Miranda Lambert Leads Nominations / Could Have Big Night at 2017 CMA’s (Noms & Predictions)
In wanton disrespect of the Labor Day holiday (aren’t journalists laborers too?), the Country Music Association announced their nominations for the 2017 CMA Awards on Monday (9-4) morning, with Miranda Lambert leading all nominees with five total nominations, including for Female Vocalist of the Year, and Album of the Year for The Weight of These Wings.
Even though (or maybe because) Miranda’s current single “Tin Man” continues to struggle to find traction on radio, it’s also picks up two nominations, one for Single of the Year, and one for Song of the Year. Miranda’s dominance of the nominations proves once again that country radio is out of step with the rest of the population when it comes to the reception and desire for music.
So does the fact that Jason Isbell shocked the world by being nominated for Album of the Year. His most recent release The Nashville Sound has finally broken through the independent music barrier for the CMA’s, and has to be considered a serious contender for the award after the recent award accomplishments by Chris Stapleton. And will Isbell perform at the awards as well?
Keith Urban and Little Big Town also nabbed multiple nominations with four each, and Eric Church is also a big nom getter with considerations for Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, and Vocal Event of the Year with Rhiannon Giddens for “Kill A Word.” Jon Pardi also surprists with three nominations.
Another interesting note is that the nominations for both the Song of the Year and Single of the Year categories are exactly the same. Normally Song of the Year would be considered the more critical contenders, while Single of the Year would be the commercial performers. This was a poor oversight by the CMA voters, and a better delineation of these two categories should be called for in future years. It does however mean that songwriters Jack Ingram and Jon Randall can brag they’re nominated for two CMA Awards with their work on Miranda’s “Tin Man.”
Also, Blake Shelton and Jason Aldean were completely snubbed.
The CMA Awards will be on November 8th on ABC. Make sure to tune in for Saving Country Music’s LIVE blog of the event.
All the nominations, and knee jerk reactions and prognostications below. NOTE: Predicted winners are NOT personal picks of SCM or endorsements. They are PREDICTIONS. And if they hold, Miranda Lambert could have another big night.
Entertainer of the Year
Hard one to call, but let’s hope it’s not Keith Urban. After it was proved you can win this strictly off of touring prowess by Garth Brooks last year, who knows what to expect. It’s probably between him and Luke, but Luke’s the one that will have a big next couple of months with a new single out.
Garth Brooks
Luke Bryan – WINNER
Eric Church
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban
Album of the Year
There will be a lot of effort to see Miranda Lambert done right here, and the votes for Chris Stapleton and Jason Isbell might split themselves. This is a really strong field except Lady Antebellum, but Miranda probably nabs it in the end.
The Breaker – Little Big Town
From A Room, Vol. 1 – Chris Stapleton
Heart Break – Lady Antebellum
The Nashville Sound – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
The Weight of These Wings – Miranda Lambert – WINNER
Single of the Year
If you go with the spirit of the Single of the Year award, Sam Hunt will win this. But it’s interesting: Sam Hunt has struggled at awards shows. Even Music Row is reluctant to crown someone so pop as country. But with “Body Like a Backroad” breaking records, Sam probably wins handedly.
“Better Man” – Little Big Town
“Blue Ain’t Your Color” – Keith Urban
“Body Like a Back Road” – Sam Hunt -WINNER
“Dirt on My Boots” – Jon Pardi
“Tin Man” – Miranda Lambert
Song of the Year
“Tin Man” will be what most root for, but there will be a temptation to give this to Little Big Town, if for no other reason than to try and coax songwriter Taylor Swift into the building right after she releases her new record and is the biggest thing in the world. Love Jon Pardi, but “Dirt On My Boots” is garbage, and doesn’t deserve to be here.
