criticize Rascal Flatts for sounding like a boy band and Dan + Shay makes them sound like George Strait. Bobby Bones got excited about them covering a Savage Garden song in his studio. In just 16 weeks 19 You + Me is #19 on radio and it’s their first single.
http://charts.bdsradio.com/bdsradiocharts/charts.aspx?formatid=4
This pop song belongs on AC lite stations. Yes, like many new male acts they are getting the same treatment as artists radio has played to #1 multiple times, while radio keeps far more talented and deserving women with far better and country songs struggling around #30-60. Kellie’s Little Bit Gypsy, her 11th single, sat around #50 for 22 weeks while radio played many weaker songs more so it’s now being forced out. So 16 weeks to #19 vs. 22 weeks to #50. Huge unfair difference and it should be the complete opposite. Ready Set Roll is another abromination radio played more to pass Little Bit Gypsy. This bs going on for years is why country radio’s most-played female Carrie Underwood spoke up for women getting robbed again in Billboard today.
January 30, 2014 @ 8:27 pm
I didn’t even notice Hunter Hayes isn’t nominated for anything. That’s something good at least. I’m not sure how much more of the poetry writing on the stage behind him and all the teenage girl pandering songs I can take.
January 30, 2014 @ 8:32 pm
Maybe he can write a sing about this. Call it ‘Invisible’!
January 30, 2014 @ 8:38 pm
I tried listening to that song on low volume just to see what it was and I swear I thought I was listening to a Rascal Flatts song (whinny voice or something?).
That song is so clearly custom designed to target school aged teenaged girls it’s pathetic. Can this little 5’6″ dude make the transition into adult bro country though? He’s already 22… tick tock. Of course a new country justin beaver will probably pop up at any time. Just when you think main stream country can’t get any worse something else happens.
January 30, 2014 @ 8:50 pm
I can’t say I’ve listened to his entire album but from the singles he has released he is not even one percent country. It really is kind of amazing that he would ever be considered for this genre. He is that non-threatening cute boy singer that all the teenage girls and their moms have always loved going back decades.
Does he have a future in country music? Sadly he probably does in this bassackwards environment.
January 31, 2014 @ 5:06 am
I just came back from the George Strait/Martina McBride concert in San Jose a few hours ago. Let me just put my response in one sentence:
George Strait richly deserves Entertainer of the Year.
January 31, 2014 @ 9:00 pm
Couldn’t agree more! I attended the concert in SJ last night as well…both George Strait and Martina McBride were incredible! One of the best concerts I have ever seen. George Strait no doubt deserves EOTY!
January 31, 2014 @ 11:02 pm
Nice! Were you at the first level or the second level?
February 1, 2014 @ 6:03 pm
1st Level. What I liked was that they spent equal time on all sides of the stage. So no matter where you were sitting, you could see them. Where were you?
February 1, 2014 @ 11:04 pm
I was high up at the second level. Due to the steepness of the level, though, the stage was clearly visible. I also loved how George and Martina rotated from microphone to microphone with each song. Listening to George sing “I’ll Always Remember You” made me feel particularly emotional. My only complaint would be that the drums were too loud, but then again this was my first concert. The string instrumentation was top-notch.
On another note, I have never seen first-hand such a concentration of people wearing cowboy hats! Encountering that in the Bay Area, of all places, was a fascinating cultural experience. I had been under the impression that there were few traditional country fans here, given that we only have one country station (“hot country” 95.3 KRTY). However, this concert experience definitely made me rethink that assumption.
February 2, 2014 @ 3:54 am
Forgot to mention that my eyes watered up somewhat while listening to “I Believe”. What a beautiful song about such a senseless tragedy.
February 2, 2014 @ 9:18 pm
For whatever reason, I couldn’t directly reply to your last comments, but I definitely felt what they were singing about. The SAP center (I think that’s what it’s called now, it was HP Pavillion for the longest time) is a good venue for a concert. I saw Faith Hill and Tim McGraw there and also Eric Church, and don’t regret seeing either of those concerts. I don’t think country singers realize there are so many die-hard country music fans in the Bay Area and are surprised at the warm reception they receive. There are so many farm towns bordering the bigger cities, people come from all over. It’s definitely a mixed bag of culture around here.
