ACM Awards: “Here Taylor Swift, a Milestone Award! Please Show Up!”
Oh ACM’s, it’s not becoming to beg.
The Academy of Country Music Awards are gearing up for their 50th Anniversary presentation at the behemoth Dallas Cowboys Death Star on April 19th, and they’re busting out some very special and very expensive hardware to hopefully ensure the event is as star-studded as they hope. Potentially no sector of country music has felt the pinch of Taylor Swift’s departure more than the stupid award shows who’ve been relying on the superstar’s presence over the last half decade to keep their ratings up. The CMA Awards in November shed 700,000 viewers despite recruiting pop stars Ariana Grande a Meghan Trainor to help fill in for Swift’s absence, and the ACM’s hope to avoid a similar dip for their 50th Anniversary gala by offering something special.
Even though Taylor Swift has 86’d country and said she wants nothing to do with the awards specifically, the ACM’s have minted a special 50th Anniversary “Milestone Award” crafted by noted jewelry designer David Yurman to be handed out to Swift and a few select others. The Milestone Award trophy is made up of more than 1,010 grams of sterling silver, with the top edged with 4.16 carats of black diamonds and an 18k gold band, and topped by black onyx carved in the shape of David Yurman’s signature Albion® gemstone, with the numeral ’50’ inlaid in 18k gold.
Basically this thing has a price tag greater than most of our net worths.
The ACM says the trophy is ambiguously recognizing the recipients’ “groundbreaking career achievements in ACM Awards history.” ACM CEO Bob Romeo adds, “The history of the ACM Awards and country music would not be the same without the incredible achievements by these seven superstars.” Receiving the award along with Taylor Swift are Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Brooks & Dunn, Reba McEntire, Garth Brooks, and George Strait.
But wait a second, if this award is supposed to be for people who the ACM’s would not be the same without, why wouldn’t you include folks like Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, George Jones, or Hank Williams Jr., many who are all still living and had a huge impact on the ACM institution and facilitated the success of not just the ACM’s, but the careers of these later artists? The ACM Awards were started because of concerns that West Coast country artists like Merle Haggard and Buck Owens were not receiving fair representation by the Nashville-based CMA. Why not show some love to those folks? And just considering the artists that are being recognized, why did Carrie Underwood get the snub? Pop country or not, and least she’s shown some loyalty to the genre.
Garth Brooks seems like a pretty obvious pick for this, Brooks & Dunn has received more ACM Awards than anyone, George Strait has won ACM’s in four separate decades, country music wouldn’t know what to do with itself if it wasn’t shoveling hardware Miranda Lambert’s way these days, and Reba isn’t a bad choice either. But Kenny Chesney, and especially Taylor Swift seem like clear outliers where an opportunity presented itself to showcase an older artist who actually did help set a milestone for the Academy.
Truly, no offense to Taylor Swift. I understand she was the youngest ever recipient of the ACM’s Entertainer of the Year, but that was an aberration all into itself because she wasn’t country then and never has been. Taylor’s wish is for the country music community to respect her move to pop, and hey, all kudos to her for finally being honest about her music—something that other “country” artists should heed. The ACM’s Milestone Award feels like an attempt to bait Taylor Swift into an appearance on the show while there’s many older artists who would find greater value in the distinction.
No word yet on if Swift will show up to accept.
UPDATE: According to Billboard, Taylor Swift is planning at the moment to attend.
LimestoneJefferson
March 26, 2015 @ 9:39 am
I 100% agree with this article. There is such a long list of recipients they could have honored that would not have been such a blatant ratings grab. There are even other pop country acts that would have made more sense (Faith/Martina for FVOTY streaks). Also, George Jones is not still living.
PirkDiggler
March 26, 2015 @ 9:42 am
George Jones is still alive? News to me. Not saying that his estate shouldn’t fully be able to accept the award for him.
Trigger
March 26, 2015 @ 9:51 am
It should read “many of which are still alive.” Calm down.
Acca Dacca
March 26, 2015 @ 9:45 am
No kidding. I have a feeling that there would be a distinct lack of beach music, corny revenge fantasies and bubblegum pop songs aimed at adolescent girls if Kenny Chesney, Taylor Swift and Miranda Lambert. And we can’t have anyone older than George Strait to confuse all of those younger viewers and “country” artists who think that he created the genre and that Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and George Jones are just urban myths that you namedrop to embellish a story like bigfoot.
Clint
March 26, 2015 @ 3:00 pm
Excellent comment A.D., pretty much what I was thinking too.
Acca Dacca
March 26, 2015 @ 11:09 pm
Thanks for the complement. Let it be known that on this day we agreed on something 😛 . Anyhoo, what do you think of the other contenders? Brooks & Dunn, Reba, Garth Brooks, George Strait. I’m thinking they should have segmented a few applicants for each decade or era of country music, as I could see each of these names fitting in (and I’m sure you’re not too fond of Garth, but he deserves it I’d say).
Acca Dacca
March 26, 2015 @ 9:47 am
Forgot to add: as we all know, these awards shows have become more about the show itself and the ratings it engenders than anything resembling a template for honoring the artists or institution. Nowadays these shows are basically concerts in which a bunch of people pat each other on the back between songs for selling a bunch of records.
CountryKnight
March 26, 2015 @ 9:53 am
This has to be satire, it has to be. But it isn’t since there are real COUNTRY artists included in the memo, unless that is a clever way to trick us. Hmm.
Enjoy Every Sandwich
March 26, 2015 @ 9:55 am
Oh ACM”™s, it”™s not becoming to beg.
Amen. Not that I’ve never chased a pretty girl! 😉 But ya gotta know when to let it go; it’s important to retain one’s dignity and self-respect (no matter what the Michael Bolton songs say).
N.Marie
April 7, 2015 @ 9:13 am
You must be a Warren Zevon fan??
Enjoy Every Sandwich
April 7, 2015 @ 11:46 am
Yep, definitely. Zevon is one of America’s underrated songwriters.
Liza
March 26, 2015 @ 10:18 am
This is total bullshit. The fact that they are snubbing icons for ratings is shameful.
Mike
March 29, 2015 @ 3:34 pm
They don’t just do it for ratings, they do it because screw traditionalists like us.
JC Eldredge
March 26, 2015 @ 10:27 am
The ACMs have become the Luke, Blake & friends tailgate party. Hardly anyone performs or wins that hasn’t collaborated or married one of the host’s. The fact that they’re trying to do something that doesn’t directly tie in to one of them it’s admirable, but IMO milestone awards should go to people who have been in the business longer then Taylor or Miranda. As far as Kenny’s award, I read the description, and it doesn’t even really make sense.
Chris
March 26, 2015 @ 9:11 pm
“The ACMs have become the Luke, Blake & friends tailgate party.”
http://twitter.com/blakeshelton/status/576773539019169792
Bear
March 26, 2015 @ 10:49 am
Well I have no sympathy for Taylor being hounded by country music execs and awards. If she didn’t want this (no saying she doesn’t) she should’ve gone pop from the start AND to be honest she moved over to pop but never apologized for lying and playing the country card to begin with. She made the move as if we all thought she was actually country all that time. Pppfffttt.
In the end as you know awards shows are a farce on the whole even back in the day Charlie Rich famously burned that envelope because John Denver won for making music that wasn’t too far from what Rich was making at the time. The great artists know that the best award is having people listening to your music. Physical awards may help bolster and audience for sure but in the end the fans truly do decide who they think is the most deserving of recognition not with votes but by pressing play.
Kale
March 26, 2015 @ 11:01 am
Taking popularity, impact, and longevity all into consideration, these are the artist who should get it imo. This is based on it being 7 people, so I didn’t leave people out intentionally, this is just who it would be based on what they have done:
Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Loretta Lynn, Alabama, George Strait, and Garth Brooks.
This is a 50 YEAR ANNIVERSARY awards show, not a 30 year one! They just want to be all hip and stuff by giving to artists most anybody would know. Others who deserve it that I didn’t mention are Merle Haggard, George Jones, Hank Jr. (his dad died before he really did much), and even Tim McGraw. Why Kenny Chesney instead of him?
