Perfunctory Post on the 2018 ACM Awards Nominations (Predictions and Whatnot)
So here we are once again staring at a list of the nominees for the ACM Awards, with few surprises, lots of predictable stuff, and finding ourselves full of self-reflection on if we should even care about the annual country music gala that is most susceptible to bloc voting and horse trading to the point where the impact of the outcome is menial. But here we are so let’s slog through this stuff.
As always, most of the nominations are sucked up by a few select names, but even more so this year. Chris Stapleton has a total of eight nominations, and rest assured, he’s likely to have another big night. Thomas Rhett—who’s been an ACM favorite—has six nominations. Keith Urban somehow has five nominations, though don’t be surprised if he doesn’t win anything. And Miranda Lambert has four nominations, and be thoroughly surprised if she doesn’t win Female Vocalist of the Year. Again.
Midland and Sam Hunt both received three nominations, both of whom are products of the Shane McAnally hit factory. In fact McAnally has five total nominations himself as a non performer, telling you just how few hands actually touch popular country music these days.
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Everybody has a chance here except Keith Urban. Garth’s got the touring numbers, which in recent history has been what predicts the winner. But Aldean is an ACM favorite, and Bryan still is the biggest thing in country at the moment. Stapleton’s a dark horse. Folks sure love to vote for him when his name shows up on a ballot, so don’t count him completely out.
Once again there are no ladies. Since Urban has no chance anyway, why not hand a nomination to Miranda?
• Jason Aldean
• Garth Brooks
• Luke Bryan
• Chris Stapleton
• Keith Urban
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Embarrassing Carrie, Miranda, and Queen Reba have to even be considered in the same category as Kelsea and Maren Morris. Miranda is the shoo-in, but keep Maren Morris as a dark horse. People love to dote on her, so if they’re looking to break Miranda’s streak, that may be where they go. Carrie will win this next year to coincide with a new album.
• Kelsea Ballerini
• Miranda Lambert
• Reba McEntire
• Maren Morris
• Carrie Underwood
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Stapleton probably wins, but it may be a dog fight with Thomas Rhett. ACM’s love Thomas, and it’s also the awards show Big Machine most has its mandibles in. That’s how Midland walked away with three noms.
• Jason Aldean
• Thomas Rhett
• Chris Stapleton
• Keith Urban
• Chris Young
VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Brothers Osborne is the hot hand for this right now. People are done with Florida Georgia Line. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill—that’s a lot of star power together. Even though their record was a flop, a lot of folks will want to vote for them. Besides, Brothers Osborne do a lot better as underdogs than front runners.
• Brothers Osborne
• Dan + Shay
• Florida Georgia Line
• LOCASH
• Tim McGraw & Faith Hill
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Awards shows love them some Little Big Town for whatever reason. Midland would be your dark horse, but with an nomination for NEW Vocal Group of the Year, voters will likely give them the nod for that, and leave this for Little Big Town.
• Lady Antebellum
• LANCO
• Little Big Town
• Midland
• Old Dominion
NEW FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Only four nominations, when the new males get five. See, this is how country music systematically takes away opportunities from women. You couldn’t come up with one more name? Margo Price? Ashley McBryde? Caitlyn Smith? Come on people.
Raelynn had a Top 40 hit six years ago. She had a Top 10 hit four years ago. New?
• Lauren Alaina
• Danielle Bradbery
• Carly Pearce
• Raelynn
NEW MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
No, no, no, no, and no. Both Kane Brown and Brett Young were also nominated for this last year. Root for Luke Combs, I guess?
• Kane Brown
• Luke Combs
• Devin Dawson
• Russell Dickerson
• Brett Young
NEW VOCAL DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
MIdland will run away with this. Dark Horse: Lanco.
• High Valley
• LANCO
• LOCASH
• Midland
• Runaway June
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Yeah, of course Chris Stapleton wins this. Interesting to see Jon Pardi’s California Sunrise get a nomination as well. Just another notch on his belt to making him a bona fide headliner star in country. NO clue how Old Dominion sneaks in here. Some payoff for Sane McAnally, perhaps. What a weak field, though. Think of all your favorite records from 2017, and then think if you had to stare at this as the best of what you had to choose from to listen to.