“Better Man” – Little Big Town (songwriter: Taylor Swift)
“Blue Ain’t Your Color” – Keith Urban (songwriters: Clint Lagerberg, Hillary Lindsey, Steven Olsen)
“Body Like a Back Road” – Sam Hunt (songwriters: Zach Crowell, Sam Hunt, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne)
“Dirt on My Boots” – Jon Pardi (songwriters: Rhett Akins, Jesse Frasure, Ashley Gorley)
“Tin Man” – Miranda Lambert (songwriters: Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall) – WINNER
Male Vocalist of the Year
Scott Borchetta and Big Machine—looking for wins and getting locked out of the better categories—will command all his voting blocks to get behind Thomas Rhett. Stapleton and Church have outside chances. Why is Luke Bryan not here? This can’t be a good sign for Gomer.
Dierks Bentley
Eric Church
Thomas Rhett – WINNER
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban
Female Vocalist of the Year
Yeah yeah, Carrie or Miranda? Carrie is the better singer (just ask Miranda), but Miranda is the one with the momentum. It really is a shame this keeps going to the same person over and over, not to say Miranda hasn’t deserved it many of the years. But it’s hard to see anyone else win. Cool to see Reba get some ink here. Maren Morris is your dark horse.
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert – WINNER
Reba McEntire
Maren Morris
Carrie Underwood
New Artist of the Year
Let’s hope it’s not Brett Young or Old Dominion. Jon Pardi would be a real nice pick here, and he’s earned it from his recent commercial performance. Luke Combs has as well, continuing to surprise with strong album sales and traction on radio. Good to see at least one woman in Lauren Alaina nominated here, but she’s probably the only one not likely to win. Odds are probably best for Brett Young, but this is a very open field.
Luke Combs
Old Dominion
Jon Pardi
Brett Young
Lauren Alaina
Vocal Duo of the Year
Lol, Maddie & Tae? Love those girls, but this shows how far they’re stretching just to find names to fill it. Brothers Osborne has been on a hot streak over Florida Georgia Line in the recent past, and since the Cruize Boys are off their album cycle, it would be a surprise if they do anything here. But so are Brothers Osborne. So who wins? Probably LoCash or Dan + Shay, which would be a bloody shame.
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
LoCash
Maddie and Tae – Will not win
Brothers Osborne
Vocal Group of the Year
Little Big Town continues to be a favorite, but Zac Brown Band may angle for this after “coming back to their roots.” Too hard to prognosticate.
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Old Dominion
Rascal Flatts
Zac Brown Band
Music Video of the Year
“Better Man” – Little Big Town
“Blue Ain’t Your Color” – Keith Urban
“Craving You” – Thomas Rhett feat. Maren Morris
“It Ain’t My Fault” – Brothers Osborne
“Vice” – Miranda Lambert
Musical Event of the Year
With the death of Glen Campbell, there’s an opportunity the sympathy vote reigns supreme, and both Glen and Willie walk away with a CMA. If that happens, hopefully they televise it, and Glen’s family can bask in the honor. Everything else is a garbage fire except “Kill A Word,” which probably should win. “Speak to a Girl” is not nearly as good as it’s being given credit for.
“Craving You” – Thomas Rhett feat. Maren Morris
“Funny How Time Slips Away” – Glen Campbell with Willie Nelson
“Kill a Word” – Eric Church feat. Rhiannon Giddens
“Setting the World on Fire” – Kenny Chesney with Pink
“Speak to a Girl” – Tim McGraw and Faith Hill
Musician Of The Year
Jerry Douglas (Dobro)
Paul Franklin (Steel Guitar)
Dann Huff (Guitar)
Mac McAnally (Guitar)
Derek Wells (Guitar)
September 4, 2017 @ 10:49 am
Maddie and Tae will not win! Jajaja:) Have they released anything these last 2 years? What a shit show these awards are.
September 4, 2017 @ 10:52 am
Honestly other than isbell in album, these awards were predictable & garbage. Also as per usual it’s a total sausage fest from the top – eoty- to the bottom – musician of the year. (Although in truth with Carrie only touring half a yr & mirandas numbers dropping it’s hard to make a case for Eoty).
The Miranda fvoty situation is a little frustrating, bc you can sense a backlash as she keeps winning the award. And the backlash is totally fair. Except this yr she totally deserves it, so it would be a shame if this is the yr it caught up to her.
