2019 ACM Awards Nominations Should Be Regarded with Perspective
The ACM Awards announced their 2019 nominees on Wednesday (2-21), and it felt so liberating to not feel the need to immediately deliberate over the organization’s conclusions, and instead regard them with the tacit relevance they probably deserve. Don’t get me wrong, awards shows still matter as an economic engine for the nominees, performers, and eventual winners. Not giving awards shows any attention in hopes they will just go away would be a fool’s errand, and when April rolls around, Saving Country Music will probably be cueing up a live blog to sow dissent and give whatever props to the few things they get right at the ACMs, and then the whole thing will cycle around to the next year.
Of course the big story line coming out of the 2019 ACM Awards is the lack of women, which would have been the story regardless of how the nominations played out. It is being a little disingenuous and shortsighted to act like women are getting shafted when it comes to country music awards this year, when Kacey Musgraves just won three of the four Grammy Awards in the country categories, as well as the all genre Album of the Year, and Brandi Carlile swept all three of the Americana categories as well. Musgraves also won Album of the Year at the CMAs back in November. And if form holds, Kacey Musgraves is also very likely to win the ACM Album of the Year for Golden Hour come April, giving her the trifecta of Album of the Year trophies for this year’s cycle.
So far in this awards show cycle, Kacey Musgraves has won 4 out of the 7 of the non gender single/song/album awards handed out. For those of you not particularly great with statistics, that’s a majority, and not just for women, but for Kacey Musgraves. Kacey is also is up for two of the three single/song/album categories for the ACMs in April, is a shoo-in for Album of the Year, and has to be considered a strong contender for Song of the Year for “Space Cowboy,” which also won that distinction at the Grammy Awards. Again, this would mean that a women would win the majority of the single/song/album awards across the CMA/Grammy/ACM season, or if Musgraves only wins one ACM Award, it would mean women won half. This is what is called gender parity.
But let’s not let the ACMs or the country music industry off the hook. Women still feel under-represented in the ACM song nominations, and it continues to remain a fair question why the New Artist of the Year category for the men includes five nominees, while the same category for women only includes four. If artist development is one of the reasons women are disappearing from the country format, a New Artist nomination would be a very useful distinction to hand to an up-and-comer that can then tout this as part of their resume. A rule change compelling the nomination process to include five artists in each category is an easy solution here, and may also force the nomination process to dig deeper into the country world into independent artists who also deserve distinction. You can’t guarantee equality of outcome, but you can guarantee equality of opportunity. And right now, women are receiving one less opportunity than the men in the ACM’s New Artist categories.
Another issue is the ACM nominees for Entertainer of the Year, which just like the CMAs, fail to include a woman. But the question we need to ask ourselves is, which woman or women would or could you include in this category for this year? Miranda Lambert hasn’t released a record since 2016. Carrie Underwood did release a record last year, but didn’t really tour, and over the last decade or so, touring has become a big factor in the Entertainer of the Year category, if not the biggest. Perhaps you could consider Kacey Musgraves, but her big Grammy moment came after the majority of voting for the ACMs, and her big touring note from 2018 was opening for Harry Styles.
Maybe next year Kacey Musgraves will be a big contender for Entertainer of the Year after her Grammy bump, or Carrie Underwood as she launches her Cry Pretty world tour, or Miranda Lambert as she (likely) releases a new record, or Maren Morris who is gaining momentum. There’s also a cart-before-the-horse factor here of women not getting radio support, and so thus not being able to turn in an Entertainer of the Year-caliber calendar cycle which also must be considered. But right now, there just isn’t a woman that makes sense as an Entertainer of the Year nominee, and nominating a woman just because she’s a woman would feel more like tokenism.
This leads into another issue with worrying too much about awards shows. It’s hard to argue that Kacey Musgraves hasn’t deserved the awards she’s won so far, because considering the field of nominees, she has. But let’s also not allow award show wins to gloss over deeper issues facing country music, whether it’s a gender grievance, concerns for traditional artists getting locked out of the process, or artists of substance not being given a fair shake beside commercial powerhouses. Handing out awards to quell public uproar can be a way to satiate criticism, and mask instead of address more underlying problems in the industry that don’t allow the best art to rise to the top, regardless of gender, style, or major label status. It’s also ineffective. As illustrated above, Kacey Musgraves is killing it at awards shows right now, yet all the press wants to talk about is how women aren’t being represented at country music awards shows, which isn’t only untrue, it’s kind of an insult to Kacey Musgraves.
The ACM Awards are what they are, which is country music’s 3rd rail awards show rife with bloc voting and horse trading. You hope for the best men and women nominated to win. But ultimately—especially in this streaming era of music and the slow implosion of broadcast television—it’s the support good artists are finding in their careers translated through sustainable touring, streaming, and sales numbers that really matter, measured in scope against their peers on respective levels from the mainstream all the way to the underground. An ACM Award has no cash value. Fans who will show up to your shows and support you regardless of what is popular at the moment or what corrupted organization decides to mint on trophies, that is the asset every artist should work to earn.