• Breaker – Little Big Town
Producer: Jay Joyce
• California Sunrise – Jon Pardi
Producers: Bart Butler, Jon Pardi
• From A Room Vol. 1 – Chris Stapleton
Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton
• Happy Endings – Old Dominion
Producer: Shane McAnally
• Life Changes – Thomas Rhett
Producers: Julian Bunetta, Jesse Frasure, Dann Huff, Joe London, Thomas Rhett
SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR
Interesting field. Since “Body Like a Backroad” got snubbed at the CMAs, it makes it hard to pick it here. But it still has to be considered a front runner. We know awards shows love to vote for Stapleton, and I could see “Drinkin’ Problem” sneaking up and winning this too. Again, Big Machine tends to do well come ACM time. So does Little Big Town. Only Blake Shelton can be counted out. This will be interesting.
• Better Man – Little Big Town
• Body Like A Back Road – Sam Hunt
• Broken Halos – Chris Stapleton
• Drinkin’ Problem – Midland
• I’ll Name The Dogs – Blake Shelton
SONG OF THE YEAR
Why only four songs? Shows how weak the field is, I guess. “Whiskey and You” from Stapleton is an excellent song, possibly his best from his first three records. But why? “Body Like a Backroad” won’t win here. If it wins, it will be for Single of the Year. “Female” is awful, but you know how voters like to make social statements with Song of the Year.
• Body Like a Back Road – Sam Hunt
Songwriters: Zach Crowell, Sam Hunt, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne
• Female – Keith Urban
Songwriters: Ross Copperman, Nicolle Galyon and Shane McAnally
• Tin Man – Miranda Lambert
Songwriters: Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall
• Whiskey And You – Chris Stapleton
Songwriters: Lee Thomas Miller, Chris Stapleton
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
• Black – Dierks Bentley
• It Ain’t My Fault – Brothers Osborne
• Legends – Kelsea Ballerini
• Marry Me – Thomas Rhett
• We Should Be Friends – Miranda Lambert
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
• Rhett Akins
• Ashley Gorley
• Hillary Lindsey
• Shane McAnally
• Josh Osborne
VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
• Craving You – Thomas Rhett Featuring Maren Morris
• Dear Hate – Maren Morris featuring Vince Gill
• Funny (How Time Slips Away) – Glen Campbell And Willie Nelson
• The Fighter – Keith Urban featuring Carrie Underwood
• What Ifs – Kane Brown Featuring Lauren Alaina
March 1, 2018 @ 11:39 am
Not sure what date the show is, but I’m glad I will be too busy that night to watch.
March 1, 2018 @ 11:41 am
What fucking year is this for?
Whiskey and You??? From the 2015 album Traveller? WTF?? Are we sure that’s not a nomination for Either Way???
California Sunrise – Jon Pardi … was released in 2016
The New Male Vocalist category …. we’ve been bitching about these turds for years.
I don’t get any of these nominees. They are like one of those NOW THAT”S WHAT I CALL SHIT MUSIC compilations.
March 1, 2018 @ 1:59 pm
No clue where the “Whiskey and You” nomination came from. Completely stupefying. But it’s a great song, so I’m inclined not to complain too loud.
March 1, 2018 @ 2:28 pm
Well somebody must have been pushing it for consideration for some reason.
Yet another weird aspect of the Stapleton phenomenon is how he has totally blown up the album cycle way of doing things. He has a top five radio single right now off of his previous album and no single from his current one and he is getting awards nominations off of his third most recent release. I guess it’s all working but it’s a little confusing.
March 1, 2018 @ 10:03 pm
I keep waiting to hear some kind of correction like at the Oscars that tells us it should have been Either Way that got nominated.
March 1, 2018 @ 2:23 pm
What’s even more preposterous is that it’s in the “song” category – and it was actually first released by Tim McGraw in…wait for it…2007.