Joshua R.
March 26, 2015 @ 1:56 pm
“Hank Jr. (his dad died before he really did much)”
Except for, you know, setting the standard for the genre, recording a lifetime’s worth of material in just over a decade, recording some of the ABSOLUTE GREATEST country songs of all time, being the greatest country music star to ever put pen to paper and music to record, being the very first country music superstar ever, and putting the genre on the national map.
Yup, no significant accomplishments I can think of.
Scotty J
March 26, 2015 @ 2:02 pm
C’mon all that music stuff doesn’t matter you music snob!
What’s important is how many Twitter followers he had. Those are real accomplishments.
Joshua R.
March 26, 2015 @ 2:06 pm
Lol, I just couldn’t let that slide.
martha
March 26, 2015 @ 2:34 pm
I follow hank’s ghost on twitter. Does that count?
Kale
March 26, 2015 @ 3:30 pm
Sorry, the pad disappeared and made my finger touch submit. Trigger, please delete that “you.” Please.
What I meant to say was; you are are correct. Hank Sr. did set the standard and accomplished more in a few years than most people do in a lifetime. He does deserve it and that was my impulsiveness talking. The one thing I don’t get is the whole “Reinstate Hank” thing. I know Hank got kicked out of the Opry cause he showed up drunk all the time, but when somebody has been dead for 60 FREAKIN’ YEARS what is the point of being reinstated now?! Why would somebody need to be reinstated after their death anyway, it’s not like they can reap the benefits or even perform there. I love Hank Sr. I just don’t get the point of reinstating someone who has been dead for 60 years.
Joshua R.
March 26, 2015 @ 4:54 pm
Yea, I didn’t think you meant any disrespect by it. I just attributed to ignorance of his accomplishments.
As far as the Reinstate Hank thing, while he obviously can’t be an active member, I feel like if there was one person who they should make an honorary member out of sheer respect for him and for what he meant, and still means (the Opry uses his likeness for marketing), to the Opry itself is Hank Williams Sr.
KeepItCountryKids
March 27, 2015 @ 3:38 am
To me, the reason “Reinstate Hank” is important is because they use the guy so much in their marketing. I’ve been greeted by a Hank impersonator at the door, they talk about the circle being “where Elvis, Hank, and Cash played”, and they have his posters and memorabilia out on display. If a guy was kicked out of the Opry, they shouldn’t be profiting off his name. I love the Opry, even with their mistakes lately, but that is one thing that is hard to overlook. I think with the movie coming out, it’s a perfect time to get Hank Jr, Hank3, and Holly to the Opry for a Hank Williams celebration where they make Hank official again, just out of respect.
bamstrait
March 26, 2015 @ 11:21 am
I think Miranda is the odd one out in this group. While the others have sold tons of records and concert tickets, Miranda just doesn’t measure up. Her sales are weak and her concerts, a ghost town. Currently her show at Madison Square Garden is trying to sell seats at $30 and having a hard time. I don’t understand the praise and award these organizations lavish on her, Dolly she ain’t.
MH
March 26, 2015 @ 11:56 am
Since the awards are at Jerry World, they have to throw a Texas female in there.
Windmills Country
March 26, 2015 @ 11:49 am
This was actually considered a good result considering the overall decline in major network viewership – the CMA Awards broadcast actually went up in share from 13 to 14 (which means out of the TVs that were turned on, a higher percentage of them were tuned into the CMAs in 2014 than in 2013). Ratings in the adults 18-49 demo were down 4% from year to year, but the broadcast beat its competition by a higher margin in 2014 than in 2013. And according to this press release the CMAs actually increased ratings in the Teens 12-17 and Kids 2-11 demos, where you’d figure Taylor Swift’s absence would have hurt the most.
It was the ACMs last year that took a huge hit: 8% in viewers, a whopping 23% in the Adults 18-49 demo that advertisers prize (source). I like to think of that one as the by-product of just 1 solo female performance (Miranda. They didn’t offer Kacey a full performance slot even though Carrie and Taylor both sat out of performances). But competition from The Game Of Thrones and The Walking Dead probably hurt too.
Surprisingly, Taylor Swift is not a TV ratings draw on par with her music sales. You can see it in the anemic ratings for a TV special she headlined on Thanksgiving in 2010 (source), and in the small to non-existent boosts she has brought with her to various TV shows from the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show to late night shows. That being said, Taylor Swift’s presence guarantees live tweeting and media coverage on and the day after, so that’s likely the motivation to including her.
Since the lion’s share of the ACM Awards broadcast was already going to be devoted to current acts, they really should’ve reserved the Milestone Awards for non-current acts with a big historical impact. But maybe some of the legends didn’t want (or couldn’t) be there. Re: Merle Haggard, remember that the ACMs awarded him a Crystal Milestone award last year, and he performed on the show. I’d guess that’s why he’s not being brought back this year. I don’t know what the ACM people’s excuse is regarding Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton, but maybe those 2 declined.
If they had to do current acts, it’s a laughably bad look to honor Swift who’s left the genre behind (though Billboard reports she’s expected to attend & I don’t think there’s any way the ACMs would have gone ahead with this if she hadn’t agreed to attend) and Miranda Lambert (who’s going to be making a ton of acceptance speeches again anyway) and not Carrie Underwood. But I’m guessing this is happening because Carrie couldn’t commit to attending. She did an interview with Dallas station WSCS about a month before her son’s birth saying she had spoken with her “friends at the ACM” and told them that while she hopes to attend, it may be a game-time decision. Since these things get planned in advance, I think it’s likely that’s why Carrie’s not in the Milestone group this time.
Trigger
March 26, 2015 @ 12:52 pm
So who receives these awards is based on who can be present for the live broadcast as opposed to who is most deserving? That seems like a bastardization of the award-giving process. So someone’s schedule doesn’t line up and they get left out? How is the public supposed to place any value on awards governed by such requirements? I can’t imagine an artist like Willie Nelson or Dolly Parton not accepting to be present for what might be the biggest awards show live audience in history if asked. I know we’re all assuming what the ACM’s motives are here, but the end result seems to corroborate all of our suspicions.
If what you say is true about Taylor Swift’s TV numbers, it would reinforce my theory that even though she has a massive audience, they’re passive consumers. That’s the only reason Swift was able to lose out out on some of the ACM’s previous fan-voted awards.
Windmills Country
March 26, 2015 @ 1:31 pm
Yes to point #1, yes to point #2, yes to point #3, and since awards shows are pretty much in the service of making a TV variety show with mass appeal, the thinking public would be best service not to place any value on awards governed by such requirements.
As we established last year with the New Artist category, the ACM doesn’t even care to respect its own eligibility rules. This is all about the promo platform and ratings.
Windmills Country
March 26, 2015 @ 1:32 pm
*served not “service.” Ugh.
Chris
March 26, 2015 @ 9:43 pm
For the most part Taylor moved over to pop long ago. They remixed her music for pop radio starting with her second single in 2007. So most of her fans came from pop radio and I guess that’s why so many didn’t vote on and watch country awards years ago. TV ratings drops could also be caused by her being everywhere on TV for years (overexposure), so fans think why watch this one country show to see her again? Taylor leaving country radio didn’t cause the ratings drop there. Overplaying bro-country and other pure pop and underplaying country music, especially female country artists, caused it. Because Taylor’s been on pop radio since 2007 and pop lost more listeners than country in 2014:
http://www.radioinsights.com/2015/03/format-winners-2014.html
So listeners didn’t follow her to pop radio, they were already there. And what Taylor fan hasn’t bought her music and needs to hear it on radio? Not too many I imagine.
melody
March 26, 2015 @ 12:57 pm
‘But I”™m guessing this is happening because Carrie couldn”™t commit to attending. She did an interview with Dallas station WSCS about a month before her son”™s birth saying she had spoken with her “friends at the ACM” and told them that while she hopes to attend, it may be a game-time decision. Since these things get planned in advance, I think it”™s likely that”™s why Carrie”™s not in the Milestone group this time.’