2019 ACM Awards Nominees:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
• Jason Aldean
• Luke Bryan
• Kenny Chesney
• Chris Stapleton
• Keith Urban
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
• Miranda Lambert
• Ashley McBryde
• Maren Morris
• Kacey Musgraves
• Carrie Underwood
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
• Dierks Bentley
• Luke Combs
• Thomas Rhett
• Chris Stapleton
• Keith Urban
DUO OF THE YEAR
• Brothers Osborne
• Dan + Shay
• Florida Georgia Line
• LOCASH
• Maddie & Tae
GROUP OF THE YEAR
• Lady Antebellum
• LANCO
• Little Big Town
• Midland
• Old Dominion
NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
• Danielle Bradbery
• Lindsay Ell
• Ashley McBryde
• Carly Pearce
NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
• Jimmie Allen
• Luke Combs
• Jordan Davis
• Michael Ray
• Mitchell Tenpenny
NEW DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
• High Valley
• LANCO
• Runaway June
ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
• Dan + Shay – Dan + Shay
Producers: Scott Hendricks / Dan Smyers / Matt Dragstrem
Record Label: Warner Music Nashville
• Desperate Man – Eric Church
Producers: Jay Joyce / Arturo Buenahora Jr.
Record Label: EMI Records Nashville
• From A Room: Volume 2 – Chris Stapleton
Producers: Dave Cobb / Chris Stapleton
Record Label: Mercury Nashville
• Golden Hour – Kacey Musgraves
Producers: Ian Fitchuk / Daniel Tashian / Kacey Musgraves
Record Label: MCA Nashville
• The Mountain – Dierks Bentley
Producers: Ross Copperman / Jon Randall Stewart / Arturo Buenahora Jr.
Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville
SINGLE OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
• Down to the Honky Tonk – Jake Owen
Producer: Joey Moi
Record Label: Big Loud Records
• Heaven – Kane Brown
Producer: Dann Huff / Polow Da Don
Record Label: RCA Nashville
• Meant To Be – Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
Producer: Wilshire for Rock The Soul Ent
Record Label: Warner Bros. Records
• Most People Are Good – Luke Bryan
Producers: Jeff Stevens / Jody Stevens
Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville
• Tequila – Dan + Shay
Producers: Scott Hendricks / Dan Smyers
Record Label: Warner Music Nashville
SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
• Break Up In The End – Cole Swindell
Writers: Jessie Jo Dillon / Chase McGill / Jon Nite
Publishers: EMI April Music Inc. / Nite Writer Music (ASCAP) / Songs of Universal, Inc. / Plum Nelly (BMI) / Big Music Machine (BMI)/ Big Ass Pile Of Dimes Music (BMI)
• Broken Halos – Chris Stapleton
Writers: Mike Henderson / Chris Stapleton
Publishers: WB Music Corp./House of Sea Gayle Music, admin. by ClearBox Rights/Spirit Catalog Holdings, S.a.r.l. admin. by Spirit Two Nashville (ASCAP); Straight Six Music (BMI)
• Meant To Be – Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
Writers: David Garcia / Tyler Hubbard / Joshua Miller / Bebe Rexha
Publishers: BMG Platinum Songs/Kiss Me If You Can Music (BMI) (all rights administered by BMG Rights Management (US) LLC) Big Loud Mountain (BMI) and T Hubb Publishing (BMI). All Rights Administered by Round Hill Works. Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. on behalf of itself and Songs of the Corn and Jack 10 Publishing. Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Publishing (ASCAP) D Soul Music (ASCAP) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com)
• Space Cowboy – Kacey Musgraves
Writers: Luke Laird / Shane McAnally / Kacey Musgraves
Publishers: Smack Hits/Smack Songs, admin by Kobalt Music Group ltd. (GMR)/Universal Music Works/We Are Creative NBaSmack Hits/Smack Songs, LLC, admin. by Kobalt Music Group Ltd. (GMR); Universal Music Works/We Are Creative Nation/Jake and Mack Music, admin. by Universal Music Works; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp./351 Music (BMI).
• Tequila – Dan + Shay
Writers: Nicolle Galyon / Jordan Reynolds / Dan Smyers
Publishers: Beats and Banjos (ASCAP)/ WB Music Corp. (ASCAP)/A Girl Named Charlie (BMI) / Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI) / Buckeye26 (ASCAP) / Jreynmusic (ASCAP)
• Yours – Russell Dickerson
Writers: Casey Brown / Russell Dickerson / Parker Welling
Publishers: BMG Platinum Songs/Kailey’s Dream / So Essential Tunes / Not Just Another Song Publishing / Hillbilly Science and Research Publishing/Trailerlily Music
VIDEO OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
• Babe – Sugarland featuring Taylor Swift
Producer: Roger Hunt
Director: Anthony Mandler
• Burn Out – Midland
Producer: Ben Skipworth
Director: TK McKamy / Cameron Duddy
• Burning Man – Dierks Bentley featuring Brothers Osborne
Producer: Nate Eggert
Director: Wes Edwards
• Drunk Girl – Chris Janson
Producer: Ben Skipworth
Director: Jeff Venable
• Shoot Me Straight – Brothers Osborne
Producer: April Kimbrell
Director: Wes Edwards / Ryan Silver
• Tequila – Dan + Shay
Producer: Christen Pinkston
Director: Patrick Tracy
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR*(Off Camera Award)
• Ross Copperman
• Ashley Gorley
• Shane McAnally
• Chase McGill
• Josh Osborne
MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
• Burning Man – Dierks Bentley featuring Brothers Osborne
Producers: Ross Copperman / Jon Randall Stewart / Arturo Buenahora Jr.
Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville
• Drowns the Whiskey – Jason Aldean featuring Miranda Lambert
Producer: Michael Knox
Record Labels: Macon Music, LLC; Broken Bow Records; BBR Music Group; BMG
• Everything’s Gonna Be Alright – David Lee Murphy featuring Kenny Chesney
Producers: Buddy Cannon / Kenny Chesney / David Lee Murphy
Record Label: Reviver Records
• Keeping Score – Dan + Shay featuring Kelly Clarkson
Producers: Scott Hendricks / Dan Smyers
Record Label: Warner Music Nashville
• Meant To Be – Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
Producer: Wilshire for Rock The Soul Ent
Record Label: Warner Bros. Records
Ghost of Country Past
February 21, 2019 @ 12:45 pm
I laugh at how ridiculous some of these nominees are.
Broken Halos for Song of the Year? That came out almost two years ago.
The New Artist category is always ridiculous. Danielle Bradbury for New Artist? Heart of Dixie came out in 2013. Michael Ray put out that “kiss you in the parking lot” song in 2015, which hit #1 then. What? It doesn’t make a lick of sense.
Trigger
February 21, 2019 @ 12:58 pm
All good reasons not to take these nominations too seriously.
dakmart
February 21, 2019 @ 2:05 pm
Awards shows are really about advertising for the industry in question and cheap programming for the networks. The awards themselves? For one thing, you can’t quantify art, and for another, how can you say something is definitively the best when A) conceivably only 20.1% of the voters selected it, and B) you know there are behind the scenes machinations? Happily, they’re the least essential part of the show — I focus on the opening monologue, the performances, the In Memoriam reel and last but not least the fashions and skip through the award presentations and ads, and I’m entertained for 90 solid minutes.
Erik North
February 23, 2019 @ 5:53 pm
@ Trigger:
The unfortunate truth is that either the artists or their handlers do seem to take nominations at awards shows like the ACMs, the CMAs, or the Grammys WAY too seriously. It’s as if the only reason these people are in the business at all is for prizes, and it’s a really dangerous mentality to have (IMHO).
As Linda Ronstadt said in her February 3rd “CBS Sunday Morning” interview, “If you’re working for prizes, you’re in big trouble.” I really don’t know whether too many of the people in the industry, especially the country music industry, understand or take into heart what Linda said.
Thass
February 21, 2019 @ 12:58 pm
I’m going to laugh my ass off when Cody Johnson is nominated for New Artist next year
Ghost of Country Past
February 21, 2019 @ 1:52 pm
I was just thinking the same. Or if Aaron Watson ever gets deemed worthy enough.
Might as well put George Strait up since he hasn’t had a radio hit in 6 years.
M
February 21, 2019 @ 2:00 pm
Broken Halos was nominated last year as Single of the Year. Why wouldn’t they have nominated it as song then? Instead they nominated Whiskey and You ny Chris, which was never a single. The ACMs may post criteria by do whatever they want. Why wasn’t Brandi Carlile nominated? And regardless of how one feels about her why wasn’t Kelsea? Grammy nominated album. Toured on her own and with Keith. #1 song. Another in top 15. And very visible on media. I don’t understand.
CeeCeeBee
February 21, 2019 @ 2:44 pm
Agree about Ballerini. I hate to make everything about gender, but it seems they are holding female artists to a stricter standard of “quality” then their male counterparts. Like her or not ( and I think her music is god awful) it’s outrageous that the most commercially successful woman in country music last year didn’t get a single nomination.
Pierre Brunelle
February 21, 2019 @ 2:22 pm
Hi Trig,
I’ve accidentally watched the CMA awards a couple of days ago. The 10 minutes I’ve watched was actually pretty good. I was pleasantly surprised by the Brad Paisley song “Bucked off”. Thankfully I missed the fact that Keith Urban won the Entertainer of the year lol
It might sound stupid but I haven’t figured out the rationale of having CMA and ACM awards. Why not putting one award show for one genre? It’s seem to be very redundant to say the least.
Trigger
February 21, 2019 @ 12:53 pm
Setting the out-of-context Twitter pull quotes by blue checkmark Millennial “journalists” radicalized in grievance study classes at well-healed universities at 7.
Jumpin’ Jack Flash
February 21, 2019 @ 12:59 pm
So for how many years are we going to consider Luke Combs a “new artist”?
