ACM Awards Unceremoniously Release 2017 New Artist Winners
It’s bad enough that the country music farm system is so completely inept at developing new talent that we see the same damn artists nominated for the same damn awards year after year in an uninspiring drone of sameness. The ACM tries to shine a spotlight on more new artists by splitting the “New Artist” category into three different segments of male, female, and duo or group. But even then they find a way to goober it all up.
For example the female category this year (and in some years previous) only has four nominees instead of five. Sexist much? Come on folks, find a fifth female to fill out the roster with instead of institutionally downgrading the girls even when you’re doling out awards. And that says nothing out the extremely broad interpretation of “new” the ACM’s use to distinguish these artists. Brothers Osborne had a Top 40 hit in 2013. LoCash had one in 2010. But whatever. The ACM Awards have illustrated they’re not even interested in following their own rules on the subject, so it’s probably not worth wasting breath over. Basically, the New Artist awards are distinctions for the country mainstream’s 2nd tier stars.
And to show the great reverence that the ACM Awards take with these New Artists distinctions, and to shower incredible appreciation for the musical contributions of these fine performers, the ACM’s, with distinct honor, announced the winners of these awards on a random late Tuesday morning on freaking Twitter. What, did a Charlie Rose segment on CBS This Morning run long?
Anyway, possibly more exciting than who did win is who didn’t, namely the turd triumvirate of Kane Brown, Chris Lane, and Brett Young. Luckily they got bested by Jon Pardi who now boasts two #1 singles that both have “boots” in the title (“Dirt On my Boots” and “Head Over Boots”). I know he’s not everyone’s country music savior, but at least the dude isn’t afraid of putting some steel guitar on a track.
Maren Morris won for New Female Vocalist of the Year in one of the most obvious picks in country awards show history. It would have been nice to see Brandy Clark win, but is she still considered “new”? Cam and Lauren Alaina wouldn’t have been terrible choices either, because unlike the rest of the ACM categories, the new females in country actually have some talent.
And Brothers Osborne win for New Duo / Group of the Year, besting the moussed up Dan + Shay and others.
So there it is: Country music’s future announced on social media with some graphics slapped together by an intern. Now back to mundanity of your boring little lives country music fans, and make sure to tune into the ACM’s on April 2nd.
(and SCM’s snark-filled LIVE blog, woot!)
New Male Vocalist of the Year
Kane Brown
Chris Janson
Chris Lane
Jon Pardi – WINNER
Brett Young
New Female Vocalist of the Year
Why only four nominees? See, this is why females in country are so systemically marginalized. Find another name and put it here. Give that artist some recognition. Margo Price?
Lauren Alaina
Cam
Brandy Clark
Maren Morris – WINNER
New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year
A Thousand Horses
Brothers Osborne – WINNER
Dan + Shay
LoCash
Maddie & Tae
Eli
March 14, 2017 @ 10:08 am
I think you combined Chris Janson and Brett Young into one dude to get a veteran male vocalist.
Trigger
March 14, 2017 @ 10:24 am
Same dude, different Axe scent.
Justin C
March 14, 2017 @ 12:16 pm
Lololol
Carol
March 14, 2017 @ 10:15 am
Yep, Cam, Brandi, and Maren all have talent.
Gena R.
March 14, 2017 @ 10:51 am
“(and SCM’s snark-filled LIVE blog, woot!)”
Woohoo! I’m pretty sure my FOX Sunday comedies are having new episodes that night, so I’ll be checking in on here to see what (if anything) I’m missing on the awards. 🙂
Derek Sullivan
March 14, 2017 @ 10:51 am
Hopefully, Brothers Osborne will get to perform on the show. I have always liked their new single, “It Ain’t My Fault.”
Trigger
March 14, 2017 @ 11:37 am
All the New Artist winners get to perform, though don’t be surprised if it’s 30 seconds of a chorus hook before they throw it to commercial.
Gabe
March 14, 2017 @ 12:49 pm
I was thinking the same thing considering Jon is a traditional artist
hoptowntiger94
March 14, 2017 @ 11:29 am
They probably gave out these awards early because Morris and Pardi don’t have good TV faces. Especially Pardi – his face looks like a jack-o’-lantern left on the porch in December.
seak05
March 14, 2017 @ 11:49 am
Maren will have a big huge prominent spot in the actual TV show
Justin
March 14, 2017 @ 11:40 am
Kane Brown even being nominated is pretty disturbing.
seak05
March 14, 2017 @ 11:53 am
4 women, one of whom is Brandy Clark (and I love her but she’s not new), speaks to the problem. Tons of talented women they could have nominated, and crickets.