This sounds extremely delusional. Carrie has been running all around nashville lately in her Calia clothing. If she can grocery shop and jog in March she can definitely attend the ACMs that are an entire month away. Just face it, Carrie would not have been honored no matter what. Her fans are calling it a “fake” award anyway so it should not matter. Let the others enjoy that 100K plus fake award and all the glory that will be coming with it receiving it on national tv. No way carrie would pass this up has she been an honoree.
Windmills Country
March 26, 2015 @ 1:28 pm
Well, somebody has certainly been paying close attention to Carrie Underwood’s every move! 😉
Even if what you said is true, my point was that Carrie could not commit to attending the ACM Awards when the Milestone Awards were being planned, which was before her son was born. She confirmed she and the ACM people had talked about her attendance, and she couldn’t commit to attending that far in advance. That doesn’t mean she won’t be there next month, just that show planning, which has been going on for over a year, had to proceed without a firm commitment from her.
martha
March 26, 2015 @ 2:39 pm
Maybe Carrie didn’t want to waste time attending. Maybe she would rather spend time with her hubby and baby.
Scotty J
March 26, 2015 @ 1:54 pm
Stalker?
Sarah
March 28, 2015 @ 6:29 pm
Two fans posted pictures with Carrie on Twitter.
Albert
March 26, 2015 @ 12:05 pm
The award itself is obscene in its expense . When so many ‘lifers’ in the industry are struggling in the new business paradigm , shoving it in their faces with awards and expensive programming like this is offensive. The last thing any of the artists mentioned needs ( or likely even wants ) is some obscenely expensive award . Its enough they get to ply their products on national TV once or twice ( or three or four times a year – BTW ..how does REBA get to sing HER new POP single on the NASHVILLE show ? Does she own that show ?….am I missing something ….? )
And lastly , its an outright disgrace and an insult to the Dollys and Willies et al , as mentioned Trigger , that this industry should still be chasing T.S . and rewarding her with a place on the pedestal when she was NEVER country …never contributed any significant artistry to the genre , left only a negative mark on the character of the genre with her schoolgirl songs and the way they were presented and , finally , said ” to hell with the industry that opened the door and broke me to the masses ..I can make more money singing this same stuff to pop teens ” . I mean …isn’t that exactly what happened to cause the seismic demographic shift that ensued ?
Its all UNreality TV when it comes to commercial ‘country’ music . Insulting , watered down , and , as most of us know , almost completely bereft of any redeeming artistic qualities , integrity or direction .
Truth No. 2
March 26, 2015 @ 12:37 pm
As Sammy Kershaw told us, country is the only genre that hates itself.
CountryKnight
March 26, 2015 @ 12:48 pm
Add to the fact that most mainstream media dislike country and its values/principles, you have a genre without support. And what support you do have are tailgate warriors unable to offer a good defense for country’s greatness.
melody
March 26, 2015 @ 12:41 pm
You cannot say Taylor was never country. Her entire debut album was a country album. The song MEAN is a 100% country song. She was first a country artist with her debut “Taylor Swift”. She then became a crossover atrist with “Fearless”. She then became a 100% solo written album artist with “Speak Now”. Then back to a mixture of POP/Country with Red, then with 1989 she decided to do an all out 100% pop album. Her career is exciting and she never gets bored that is for sure. She is the only artist ever in history to open three times in excess of one million copies. Carrie being the first woman to win EOTY at the ACM’s was already celebrated and since then she is not the only one to have done that, Taylor has done it. Now Taylor being the youngest EOTY winner for the first 50 years of the ACM’s will always stand and that is not male or female base. I wonder why all carries achievements are based by being female, can she not beat the boys at anything, like Taylor Swift being the FIRST PERSON to sell one million 3 times in a row or ever for that matter.
Chris
March 26, 2015 @ 10:04 pm
“She was first a country artist with her debut “Taylor Swift”. She then became a crossover atrist with “Fearless”.”
Actually she became a crossover artist starting with her debut because they remixed her music for pop radio starting with her second single in 2007. After her debut country/pop album most of her music was very pop or more pop than country. Carrie sold less partly because like the vast majority of country artists she refused to remix her music for pop radio to stay more country, while most of Taylor’s sales came from pop radio.
“I wonder why all carries achievements are based by being female, can she not beat the boys at anything,”
She beats many of the boys in vocals, music, sales, awards etc. And if country radio played more than 3 solo females for the past 10 years we wouldn’t be seeing these silly Taylor vs. Carrie vs. Miranda fan wars.
Cool Lester Smooth
March 29, 2015 @ 12:42 pm
I’d argue that Speak Now is a pretty much perfect pop-country record, that strikes a great balance between the two genres while being calibrated to reach the absolute widest possible audience.
Also, Carrie would be doing a lot better if she had any songwriters nearly as talented as Swift on her team. I’ve heard two songs from her with one iota of the specificity and personality] of an average Swift cut: Wasted and Before He Cheats. Then there’s the fact that Carrie’s refusal to embrace her pop-country status (despite the lack of anything resembling country production on most of her songs), cripples her melodies.
She’s a hell of a singer, but that doesn’t mean much if you don’t sing good songs.
Chris
March 30, 2015 @ 6:06 am
Taylor’s debut album is the one that is a pretty much perfect pop-country record and strikes a great balance between the two genres. It has a good amount of country instrumentation and that’s why they had to remix songs to make them more pop to get them played on pop radio. After that album, most of her songs severely lack country instrumentation, dropping the fiddle, steel, banjo, dobro, and mandolin. By Fearless or Speak Now her music went very pop/rock so she no longer needed to remix songs to get them played on pop radio, and some of the singles she sent to country radio were too pop so they no longer hit #1 or top 10 there. If only country radio applied the same rules to Sam Hunt, Jason Aldean, etc. pure pop songs they allow to hit #1. By Red, Scott called Britney Spears producers after Taylor carefully met with producers and picked Nathan for her debut, making sure his production sounded right for her.
None of this is a bash and I’m not on either side of this Carrie vs. Taylor crap. I’m on the side of country music since it’s my favorite genre. But let’s not get delusional or forget what country/pop music sounds like.
I haven’t seen how Carrie refuses to embrace her pop country status and Taylor’s songs aren’t better so why are you talking about not singing good songs?
Also Carrie rocks because she stood up for country music, artists and fans by calling for radio to play more of the best country, that is female country artists:
http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-615/5892801/carrie-underwood-women-in-country-music-fairness-kellie-pickler
That’s a leader in my book and when will Taylor do the same? The ACMs would be a good opportunity for it. I’m not trying to put her on the spot or say she doesn’t already support other women but she has cited the “there’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women” quote, so.
As for sales, I don’t care who has the biggest sales or most awards, only who makes the best country music.
As for who should win this award, country music legends. Why Garth but not Shania too? Why Reba but not Dolly too? Why give country awards to artists who left for pop and are winning pop awards? Maybe the problem is this award wasn’t industry or fan voted? That means some labels and the ACMs decided who gets it.
Cool Lester Smooth
March 30, 2015 @ 2:13 pm
I’m talking about Carrie not singing good songs because her songs manage to combine trite, on the nose lyrics with irritating Wall of Sound production that manages to obviate her wonderful voice.
Seriously. Listen to Blown Away, or Good Girl, or Something Bad, or Black Cadillacs. The production is completely unrelated to country (except for her slight twang), the lyrics are kitschy and overly general, the singing is scream-y rather than interpretative, and, worst of all, it’s not even catchy.
She’s never released anything as country as Mean, or Ours, and none of the people she pays to write for her can match Swift lyrically or melodically.
Underwood has, by far, the best voice in country music, but her songs aren’t good. They’re generic, poorly written pop/rock that people think is country because she talks about God all the time.
Chris
March 31, 2015 @ 7:27 am
Cool Lester Smooth: “She”™s never released anything as country as Mean, or Ours,”
Both have some pop songs (Taylor has way more than Carrie) and could be more country but saying Taylor is more country than Carrie is laughable. Even Carrie’s latest regular album has many songs that are at least as country as Mean: Do You Think About Me, Forever Changed, Thank God for Hometowns, Cupid’s Got A Shotgun, and Wine After Whiskey. What makes Mean more country than those songs? Nothing and they all have a good amount of country instrumentation. And what the hell is wrong with singing about God? That IS country and Taylor sings about boys more than Carrie sings about God or anything.