Kevin Davis
February 21, 2019 @ 3:42 pm
Well, at least Luke is still within his first album cycle. Michael Ray is well into his second album cycle and with only two moderate “hits” from the second album. Why the hell is he nominated in the new artist category? The ACM has been the worst, versus the CMA, when it comes to the category nominations, including recycling single or song of the year. The CMA’s are far from perfect, but the ACM’s have, for a number of years in a row now, struck me as the most artificial and manipulated. The production over-all of the ACM Awards is also generally worse than that of the CMA.
Nonetheless, I’ll watch, and I’ll hope that Trigger does his live blog.
CeeCeeBee
February 21, 2019 @ 5:14 pm
I can NOT watch the CMAs or the ACMs without Trigger’s live blog!
#Spoiled
KathyP
February 23, 2019 @ 8:58 am
Truth, CeeCeeBee!
Jumpin’ Jack Flash
February 21, 2019 @ 9:20 pm
I agree, but I think Michael Ray can be more easily considered a “new artist” since he still hasn’t developed a really solid fanbase. Luke has more fans than some far more established country artists.
Kevin Davis
February 21, 2019 @ 9:34 pm
I understand your point, but it’s very hard to argue for Michael Ray in this case. If in fact his fan base is not yet substantial, then why? After all, he’s had a #1 (“Kiss You in the Morning”) and a #2 (“Think a Little Less”), plus three more top 20’s. If his fan base is not “really solid” then why the hell not?! And, most importantly, if in fact he should still be considered a “new artist” because of his still-growing-but-not-yet-solid fanbase, then that actually proves why he should have never been nominated in the first place.
If you can have five top twenty hits in four years, including a #1 and #2, then you should certainly have already achieved a sufficient fanbase and experience to disqualify you from a new artist nomination. Or else, the whole thing is rigged by the labels. I’m very suspicious that the latter is the answer to all of this, especially at the ACM Awards.
Jumpin’ Jack Flash
February 21, 2019 @ 10:52 pm
The fact is that these so-called number ones are really produced by a bunch pf radio insiders and not legitimate fans. Country radio hands #1s out to these faceless tools to be appreciated by the lowest common denominator.
I agree that “new artist” and “growing-fanbase artist” are two different things and award shows need to do a better job of distinguishing that.
AT
February 21, 2019 @ 1:10 pm
As a female who loves championing quality female artists, I am so glad to see this article. I completely agree that it would be wonderful to see a female get an Entertainer of the Year nod…but I want to see someone get nominated because they earned it…not because of their gender.
Reba expressed how disappointed that no females were nominated for Entertainer…but Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean, and Luke Bryan are playing in football stadiums…and Chris Stapleton is dominating sales and touring…so it’s hard to say that one of them shouldn’t be nominated. Give or take a few singles, most of the entertainer nominees are also putting out some of their best material in years: Chesney’s “Better Boat,” Aldean with “Drowns the Whiskey,” and “Most People Are Good” from Luke. It’s progress in my eyes.
It’s also OUTSTANDING to see Ashley McBryde snag a nomination for Female Vocalist. I think it’s a great sign considering her lack of radio play.
I read a great interview with Kacey Musgraves from The NY Times this week. She never criticizes the country music industry or radio – she comes off gracefully talking about Nashville’s support of her when clearly the interviewer is probably trying to get some provoking, negative comments that would create even more thinkpieces . Good read.
CeeCeeBee
February 21, 2019 @ 5:05 pm
I really have a lot of respect for her. Always taking the high road, even when she has a legitimate beef.
ADJ
February 21, 2019 @ 5:46 pm
I don’t think that was Reba’s intention to completely ignore the men, but just making the point that there are a few female acts work really hard to be nominated, that’s all
mar
February 21, 2019 @ 1:18 pm
I can’t take any award show seriously that thinks Chris Stapleton is an “Entertainer of the Year”. He is the most boring person to watch live. Talented yes, but his stage presence is abyssal.
Benjamin
February 21, 2019 @ 2:20 pm
I completely disagree. I whole-heartedly believe Stapleton puts on one of the best concerts I’ve ever seen BECAUSE he doesn’t “perform”. He doesn’t need dancers, or a bunch of lights, or fire, or whatever it may be. He just needs a guitar, fantastic lyrics, his incredible voice, and a microphone. He’s naturally talented, and can play to sold out 20,000 people crowds without anything to hide behind- he just connects with the power of music…which is something the other EOTY nominees can’t say.
DS
February 21, 2019 @ 3:45 pm
Go see Luke Bryan, then.
Kevin Davis
February 21, 2019 @ 3:51 pm
I saw Stapleton last year in Alpharetta, GA, with my brother. We have seen some amazing concerts over the years, from Tom Petty to B.B. King to Merle Haggard, and we both agreed that Stapleton’s concert was one of the best concerts we have ever seen. We were in fact struck at how funny and engaging he was with the audience at times.
Sarah
February 21, 2019 @ 1:26 pm
I think Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde would have both made good entertainer of the year award nominees.