I know that the ACMs are not as aggressive about treating this as a “songwriting award” as the Grammys (the “artist” is considered one the nominees even if they don’t have a writing credit), but this still feels outrageous.
March 3, 2018 @ 10:33 am
But wait! Whiskey and You came out (here in Texas at least) in 2013 by Chapter 11 – Whiskey & You (feat. Aubrey Lynn England). And if you haven’t heard this version – it’s as good as any of them. So it’s really a mystery as to why it’s just now being nominated as song of the year! WHAT YEAR???
March 1, 2018 @ 11:42 am
Why a song based on commercial merit like Body Like a Backroad and 4 year old song like Whiskey and You get thrown into the Song of The Year category just blows my mind. Even if you are just trying to fill the ballot there are plenty of other options out there.
March 1, 2018 @ 11:49 am
I was bewildered to see “Whiskey and You” get a nomination. It was released in 2015 and was NEVER a single. Why not Either Way or Broken Halos?
ACM’s are very strange.
Old Dominion for Album of the Year? Let’s be honest, nobody listened to their WHOLE album, it is that irrelevant.
March 1, 2018 @ 11:50 am
Another Miranda show i’m sure. She definitely deserved the win last year but it increasingly becomes difficult to root for her wins when she receives them during her “in between” years as well. Where is Kacey? Margo? Ashley? Can’t wait for the performer list too, 90% will be male. These shows get worse every year.
March 1, 2018 @ 11:53 am
Kacey, Ashley and Margo are “in between” years as well. Only Kelsea isn’t, but I’d rather see Miranda win for the 100th time than her.
March 1, 2018 @ 12:35 pm
or better yet females perform half a song or collaborate with a pop singer
March 1, 2018 @ 8:57 pm
I love Kacey and Ashley. I wonder why they are always overlooked, especially Ashley. In my opinion, she is the best modern country singer/songwriter.
March 2, 2018 @ 3:59 pm
Ashley is so good. She should perform at the ACMs. Ashley needs to be promoted. She did sign to WMN so it’s good she has a major label behind her.
March 1, 2018 @ 11:53 am
oh look at that. another shitty awards show I don’t care about unless Stapleton wins it all again.
it’s sad how Country Music did a nosedive these last few months.
wait, no it didn’t. Country Music is growing. it’s the music industry that’s doing a nosedive and these meatheads are the proof? Brothers Osborne? Seriously? was it so hard to find talented people that this was the best they came up with? it’s like the industry wanted to push talent but they decided talent doesn’t sell so they picked a bad karaoke team with these two. Maren Morris is a traitor and a leech, about the only talented person here is Stapleton.
Jon Pardi is sort of like Country Music watered down, or like a La Croix water. it’s not bad nor particularly un country, but it’s sort of like a barrel of water than an apple fell into and calling it juice. there’s hardly any flavor.
Little Big Town need to go back to the Disney Channel where they belong.
LOCASH need to go get together with Dallas Davidson and become a display at the museum of trashy white dudes.
Kelsea Ballerini should probably go do the voice acting for My Little Pony cartoons
And who are the new female nominees? are they even singers? has anyone ever heard of them? or did they just need candidates so they threw out tickets like Kappa Mikey and just let contest winners show up?
Lady Antebellum should have stopped being relevant in 2010. what’s keeping them alive? or are there a bunch of people buying the same albums over and over to make Lady A. look cool?
Kane Brown… can sing surprisingly well and does some good classic country covers and we need to rescue him from the influence of the great deceiver Sam Hunt.
Luke Bryan is a grown man in his forties in lady pants rapping about spring break, I don’t even have an insult for that because the truth is insulting enough.
March 1, 2018 @ 3:25 pm
fuzz u ole good time scum bag lil big town is like the abba of cuntry music n yur beluved chirs stapaldan wudnt evan be no body if not for luke brian doin is song n haven eem in his video n I want to say now the cowboys are goin all the way next yeer
March 2, 2018 @ 7:28 am
is it just me ….or is L’il Dale getting taller …??