September 4, 2017 @ 10:59 am
Also, while I personally prefer tin man, I don’t think radio is kicking itself for playing body like a back road instead. Miranda has always received a ton of nominations, she is the lone top female on wme’s country roster.
(Not saying they aren’t deserved this yr, they are, but anyone reading anything into any of these nominations as what the public wants in music is seriously over hyping cma’s)
September 4, 2017 @ 11:09 am
I feel like it’s going to be the ACMs all over again where people were excited and thinking this is the year other female artists will break through only to be denied once more. It’s going to be Miranda all the way but I feel like this will be her last year.
EOTY I just don’t see that changing as you said until Carrie makes a big comeback. Miranda just doesn’t have the numbers. Her largest venue she played at 14k capacity had a slightly more than 50% sell through. Maren sells out her shows but she’s doing smaller venues. There is such a big gap between Carrie, Miranda and then the rest of the women.
September 4, 2017 @ 11:16 am
“The Miranda fvoty situation is a little frustrating, bc you can sense a backlash as she keeps winning the award. And the backlash is totally fair. Except this yr she totally deserves it, so it would be a shame if this is the yr it caught up to her. “
I agree.
I also agree that generally speaking, the nominations are garbage. But they’re always garbage, yet we’ve been seeing more bright spots over the last few years. And if the bright spots continue, hopefully at some point the sun will shine through.
September 4, 2017 @ 1:43 pm
I guess I have a hard time as seeing the bright spots as cma’s rewarding good music. I tend to think it’s politics as usual that worked for us this time. Jason excepted.
But Miranda always gets a ton of nominations in her album yrs (she actually got fewer this time with no eoty), it’s just that this album was better than platinum. And Chris is great, but he’s one of the current wme/ln push person. At some point they’ll decide to push someone else.
September 4, 2017 @ 11:21 am
How the fuck can people not see through the bullshit with Little Big Town and Better Man. The song flopped yet it kept getting shoved down our throats via radio. Now it’s nominated for song of the year?!?!? You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.
September 4, 2017 @ 12:38 pm
Flopped? It went to number one on both Billboard’s Country Airplay and Hot Country Songs chart and was a Top 40 hit on the Hot 100. That’s not exactly a flop.
September 4, 2017 @ 1:21 pm
It flopped. However it was kept alive on radio through the ways you mentioned. The song got pushed on us because of taylor swift period. Otherwise it’s an unremarkable single from them.
September 4, 2017 @ 2:50 pm
Ok seems you are pretty convinced it ‘flopped’ and there’s no changing your mind. It was already well received @ radio and selling well before they announced that Taylor wrote it. Obviously the fact that Taylor wrote it helped the song but to call it a flop is a NO-NO
September 4, 2017 @ 2:51 pm
What is your definition of flop? I’m talking about commercial success. It was not a flop commercially. Or are you talking about the content? If that’s the case, yes, lyrically, it’s not Taylor’s best work (though it’s better than anything she’s released from her upcoming album) and production wise, it is a little too pop/adult contemporary for some people (I don’t mind it). But it was the farthest thing from a flop. “Happy People”, on the other hand, was a flop. It didn’t even hit the Top 40 on country radio.
September 4, 2017 @ 7:27 pm
“Better Man” lyrics embody what I think of as a very good country song. Many women can relate to it. I could care less if Swifty wrote it. Not sure it deserves a CMA tho.
September 4, 2017 @ 11:31 am
If Eric Church does not win EOTY I will be pissed. The guy tours 61 cities, plays close to 38 songs a night, nothing but a band and some lights…no fancy over the top BS… I’ve been to a ton of concerts this year. He blows everyone out of the water. Ick…Luke Bryan…god I hope you’re wrong.
September 4, 2017 @ 2:54 pm
I really want him to win but after Garth won last year I won’t be surprised if he won it this year. I have a feeling that if he keeps touring he might become the male Miranda…
September 4, 2017 @ 11:42 am
I also love Jon Pardi…but come on..”Dirt On My Boots” for song of the year??? What the hell??
