Wait, The 2021 CMA Awards Announced Their Nominees?

lol, wut? The 2021 CMA Award nominations were announced this morning? Did anyone have this on their calendar? No Robin Roberts pulling envelopes out of Dan + Shay’s seersucker jackets to reveal the nominees live on television? No Hoda Kotb mispronouncing the names for Vocal Event of the Year?
I guess the CMAs have truly turtled to the white women on Twitter indoctrinated at University who are simply using the institution of country music as a vehicle to renounce their “whiteness” and work towards tenure. The CMAs now see even the release of their nominations as an attack vector, and are basically just trying to get it over with. Oh how the great American awards show has fallen.
But you do have to give props to Ashley McBryde for scoring three deserved nominations, despite radio paying scant attention to her. Carly Pearce also picks up a couple of big nominations. The 2021 CMA Awards will be on November 10th on ABC. Here’s a run down.
Entertainer Of The Year
As it feels like we’ve been saying for a couple of years now, Luke Combs should win this. He is the biggest artist in country music at the moment and has been for a while, aside from the mulleted one. Chris Stapleton probably deserves this at some point too, so it could be his year. Church is the reining EOTY, but his recent triple album barely raised a whimper. You never can count out the ladies, but they’re both kind of out of their album cycles, though Carrie had a massive Christmas and Gospel record, so if it is one or the other, it would be her.
Eric Church
Luke Combs – WINNER
Miranda Lambert
Chris Stapleton – Other Potential Winner
Carrie Underwood – Other Potential Winner
Album Of The Year
Alright, lots to say here. First, cool the see the Carly Pearce selection, but it was an EP, and she’s about to release the LP, so this just feels awkward. The Brothers Osborne album wasn’t only not country and not good, it was a commercial flop. It doesn’t deserve a nomination on any grounds, and we all know why it got one.
Did they play eenie meenie to choose what Eric Church album to nominate from the three album set? And of course, let’s all clutch our pearls that Morgan Wallen received a nomination for the biggest album to be released in the last many years. Go ahead and write seven more think pieces about it. I’m sure this time it will put a stop to all this, as opposed to helping to fuel the backlash that has ensconced this bloated album at the top of the charts for years to come.
This feels like a disjointed field with issues for all the nominees aside from Chris Stapleton.
29 – Carly Pearce
Dangerous: The Double Album – Morgan Wallen
Heart – Eric Church
Skeletons – Brothers Osborne
Starting Over – Chris Stapleton – WINNER
Female Vocalist Of The Year
Good to see some fresh blood here. Don’t get your hopes up that Ashley McBryde or Carly Pearce will win. It is cool to see them here, but this will be a race between the two ladies from Texas. “But how does Carrie not get nominated when she was nominated for Entertainer?” Ha! Quit trying to make any logical sense. This is the CMA Awards we’re talking about.
Gabby Barrett
Miranda Lambert – Potential Winner
Ashley McBryde
Maren Morris – Potential Winner
Carly Pearce
Male Vocalist Of The Year
It’s very likely Luke’s to lose, but we know how much the CMAs fawn over Stapleton. Big Machine will save their bloc votes behind Thomas Rhett for the ACMs.
Dierks Bentley
Eric Church
Luke Combs – WINNER
Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton – Other Potential Winner
Vocal Group Of The Year
Kill me now. Midland is who you have to root for, but for some unusual reason, Old Dominion seems to be cemented in this spot. “But Trig, have you heard the new Zac Brown stuff ?!? He’s back!” Yeah, been fooled before. Still waiting and seeing ’till we hear the whole record.
Lady A
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion – WINNER
Zac Brown Band
Vocal Duo Of The Year
You get excited each year by seeing Brooks & Dunn and Maddie & Tae in this category, but this is only due to the CMA needing to fill this weak category out with warm bodies. It’s Dan + Shay’s to lose, with Brothers Osborne as the other potential winner … because well, you know.