Lucy
April 6, 2015 @ 7:34 pm
She was never going to be The Carter Family, but if radio country sounded even a little like “Our Song” it might be tolerable. Swift has talent. She’s just hiding it in dull techno beats at the moment.
Seriously, it’s a country song that manages to be clever, original, and personal (yet brilliantly accessible) and it even includes a now-dreaded illusion to riding shotgun.
the pistolero
March 26, 2015 @ 12:56 pm
Now this is pathetic anyway, but what makes it even more so is that this is not the first “Milestone” award the ACMs have bestowed on Taylor Swift:
Taylor Swift had four nominations going into Sunday’s show, but for being the top-selling artist in country and pop music, she got a special, unexpected honor after she performed the ballad “You’re Not Sorry.” McEntire stopped her and presented her with a special ACM Crystal Milestone Award for bringing so many young people to country music.
Sid
March 26, 2015 @ 1:48 pm
Coungtry legend Merle Haggard received the same award 6 years AFTER Swift won. How sick is that –a pop tart getting the award before a legend that helped pave the way for many artists? I am one of those OLD FARTS that Blake “DRUNK” shelton described a while back that did not matter to basically anyone. I am a retired Journalist and I keep up with the genres of music (I am in a wheelchair and unable to get around much these days) and I DO purchase music that I like. I have been following the females in the country genre and I have to say after much research of Lambert, Swift, Underwood and other younger ones I am totally convinced that Underwood is the better of all of them and represents the genre better than all of them and is completely LOYAL. However, the country genre showers awards on Lambert and praises all of her songs and albums. Well, I have had the time to compare them. I have to tell you that Underwood’s songs and albums come out way ahead of Lambert as they actually tell a story as the old roots/hill country did. Plus the vocals are not comparable at all as I truly believe that Underwood has the best vocals of any country female EVER (and I can go back personally for years). I do not understand why the country genre dislikes Underwood and why they continue to snub her as it is quite blaring that she desered and continues to deserve many awards. I feel Lambert and Swift should not be in the above group. The honor should go to Alabama, Dolly, Loretta, and many, many others before a newbie in the genre. Honor our legends—not pander to ratings. The CMA/ACM awards are tainted and are a complete fiasco/joke.
Whatever
March 26, 2015 @ 12:57 pm
ACM’s is nothing more than back door politics. Milestone awards are nothing more than an excuse for trying to boost ratings for this crap show. I won’t be watching along with a lot of others who are just fed up with their political ass kissing.
Scotty J
March 26, 2015 @ 1:58 pm
The ACMs have always been a joke. From there bringing in Hollywood types to present to the make-it-up-as-they-go award qualifications they have always been the weaker of the two major awards shows.
The CMAs sellout to pop stars last year is far more troubling than this.
Topher
March 26, 2015 @ 2:17 pm
I feel like a lot of people are far more outraged than they should be. As if this is all taking us unaware. Of course the ACM’s would pull something like this. Shake your head and move on.
Was anyone planning on watching this show anyways?
Eric
March 26, 2015 @ 2:18 pm
Just because Taylor Swift is currently pop does not mean that it was always the case. Her debut album was very country, both sonically and lyrically.
The change in her music is the truly disappointing factor.
Clint
March 26, 2015 @ 3:07 pm
Eric, dude, save that nonsense for somewhere else, please. You almost sound like a stalker.
Eric
March 26, 2015 @ 4:56 pm
Clint, if you think that I am a Taylor Swift fan anymore, you’re well behind the times. Nonetheless, I still love her old music.
jimmy row
March 28, 2015 @ 1:19 pm
Anyone over the age of 12 who likes ANY of taylor swift’s music can shampoo my crotch. Regardless whether its country or pop, its GARBAGE!
martha
March 26, 2015 @ 2:45 pm
I’m going to watch the ACM show, but I’m planning on having a drinking game while I watch it. For example, every time I hear the word “girl” sung, I’ll take a shot. I think it will be more entertaining that way.
Albert
March 26, 2015 @ 3:27 pm
Entertaining for the first two songs, Martha… by the time they count in the third song you’ll be in the bag and out cold if you’re doing shots for every ” girl” . lol .
In any case..sounds like a plan …can we come over ?
martha
March 26, 2015 @ 4:08 pm
Sure, the more the merrier 🙂
Sterling Archer
March 29, 2015 @ 10:36 am
Do you want to die of alcohol poisoning?
BECAUSE THAT’S HOW YOU DIE OF ALCOHOL POISONING!!!
Kale
March 26, 2015 @ 3:41 pm
Look on the bright side, at least Florida Georgia Line didn’t get it.
Truth No. 2
March 26, 2015 @ 5:14 pm
Yet…
CountryKnight
March 26, 2015 @ 8:43 pm
I would rather see Florida Georgia Line over Taylor Swift.
Good grief, it is like picking which poison to drink.
KathyP
March 26, 2015 @ 4:25 pm
The live blogging on this show ought to be a lot of fun.
pete marshall
March 26, 2015 @ 4:28 pm
ACM is becoming a joke these days.
Topher
March 26, 2015 @ 6:11 pm
Becoming? That ship has long since sailed.
Zeng
March 26, 2015 @ 9:51 pm
“If what you say is true about Taylor Swift”™s TV numbers, it would reinforce my theory that even though she has a massive audience, they”™re passive consumers.”
Taylor’s strength is always about selling music… be it albums, digital downloads or concert tickets….this has always been the case. So to say that her audience are “passive” consumers is very misleading. Real consumers are those who go out there and pay for your music….those are the real fans. So in that sense she actually has the most engaging fan base since they actually buy her music.
Trigger
March 26, 2015 @ 10:09 pm
I didn’t mean “passive” as an insult to her fans. What I mean by that is unlike let’s say Carrie Underwood fans who are very involved with issues facing music, vote en masse for awards, Taylor Swift fans just buy the music and go to concerts, and then go back to living life. Of course this isn’t every Taylor Swift fan, this is just a generalization. A Carrie Underwood fan, or a Sturgill Simpson fan is not going to miss a television appearance. Taylor’s might, according to Windmills Country’s assessment.
Cool Lester Smooth
March 29, 2015 @ 11:51 am
On the other hand, Swift has so many damn fans that the small percentage of them that will actively seek her out almost certainly outnumbers the number who will do the same for Sturgill, and rivals the amount who do so for Carrie.
For awards things, it makes sense that Carrie ‘partisans’ are much more active than Taylor’s supporters, because they still think they’re fighting some sort of “battle” that Taylor won several records ago.
Speak Now has sold more than Blown Away and Play On combined, and 1989’s already matched that total after 6 months.
Hell, Taylor’s last three first week sales have each been comparable to Blown Away’s total sales to date.
Sarah
March 29, 2015 @ 2:11 pm
This is so ridiculous. Carrie fans want to support Carrie. Not everything is about Taylor.
Cool Lester Smooth
March 29, 2015 @ 2:33 pm
I’ve never seen a Taylor Swift fan complain about Carrie Underwood’s success. However, I see Underwood fans rant about Swift on every review I’ve ever seen of Swift’s music.
The rallying cry for a lot of these online “awards” is “let’s make sure Carrie beats Taylor!” Everything should be about supporting Underwood, but they always push this weird (and amusingly one-sided) culture war vibe.
Sarah
March 29, 2015 @ 4:26 pm
I like Taylor music. I see Taylor fans obsessively bash Carrie all the time. Stop with the victim mentality. Every big fan base has those kind of fans. Yes even Taylor fan base. Like I said the majority of Carrie fans who follow her career don’t care about Taylor. The Internet doesn’t represent a whole fan base. Your thinking Carrie fans are only watching Carrie at award shows so she can beat Taylor is weird.