September 4, 2017 @ 12:15 pm
It doesn’t seem that Brothers Osborne are yet off their album cycle. “Ain’t My Fault” continues its steady climb up Airplay, currently at 14, and the video has been getting heavy rotation on CMT in the mornings. I think it’s between them and Dan + Shay for duo. But, FGL did have a fairly big hit this year with “God, etc.,” and Nashville loves highlighting crossover appeal.
If “Better Man” wins song of the year it will be, as you indicate, because of Taylor Swift and for no other reason. Even LBT would know that.
September 4, 2017 @ 12:21 pm
I’m so frustrated with Miranda’s nominations. 10 years of this. There are others so much better. I was not a fan of her album. One disc too many. 6 good songs. But Tin Man hasn’t cracked top 30. They will give her album just because she’s the only woman nominated in that category. She did not deserve ETOTY. Her numbers are low. And walking out of her Glasgow concert without finishing her set is unprofessional. I’m gobsmacked that she keeps being rewarded.
September 4, 2017 @ 3:07 pm
Carrie being the only female EOTY nominee last year did not guarantee her a win
September 4, 2017 @ 12:25 pm
Seriously can someone explain her appeal? I read Trigger back down from giving her a mediocre review because of her “fans”. Trigger is that true? I mean I’m seeing some vicious things they post. Even threatening her ex. But I can’t see you backing down to bullies. I’m just curious. I’ve tried to get into her and just can’t. I adore Brandy Clark and Ashley Monroe, Margo Price. So why aren’t they ever represented?
September 4, 2017 @ 1:00 pm
“I read Trigger back down from giving her a mediocre review because of her “fans”.”
I’m not sure exactly what you’re saying here, but I’ve made a career out of cheezing off people’s fan bases, and would never back down from an opinion just because it’s unpopular. Miranda got the most nominations, and according to my calculations, she’ll probably walk away with the most wins as well. This is just the news. I’m not showing favoritism towards Miranda, though I do think her last album was pretty good.
Totally agree the CMA’s need to show some love to different female artists. However Brandy Clark actually has a CMA for being a songwriter on “Follow Your Arrow,” was nominated for New Artist in 2014, and has five more nominations as a songwriter. Margo Price was considered last year (https://savingcountrymusic.com/sturgill-simpson-margo-price-being-officially-considered-for-cma-award-nominations/), and may have been considered this year, who knows? But she might have also been hurt by the fact that she recently released an EP that virtually nobody bought, and has received little to no buzz. I think it really exposed her in a bad way, which is unfortunate.
September 4, 2017 @ 12:36 pm
I seriously thought Lauren Alaina was going to receive a Female Vocalist nomination. But it’s nice to see her up for New Artist.
My big gripe is that RaeLynn’s “Love Triangle” did not get a Song of the Year nomination. Say what you will about “God Made Girls”, but her debut album was a lot better than I expected it to be, and “Love Triangle” is great song. That’s the only thing I’m mad about.
Regarding Miranda, she deserves everything she’s nominated for this year. The problem is with all her wins in the past, even for material that didn’t deserve it (“Platinum” comes to mind), this may be the year people say “enough”, which is a shame because she’s actually deserving this time around.
Also, “Body Like a Back Road”? Seriously?
September 4, 2017 @ 1:04 pm
But David how can you say that. Her album that went “platinum” didn’t sell a million copies. As if 7/2017 hard copies were 371,000. That’s when they claimed it platinum. I understand streaming and downloads got it to 500,000. Double album makes it platinum. But most of the songs are mediocre at best. And please no Pink Sunglasses. Her concert venues have been small. Her singles have not done well. But it’s if she is the only female artist in Country Music. If someone else doesn’t win and get a chance when will they? Maren won the Grammy. Lauren Alaina has had more #1s than ML has had her whole career. Maybe it’s because I’m new fan of Country I see things differently. But I wholeheartedly agree with you about Love Triangle. Also, the reason I started listening to country music was because of Blake Shelton. You may not like him but he promotes the genre.
September 4, 2017 @ 3:14 pm
Not to nitpick but ML has 5 no1 singles and a couple of top10 singles.