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne – Other Potential Winner
Dan + Shay – WINNER
Florida Georgia Line
Maddie & Tae
New Artist Of The Year
It’s not just incorrect, it’s insulting to call Mickey Guyton a “New Artist,” and it will be even more insulting to her if she wins. In fact, none of these names should qualify. But do you really think voters are going to look at this and vote Hardy? Of course not. You get this ballot, and you do what you know will make Twitter happy so hopefully the larpers leave us along for a few weeks (Spoiler alert: they won’t).
Jimmie Allen
Ingrid Andress
Gabby Barrett
Mickey Guyton – WINNER
Hardy
Musician Of The Year
Jenee Fleenor – Fiddle
Paul Franklin – Steel Guitar
Aaron Sterling – Drums
Ilya Toshinskiy – Banjo
Derek Wells – Guitar
Single Of The Year
Again these song awards really illustrate the depravity of today’s mainstream country music. Regardless of your taste, do any of these selections feel like iconic, defining songs of an era? Imagine a music world where these songs defined the best to be offered.
“Famous Friends” – Chris Young with Kane Brown
“The Good Ones” – Gabby Barrett
“Hell Of A View” – Eric Church
“One Night Standards” – Ashley McBryde
“Starting Over” – Chris Stapleton
Song Of The Year (Award goes to Songwriter(s))
And here we see they can’t even delineate between what a Single of the Year and Song of the Year is supposed to be. It’s not that any of these songs are “bad.” But are you really going to award one of these songs in a category that counts songs like “Sunday Morning Coming Down,” “Behind Closed Doors,” “In Color” and “The House That Built Me” as alumni?
“Forever After All”
– Songwriters: Luke Combs, Drew Parker, Robert Williford
“The Good Ones”
– Songwriters: Gabby Barrett, Zach Kale, Emily Landis, Jim McCormick
“Hell Of A View”
– Songwriters: Casey Beathard, Eric Church, Monty Criswell
“One Night Standards”
– Songwriters: Nicolette Hayford, Shane McAnally, Ashley McBryde
“Starting Over”
– Songwriters: Mike Henderson, Chris Stapleton
Musical Event Of The Year
Yikes.
“Buy Dirt” – Jordan Davis and Luke Bryan
“Chasing After You” – Ryan Hurd with Maren Morris
“Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)” – Elle King & Miranda Lambert
“Famous Friends” – Chris Young with Kane Brown
“Half Of My Hometown” – Kelsea Ballerini (featuring Kenny Chesney)
Music Video Of The Year
Yawn.
“Chasing After You” – Ryan Hurd with Maren Morris
“Famous Friends” – Chris Young with Kane Brown
“Gone” – Dierks Bentley
“Half Of My Hometown” – Kelsea Ballerini (featuring Kenny Chesney)
“Younger Me” – Brothers Osborne
September 9, 2021 @ 11:19 am
The CMA should be ashamed, not because of some “wokeness” as you claim, but because “country music” these days sucks. There’s not a single song or album (and maybe only two artists) on this list that I’d care to listen to. It’s awful.
September 9, 2021 @ 11:26 am
Yea, the general sentiment behind these awards now are just “we’re here…I guess”.
September 9, 2021 @ 11:27 am
Not surprisingly, the CMA Nominations completely shut out Alan Jackson. His album should be an Album of the Year nominee, not even a debate. I do agree feels kind of awkward giving Carly a nomination with the full album out in another couple of weeks
September 9, 2021 @ 11:47 am
Wow. I have not watched any award shows in such a long time. I will go to websites like this one to check the winners, but I have just lost interest in these award shows. 8 times out of 10 , they get it wrong. They do get an award right every now and then. But I just lost interest in them.
September 9, 2021 @ 11:49 am
“Starting Over” and “One Night Standards” are good songs. Other than that…ouch. what a crap year in pop country
September 9, 2021 @ 12:05 pm
Yeah… I understand what he’s saying that those aren’t genre-defining songs, but look across the history of that award. Some good songs, some great songs, some awful songs…
I don’t have any issue with either of those sharing space with… “Check Yes or No” which is a good song but nowhere near Strait’s best. And certainly “Achy Breaky Heart” doesn’t elevate the award.