Amanda
March 14, 2017 @ 12:04 pm
I’m very proud of Jon Pardi. He’s no country music savior, that’s for sure, but I love him and think he’s fantastic. Unlike the turd triumvirate, Jon Pardi is an actual country artist. An actual country artist beating out the hip, trendy, whatever the hell-they-are Sam Hunt wannabes speaks volumes about maybe that things are changing in the state of country music. We’ll see. I thought Jon’s California Sunrise album was fantastic, and I’m a sucker for fiddle and steel guitar. I’ve missed hearing them on country radio. 🙂
Chad Perry
March 14, 2017 @ 12:31 pm
Glad Jon Pardi and the Brothers Osborne won. Sort of a step in the right direction, I guess. But the fact that Chris Lame and BroCash were even nominated and Sturgill wasn’t…*gag*
Nate
March 14, 2017 @ 1:40 pm
They should have nominated Beyonce for best new female artist.
Trigger
March 14, 2017 @ 2:46 pm
🙂
justin casey
March 14, 2017 @ 1:44 pm
i skipped the live feed of wrestlemania last year for this, don’t think i’ll make the same mistake this year
on a positive note really happy they acknowledged jon pardi, well deserved.
Scotty J
March 14, 2017 @ 2:28 pm
Whither Maddie & Tae and Dot Records?
Trigger
March 14, 2017 @ 2:48 pm
I’ll probably have something on this soon. Still nothing official on what exactly happened.
Scotty J
March 14, 2017 @ 2:55 pm
Yeah last I saw they were still unaccounted for while a couple of other Dot artists have moved to other imprints. The overall state of the Big Machine stable is kind of interesting.
Other than Swifty looking pretty shaky and she ain’t doin’ much right now.
Kim codey
March 14, 2017 @ 4:43 pm
I think acm awards pick who they want to win and not based on the fans votes
Willie Potter
March 14, 2017 @ 5:39 pm
Jon Pardi may not be country music’s savior,but he’s pretty damn close.
Solid albums from top to bottom.
KUDOS Jon!
sweet on stuart
March 14, 2017 @ 5:51 pm
Would William Michael Morgan have qualified for New Artist? He could have replaced any of the other guys (except Pardi).
Trigger
March 14, 2017 @ 6:31 pm
Yes, but it might be a little early for him, ironically. They’ll probably nominate him when he’s 40 like the did Pat Green.
Actually if Morgan keeps it up, I expect he’ll receive a nomination next year.
seak05
March 14, 2017 @ 8:00 pm
To their credit, Warner has been pushing him hard. They got him CRS new faces, I imagine they’ll try to get him ACM noms too
Amanda
March 14, 2017 @ 6:36 pm
He should have. He had a number one song last year, and he put out a fantastic album. He deserved a nomination as well. Chris Janson is a country artist, but he’s just kinda meh. Kane Brown, gag. Brett Young and Chris Lane may have had number one songs, but they’re not country artists and they do not deserve nominations at a COUNTRY awards show. I mean, everyone knows about the pitiful numbers for Chris Lane’s album sales. They are straight-up pop artists who could never succeed in the pop field. Either way though, Jon Pardi is a country artist, he is fantastic, and I am so proud of him. I’m also glad that the ACMs are finally acknowledging a great artist.
Blackwater
March 14, 2017 @ 7:41 pm
Ugh whyyyyyy do people give two shits about these “awards”. Pitiful.
Joe Williams
March 15, 2017 @ 2:10 pm
Congratulations to Maren Morris!
I would prefer to see any (or all) of these artists nominated for the ACM New Female Vocalist of the Year award: Dori Freeman, Margo Price, Aubrie Sellers, Caitlyn Smith, Amanda Shires, Courtney Marie Andrews, Karen Jonas, Kelsey Waldon, Sarah Shook & the Disarmers.
But sticking to what the ACM considers country: Kree Harrison, Morgan Myles, Clare Dunn, Brooke Eden, Kalie Shorr, Olivia Lane, Tara Thompson, Sarah Ross? All these women are emerging on the modern country music scene, and should have been considered for the ACM New Female Vocalist of the Year award.
And for the ACM New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year award, why not nominate Post Monroe? They are actually new.
As an aside, no Loretta Lynn nomination??? C’mon ACM, invent a category if you have to!
albert
March 15, 2017 @ 11:43 pm
Caught Jon Pardi live on one of the late night shows the other night .
Couldn’t intonate ( very forgettable vocal sound to start with) to save his life and the song was pretty dreadful .
the realist
August 4, 2017 @ 12:38 pm
I was going to watch the award show but I found something more exciting to do. So I went outside and watched the grass grow in the highway median…