Cool Lester Smooth
March 29, 2015 @ 4:50 pm
Dude, read what I wrote. I’m talking about those weird Fan Choice awards run through internet polls. People watch the artists they like on awards shows because they enjoy it, although the weird tribalism evinced by your constant reference to “fanbases,” their “victim mentalities” and the assumption that anyone who disagrees with you must be a fan of someone else/a “hater” is exactly what I’m talking about.
I’m not a member of the “Taylor Fanbase.” I’m not a member of any “fanbase.” I’m a grown man.
As such, I don’t deal with people who consider themselves part of a “fanbase” unless they make concerted efforts to comment on any and article related to something on mainstream sites. It’s like how I avoided knowledge of “Gamergate” and those idiotic “MRA” children until they started popping up at the places I frequent.
Underwood fans show up en masse on every review of an Underwood song that I’ve seen. They attack anyone who doesn’t like the kitschy, trite lyrics and overdone production that define Underwood’s catalogue, and accuse them of being “haters” and either Taylor Swift fans, “liberals” who hate family values, or both.
They also show up en masse on every review of a Swift song that I’ve seen. They complain loudly about how awful Swift is, and attack anyone who doesn’t join in.
It’s like if everyone from the comments section from Trigger’s Gary Allan review popped up to complain every time a Dierks Bentley song was released.
They don’t, though, which is why I don’t find them irritating. Swift fans don’t either, as far as I can see, probably because there’s a much smaller overlap between people who enjoy getting self-righteous about the authenticity of country music and people who love Taylor Swift than just about any other artist who gets played on country radio.
They keep the flaming and weird tribalism on Tumblr, where it belongs.
Cool Lester Smooth
March 29, 2015 @ 4:54 pm
Just to be clear, I’m not accusing you of being an insane 17 year old girl from Tumblr.
I’m just saying that the only place I regularly see that element on the sites I visit is on Underwood and Swift articles, and it’s almost always a bunch of angry Carrie fans.
I’m sure that plenty of Carrie fans are lovely people. I’m just describing my own experience (so far) with the vocal, internet-y portion of Carrie’s fanbase.
Sarah
March 29, 2015 @ 5:11 pm
Some Taylor fans are no different. I can’t even go on certain music boards, videos and articles without Taylor fans clogging it up with bashing Carrie. That’s my experience with Taylor fans who don’t like Carrie.
Cool Lester Smooth
March 29, 2015 @ 5:19 pm
I completely believe you. If there’s one rule of the internet, it’s that if something or someone can be supported, there are a large, vocal group of assholes who support that person or thing.
And there are even assholes who support things that can’t be supported! (Like those Men’s Rights people)
Sarah
March 29, 2015 @ 5:41 pm
People can be vile over the Internet.
boy
March 31, 2015 @ 2:13 am
Taylor won? when? how? what?
Since when has records sales meant TALENT in the 21st century?
Actually no not really, taylor could not even go up against Kacey M during the RED era.
You said carrie underwood’s scream and that is just not true. carrie has a 4 octave range and can hit a whitsle register note. that is not screaming. that is having a vocal range, carrie screams like celine dion and Mariah carey screams.
Taylor does not even have a range and she sounds like a dying cat when she tries to hit a high note.Taylor still cant sing and that is why I have issues with her.
I like her taylor fans always say, taylor sells records, Taylor wins awards but yet they cant face the simple fact that taylor cant sing.
blown away one of the most complex and best country song of the last 5 years won the grammy for both best vocal performance and besy country song. two blacl callderic inspired a tv show, something in the water that came out last year has been far more critical acclaimed than any of taylor’s recent songs.
so what debate did taylor win?
Taylor ran to pop and she is struggling there now even with her record sales. Katy Perry is kicking her ass to the point that Taylor is raising the white flag and begging katy to be friends with her as a way of eliminating the competition. taylor was going around bashing katy perry but when kary gave her epic superbowl performance with high critical acclaim Taylor wanted to make peace with her because she knew she was not capable of what Katy Perry did.
Then we have Lady Gaga who no one would take seriously anymore then she gives A GREAT VOCAL PERFORMCCE at the Oscars something taylor is not CAPABLE OFF and people gave her back the modern queen of pop title that taylor had taken. Adele is also coming back to pop music and I don’t need to tell you how great Adele is in comparsion to taylor.
So taylor has not won anything, all she has her record sales and awards her handlers bought of her. She cant even go head to head with Lady Gaga, Katy Perry or Adele in the Pop Genre and Carrie still sings betters than all this girls.
Carrie won her 7th grammy matching taylor’s who will likely never win a grammy again and when carrie wins grammy’s she wins because she was the best in the category that no one can challenge.
when taylor wins grammys it is usually met with controversy and descorn because people usually say in term of musical talent she should not be beaten Beyoncé and Lady Gaga and they are RIGHT because this girls are more talented than she is. that is just the FACT. it is not even up for debate.
So what war did taylor win again?
taylor, most of the grammy she has won where for sympathy votes after the kayne west fisaco. Carrie is more consistent in winning grammys than taylor so it means carrie after the next 10 years will have won more and once you erase the demo of teen girls buying her taylor ‘s records, carrie become far more successful.
So no the WAR was not won by taylor
google
carrie vs taylor.
and the votes by a majority says carrie is better because she is and taylor knows it.
I find it interesting how taylor fans says carrie screams. this is Carrie who has been called the best VOCALIST OF HER GENERATION and this is also Taylor who many people including her other musicians have said TAYLOR CANT SING.
instead of us discussing something as shallow as record sales and awards voted by teen girls. lets discuss the musicality and Taylor is lacking. I don’t like Taylor because she cant SING just like how I did not like Britney spears 15 years ago because she could not sing as well. not one of them can carry a tune and sing on key so no I am not going to applaud them.
Something in the water, a song carrie co wrote is far superior in lyrics to any of taylor ‘s recent songs and the way Carrie manage to blend amazing grace, a classic gospel song to the song is what made the song incredible and gave it real artistry. Not many people can combine two genre of music together and make it equally great.
Listen to Christina’s Aguilera’s Aint no other man how she blends pop and jazz. this is what makes her superior to Britney spears in talent and its the same with carrie and taylor.
its a joke to compare any carrie song to any of taylor’s recent songs.
haters gonna hate hate hate hate hate
oh my god look at him ,he is so fine.
are we out of the woods, are we out of the woods, are we out of the woods are we out of the woods?
That is taylor lyrics. the only people that think it is good as teenage girls.
so again what battle has taylor won?
you said taylor won the battle years ago?
which as I have proven is a complete lie. taylor left the battle ring and never fought in the battle because it is battle she cant win.
you are here trying to defend taylor even after triggerman himself the owner of the site has said taylor did not deserve the award. triggerman has also criticise Taylor’s lack of talent in the past so I guess he is a carrie lovers and is bias as well (roll eyes)
If record sales is your best defence of what makes taylor’s better then I suggest you go on the mtv boards and not here.
most people here don’t care about record sales. ITS ABOUT TALENT, Something Tylor clearly does not have.
Charlie
March 27, 2015 @ 4:18 am
That’s a lotta comments for an old joke of an ‘awards show’ that only Trigger and a couple other people are gonna watch anyway.
Fuzzy TwoShirts
March 27, 2015 @ 5:58 am
I think these awards are well deserved by everybody except Miranda and Taylor. The others have fairly well rounded careers that include landmark songs in the history of country music, and can actually sing. Miranda has become kind of a one-trick-pony with her angry revenge songs, and with the exception of “Automatic” most of her songs are stereotypically twangy, and ultimately unmemorable.
Adrian
March 27, 2015 @ 7:09 am
Did you see this? http://fortune.com/2015/03/26/taylor-swift-greatest-female-leader/
Holy shit. What were they thinking? I guess even business magazines will do anything to sell copies these days. Let’s create some controversy, and get some 18 year old subscribers while they’re at it.
Eric
March 27, 2015 @ 10:46 pm
Could be because a large number of her early fans are now well into their 20s and part of the demographic that reads business magazines in significant numbers.
Adrian
March 28, 2015 @ 9:33 am
I’d guess that her early fans are much more likely to read People and Us Weekly than Fortune.