March 1, 2018 @ 5:27 pm
Brothers Osborne are legit. They’re not all that country but TJ has a really good voice and John can shred on guitar. They are great live. I like Pardi too, at least he has fiddle and steel in most of his songs.
March 1, 2018 @ 8:51 pm
I love Brothers Osborne. They are not country at all, but they deserve some credit for making good and interesting music. I can understand why some may not like them, but everyone can agree they are better than FGL.
And Jon Pardi is legit. She Ain’t In It is incredible, and it is sad that it seems as if radio isn’t taking this song as seriously as it should be. If they can play that lame-ass Hurricane song three million times (same also goes for the ever-so-boring In Case You Didn’t Know) and godforsaken Body Like A Backroad half a trillion times, they can play She Ain’t In It at least once, for Pete’s sake.
March 1, 2018 @ 8:53 pm
I totally respect your opinion, Fuzzy, but to me, Kane Brown is the flattest singer I have ever heard. He cannot carry a tune, and his voice is almost grating to listen to. No thanks.
LOL at LoTrash and Dallas Davidson though. That was funny.
March 2, 2018 @ 9:23 am
Hey Fuzzy, you are nauseating and so full of hate. All of the artists that you are ripping apart have more talent than you could ever have. Why don’t you come up with a song and let us hate back. Excuse me, I’m going to go vomit.
March 2, 2018 @ 6:33 pm
Uh…. dude. I teach a class at a music festival. I don’t even use autotune! XP. I think this is the wrong website for you. you might be happier over on Youtube where everyone else uses punctuation as improperly as you do.
March 2, 2018 @ 6:38 pm
This website is for everyone.
March 4, 2018 @ 12:00 pm
aint fur Lil Dale u sensor evry damm thing I say
March 4, 2018 @ 12:03 pm
The ‘C’ word always gets censored. You think you would have learned that by now.
March 4, 2018 @ 12:17 pm
never had lessen I ever lurned
March 1, 2018 @ 11:57 am
Checked out LOCASH and LANCO and found out they’re the exact same bullsh#@ LOL
March 1, 2018 @ 12:00 pm
Who cares?
March 1, 2018 @ 12:01 pm
I was going to say, isn’t this the same list of nominees from last year?! Why bother/ I love Chris and Miranda, but they haven’t included anyone new it seems.
March 1, 2018 @ 12:44 pm
Only 4 nominees for female new artists and one is recycled from last year, Lauren Alaina. How many years is she going to be new?
March 1, 2018 @ 1:06 pm
Why no Eric church for entertainer or male vocalist?
March 1, 2018 @ 1:10 pm
There is no way stapeltons whiskey and you should have been nominated. Cmon !! Just nominating him to be nominating someone is ridiculous. Tin Man is the best song in that category hands down. And I actually do think Miranda deserves what she gets nominated for and honestly should have got a nod for Entertainer..
March 2, 2018 @ 11:28 am
Nope. Don’t agree with you about Tin Man. Didn’t like it and obviously I am not alone cause it was not even close to a #1 hit single. So many better country songs that should have been nominated .
March 2, 2018 @ 3:41 pm
Every song doesn’t have to be a number one song to be good. Lord knows the number one singles that got to that status are not even close to good songs. Watch concert video I would say a lot of people love that song. I certainly don’t base good music by country radio number ones that’s for sure
March 1, 2018 @ 1:36 pm
Reminds me of last year when Die a Happy Man won song of the year after winning single the previous year.
Besides what the difference between ACM and CMA, cause the only difference I see (not really) is that they are anagrams
March 2, 2018 @ 12:35 am
And Justin Moore won “New Artist of the Year” a few years back while being completely ineligible. Why even have bylaws?
March 1, 2018 @ 1:51 pm
I ain’t gonna watch this bullshit. Excluding Stapleton, what a weak fucking awards show.
March 1, 2018 @ 1:56 pm
I never cease to be amazed at how they define ‘new’.
I mean doesn’t logic tell you that you can only be ‘new’ once?