September 9, 2021 @ 11:55 am
Musical Event of the Year? What were the events associated with the songs listed? I’m so lost…
September 9, 2021 @ 12:25 pm
Well I got me some Chris, Mickey, and Marren baseball cards myself, so I sure hope they “win.”
September 9, 2021 @ 12:29 pm
“I guess the CMAs have truly turtled to the white women on Twitter indoctrinated at University who are simply using the institution of country music as a vehicle to renounce their “whiteness” and work towards tenure.”
Yet the white women on Twitter still bitch.
“Those women on Twitter they ain’t happy,
‘Til they find something wrong and someone to blame,
If it ain’t one thing, it’s another one on the way.”
September 9, 2021 @ 12:30 pm
It is what it is. CMAs are a little better than the ACMs. The Old Dominion over Midland never makes sense. ugh.
September 9, 2021 @ 4:16 pm
In reality, midland has never been able to replicate the success of “drinking problems”. There might still be interest in them but that interest clearly doesn’t translate into sales or streaming.
September 9, 2021 @ 12:37 pm
I’m confused about what twitter and white ladies going to university has to do with this assuredly terrible music. I would rather listen to only Ray Stevens for a year than any of this. They call him the streeeeeaaak!
September 9, 2021 @ 12:42 pm
Those white Twitter ladies believe that acts should be nominated based solely on their race and/or gender despite the assuredly terrible music they make.
September 9, 2021 @ 5:39 pm
Aren’t most these artists white?
September 10, 2021 @ 6:17 am
Apparently the white Twitter Twats want non-whites and non-males to be recognized with the rest of the shitty acts but only because of their race and gender and not their shitty music.
Crazy world we live in, huh?
September 9, 2021 @ 12:40 pm
It’s a shame that Zac Brown Band is so stale nowadays, but they keep recycling the same songs over and over… and over. Midland is the only one in the group category to root for, but even they are kinda stale right now.
September 9, 2021 @ 12:45 pm
Seriously. It’s the same old people. I’m so confused. Are there no other women in country? (I’m thrilled to see Ashley) but come the eff on. Miranda? Again? For what? Come on. There are other women making music. Playing clubs. Doing good things in their community. They should remove her country card for that cringe video for Tequila Does. But I digress. Trig are you going to do your recap? I’m not watching but I’ll read your observations.
September 9, 2021 @ 1:41 pm
I will probably do a live blog, but it may be the last year. I’m already 86-ing my Grammy Awards live blog. Just not enough interest. May do the same with the ACM Awards depending how much interest there is in the CMAs. These evening used to be some of the biggest nights of the year in country music. It’s is insane how much interest has tapered off. I write about country music for a living. Had no idea the CMA Awards were announcing this morning. It all just feels so perfunctory now.
September 9, 2021 @ 7:41 pm
I still love your live blogs on the shows Trigger, always super fun and enjoyable! Hope they continue for CMA at least! But I know it’s your blog and your call
September 9, 2021 @ 5:11 pm
As bad as Tequila and that song with Elle King are Miranda also released The Marfa Tapes this year which has some legit country songs on it. Two Step Down to Texas sounds so old timey I thought it was a cover of an old 50s song the first time I heard it.
September 9, 2021 @ 6:47 pm
The Wind’s Just Gonna Blow is fantastic as well. The original Tequila Does is really great, I loved most of Wildcard, and I never minded the song with Elle King, but what the hell is up with that Tequila Does remix? Yeesh, it’s bad. And I count myself as a HUGE Miranda fan. Not quite Fancy Like horrible, but man.
September 10, 2021 @ 7:19 am
If they nominated her for Marfa Tapes I would be on board but she got nominated for Drunk which is pure pop drek and since it’s been her most successful song in a long, long time it made her do the awful Tequila Does remix complete with cringeworthy, middle aged, white mom Tik Tok dancing and pandering to the gay community. It’s time to set Carrie and Miranda out to pasture at these award shows. Give new female artists the spotlight that they’ve hogged far too long.