But magazines are a tough business these days, since the Internet has commoditized news and commentary. So their editors will do anything they can to expand their readership. I think the target audience for the Taylor Swift article would be the teenage daughters of affluent middle age parents who work in managerial jobs and who already subscribe to Fortune. This is an inexpensive way to have the girls get an early start on reading their parents’ magazines.
Cool Lester Smooth
March 29, 2015 @ 11:57 am
Her early fans are essentially “women born between the years 1986 and 1994.” It’s a pretty broad swath that certainly includes plenty of people who read Fortune magazine (and who may very well read People, as well! Human beings can have diverse interests!).
Adrian
March 29, 2015 @ 12:13 pm
I think most readers of Fortune magazine are over 30, people tend to pay more attention to business publications when they have some money to invest.
I’d guess that the older fans of Taylor’s early songs in 2006-2008 were about the same age as Taylor, and that the overwhelming majority of her fans today are younger than Taylor, in many cases much younger.
Cool Lester Smooth
March 29, 2015 @ 12:26 pm
Eh, my 55 year old mother (who’s all about Ellis Paul, Emmylou Harris and the Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack) loves Taylor Swift.
She has huge cross-genre appeal. I won’t pretend to understand exactly why, but she does.
Boy
March 30, 2015 @ 1:35 pm
Actually no. you are the one with the gimmick account, you pretend you are not a swift fan when you are bashing carrie. you are the one that started the kie of how carrie fans bash taylor when it us the opposite. go on any carrie’s vevo the first comments there are taylor fans bashing carrie, you will never see that in a taylor video.
I only defended what was right. I like carrie because she is talented. she is musically talented and her sucess was hard work because she had the odds against her been a talent show winner who no one who take seriously or even felt worthy to win anything. remember faith hill’s outrage at the cma’s in 2006?
taylor with her little talent was winning awards because she had good connection in Nashville.
Taylor who bearly can sing on key, writes generic songs that sells like hot cakes to teen girls but because her handlers own the music business she wins awards.
read the comments here, the majority have said Taylor does not deserve the award including trigger man himself. so why are you here defending taylor and at the same time denying you are not a fan of hers? when you clearly are.
so you are the real gimmick here.
if taylor had any real talent, I will say so.
she is a horrible singer and her song writing is repetitive and generic. this is not bashing , it is just the truth.
Cool Lester Smooth
March 30, 2015 @ 2:17 pm
Hahahaha, keep it up.
You’re doing a hilarious impression of a very specific type of weird internet Carrie fan.
Amanda
March 27, 2015 @ 8:17 am
The ACM’s hosted a 40th anniversary special back in 2005 that awarded Reba, Garth, and Brooks & Dunn with the same honor that they will be receiving again this year. George Strait was included as well – except they gave a trophy commemorating the most male vocalists wins. They also included Alan Jackson and Alabama as honorees. I just don’t see the need to present them with yet another trophy for the same thing.
The prime time special wasn’t too bad from what I remember. They gave airtime to Merle Haggard, Barbara Mandrell, among others.
I find it interesting that the ACMS are honoring someone who didn’t agree with the organization’s decision to make the Entertainer category fan voted. This is what Kenny Chesney said right after he won it in the press room:
“I think it”™s a complete disrespect of the artist ”” what they”™ve lowered us to, to get Entertainer of the Year,” he said. “Because of that, it really diminishes the integrity of the music that we”™re making and how much work goes into it ”¦ As much as I love the ACMs and what they”™ve done for my life, that”™s how I really feel about it ”¦ And I can say that because I won tonight.”
Zeng
March 29, 2015 @ 5:28 am
It can be tough being young and so successful.
She is the CEO of her own multi million cooperation, she hired smart and well connected people to run her career, she planned her own shows for her often sold out tour and she took full advantage of her social media influences like no other person or company. Isn’t all these the marks of a good leader? And how many artist in the music world have her testimonial
Mike
March 29, 2015 @ 10:45 am
Dammit, Scott Borschetta!!! How many times have I told you to stop plugging your artists under assumed names? This is like the 20th time you have tried pulling this shit!
You are not fooling a single person here, least of all me. We know you are trying to shove her and your other performers down our throats. It is not going to work. Now go meet up with you 23 songwriters and work on your next batch of abominations that will be on the next Florida Georgia Line album.
Cool Lester Smooth
March 29, 2015 @ 12:19 pm
She’s the only person in history to have three albums go platinum in their first week.
1989 had the best week one showing in twelve years.
She’s not getting forced down anyone’s throat. Everyone, from 11 year old girls to 30 year old professional Slovenian water polo players, is lapping her up.
Whether you personally like her music or not (and the only record of hers I genuinely enjoy is Speak Now), she’s already created a hell of a brand, and she’s only just turned 25. That’s five years younger than Shania was when she released The Woman in Me
Lots of people have rich parents. Literally no one else has managed to do what Swift has. It’s fine to dislike her music, and be pissed that she left us for the pop market, but don’t say silly things.
Mike
March 29, 2015 @ 1:43 pm
Okay, first off, my previous post was a joke. It was not a you know what. Don’t take it so hard.
Second, I do not care how many records she sells. I do not care if, as you say, 11 year old girls to 30 year old professional Slovenian water polo players to 9 year old girls human trafficked by Boko Haram and ISIS, are lapping her up. I never cared for her even when she was “country.” I am sick and tired of being told time and again I “am supposed to” care about her. I don’t. I simply do not freaking care about Taylor Swift. If you love her, fine, that is your opinion. Just leave me alone and quit shoving her down my throat.
Cool Lester Smooth
March 29, 2015 @ 2:23 pm
Reading is an important thing.
For example, if you had read my comment, you’d have seen such lines as
“It”™s fine to dislike her music.”
and
“Whether you personally like her music or not…she”™s already created a hell of a brand, and she”™s only just turned 25.”
The entire point is that she isn’t being “shoved down” anyone’s “throat.” She gets a metric fuckton of coverage, because she’s the most popular musician on the planet and no one else is remotely close.
It’s not designed to “make” people who don’t like her care about her. It’s targeted at the people who already care about Taylor Swift. That number just happens to be so large that she gets more coverage than a lot of artists who are being pushed on the public.
I just think it silly to complain that someone whose most recent album is going to go diamond within a year of its release (in an era where albums barely go platinum anymore) is being “pushed” on people. The last time Swift was pushed on anyone was 2006.
Mike
March 29, 2015 @ 3:33 pm
I get it, okay? You are a stan for Taylor Swift who faps to every playing of shake it off.
Cool Lester Smooth
March 29, 2015 @ 3:47 pm
Seriously, buddy.
Reading comprehension is an important life skill, not just a section on the SATs.
Work on it. It’ll do you good.
Red Skull
March 29, 2015 @ 4:03 pm
Oh yes, it can be sooooooooo tough. Well if she doesn’t like it, there is an alternative.
Zeng
March 29, 2015 @ 5:39 am
She is in such a unique position in music history especially at such a young age.
Let’s just say she’s a smart person who hired smart people to get to where she is today.
Mike
March 29, 2015 @ 10:33 am
You mean “Let’s say she has a rich mommy and daddy who brought her way in to where she is today!”
Mike
March 29, 2015 @ 10:32 am
I swear to God. The mere thought of Taylor Swift makes me want to go club baby seals!!!!!
Sarah
March 29, 2015 @ 2:15 pm
Miranda and Taylor should not get this award. This should be for legends.
Cool Lester Smooth
March 29, 2015 @ 2:35 pm
Yup. Let’s pump the breaks for 10 years on Miranda and 20 on Taylor (at which point we’ll have seen if she should even be considered country-tangential).
Sarah
March 29, 2015 @ 4:54 pm
I like Taylor and Miranda. I dont think Carrie should be nominated. I like Carrie as well. Lets take step back and look at reality. Loretta Lynn for example is worthy of milestone. She effected all women in country and made it possible for them to write about certain subjects that got her music banned from radio. What have Miranda or Taylor done for country music to deserve a milestone over Loretta?
Cool Lester Smooth
March 29, 2015 @ 5:07 pm
Right there with you. Let’s wait until they’ve lived something resembling a lifetime before giving them a lifetime achievement award.