March 1, 2018 @ 2:05 pm
Serious question-Whiskey & You is one of my FAV songs by Stapleton but it’s from Traveller? How is it eligible?
Would have loved seeing Natalie Hemby, Angaleena Presley etc for noms. The continuing absence of an Eric Church Entertainer nom is crazy. Miranda was also everywhere last year & should have gotten an EOTY nom.
So glad no Luke/Dierks hosting. Wish they would have gotten some new blood but Reba is usually fun.
March 1, 2018 @ 2:25 pm
I miss Merle.
March 1, 2018 @ 3:26 pm
Same here.
March 1, 2018 @ 2:29 pm
McGraw – Hill record a flop? It’s #17 on the Billboard Country album chart. Maybe not a blockbuster, but that’s low even for you, Trigger.
March 2, 2018 @ 10:23 am
With those two names attached to it, 17 on the Billboard Country album chart means very little.
March 1, 2018 @ 2:44 pm
I am sick of Miranda already. Just the automatic go-to for a token award for the female gender. No doubt Maren will take over this position now.
March 2, 2018 @ 3:43 pm
Every song doesn’t have to be a number one song to be good. Lord knows the number one singles that got to that status are not even close to good songs. Watch concert video I would say a lot of people love that song. I certainly don’t base good music by country radio number ones that’s for sure
March 2, 2018 @ 3:44 pm
Never sick of Miranda. True country artist..
March 1, 2018 @ 2:46 pm
I like Stapleton, but come on, isn’t anyone else sick of him winning everything by now? Obviously he’s better than most of this garbage, but his wins are becoming token and predictable. And the nomination of “Whiskey and You” is absolutely ridiculous.
March 3, 2018 @ 6:35 am
I am not a Chris fan but go look at itunes on all the charts. All you see is Chris. He’s popular so he deserves to win. Unlike some others that win and aren’t that popular but their label (Sony) pays for her awards.
March 1, 2018 @ 3:16 pm
What a fine list the ACM put together.
Old songs, not so new new artist nominees, Keith Urban, Sam Hunt, Shane McAnally, Ross Copperman, Lady A, Lanco & LoTrash.
I need a drink. Now.
March 1, 2018 @ 3:22 pm
Trigger, will you be doing a story on Chris Stapleton’s single “Broken Halos” being in the Top 3 of the Billboard Country Airplay chart? Hoping maybe this will be the beginning of radio starting to truly play Chris from here onward?
March 1, 2018 @ 4:46 pm
I may.
March 1, 2018 @ 3:52 pm
Pretty much shite from top to bottom.
March 1, 2018 @ 4:23 pm
Can’t believe Act Naturally wasn’t nominated. 1963’s not that long ago.
March 1, 2018 @ 8:33 pm
Or that Achy Breaky Pelvis tune.
March 1, 2018 @ 4:27 pm
I must not like Country Music, cause there’s not a single artist at these awards that I listen to.
March 1, 2018 @ 5:23 pm
Instead of watching that,I will dig out an old Wilburn Brothers DVD with Loretta & Ernest Tubb.I will watch that instead.
March 1, 2018 @ 7:49 pm
watch out! when you make a comment around here about not listening to the SCM critical darlings like Musgraves and Miranda and instead mention actual Country Music you get a bad reputation! I know from experience!
March 2, 2018 @ 8:42 am
I don’t care.
March 2, 2018 @ 8:47 am
Loretta will forever be my. no 1 favorite singer,and I will make no apology to no one for that!
March 1, 2018 @ 5:24 pm
My old mother told me tonight, “I like Chris Stapleton, but he needs a good scrubbin’.” 😛
March 1, 2018 @ 5:31 pm
I am glad to not be the only one confused about the “Whiskey and You” nomination. I hate to tell the Academy, but that song was two albums ago, released in 2015 and not a single.
Which begs my next question? Who is the Academy of Country Music? Are they based in LA or West Coast? It appears they do not know the first thing about country music except it draws a large audience for concerts and awards.