September 10, 2021 @ 4:34 pm
Miranda is a great songwriter and I’m a fan, but I recently saw her live (even drove the 90 miles to Laughlin cause I figured she would never play Vegas). And she was just ok. Did not sell out a midsized outdoor venue (where you could buy 12 beers in 2 iced buckets for $80). Did not have an opening band so entire show was 90 minutes. Wore a shirt that made her look fat. Show was entertaining enough but not spectacular, I bailed on the encore to get to parking lot before the people who drank 12 beers. ???? And now I never feel the need to see her again…
September 10, 2021 @ 5:44 pm
Best Miranda review ever.
September 12, 2021 @ 7:19 pm
Fat shaming, Miranda?
They are going to kick you out of the woke club, Dee.
September 12, 2021 @ 8:07 pm
I didn’t say she WAS fat I said her wardrobe choice was unfortunate. She clearly needs a stylist who understands how to dress for your body type and find her some flattering road outfits. ????
September 9, 2021 @ 12:48 pm
One more. Where the eff is Lainey???? Come on.
September 9, 2021 @ 1:42 pm
I would have nominated Lainey Wilson and Alan Jackson for Album of the Year. Two of the best mainstream albums for sure.
September 11, 2021 @ 12:28 am
Unfortunately Alan Jackson has been kicked out of “mainstream country”.
September 9, 2021 @ 12:54 pm
Luke Bryan with one meaningless nomination, Florida Georgia Line with one meaningless nomination, and Jason Aldean with no nominations… the era of bro-country is dead, dead, dead (even though the horrible songs continue… you KNOW Walker Hayes and “Fancy Like” a.k.a. “The Applebee’s Song That Only Gen Z’ers and Millennial Wine Moms Find Palatable” would have been nominated for something had it gotten in before the deadline).
September 9, 2021 @ 1:22 pm
THIS! Say what you will, but at the very least these nominations signal the death of bro country. I choose to be happy enough about that to accept the rest without a fuss.
September 9, 2021 @ 1:43 pm
Good observation, but I’ve declared the death of Bro-Country before just to see it resurrected. That Morgan Wallen has quite a bit of Bro-ish material.
September 9, 2021 @ 4:31 pm
Morgan Wallen, to me, is the resurgent essence of bro-country. He represents the kind of guy that I avoid at all costs.
September 9, 2021 @ 4:51 pm
Wait, Morgan is a guy?
September 9, 2021 @ 1:11 pm
I’m probably the only on here that is enjoying the Midland EP and that’s ok even I don’t think they should win Group of Year for it. Old Dullminion will never go away. I also would’ve like to see Lainey get recognized somewhere. I hope she can squeeze her way up to #1 in the next couple weeks on the Singles Chart with some backroom trading/wheeling & dealing. It’s sad that it would even take that. Drake Milligan is here tonight, looking forward to it.
September 9, 2021 @ 6:50 pm
I love the Midland EP – especially Sunrise Tells The Story.
September 10, 2021 @ 10:45 am
Very good EP indeed! Shame it hasn’t gotten much press around here.
September 10, 2021 @ 5:19 pm
I love the EP, especially And Then Some.
September 11, 2021 @ 9:55 pm
I have no idea whose running the Midland camp but, and let me preface this by saying I know nothing about nothing after being in and around the business for ohhhh let’s just say 43 yrs….maybe just maybe an up tempo happy song like “Two To Two Step” might be a better choice for a single?? I love that song, that’s a fuckin HIT!!! Of course you’d have to “pay/trade and blow” maybe drop an 8 ball…(oops that was 1982) to whoever at radio because we all know nothing is fair….lol I like “Sunrise” as well as “And then Some” but…2 to 2 is hit!! Thank you, good night.
September 9, 2021 @ 1:14 pm
No love for “Ain’t Always the Cowboy”?? That deserved something…
And I’m all for Ashley McBryde but getting a single of the year nomination for a song that peaked outside the top 10 at radio smells of corporate manipulation
September 9, 2021 @ 1:18 pm
The Entertainer of the Year category is quite good, the New Artist is a dud, which feels like a weird inverse of previous years
September 9, 2021 @ 1:25 pm
I am so glad that I get my Country Music info from SCM and not based on these awards or Country radio.
Would love to know Trigger’s thoughts on songs and artist that SHOULD have been nominated!