Kenny’s questionable too, but Miranda and Taylor really stick out.
Maybe they were wary of being accused of sexism, and this was the only way they could even out the numbers without nominating anyone outside of the pop-country genre (except Strait, whose snubbing would have caused an uproar)?
boy
March 29, 2015 @ 9:49 pm
So you are not a taylor fan bit here you are defending taylor. and no it is taylor fans who bash carrie, most taylor fans are made of a legion of dumb ass teen girls. taylor is one of the weakest talents of the genre. she cant SING and her song writing is horrible because her lyrics are very fluffy and generic. carrie’s songs have depth to them, they are very complex, deep spiritual and they tell a better story with lots of themes. taylor’s writing is bubble gum songs marketed to to the dumb masses.
the only reason why taylor wins awards are for ratings and her handlers basically own country music and she brings in the money. the idea that she wins award because she is musical talented is an insult to the integrity of music.
considering how Taylor was pretending to be country for like 5 years and has moved to pop for 2 years she has no business winning awards at the ACM but the ACM needs her for ratings. if it was down to just talent. carrie should have gotten the award and not taylor who auto tunes her voice so much that she does not even sound like a human begin. ah..the politics of country music. thank god people like trigger exist who can expose the dirty politics that goes on.
Cool Lester Smooth
March 29, 2015 @ 10:06 pm
…are you a gimmick account, trying to confirm every preconception I had about Internet-Carrie Fans and refute all of the very smart, reasonable stuff that Sarah just said?
If so, you’re doing a hell of a job!
Sarah
March 30, 2015 @ 9:15 am
I would remove Kenny Chesney and replace with Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson to replace Garth Brooks, and Kris Kristofferson to replace George Straight for representing outlaw music. They all have written good songs that are beloved classics. Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson has written great songs for other artists. Like for example Willie Nelson wrote Crazy. Patsy Cline sang it, and now its one of her classics. Kris Kristofferson wrote Bobbie McGee and Janis Joplin covered it, and got classic song. Wanda Jackson could replace Taylor. She was the first Queen of Rockability. Loretta replace Miranda. She wrote subjects that got her banned from radio. I just think country genre should at least recognize these legends achievement in their very long career, especially for the 50th anniversary. It’s perfect time to do it. They are only getting older. They more than deserve at least nomination for recognition of their careers that defined country genre.
Cool Lester Smooth
March 30, 2015 @ 1:53 pm
Yup. Totally agree.
Although, ratings-wise, they might be better off keeping Strait in the lineup.
Audrey
April 11, 2015 @ 5:32 pm
I think it is stupid to say Miranda has not contributed to furthering county music. Of course Loretta deserved one too but not at the removal of Miranda. They are for specific accomplishments the one that should be removed is Taylor. Taylor can stay in pop as far as I a concerned she seems to be the sell out not Miranda. Miranda is the reason there is a Kacey. Miranda sings all sorts of songs and attracts people who dont always listen to country to her blend of old country meets modern. And it is Miranda who will sweep the ACMs I bet she takes female/album/single/entertainer of the year/ and possibly more. I have been of fan of country for a long time since birth almost so 49 years or so. Maybe some people who are getting the Milestone awards should have been passed over for the Dollys’ and Lorettas’ but certainly Miranda deserves it.
Sarah
March 30, 2015 @ 7:36 am
This is me replying to the “boy” person. For some reason I can’t reply to him directly. Maybe it’s because I’m on my phone? I don’t know.
Taylor may not have best singer. She can sound very pretty live like here: [url]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8BeroAhrdmk[/url]
Back To December, Sad Beautiful Tragic, Enchanted, Begin Again, State Of Grace, This Love, The Lucky One, I Almost Do ect are very good songs Taylor has wrote solo. Cold As You, Clean, All Too Well, You Are In Love, Treacherous, Safe And Sound are good co write.
Carrie does have some great songs especially some of her non singles. I really like Just A Dream song. I was watching Just A Dream stripped down performance and I slightly prefer it to the original. [url]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TqttXajMhQ0[/url]
I also like the acoustic performance she did of the song Blown Away overseas on BBC Breakfast [url]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JqCFU3Pfm24[/url]
Blown Away did have some songs with instruments and not big production. For some reason they didn’t release those as singles. Even on Play On they had some great songs wish her team would have released. I wish they would start releasing songs like Wine After Whisky, Forever Changed, Someday When I Start Loving You, Good In Goodbye to show different side of her singing. I would love it if she sang on her own songs like she did for Different Drum cover. Anyway
I wish fanatical fans would stop. Have respect for each other like Taylor and Carrie even if you don’t care for their music. When Carrie was singing See You Again for country award show after she performed she was crying, because of what happened in Oklahoma. Taylor comforted her. She thanked her on twitter. To me the tweet of Carrie thanking Taylor tells me they have mutual respect of each other. I saw that because Carrie fan posted it on music board. Fans should start doing the same.
Cool Lester Smooth
March 30, 2015 @ 2:19 pm
I’ll check out more of Carrie’s album cuts.
I really, really like Wasted (Before He Cheats is fun, too!), but otherwise her singles just do absolutely nothing for me, which is a shame because she really does have a phenomenal voice.
Sarah
March 30, 2015 @ 9:49 am
Dolly to replace Reba McEntire and Brooks and Dunn.
Peter
March 30, 2015 @ 10:14 am
Country mu ice don’t seem to about Taylor Swift to because Taylor Swift is not country and she is on. Her country music only appeal music videos and albums. That’s why country radio cannot play Taylor Swift like Mean. You have to use p music to play Taylor Swift lik ShakIt Off because Taylor Swift will not appeal county music even with a crossover appeal for pop and Taylor Swift don’t care about country music. I’m afraid Tay.or Swifts country music like Tim McGraw’s Highway Don’t Cae will have to play on pop music like MTV from now on because country music don’t seem to care about women like Carrie Underwood. Country music only appeal men/bro-country/Miranda Lambert/male veterans like Brad Paisley. Country music hates Taylor Swift like Sparks Fly. Taylor Swift only appeals mainstream populars like pop music and break-ups. I’m afraid Taylor Swift will only have pop nowadays because popular music hates her country music and popular music only wants her pop music. Sadly, female country stars like Carrie Undewood will only make pop music. It looks like Taylor Swift’s country music will only have pop from now on. If only MTV should play Taylor Swit music videos and Carrie Underwood music videos, that would be great. Also, even with Carrie Underwood is a female country star, country music lost interest to Carrie Underwood and country music wants nothing but country men and Mianda Lambert. So Carrie Underwood will have to change her music career to pop and follow Taylor Swift’s footsteps at the same time.
Amanda
March 30, 2015 @ 1:36 pm
I disagree with alot of the comments. I love Miranda (non-singles). I love the twang, I love her voice. I think she is extremely talent…be it her latest stuff..could be called sell out, but songs like Roots& wings and her acoustic covers at her concerts, I know the ‘kerosene’ Miranda is still there just waiting for this Bro-country realm to end.
I think Miranda deserves this award. Yes she is given the female vocalist awards and albums, but she sells. Her album platinum is nearing 700,000 but she has well over 5 millions streams on a few tracks alone.
From the comment above MSG ended up selling out but be it tix were going 40 dollars under facevalue…(not good on her part but all of her other shows have sold out) Living in NYC the radio station didnt advertise the concert, she has shows in CT MA NJ and NH all within week of each other..livenation did a horrible job with spacing out shows.
Its not her fault the CMA/ACM give her all the awards…in reality she is the only female on the radio. So she really has no competition there….
And to another comment above, Carrie fans are the worst. Every single post about Miranda Carrie fans show up. Every post about Kacey M or Brandy Carrie fans show up.
Cool Lester Smooth
March 30, 2015 @ 2:22 pm
Hah, exactly. Any group of people who feels the need to flame Brandy Clark is the worst.
I recognize why other people may not love Musgraves as much as I do, but if you don’t like Brandy Clark, your opinion is wrong.