Trigger
February 21, 2019 @ 3:13 pm
As a strong Ashley McBryde supporter, the last thing I would want is for her to receive an Entertainer of the Year nomination award at this point in her career. Fist off, she has not done nearly enough to deserve it. Second, it would breed strong resentment throughout popular country music fandom toward Ashley for hopscotching way more deserving artists for such a major distinction, similar to what we’re seeing for Maren Morris, but only worse. It would be disastrous for Ashley, and I think that’s one of the reasons you can’t just say, “Nominate more women!” The have to be deserving. It would be great if Ashley McBryde could get there someday, but first let’s focus on getting her a successful radio single.
Sarah
February 21, 2019 @ 3:52 pm
I see what you’re saying. It’s just that looking at that list there’s people like Jason Aldean, who can’t sing or dance or write a song or have a decent stage presence. I dont care if he sells out football stadiums. So when you have someone like that nominated it’s hard to know where to set the bar, or if there is much of a bar.
albert
February 22, 2019 @ 12:25 am
”I see what you’re saying. It’s just that looking at that list there’s people like Jason Aldean, who can’t sing or dance or write a song or have a decent stage presence. I dont care if he sells out football stadiums. So when you have someone like that nominated it’s hard to know where to set the bar, or if there is much of a bar.”
EXACTLY , sarah …..
every time I hear aldean sing at on of these big time awards deals I scratch my head wondering what the hell a label heard in his voice that I don’t . THE MAN CAN’T SING WORTH SHIT . the industry knows it , anyone with ears knows it …….but obviously his fans just DO NOT CARE about that . Very very suspicious stuff there.
Ray
February 21, 2019 @ 1:44 pm
It seems “Broken Halos” has been around forever and would have rather seen “Millionaire” if a Chris Stapleton song has to be included.
I was most surprised not to see “Drunk Girl” by Chris Janson not nominated for Song of the Year. Although I think “Yours” is a great male vocal performance, I do not consider it one of the five best songs of last year.
For Female Artist, I am thrilled to see Ashley McBryde included. I hope the show gives her a performance slot and let her have a “Chris Stapleton/Justin Timberlake” moment. If you have seen her in concert, a simple acoustic song like what she has done at the Grand Ole Opry would be amazing to see and would introduce her to her biggest audience.
Also in Female, I was shocked not to see Kelsea Ballerini. It seems she and Maren continue to drift more into Taylor Swift’s territory. If it was my guess, it would be because “I Hate Love Songs” seemed to stay around forever and was her least successful single.
Lastly, is Luke Combs still consider “New Artist?” He is selling out arenas now and has had so many singles. If I had to guess, he could be the upset winner in the Male Artist category.
Rick
February 21, 2019 @ 1:44 pm
To paraphrase Luke Bryan, I believe those single of the year nominees are crap. Not most. Every single one of them. The only song worse is that Codigo tequila abomination that my beloved King put out. Why bother with this award show?
Derek Sullivan
February 21, 2019 @ 1:51 pm
I just have to thank the Grammys for giving Kacey a lift. If I remember correctly, Golden Hour came out the same day as Ashley McBryde’s just as amazing album and I was listening to McBryde after only giving Golden Hour a once-over. t was so quiet at first. I just couldn’t get into it. I also don’t like High Horse, which she performed on SNL and that turned me off.
But after watching her perform Rainbow on the Grammy (I’m not even sure I made it to the last song on the album last spring), I gave it a couple more chances and wow it’s a great piece of work. It just takes a few listens.
I hope 2019 is a big year for Kacey, ETOY nomination or not.
Hey Arnold, A Stand Up Fella
February 21, 2019 @ 1:56 pm
Who is going to win “Best duo or group”…. the odds are in anyone’s favor… Personally, I like High Valley. Their 2 U.S. singles were awesome!! I don’t see the hype behind LANCO (awful band name, that one song they did was okay, but got super annoying eventually)… I hope Runaway June wins then.. because they have the most potential for sure to blow up big someday. Their current single is in the Top 30 .. not bad.
seak
February 21, 2019 @ 2:04 pm
FYI not mentioned in this, but Jenee Fleenor became first woman ever nominated for a special instruments award. Of course of the 40 nominations for instrumentalist she was still the only woman.
Hey Arnold, A Stand Up Fella
February 21, 2019 @ 2:26 pm
I’m getting tired of the nomination crazy of Mr. Stapleton.. Like why??? He’s good and refreshing and all… but every single he puts out doesn’t deserve to get both single and song of the year noms… His songs are never massive singles on radio anyway.. It takes him 52 weeks to get to #1 on radio… that shouldn’t be a “single of the year”…
This year… Single of the year noms should have been Meant to Be (it was huge..) , Tequila, She Got the Best of Me, Best Shot (jimmie allen), and Marry Me.. by Rhett.
It should be for songs that got played either very quickly or stuck around for months in the top 10 after it peaked. Best Shot by Jimmie Allen is not my cup of tea, but it took forever for it to make it in the Top 10, but it stuck there for many weeks after it peaked in October..