September 9, 2021 @ 1:56 pm
The two big ones I would say are Lainey Wilson and Alan Jackson. I think Lainey could have been nominated for “New Artist of the Year” at least, since she’s actually new, unlike all the other nominees. I would have also given her an Album of the Year nomination. I also think they should have given some love to Alan Jackson. It would have given traditional country fans someone to root for, and a reason to tune in. He could have been nominated for Album of the Year.
September 9, 2021 @ 1:30 pm
Why doesn’t Darius Rucker get nominated more often?? Was he only nominated for Male Vocalist like once??? Probably in 2013 for wagon wheel.
Darius is a pretty good mainstream act. I wouldn’t mind more award praise coming his way. Plus he’s black, so that will make the PC culture happy.
Darius has the staying power, the stellar voice, and the groove.
September 10, 2021 @ 2:34 am
Too bad he hasn’t had a good single since Wagon Wheel, his music is so bland.
September 10, 2021 @ 8:57 am
Indeed. The music he made in Hootie and the Blowfish (roots rock sugar rush at best) is inspired by comparison.
September 10, 2021 @ 1:14 pm
2008 – 2013 Darius was fantastic.
I agree that his latest efforts have been dull.
I did enjoy “Southern Style” and his newest “My Masterpiece” tho
September 9, 2021 @ 1:32 pm
My vision for Male Vocalist :
Luke Combs
Darius Rucker
Chris Stapleton
Jon Pardi
Lee Brice
September 9, 2021 @ 1:48 pm
Jon Pardi should have been nominated for male vocalist for sure. Maybe he’s too country for the category? IDK.
September 9, 2021 @ 2:07 pm
Capitol UMG is too busy pushing Dierks Bentley still.
I’m guessing by 2023 or 2024, Pardi could be nominated for Male vocalist? It’s really based off of how much does CEO Mike Duncan want it for Jon. UMG has a ton of legacy A Lister acts. Jon is the only artist on the roster that is still climbing the trenches
September 9, 2021 @ 1:36 pm
” bUt BrOokS and DUnN ReTireD bACk iN 2010″
September 9, 2021 @ 1:40 pm
So Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, and Tim McGraw are totally never ever getting nominated again?? It’s their time? Its over?
Like the changing of the leaves or the howling desert dust storms… This too shall pass, like my kidney stones.
A hyperbole, for the boil upon my ass. Kiss it, mainstream Nashville labels
September 10, 2021 @ 4:42 pm
Because of the Voice and American Idol, Blake and Luke are the most famous, and richest, country stars, so whether they get more CMA nominations won’t affect them at all. But want to make a bet they will both be invited to perform on the show so as to improve ratings?
September 9, 2021 @ 1:44 pm
Reba had a streak in the mid 90s where she was nominated for Entertainer and not Female Vocalist/ Artist. If you’re not really relevant on radio that year, but still a concert draw and doing the variety circuit and a media darling, you can get the Entertainer Nod.
September 9, 2021 @ 1:53 pm
How and why is Underwood nominated for Entertainer? What is the criteria? What has she done in the past year?
September 9, 2021 @ 2:56 pm
“How and why is Underwood nominated for Entertainer?” Answer: to paraphrase Deanna Carter, “Carrie shaved her legs for this [nomination].”
September 9, 2021 @ 7:55 pm
https://twitter.com/Countryfan1985/status/1436091168719319041/photo/1 uh.
September 11, 2021 @ 8:21 pm
2 #1 albums, a DVD, 3 collaborations (one bilingual), a NYT #1 bestselling book, fitness app, headlines a bunch of festivals
September 9, 2021 @ 2:06 pm
Such a boring list of nominations.
“The Brothers Osborne album wasn’t only not country and not good, it was a commercial flop. It doesn’t deserve a nomination on any grounds, and we all know why it got one.”
Very true, and, yes, it got nominated for a nod to LGBTQ “inclusivity” and for no other reason. And I say that as someone who admires their previous two albums.
September 9, 2021 @ 6:36 pm
Yeah. Don’t think they care. Well Aldean and Bryan might but the others. Naw. They don’t care. They know the game. It’s all smoke and mirrors.