September 4, 2017 @ 11:54 pm
Yikes, sounds like a Blake fan is bitter about the ML noms lol.
September 4, 2017 @ 1:02 pm
Again, yay for Jason & the 400 Unit’s AOTY nod — though too bad “If We Were Vampires” isn’t up for SongOTY… :\
Beyond that, the only category I’m particularly excited about is Musical Event — I imagine Willie & Glen could be a sentimental favorite (and I certainly wouldn’t object to a win there), but I’m also rooting for EC & RG. 🙂
September 4, 2017 @ 1:41 pm
Isbell gets the nom for County AOTY with his most rock oriented record. Interesting.
September 4, 2017 @ 6:42 pm
[insert obligatory “more country than Sam Hunt” joke here] 🙂
September 4, 2017 @ 3:28 pm
Country radio, at least in my market, has not been falling over itself to play Miranda’s music. Maybe all these nominations are a way of by passing the radio markets who are still playing bro country..I tune into a variety of stations around the South, and it’s always same ol’, same ol’.
September 4, 2017 @ 3:36 pm
there needs to be an award for “most overated untalented male of the year” and “most overated untalented female of the year.”
except that Luke Bryan would win both.
September 4, 2017 @ 5:52 pm
I think Miranda deserves all the nominations and past wins. She’s the only mainstream artist I can listen to. I don’t get the tired of her winning bellyaching.
Do we keep Alabama out of the college football playoff this year just because they made it the past 3 years?
September 4, 2017 @ 10:01 pm
Her continually winning is very bad for Country Music. It’s says we have no other women artists that are good which is bull. And the only person it benefits is her. That album was 192 on Billboard when it won the ACM. It’s now 160. It’s not really platinum. Sold 500,000 (no one knows numbers. Rolling Stone couldn’t figure it out) but it’s a double album so I get it. But when you have the same artists winning all the time viewers will tune out. Ratings have dropped every year. And these awards are about what label/agency has the deepest pockets.
September 5, 2017 @ 7:41 am
I think she is a phenomenal artist and love listening to her and you think award shows are about which label/agency has deepest pockets well that’s the way it is with radio and who they okay and how it gets to number one
September 5, 2017 @ 8:41 am
Reba McEntite 1984-1987 (4)
Carrie Underwood 2006-2008, 2016 (4)
Martina McBride 1999, 2002-2004 (4)
Loretta Lynn 1967, 1972, 1973 (3)
Tammy Wynette 1968-1970 (3)
We are bitching about Lambert’s six wins, but this award has historically been predictable and non competitive. If Carrie wins this year, she’ll only be one win behind Lambert! I just don’t get the bellyaching!
September 5, 2017 @ 2:17 pm
Technically her album hasn’t sold up to 400k but I guess when streaming is factored in, it makes up the rest (highly doubt streaming is anywhere close to that though). Also by RIAA standards it’s about 6mins shy of their basic requirement of a double album being at least 100mins long
September 4, 2017 @ 5:54 pm
Unrelated to any of this, Trig, but I hope you’re going to Stubb’s to see American Aquarium tonight. Would love to read a review of the new band.
September 4, 2017 @ 10:28 pm
I don’t go to shows in Austin anymore, except in extreme cases. I can write two articles or go through 50 emails in the time it takes to find parking, only to be forced to stand for 90 minutes before the opening band starts 2 hours after the posted time. Last time I went to a show in Austin, it was the Jason Isbell show where I got kicked out after three songs. Meanwhile I got festivals owners begging to fly me across the country and put me up in a hotels so I’ll cover their event. I’ll hopefully be seeing American Aquarium in about a week or so at AmericanaFest where I can see 6-10 acts in a day and get full access to the event. It’s more convenient and efficient for me to drive 800 miles to see music than it is to walk across the street in Austin where they won’t even let me in because I have a camera. Austin is fucking itself in ways I can’t even begin to express, and whatever threads of self-dignity I may have left won’t let me put up with it.
September 7, 2017 @ 7:25 pm
That’s fair. I forgot all about the Isbell situation. Did you ever comment publicly on that?