Sometimes the “single of the year” nom should go to an emerging artist.. because that one single put them on the map in a big way – For example, last year Scotty should of been nominated for Five More Minutes.. that single saved his career. Should of been nominated too.
CeeCeeBee
February 21, 2019 @ 5:17 pm
They can keep nominating him as long as he keeps FGL and Luke Bryan from winning any hardware!
eisenhorn
February 22, 2019 @ 5:16 am
He’s the token Alt-Country/Bad Boy/NonMainstream, whatever, so they can feel good and claim they are connected to the roots of country music
Dobe Daddy
February 21, 2019 @ 2:29 pm
Mitchell Tenpenny as ‘Best’ anything is the funniest thing I’ve seen all day. I’d rather listen to ‘No Show’ Jones no-showing than listen to Tenpenny’s execrable ‘music’.
Charlie
February 25, 2019 @ 10:17 am
Excellent comparison, sir!!
I, too, would rather be stood up by George Jones than sit through fully 95% of what is on this list!
And I’m not even kidding.
scarlettide
February 21, 2019 @ 2:32 pm
I’m so happy for Kacey. Hope she wins for album and song of the year. Space Cowboy is easily one of the better songs off of the album and among those songs she is competing with. Golden Hour is such fantastic pop country album. Songs are so good. It flows so well together.
CeeCeeBee
February 21, 2019 @ 2:33 pm
I think Miranda (based on her Livin’ Like Hippies tour and her tour with LBT) could have gotten a EOTY nod, but kinda feel like Kacey Musgraves should have gotten one for sure. The criteria mentions ticket sales and radio play, but it also mentions quality of work, vocal performances, and TV appearances. I know we don’t want to put in a woman just as a token, but these ladies did good work this year.
The exclusion of Ballerini is mind boggling. How can they make the argument that commercial success matters for EOTY and then not give the most commercially successful woman last year a nod for Female Artist of the Year? I would have been okay dropping Miranda here and substituting Ballerini instead.
No Group of Album nomination for the Pistol Annies? Seems like a snub.
And if commercial success really mattered, where are Blake Shelton and Chris Young?
I detest Ballerini and Shelton, but you can NOT defend crappy nominations by hiding behind commercial sales and then NOT nominate the most commercially successful artists.
Just makes no sense to me.
Tom
February 21, 2019 @ 2:35 pm
What a boring bunch of “entertainers”, especially the tired Kenny Chesney and very tired (and very hackneyed) Keith Urban. All the buzz that there are no women nominated though seems moot given other than perhaps Musgraves, who of them were cheated by not being nominated this year? This is really nothing new though – the list of iconic female vocalists who were never nominated by ACM or CMA for Entertainer of the Year is quite long – Tammy Wynette, Lynn Anderson, Tanya Tucker, Emmylou Harris, Dottie West, Janie Fricke, K. T. Oslin, Trisha Yearwood, Martina McBride, Patty Loveless, and the list goes on and on.
Hey Arnold, A Stand Up Guy
February 21, 2019 @ 2:36 pm
Fun fact (that I don’t think Trigger has mentioned ever) but Scooter Braun .. the manager to Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande… is also the manager for Dan & Shay… I wonder if these massive Grammy noms & now ACM noms have anything to do with Scooter. He is a powerful man- he is the Lorne Michaels of the Music world currently.
My suspicion was awakened once Dan and Shay with Kelly Clarkson got nominated for Musical Event the year – even though they never sang that song live together, no radio play, no music video – why would that be nominated? It’s a stunt by Scooter to showcase how Dan and Shay aren’t just “country” and how they can collab with any Pop artists like Clarkson.. I wouldn’t be surprised if he orchestrated more Pop collaborations with Dan and Shay in the future..
CeeCeeBee
February 21, 2019 @ 2:48 pm
That explains a lot.
Hey Arnold, A Stand Up Guy
February 21, 2019 @ 7:43 pm
Exactly!!! I hope Trig someday shines a spotlight on that topic… Dan and Shay get soo much TV time.. on so many talk shows too. Probably all thanks to Scooter. I bet Scooter doesn’t even like or appreciate country music.. Soon Ariana Grande will be at the Grand ole Opry… 🙁
Hey Arnold, A Stand Up Guy
February 21, 2019 @ 8:04 pm
Also: just looked it up, Scooter also manages Zac Brown Band. Pretty much explains it all
Charlie
February 25, 2019 @ 10:23 am
It’s Dan PLUS Shay, for the love of . . .
Not since my grandmother’s ‘rithmetic class has the + symbol been verbalized as ‘and’.
1 and 1 make 2
2 and 2 make 4
etc
etc
I prefer we don’t let these jagoffs change their ridiculous naming convention so easily.
Fesgrow
February 21, 2019 @ 2:50 pm
I think one of the most interesting contests here will be Desperate Man and Golden Hour for Album of The Year. I think both are deserving. The voters may lean toward Church.