September 9, 2021 @ 2:12 pm
Trig, since you’re sort of an expert in this field… Give it to me Strait (pun).
Do you think Jon Pardi will even be up for Male Vocalist or EOTY throughout his career?? UMG should start pushing him more, because Jon is the only “non A-list” act on their roster. It would financially make sense to eventually stop pushing Dierks or Keith and put their effort into turning Jon into a bigger name.
Or do you suspect Jon to take the “Justin Moore” route and never attend such awards.
September 9, 2021 @ 2:18 pm
I have no idea. What is clear from these nominations is that they love nominating the same people over and over again. As much as I like Ashley McBryde, does “One Night Standards” really deserve two song awards? Why not give other folks an opportunity? Even the New Artist of the Year nominees are all retreads from the past. There’s no big picture perspective to these awards, and unless that changes, there’s going to be a lot of artists on the outside looking in.
September 10, 2021 @ 6:47 am
Moreover, if they wanted to show Carly (deserved) love for her EP, why not nominate “29” for song of the year or “Next Girl” for single etc?
September 10, 2021 @ 7:39 am
The way the nomination process works, they didn’t know Carly was going to release an LP with the “29” songs until after the nominations were in. So it’s not really fair to blame them here, it’s just an awkward situation. And even though I like the EP, I’m not sure you root for it to win, because hopefully the full thing wins next year, or at least gets nominated. But yes, nominating a song as opposed to nominating basically the same songs in both “Song” and “Single” categories could have opened the field here.
September 10, 2021 @ 4:59 am
You see your boy Pardi is on the Metallica tribute album?
September 10, 2021 @ 1:10 pm
Yes. I’m not a fan of Metalica , so I’m neutral to the cover song. But I think Jon did well with it.
September 9, 2021 @ 2:47 pm
New artist peeps get 2 nominations and then they can’t be nominated again.
Next year, the only current nominee that can be nominated again is Hardy. Unless they change the rules
September 9, 2021 @ 3:59 pm
Oh get the fuck out of here with your Brothers Osbourne bullshit.
Dude had wait to wait until he’s 35 to come out as himself to avoid dumbass shit like this. The band had #1s, awards from multiple shows, and headlined festivals before any of the “political” shit was even a factor.
Artists get nominated on name recognition alone all the time. Sometimes they get nominated without even releasing an album that year. But only NOW Brothers Osbourne is getting nominated because of who TJ prefers to sleep with?
I agree this is one of the most passionless list of nominees I’ve seen in some time but it surprised me you’d discredit an artist as nothing but a token candidate for being gay instead of where they stand on mainstream radio.
I’ve been reading this site for 10 years and I think this is the first thing you said that actually pissed me off. Stupid as hell.
September 9, 2021 @ 4:03 pm
They never had a # 1 yet actually….
September 9, 2021 @ 4:19 pm
https://theboot.com/brothers-osborne-stay-a-little-longer-no-1/
Just a google away. Shit is wild.
September 9, 2021 @ 4:27 pm
Sorry champ, but that song peaked at #2 on Country Airplay.
Trig himself follows Billboard and not mediabase.
September 9, 2021 @ 4:55 pm
A few things here:
1) Don’t take anything in this article too seriously. It was written in haste, and with my tongue halfway in my cheek. Hence, the inverted image at the top of the CMA logo. If the CMAs aren’t going to take this process seriously by just basically releasing this stuff on social media randomly, then neither am I.
2) Don’t take the breadth of my opinions on Brothers Osborne based on some passing quips in this particular article. I supported and defended TJ Osborne when he came out. I’ve supported this duo basically since they were first launched as a breath of fresh air in the mainstream. I celebrated their previous wins for Vocal Duo of the Year over Florida Georgia Line. I gave them a positive review for “Port Saint Joe” and named it one of the Best mainstream country albums in 2018. When they played Under The Big Sky Fest earlier this year and some independent folks said they didn’t belong, I disagreed, and said the did as a left-of-center band from the mainstream.