I think I hear you about Austin. I lived down there from 2011-2013 and it was changing even in that time, from what I could tell. Texas as a whole is getting too big for its britches, if you ask me.
September 4, 2017 @ 5:56 pm
the fact that anyone outside of the industry takes these award shows seriously is cute as dammit. so a mainstream award show recognizes talent it refuses to play and this site gets excited,.? you know mtv doesn’t play videos anymore, but still hold a video award show? the times of getting a ‘best of’ trophy has gone the way of a home phone. if a nashville product wins anything, this site will rag in it, but Isbell getting thrown a bone is a big deal,.? i guess the ‘tide is turning’ crowd will buy in, but as a realist i just checked the ‘country’ top 10 and see business as usual..
September 4, 2017 @ 8:26 pm
” so a mainstream award show recognizes talent it refuses to play and this site gets excited,.?”
One of the things that’s so exciting about this is that it further isolates and exposes the country radio format as being this antiquated system that is completely out-of-touch with public sentiment and peer-level acceptance.
September 4, 2017 @ 6:25 pm
Tyler Childers and other SCM recs, and I’m good. The industry can lick itself all it wants. I don’t care. It’s a frickin soap opera on every level.
September 4, 2017 @ 6:47 pm
I absolutely think Miranda deserves every nomination this year and past, as well as she deserves to win. Some of you should get your numbers right even though actually numbers mean absolutely nothing. I’m with Sophie I’m tired of pop country and same old people and songs played all the time. Number ones mean nothing. I would name some artist but the only reason they get number ones is because of who they are not their song or music. Miranda songs and writes from the heart and people relate and that’s what it’s about. I’m not going to sit here and put Shelton or Bryan down because I’m not a fan of theirs and really wish people wouldn’t do that to a woman that carries country music and that’s Miranda. Love her and her music and the weight of these Wings and Tin Man is exceptional as album and song.
September 4, 2017 @ 7:22 pm
Garth Should get EOTY for his massive world tour, I mean his North American tour. Since he hasnt done any concerts outside USA or Canada.
September 4, 2017 @ 8:30 pm
Don’t listen to modern country anymore. I checked on youtube the “songs” and “singles” of the year. I don’t think any of these would have made Top 20 in any given week when radio played real country. Even Tin Man, which isn’t bad but just kind of there. How sad.
In contrast, I just listened to some Alice Wallace based on Trigger’s recommendation. Much better.
September 4, 2017 @ 8:42 pm
I hope that the other 4 noms in New artist of the year split their votes just badly enough that Lauren Alaina can sneak out the win..
September 5, 2017 @ 4:23 am
Miranda will win an award or two (Album & Female Vocalist). But she will not dominate.
The Breaker (LBT) & Heart Break (Lady A) nominated for AOTY?! WTF?
“Better Man” will win Single & Song. But the LBT album is a disappointment.
Not so sure about Thomas Rhett winning Male Vocalist. The current Dierks Bentley & Keith Urban albums are crap…but good selling crap with #1 radio singles.
Garth Brooks or Luke Bryan will win Entertainer.
The Horizon Awa…New Artist Award will go to Jon Pardi (or OD or Luke Combs or Boring Brett). Lauren Alaina? Maybe the Mickey Mouse Radio Disney Country Award.
Vocal Duo: Dan + Shay
Vocal Group: LBT
Music Video: LBT
Musical Event: Thomas Rhett feat. Maren Morris
Musician: Mac McAnally
What a weak year with mostly weak nominations (Thomas Rhett, OD, Lady A, LoCash, Rascal Flatts, Keith Urban, Dierks Bentley, Sam Hunt, Kelsea Ballerini, Kenny Chesney with country queen P!nk…).
Where are the successful & much better artists like Cody Jinks (I’m Not The Devil), Aaron Watson (Vaquero) & Cody Johnson (Gotta Be Me)?
The CMA should get rid of the Vocal Group & Vocal Duo Awards. One category is enough. The Musical Event…well…
It’s time for new categories: Alt-Country Artist, Americana Artist & Classic Country Artist (or a combination of artist/album). Will not happen…i know.