February 2, 2014 @ 9:27 pm
Now the system seems to have corrected itself so ignore my previous comment regarding technical difficulties lol I am new to commenting on SCM, so still learning the ropes. I honestly never comment on these boards, but that’s how much I loved this concert. I really hope George Strait is recognized for EOTY. He is truly the most deserving of anyone in “mainstream country” nowadays. What struck me is that he is still as good as he ever was, no acrobatics or theatrics necessary to entertain his fans…unlike other country artists I know of. I love 95.3, but at times it’s hard to listen to anymore because of the song quality. No fault of the station, they play what they have to play, but I find myself listening to my own playlists in the car while I’m driving instead when I used to listen to radio faithfully. Hopefully the music will become more bearable in the future….
January 31, 2014 @ 8:45 am
Class act, for sure, both of them.
January 31, 2014 @ 4:38 pm
Absolutely.
I will add that it is difficult to truly understand how mesmerizing Martina’s voice is unless you hear her live. Listening to her hit the high notes was like a revivalist experience.
February 1, 2014 @ 1:36 pm
Yeah totally agree and the sad thing is there isn’t anyone in main stream country capable of filling her shoes.
February 1, 2014 @ 9:21 pm
Wonder what happened that caused her to leave Big Machine after just one album? I know she’s releasing a soul album on a new label this year.
February 1, 2014 @ 8:50 am
Understood and appreciated, Eric. I have listened to her Live.
February 1, 2014 @ 1:59 pm
I’ve been wondering if Sheryl Crows nomination in part was due to the fact that her album just launched in the UK a few days ago. The timing was really close on that.
I was watching the Graham Norton show last night (I’m odd) and she was on that singing ‘Easy’. It’s an interesting show in the UK kind of like the tonight show but with a really unique format that I’ve never seen in the US. It’s only on once a week and three guests just come out at the same time right at the beginning (big names too). They all sit around and swap stories. There’s something about the format that’s a lot more fun to watch and more engaging than US late night talk shows. 3/4 of the way in there’s a music act and then that person sits down on the couch and talks for a few minutes too.
Interesting thing was Graham asked Sheryl about moving to country and actually said “it’s a subtle shift” (she thought he said “subtle shit” and there were a lot of laughs about that). But, it’s funny he said it because I can’t tell the difference between her country and pop muisc. Part of her reply was “I feel like I’ve been doing country forever”. Interesting comment when you piece it together with her comment about today’s country sounding more ‘pop’ than when she started in pop music.
She shouldn’t be up for a country award (like most of the nominee’s) but she did sing with a lot of the greats like Willie and Dwight going a couple of decades back She’s more country than Taylor Swift is and really more country than Carrie “Aerosmith” Underwood. Taylor Swift being up for a ‘best country female vocalist’ is a hard one to take.
February 1, 2014 @ 2:07 pm
BTW – I’m going to go against the Miranda Lambert selection and go with Carrie Underwood and the best female vocalist winner for the simple fact that she did the Sound of Music (gag) special which had epic ratings (which in they eyes of some might me she helped add fans to country music). It was only a week or two ago that it was a news story the ratings were so good on that they’ve already announced they’re doing the same thing with Peter Pan next year.
You could easily argue that’s the exact kind of reason that Blake Shelton gets so many awards (because of (in theory) all the new country fans he brings in from being on The Voice). “Revenue Streams” are all big wigs think of. Direct a stream and get an award.
February 1, 2014 @ 2:12 pm
Crap I didn’t need to exaplain that show. I guess unlike NBC and American networks, the BBC doesn’t troll Youtube issuing take down requests:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqOXY1qO0Ho
February 1, 2014 @ 3:04 pm
I don’t think Sheryl Crow or Darius Rucker should be considered country by history’s standards. But by today’s standards, they are more country than much of what is played on country radio.
So are the Eagles. And the Rolling Stones, for that matter
For everyone that lashes out at the carpetbaggers like Crow and Rucker for “going country”, they really haven’t changed. It’s the industry that’s changed.
Blame that on whomever you want you want, but don’t blame the artists. They are just capitalizing on the current situation. Don’t begrudge them for going where they are going to be accepted and for wanting to earn a living playing music.
That is all, carry on………
March 18, 2014 @ 6:33 am
Is a shame that kellie pickler gets so little air play.
April 5, 2014 @ 5:18 pm
I cannot stand Kacey Musgraves, she has the personality of a jackass. At the Grammy’s she thought she was playing at the circus, that outfit was a disgrace.