3) “Skeletons” does NOT deserve to be nominated for Album of the Year by any metric. It was a commercial flop, and embarrassingly so. It launched no hits on radio or streaming (best song got to #25). It also was not critically-acclaimed whatsoever. In fact, many of the reviews were mixed to negative, including my own. And it was also not country. It was a arena rock record (an assessment of the duo themselves) released in the middle of a pandemic when arena shows weren’t possible. That leaves only one reason it would be nominated for Album of the Year above Lainey Wilson, Alan Jackson, or Miranda Lambert records that fared much better. I’m not trying to be an asshole by saying that. I’m just saying the quiet (and obvious) part out loud.
4) This is not an indictment of Brothers Osborne. They’re not who I am calling out here necessarily. I’m calling out the CMA for a transparent and shallow effort to appear inclusive as opposed to putting in the real work to find artists that deserve such a nomination. If it was up to me, Melissa Carper and Bobby Dove would have received nominations, and they very well might around here come December. And if they do, it will be because they deserve it. I think it is patronizing to artists to nominate or award them due to identity as opposed to merit, and doesn’t actually address inclusivity issues.
5) I have no issue with Brothers Osborne being nominated for Duo of the Year, or even winning it. They would be one of my top picks. But don’t fool yourself for a second in thinking voters and the CMA do not and will not calculate identity concerns into the decisions they make to try and keep the wolves on Twitter at bay. That’s 2021, and I’m sorry if we’re all supposed to act like this doesn’t exist as a factor, but we all know it does. Don’t crucify me for telling the truth.
6) I respect folks who may disagree with me, and I appreciate you being a long-time reader.
September 9, 2021 @ 6:39 pm
How was Skeletons a commercial flop? Aren’t all albums flops now?
Even Eric Church, Thomas Rhett. And Blake Shelton released flop albums, pulling in 25k units.
Out of curiosity, what has been the best selling album this year so far? Alan Jackson might be victorious by year end, if you only measure physical sales
September 9, 2021 @ 6:41 pm
** Besides Morgan Wallen since he was banished
September 9, 2021 @ 9:03 pm
Yeah, it’s not about physical album sales. Got to factor in streaming. Eric Church, Thomas Rhett, and Blake Shelton debuted at 25k. Brothers Osborne’s “Skeletons” debuted as 14k, including 6 million streams, and then fell off a cliff. The next week, Sturgill Simpson’s bluegrass album of previously-released songs debuted with 20k sales, and 12 million streams.
September 12, 2021 @ 8:27 pm
By comparison, Drake’s new album is a monster hit, got like 875 million streams the first week but under 50k in pure sales. Nobody buys music any more.
September 10, 2021 @ 1:26 pm
But there have been tons of straight white men nominated for album of the year for non country albums and lots of white men nominated as new artists that have been releasing music for years. Hell, Lady A,Rascal Flatts and Miranda have been nominated for these awards in years when they did nothing. Perhaps it’s not a sexual orientation issue or a race issue.
September 10, 2021 @ 2:42 pm
“But there have been tons of straight white men nominated for album of the year for non country albums and lots of white men nominated as new artists that have been releasing music for years.”
Well of course. It happened this year. These nominations are a joke. I was simply making the point that I don’t see “Skeletons” by Brothers Osborne being nominated for CMA Album of the Year if TJ Osborne hadn’t come out of the closet. And the thing is, few if anybody else does either. We all know it’s true. My only crime is I had the audacity to actually say it.
September 10, 2021 @ 4:34 pm
No, you just attributed it to him coming out when lots of non country albums get nominated every year. See Lady A, Thomas Rhett etc. You can get nominated for an album that is decidedly not country or commercially popular even if you didn’t come out. Happens every year
September 10, 2021 @ 5:27 pm
Trigger, you have been more than fair to the BrOs. I’m a huge fan and I appreciate your support of them. As a huge fan I am able to forgive Skeletons of its shortcomings, but literally everyone I know just doesn’t care for it.
September 10, 2021 @ 7:14 pm
“Skeltons” was a flop. It was a flop commercially, it was a flop on radio, and it was a flop considering the reviews and consensus even from Brothers Osborne fans. If you go back and read my review of “Skeletons,” I think it spells it out very well. They tried to make an arena rock record to seed their live show with scorchers that would hopefully take them from openers to headliners, and it just didn’t work. You read the comments on that album review, and you read reviews and comments in other places, and it is full of Brothers Osborne fans agreeing it’s just not their best work. Now consider that the CMA just deemed it one of the best five records in the last year. I don’t think most Brothers Osborne fans would agree with that.