September 5, 2017 @ 4:27 am
I must be late to the party here but WHY in hell did Rhiannon Giddens join up with Eric Church. Also if they perform the song live will the same SJW Betonce numbnut fans claim there were no black performers on the show. LOL!
September 5, 2017 @ 5:12 am
They performed that song during last year’s CMAs.
September 5, 2017 @ 8:29 am
Yeah, they performed last year; the only black, female country music artist being represented sang with a huge mainstream name about the power of hateful words and the need more love and positivity….and all anyone talked about was Beyoncé….ugh….
September 5, 2017 @ 7:53 am
I used to care about this awards, now it’s meaningless. Regardless of how many awards Miranda wins are we really to believe her vocals and songwriting are superior to Dolly (who has only 1 award for vocals and none for songwriting). I no longer listen to country radio but even to me these nominations are repetative.
September 5, 2017 @ 9:23 am
No album beats Marty Stuart’s “Way Out West.” Which is why it “may” get a Grammy nod, and should, but nothing at CMA’s. CMA’s = Country My Anus.
September 5, 2017 @ 10:31 am
My predictions:)
Eoty. Chris Stapleton or Eric Church, *maybe* Keith Urban
Album of the year Jason Isbell
Female Vocalist Kelsea Ballerini
Male Vocalist. Keith Urban. Maybe Eric Church
Song of the year. Better Man
Single Body like a Backroad
Video of the year Better Man
Group LBT or Lady Antebellum
Duo Bros. Osbourne
New Artist. Jon Pardi
Event Kill a word
These are my predictions, but not neccessarily who I want to win. (Although YAY for Jason Isbell!)
Who I’m rooting for- Jon Pardi new artist, Jason Isbell album
September 5, 2017 @ 12:16 pm
Let’s not downplay the fact that Eric Church is releasing for free (well sort of, you need some streaming package) 122 songs that he played on his tour. In an era where everyone plays the same 22 songs in the same order to the same lights show, I hope it gets people attention just how big a tour it was. Plus, Church has actually done well with awards shows, with album wins, song wins and event wins. I think this is his year.
I also agree that Brother’s Osborne had a big summer and I think they are going to win.
September 5, 2017 @ 12:20 pm
Agree…on all accounts.
September 5, 2017 @ 3:06 pm
Trigger-
Sincere question for you, why the grudge against Keith Urban? I know his music has moved more and more into pop territory, but he does show respect and appreciation for what’s come before him. And he’s a real musician, not some pre-fabbed construct pushed out on the masses. He’s a great performer, and by all accounts a genuinely kind and humble guy who gives back. He’s not some arrogant showboat. I’m not saying you should *like* him, because if you think his music is garbage then that’s totally fair. But I don’t think he’s in the same category as someone like Sam Hunt or FGL.
September 5, 2017 @ 4:21 pm
I don’t have a grudge against Keith Urban. I have a grudge against bad music. I agree he’s a great guitar player, but good luck hearing that on his last record. If I saw him on the street I’d shake his hand, but I’m a music critic, and in my opinion, his music just isn’t that great.
September 5, 2017 @ 3:53 pm
Reba McEntire is nominated for Female Vocalist because “modern” country music simply does not have 5 major contemporary women stars – same reason Martina McBride and Patty Loveless were nominated in the past few years. A veteran usually pops up in this category.
But honestly this show is about as interesting as a infomercial to me now and with that outrageous non-tribute to the CMA’s history for last year’s 50th (I mean really – “honoring” former winners of Male and Female vocalist get an invite and sit in the audience, forget about participating in the show!!!) I care about these awards no more than the MTV ones.
September 5, 2017 @ 10:07 pm
Speaking for myself,I will pass on the CMA awards.
September 6, 2017 @ 11:01 pm
Trig I know you’re just calling it like it will probably end up, but on this planet or any other I cannot comprehend how Thomas Rhett could win the Vocalist category over Chris Stapleton. Sweet Jesus what is wrong with this country.