Derek Sullivan
February 21, 2019 @ 3:54 pm
I might be mistaken, but I’ve always through the ACMs ignored Church and he has had a lot more success with CMAs. We will see.
Fesgrow
February 21, 2019 @ 5:38 pm
Chief won Album of The Year for both. But he’s won a few awards with the ACMs. He will definitely be the front runner in November when Golden Hour isn’t eligible.
CeeCeeBee
February 21, 2019 @ 3:09 pm
These award shows are important, whether we like them
or not. They expose what is supposed to be the “best” to a wider audience.
My 23 year old son has hated country his whole life based on the crap they play on the radio, but the Ricky Skaggs tribute on the CMAs made him take a second look.
One of the reasons good acts can’t gain traction in the mainstream is because the masses see this crap and think that’s all there is.
Let’s just all hope we don’t have to endure another “Toby Keith is so drunk he can’t stand” performance like we had at last year’s ACMs.
Let’s hope they let George Strait play his new single. Let’s hope Kacey and Ashley knock them dead. Let’s hope Miranda does a good song and not a “Pink Sunglasses.” Let’s hope Stapleton shines.
Would like to see some substance over style.
M
February 21, 2019 @ 4:30 pm
True. But Aldean and Lambert had never sang his song together live until CMAs. It was still nominated there and for a ACM. Alden performs that song by himself. And I agree with CeeCee about Kelsea for Female Artist instead of Lambert. Yes she toured but her tour with LBT wasn’t as successful as the one with Jon Pardi. I have to say I went to see him and left during her performance.
Why would Miranda perform? She has no new music other than that with Pistol Annies. And that album has disappeared. No tour. And the Annies are not nominated. Maybe one of their group sing a long. But I want to see new artists. It’s freaking time.
CeeCeeBee
February 21, 2019 @ 4:47 pm
If that was the first time Miranda and Jason performed that song live, they should never have bothered. It was awful.
Miranda will perform because she’s Miranda. They have given her their Female Artist of the Year award for years not to mention song and album awards (most were deserved, in spite of the recent backlash over her). It would be strange for them to exclude her.
As far as her shows, I have seen her multiple times. Sometimes it is genius. Sometimes it’s a drunken train wreck.
The Pistol Annies album was better that at least three of the other nominees and should have gotten a nod.
I am a pretty big Miranda fan. But if anyone but Kacey Musgraves wins Female artist of the year, I may do my own version of “Kerosene.”
For the Birds
February 21, 2019 @ 5:43 pm
Golden Hour and Interstate Gospel were my two favorite albums of 2018. I would have loved to see IG nab an album nod. I never thought I would say this about a Pistol Annies record, but I like it more than some of Miranda’s solo work.
I was rooting hard for Kacey and Golden Hour at the Grammys. Hope she takes Female and Album at the ACMs.
M
February 21, 2019 @ 10:30 pm
I’m with you on that CeeCee.
OlaR
February 21, 2019 @ 3:11 pm
What a mess.
Russell Dickerson with “Yours”, Cole Swindell with “Break Up In The End”, an album track by Dan & his Shay feat. Kelly Clarkson, Kane Brown & Jake Owen for “Single of the Year” together with bitchin’ Bebe & FGL.
Remember Sugarland & Lady Antebellum? The ACM does!
The Academy found four more or less new female artists & but only three for “New Duo or Group”? Lanco, High Valley & a girl trio without one single hit…impressive.
Oh…Bitches Tenpenny. But no love for Mr. Maren Morris (Ryan Hurd) & Mr. Kelsea Ballerini (Morgan Evans)? Poor boys…better luck next time.
Head Case
February 21, 2019 @ 6:07 pm
I thought break up in the end was a very good song. Very sad but very good.
Sherry
February 21, 2019 @ 3:16 pm
There are so many woman who have put out records this year..There are women who headline tours. I can’t believe a group of people that run an organization such as the ACM have told a group of highly talented women that none of you are good enough to be entertainer of the year. If they are one of the lucky female artist ,country artist that country radio plays and are headlineing you should be recognized..I don’t care if you are in Nashville throwing salads or sitting at home having babies..why is the ACM not supporting and honoring women. When country music tv celebrates these talented women and you don’t ,shame on you. I guess I didn’t realise you have to release an album so many days before the nonominations to be considered, ACM crap..
CeeCeeBee
February 21, 2019 @ 5:12 pm
I think the biggest snubs for women wasn’t in the EOTY category (even though I feel like Kacey should have been nominated). It’s the album, single, and song categories.
Let’s face it, Miranda Lambert is the ONLY woman they have been willing to nominate on a regular basis for these awards and even she (the Pistol Annies) got snubbed this year.
Happy for Kacey, but why is it always one woman or no women at all?
SameOld
February 21, 2019 @ 3:26 pm
Kelsea tweeted out Wow and deleted after having a think about it but she’s completely justified for being upset at her zero nominations.