I’m not trying to be mean here. In many ways, I want to root for Brothers Osborne. But it’s my job when it comes to things like awards nominations to call the balls and strikes as I see them. There is absolutely no justification for nominating “Skeletons” for Album of the Year. And really, nobody is even trying. Instead, they’re just coming after me for lack of a cohesive argument of why it was nominated.
September 21, 2021 @ 9:21 pm
You make a valid point though, as we have seen with film & TV award shows many times when it gets political or wokeness comes a calling the nominations & winners have very little to do with what was a good performance or deserving. But in defence of the CMA’s they have been called sexist for years now, especially in regards to the EOTY award & they have yet to give Carrie the crown – which lets be honest at this point is a joke. Or any other women. And regardless of what anyone thinks of Carrie’s music she has worked her butt off for Country Music, has always behaved well & proudly represented the genre. Raked in loads of cash with her tours. Takes her Opry responsibilities seriously & has been one of the dominant females of the genre since her first album. She has done more than enough of the work involved to earn the title of EOTY but is still denied. So will be very interesting to see if she wins it this year, in the year that as a fan I wouldn’t be expecting her to win. She should have won it the first time she got nominated or the second.
September 9, 2021 @ 4:19 pm
I’d be surprised if Mickey Guyton won.
I’m predicting Jimmie or Gabby to win
September 9, 2021 @ 4:21 pm
I usually have good luck predicting these awards, so here I go:
Gabby Barrett will win New Artist due to having so many other nominations
Old Dominion has hardly any competition for Group of the Year
Luke Combs will win Entertainer of the Year. Stapleton is an amazing singer, but is relatively boring in concert.
Female: I can’t help but feel like we need some new blood. Why should Miranda and Maren win? It seems Maren hasn’t had much luck on radio since “The Bones” other than the duet. I think Carly P has a lot of momentum and has scored in so many of the other categories.
Male: Luke Combs or Chris Stapleton, but I’ll go with Luke.
Duo: Dan and Shay, although their songs are getting farther away from country.
September 9, 2021 @ 5:32 pm
Let the Woke Awards begin. Pretty easy to identify the reason for some of the nominees being chosen.
Very disappointed Lainey Wilson was not nominated.
When some of the winners are announced, there will be many a proverbial “eye-roll” that no one can see. You know you will, because you know why.
One last time Trigger, please blog during the awards show. It provides the only humor in an otherwise God-awful night. Then you can retire from the CMA insanity.
September 9, 2021 @ 5:33 pm
My Two Cents, Trig.
I predict that the ACMs will have a major generational shift in nominations with the entire ceremony going to streaming.
The artists nominated will be the young, hip ones that cater to the 18-49 demo. This is will automatically exclude Urban, McGraw, Kenny, Garth, Shelton, and probably Dierks too.
The emphasis will be placed on the artists and songs that are most streamed.
Male Vocalists could be :
Luke Combs
Wallen
T. Rhett
Kane Brown
Stapleton
Females – primarily Musgraves, Ballerini, Carrie , and Maren.
Just my two cents, probably won’t differ too much to what the ACMs are already. But I definitely think it will cater to a younger audience than ever before.
September 10, 2021 @ 10:09 am
Any questions about why I quit being a member of the CMA more than 20 years ago… the BS was there then and it still stinks… backroom meetings for the initial nomination process to make sure, that no left-of-field characters are getting on the voting sheets, members of the CMA have no say with write-ins.
And over the years it has gotten worse, as there are basically 3 major label groups left, who divide the pie. It’s a f..king joke.
November 7, 2021 @ 10:47 am
Please nominate Drake Milligan for single and new artist
November 8, 2021 @ 9:12 am
WHERE IS CHARLEY CROCKETT!!!!!!!!!! ONLY COUNTRY MUSIC WORTH LISTENING TO.