I champion all women singers that get nominated, whether I like their music or not. The road is too tough for women on radio and shouldn’t be. I would rather hear Ashley McBride, Lindsey Ell and several other new females than half the crap on radio. If the academy didn’t want to create a stir, why did they only nominate four women in the New Female list? Doesn’t that send a message how many women are being ignored? I thought we were moving forward after the tomato-gate a few years back.
The Female Vocalist category is sad too. Carrie has only appeared on the duet with Keith Urban. Miranda has struggled with every single from her new album. Kelsea might have some momentum with “Legends” going to number one last week. Maren has taken a pop turn and her music seems ancient (Has it only bee two “My Church?”) Her new single, “Rich” will be lucky to crack the Top 15. No offense to Reba, but why is she on this list? Wasn’t “Back to God” more than a year ago? Where is Lauren Alaina? That would make more sense since “A Road Less Traveled” at least was a radio favorite last summer.
I was surprised only four songs made Song of the Year. It is all subjective, but where are “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” “It Ain’t My Fault” “A Road Less Traveled” and “Greatest Love Story.” I could see any of these songs filling the fifth spot if you are going to have something between “Body Like a Back Road” and “Whiskey and You.”
As mentioned, I love Reba as much as any 90s country lover. She seems to have added her name to the Mount Rushmore of Country Women with Tammy, Patsy, Loretta and Dolly. But why bring her back as the host? How about grooming someone new for the show? Since Reba is hosting, why not let her share the duties with a more current big name and a new artist? Reba/Dierks/Kelsea could have been something different.
March 1, 2018 @ 9:23 pm
Scotty’s Five More Minutes ! 1 last week, certified gold and almost platinum should have had the 5th place.
March 2, 2018 @ 5:46 am
The “new “female category makes no sense as half of those females listed are not new to their careers. They should have just been in the favorite female category. The Grammys no longer even bother with separate male/female categories. ACMs should do the same. The favorite song category is a total mess. Chris should win it just cause that song is the only one that makes any sense to be nominated. The rest are awful .
March 2, 2018 @ 3:46 pm
Please stop thinking some of the greatest music has to be chart toppers played by country radio. That’s a joke
March 2, 2018 @ 7:25 pm
Who says I think that way? I would love to see Ashley McBride and Anderson East on radio. But, until you show me an award show that doesn’t stress the importance of being on radio, I will continue to think it.
March 3, 2018 @ 8:25 am
That’s because they play the same people same songs all the time. I get your point , I really do. If Luke or Blake and I will go as far as Carrie put gravel in their mouth and hum a song country radio is goi g to play it..
March 1, 2018 @ 5:50 pm
Wow . There aren’t 3 ‘country ” artists in all of those nominations I really care about …musically , at least .
Its just so sad for all of the REAL artists who aren’t even on the award show radar .
March 1, 2018 @ 6:33 pm
They can at least attempt to save face by giving Chris Stapleton the award for every single category he’s nominated for. He is literally the only one I would pay to listen to.
With that said, is it possible for Chris to stand up there and sing the entire show? Because that’s about the only way it’d be worth my time.
March 1, 2018 @ 7:13 pm
As long as Miranda Lambert doesn’t win anything I don’t really care who wins. Miranda wasn’t nominated for EOTY cause she didn’t deserve it. Come on she’s won way too much in the past. She’s not that good. Even though she didn’t tour this year Carrie is the female that deserves EOTY. Given his record sales, ticket sales, and overall popularity Chris Stapleton should win big. I am not that much of a fan of his but based on the year he’s had he deserves it.
August 28, 2018 @ 2:06 pm
Carrie doesn’t deserve the award! All she does now is yell. We don’t give awards for facelifts. Miranda should have been nominated for EOTY. She tours constantly. Just because you don’t like her doesn’t mean she doesn’t deserve it. Plenty of us love her and her music. I’m tired of women not being treated fairly. 90% male on radio played.
March 1, 2018 @ 7:54 pm
Carrie released her last album October 2015, why is she even nominated again?
March 4, 2018 @ 1:24 pm
Because she broker her face and its the year (just like every other year) of sisterhood and empowerment.