Sarah
March 30, 2015 @ 3:02 pm
Miranda fans are same towards Carrie just to a slight lesser extent than Taylor fans. There are couple fans of Kacey who are same way as well.
Sarah
March 30, 2015 @ 3:15 pm
I can’t get into Brandy Clark. I prefer Rachel Brook, Holly Williams, Della Mae, Sarah Jarosz, Lindi Ortega, Chris Knight, Julie Roberts, The Trishes, Red Molly, Trampled By Turtles, Old Crow Medine Show ect.
Cool Lester Smooth
March 30, 2015 @ 3:18 pm
Holly Williams is so good.
Sarah
March 30, 2015 @ 5:32 pm
I think Brandy Clark is talented though. I have very hard time connecting to her music. Yes Holly Williams is very good. You would not believe the chain reaction she had in my family. It started with me playing her cd for my mom while I was taking her to the Hospital. I recommended her to Carrie fan on music site. That person was wanting more recommendations for country women. I gave Holly and others. She really liked her music. Thats why I think if Holly got more exposer she could do well in mainstream. The Highway should have won some awards at least for Waiting On June or Drinkin.
I noticed you said you were going to check out Carrie album cuts. If you are going to I would only bother with Someday When I Stop Loving You, Look At Me, What Can I Say on Play On cd. On Blown Away: Thank God For Home Towns, Good In Goodbye, Wine After Whisky, Do You Think About Me, Forever Changed, Leave Love Alone, Cupids Got A Shot Gun. Her other CDs has more big production. With Blown Away she seemed to get further away from it with more songs. The last two songs are more similar to Before He Cheats. The rest are slow songs. Personally I wish they would have released along with Blown Away and Two Black Cadallics, Good In Goodbye, Cupids Got A Shot Gun and Wine After Whisky, instead of Good Girl and See You Again. I would have put Forever Changed as single, but Carrie said that song makes her too emotional to sing live. Some of my favorite performances are from her album cuts that she sings at Opry or her concert. For some reason her label like to release the majority of her singles with her voice soaring to the sky. I like that type of singing. I do wish they were show the different side which is beautiful to me like here:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XpZdDPqn_As
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CBg__ByatjQ
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bN5xSKkXIB8
You don’t have checkout her music. I just have a tendency to ramble on about Carrie. I understand not everybody is going to enjoy the same music. I wanted to give you recommendations to save you the trouble of going through songs I know you will not like. I’m not sure if you will like those songs either. The songs I mentioned are more stripped down than some of her other music. It’s my wish she work with Charlie Peacock.
boy
March 31, 2015 @ 2:18 am
Taylor won? when? how? what?
Since when has records sales meant TALENT in the 21st century?
Actually no not really, taylor could not even go up against Kacey M during the RED era.
You said carrie underwood’s scream and that is just not true. carrie has a 4 octave range and can hit a whitsle register note. that is not screaming. that is having a vocal range, carrie screams like celine dion and Mariah carey screams. (sarcasm)
Taylor does not even have a range and she sounds like a dying cat when she tries to hit a high note.Taylor still cant sing and that is why I have issues with her.
I like her taylor fans always say, taylor sells records, Taylor wins awards but yet they cant face the simple fact that taylor cant sing.
blown away one of the most complex and best country song of the last 5 years won the grammy for both best vocal performance and besy country song. two blacl callderic inspired a tv show, something in the water that came out last year has been far more critical acclaimed than any of taylor’s recent songs.
so what debate did taylor win?
Taylor ran to pop and she is struggling there now even with her record sales. Katy Perry is kicking her ass to the point that Taylor is raising the white flag and begging katy to be friends with her as a way of eliminating the competition. taylor was going around bashing katy perry but when kary gave her epic superbowl performance with high critical acclaim Taylor wanted to make peace with her because she knew she was not capable of what Katy Perry did.
Then we have Lady Gaga who no one would take seriously anymore then she gives A GREAT VOCAL PERFORMCCE at the Oscars something taylor is not CAPABLE OFF and people gave her back the modern queen of pop title that taylor had taken. Adele is also coming back to pop music and I don’t need to tell you how great Adele is in comparsion to taylor.
So taylor has not won anything, all she has her record sales and awards her handlers bought of her. She cant even go head to head with Lady Gaga, Katy Perry or Adele in the Pop Genre and Carrie still sings betters than all this girls.
Carrie won her 7th grammy matching taylor’s who will likely never win a grammy again and when carrie wins grammy’s she wins because she was the best in the category that no one can challenge.
when taylor wins grammys it is usually met with controversy and descorn because people usually say in term of musical talent she should not be beaten Beyoncé and Lady Gaga and they are RIGHT because this girls are more talented than she is. that is just the FACT. it is not even up for debate.
So what war did taylor win again?
taylor, most of the grammy she has won where for sympathy votes after the kayne west fisaco. Carrie is more consistent in winning grammys than taylor so it means carrie after the next 10 years will have won more and once you erase the demo of teen girls buying her taylor ‘s records, carrie become far more successful.
So no the WAR was not won by taylor
google
carrie vs taylor.
and the votes by a majority says carrie is better because she is and taylor knows it.
I find it interesting how taylor fans says carrie screams. this is Carrie who has been called the best VOCALIST OF HER GENERATION and this is also Taylor who many people including her other musicians have said TAYLOR CANT SING.
instead of us discussing something as shallow as record sales and awards voted by teen girls. lets discuss the musicality and Taylor is lacking. I don’t like Taylor because she cant SING just like how I did not like Britney spears 15 years ago because she could not sing as well. not one of them can carry a tune and sing on key so no I am not going to applaud them.
Something in the water, a song carrie co wrote is far superior in lyrics to any of taylor ‘s recent songs and the way Carrie manage to blend amazing grace, a classic gospel song to the song is what made the song incredible and gave it real artistry. Not many people can combine two genre of music together and make it equally great.
Listen to Christina’s Aguilera’s Aint no other man how she blends pop and jazz. this is what makes her superior to Britney spears in talent and its the same with carrie and taylor.
its a joke to compare any carrie song to any of taylor’s recent songs.
haters gonna hate hate hate hate hate
oh my god look at him ,he is so fine.
are we out of the woods, are we out of the woods, are we out of the woods are we out of the woods?
That is taylor lyrics. the only people that think it is good as teenage girls.
so again what battle has taylor won?
you said taylor won the battle years ago?
which as I have proven is a complete lie. taylor left the battle ring and never fought in the battle because it is battle she cant win.
you are here trying to defend taylor even after triggerman himself the owner of the site has said taylor did not deserve the award. triggerman has also criticise Taylor’s lack of talent in the past so I guess he is a carrie lovers and is bias as well (roll eyes)
If record sales is your best defence of what makes taylor’s better then I suggest you go on the mtv boards and not here.
most people here don’t care about record sales. ITS ABOUT TALENT, Something Taylor clearly does not have.
I don’t like Britney spears, Taylor swift, Rihanna and the rest of all the people who cant sing. CANT EVEN SING AT ALL and all this girls I mention rare the most NOTORIOUS for using autotune.
Zeng
March 31, 2015 @ 5:06 am
boy oh boy, I really hate to say this but record sales is what MOST people care about and remember. If you fail to even notice and understand this then I’m afraid you have not been paying attention and living in a delusional world….which is sad.
Sarah
March 31, 2015 @ 6:41 am
Taylor is very talented. Inspiring others and significant amount of culture impact is what is remembered the most.
Chris
March 31, 2015 @ 7:40 am
Got any poll data to back up that bs? Most music fans care more about the music than sales. When a fan goes to buy music are they listening to previews and reading reviews or looking at sales numbers? I bet polls would even rank things like artist familiarity, interaction with fans, music videos and looks above sales numbers. Your comment shows that you might be in the music business, not just a music fan. Obviously some labels care more about sales than making great country music.
Mike
March 31, 2015 @ 5:09 am
I ain’t gonna lie….
….The fact that people refer to Taylor Swift as a “cultural icon” makes me question my belief in God.
Audrey
April 11, 2015 @ 5:34 pm
Why doesn’t Taylor do the true long term country fans a favor and just stay home and “Shake it Off”!