March 1, 2018 @ 8:29 pm
Eh, these nominations are a little underwhelming. I actually just stopped by to see if Trigger had weighed in on the CMA / Mike Huckabee $hitstorm… Guess I’ll check back tomorrow.
March 2, 2018 @ 2:48 pm
Yeah… same reason i came here man. Haha.
March 1, 2018 @ 8:40 pm
I was actually more excited about the news of the new Ashley Monroe album than the ACM awards, but it is really cool see Jon Pardi nominated for Album of the Year ????
March 1, 2018 @ 8:44 pm
Just like “where’s the beef” in the 1980s, “where’s the country” now?
March 1, 2018 @ 8:47 pm
Well, it ain’t on the radee-i-o
March 1, 2018 @ 8:47 pm
The new male category sucks. If the ACMs can nominate Brett Young and Kane Brown two years in a row, why not nominate Jon Pardi? He is a way better choice than the rest of those clowns. And She Ain’t In It is a fantastic song. And where in the hell is William Michael Morgan? Also a way better choice than those five clowns.
March 1, 2018 @ 9:55 pm
What the hell is a LOCASH?
March 2, 2018 @ 9:57 am
Yiddish, i think
March 2, 2018 @ 10:18 am
Yes. On the C, it’s best that you have a little phlegm at the back of your throat when you’re saying it. That’s if you care about things like correct pronunciation.
March 2, 2018 @ 3:01 pm
It’s LoTrash.
March 1, 2018 @ 11:28 pm
My god, what a lame ass mess. Some hacker needs to hijack the broadcast stream and replace it with some live footage of Sarah Shook, Dillon Carmichael, and the Turnpike Troubadours.
March 3, 2018 @ 5:48 pm
Too many “I love country radio!” fans would die of shock.
March 1, 2018 @ 11:57 pm
No love for recent Country’ish efforts by Justin, P!nk, Miley, Gaga and Kesha means Pop can go back to ignoring/looking down on Country again, just like the last time, when the genres crossed paths way back in the 2000’s with that Madonna hit, “Don’t Tell Me.”
This show’s lacking in new faces. Don’t know how many times the Academy expect their audience to tune in to watch the same performers mugging for their 2-second cutaway shots. Did no new acts break last year? They could promote this as “Country music’s most uneventful event of the year!”
March 2, 2018 @ 5:09 am
May I ask why you feel Blake Shelton I’ll Name The Dogs doesn’t have a chance? It’s a really good song.
March 2, 2018 @ 10:25 am
That assessment is not a knock on the song. It’s just in that category with those other names and songs, it just will not be able to garner the votes to win. That’s my assessment.
March 2, 2018 @ 10:37 am
Thanks, I was just curious, I didn’t think it was a knock on the song.
March 2, 2018 @ 10:32 am
I agree with you Kelly. I think Blake’s INTD is just as good if not better than any of those other songs nominated. He deserves EOTY too as he is outstanding live in concert. Blake’s new song I Lived It is very good. A very country song with a nostalgic feel to it.
March 2, 2018 @ 10:38 am
I do agree with Trigger that it won’t win. He’s absolutely right. I don’t agree with it but it’s he politics of awards shows in play. At least Blake got one nomination.
Hopefully next year for I Lived It.
March 3, 2018 @ 7:38 pm
Blake doesn’t write music anymore, if he ever did. Therefore, his portfolio will always be half empty..Maybe he just hasn’t got the talent. There is much admiration for the singer/songwriter type these days.
I went to his concert and he dragged his no talent bimbo up to ‘sing’ their duet. She was so bad she even made him sound bad..It only proves that he has a tin ear and no ability to be embarrassed, and he should have been. People don’t pay to see absolute crap, no matter how big he has become.
April 13, 2018 @ 9:59 pm
So nice to see women supporting women. His “bimbo” who sold 30m albums and is beloved worldwide. I did see her perform with him. Audience loved it. And considering all his concerts were sold out I guess people did pay for “that crap”. There is no reason to be nasty to his partner. Ah Country fans at their best. You sod.
March 2, 2018 @ 7:34 am
”This show’s lacking in new faces…… Did no new acts break last year? They could promote this as “Country music’s most uneventful event of the year!”
Or just re-run last year’s show …or the year before that …or before that ….
So many great new acts around who get NO love whatsoever
March 2, 2018 @ 9:24 am
On a happier note, per the St. Louis Post Dispatch “Embattled IHeartMedia is circulating documents for a bankruptcy filing that could come as soon as this weekend for the biggest U.S. radio broadcaster”.
March 2, 2018 @ 9:30 am
I know I’m the only one on here but even though Chris wrote it and recorded Whiskey And You first. I think Aaron Lewis’ version is better in my opinion. It’s just so haunting, and he captures the “down and out” feel of the song more even more than the man that wrote it’s little acoustic version. And no it should not be eligible for any awards 3 years later. As we all know……..there are no rules in Country Music
March 2, 2018 @ 10:15 am
i hope the Colonel wins Female vocalist of the year. those KFC commercials are gems
https://ispot.tv/a/wJoh
“two pieces of chickennnn chickennnn”
March 2, 2018 @ 10:30 am
The eligibility period was November 26, 2016 to December 31, 2017. “Either Way” peaked on Hot Country Songs at #17 on May 27, 2017 which is why it is eligible.
“Any single record released and achieving a Top 20 charted position on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs or Country Aircheck (Mediabase) country charts during the eligibility period is eligible. If the single was released prior to the eligibility period, but achieved its highest Top 20 charted position during the eligibility period, it is eligible unless it has appeared on a final ACM ballot in this category.”
March 2, 2018 @ 10:35 am
Well hell, after all of that I looked at the wrong category. Song of the year is similar though and still eligible according to the eligibility rules. “Any song released reaching its highest charted position on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs or Country Aircheck (Mediabase) country charts, during
the eligibility period is eligible. If the song was released prior to the eligibility period, but achieved its highest charted position during the eligibility period, it is eligible, unless it has appeared on a final ACM ballot in this category.”
March 2, 2018 @ 3:05 pm
Trig you can delete this. I clearly shouldn’t have been multitasking earlier today. For some reason I had Either Way on my mind when I went to look at the chart data and not Whiskey and You.
March 3, 2018 @ 8:48 am
I kind of like it actually. Gives people context so they don’t have to go and do the reserch themselves.
March 2, 2018 @ 10:38 am
That’s a long list of a bunch of losers!
March 2, 2018 @ 10:40 am
In regards to the “New Female Artist” category, the eligibility rules explain why there’s only 4. I don’t think any of the artists you mentioned (as great as they are) would meet the eligibility requirements.
“This award is presented to an outstanding individual vocalist in the country music industry who gains either initial fame or significantly greater recognition, through efforts surrounding the promotion of a debut or sophomore album, during the eligibility period.
The artist must have success in digital media; in addition to having charted a single record in the Top 40 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs or Country Aircheck (Mediabase) country charts; and/or selling 100,000 album units reflected in Nielsen SoundScan during the eligibility period.”
I don’t think any of them have a top 40 song or sold 100,000 albums during the eligibility period. It’s easy to get 5 guys that are eligible when country radio continues to hand out top 5 singles to any guy a label throws their way. I’m surprised they could even find 4 women that met that criteria.
March 2, 2018 @ 10:41 am
On another note, would that category even have 4 without On The Verge helping with charting position?
March 4, 2018 @ 4:26 am
Why was Glen Campbell and Willie Nelsons version of “Funny (how time slips away)” nominated for vocal event of the year. This song was originally released as a single by Billy Walker in 1961. Glen and Willies version wasn’t even released to the radio. Glad to see we are nominating cover songs now. Why not nominate Chris young and Vince Gills single “Sober Saturday Night”. This song actually went to #1 on the radio during the eligibility period.
April 15, 2018 @ 7:44 pm
Miranda Lamberts so g Tin Man is a regurgitated version of Kenny Chesneys song and didn’t even make it that far. Why is it winning awards? No respect for ACM