We all know country awards are worthless and rigged but even still I would like to see more women included especially when it comes to performance slots. Every year it’s the same tired performers. If the awards have to be predictable at least give women a chance at promoting themselves with a performance. That way they at least get some exposure leading to an increase in sales on iTunes and visibility.
Stapleton is good for ratings. The way they can get him to these things is by promising an award or nomination at least. It will be the year 2020 and he will be nominated for Either Way.
CeeCeeBee
February 21, 2019 @ 4:57 pm
I saw that tweet and I think she should have left it up. It was a total “WTF” and the ACMs deserve to be called out over it.
ADJ
February 21, 2019 @ 5:56 pm
Kelsea literally tweeted “Wow” because I remember retweeting it, lol. I’m not the biggest fan, but very weird not seeing her nominated.
Raymond
February 21, 2019 @ 6:32 pm
I hope somehow Runaway June can win their category.
Their current single is really good imo
Virgil Williams
February 21, 2019 @ 7:22 pm
Where’s Pat Reedy and Colter Wall?
Oh never mind, they don’t give a shit about actual country artists.
wayne
February 21, 2019 @ 7:59 pm
I do not profess to know how the nominees are chosen for this two-bit awards show (CMA’s no better). But are there any female artists that have the touring and ticket sales that meet or exceed
• Jason Aldean
• Luke Bryan
• Kenny Chesney
• Chris Stapleton
• Keith Urban?
Not that I am a fan of any of this list, but just wondering. If a female artists actually has had the success that qualifies as a nominee for ETOY, then I would agree that gender bias a prevalent in the process. But what I can see, the current list of nominees have surpassed any female regardless if they are the darling of music critics at the present time.
Again I do not profess to know the criteria so my take is subjected to my knowledge, of which on this point is quite limited.
CeeCeeBee
February 21, 2019 @ 8:15 pm
Except that the criteria for EOTY not only takes into account ticket sales and radio success but also vocal performances, TV appearances, and quality of work. Please tell me how any of the five nominated men outdo Musgraves in those criteria.
SameOld
February 21, 2019 @ 9:45 pm
They don’t follow their own criteria. If they did Carrie would be winning over Miranda every year. She outperforms her in every level, sales, performances, radio hits.
The ACMs And CMAs are about who shills the hardest.
CeeCeeBee
February 21, 2019 @ 10:11 pm
Except that when it comes to “quality of work” Miranda does outdo Carrie most of the time. Hence why her songwriting and albums are always in year end top 10s while Carrie’s are not. But let’s throw out that because she cheated on Blake, is a homewrecker, throws salad, blah,blah, blah.
Miranda Lambert is one of the most important Country artists of the last 20 years. Carrie is a good singer. There’s a difference.
M
February 21, 2019 @ 10:38 pm
Ok. I have a question about her songwriting. How much is her and how much is the talented songwriters she works with? Because the songs she is solo author of are not of the same caliber. We are told she this amazing songwriter so we buy into it. But Kacey, Brandi, Ashley are far more superior. I’m new to this. But I just don’t get her appeal. Kacey and Ashley Monroe hooked me right in.
CeeCeeBee
February 22, 2019 @ 7:42 am
Songs she is the sole writer of:
“Nee Strings”
“Desperation”
“More Like Her”
“Dead Flowers”
“Maintain the Pain”
“Dear Diamond”
“Bathroom Sink”
“We Should Be Friends”
Some of those (Dear Diamond and Dead Flowers) are some of her best work.
As far as the other writers she works with, that is also part of why she is so revered. Most of these talented men and women got NO exposure until working with Miranda. She works pretty hard to give struggling writers a hand up.
The recent backlash against her for her personal life (and let’s be honest because people are sick of her always winning) doesn’t diminish her contributions to the industry. It’s hard to argue how important she has been. Especially when you compare her to her contemporaries, who are Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood.
SameOld
February 22, 2019 @ 9:23 pm
So you picked out one point in their list of criteria where you think Miranda is better and you’re ignoring all the others. That pretty much proves my point that the ACMs dont play by their own rules as also seen with Miranda winning in years that she didn’t even do anything.
It’s about bloc voting and politics. It’s been discussed here and I’m sure Trigger can explain it to you if you don’t believe me.
CeeCeeBee
February 22, 2019 @ 9:51 pm
I understand all about block voting. I also understand criteria and how artistry is often weighted more than sales (for females anyway).
If you honestly believe Carrie Underwood has been more impactful to country music over the past ten years than Miranda Lambert and Carrie was more deserving of recognition than Miranda, then bless your heart
SameOld
February 22, 2019 @ 11:20 pm
These awards aren’t lifetime achievement awards, they’re meant to be an award for the work done during a specific time period.
I see why you ignore the fact that Miranda wins in years she didn’t deserve it. Might as well not even bother nominating other women just hand it off to Miranda every year.
wayne
February 21, 2019 @ 8:20 pm
As I said in my post, I profess to not being knowledgeable about the criteria. The one’s I listed were assumed by me. The vocal performances and quality of work are definitely more subjective that hard data. So I do not know how these are weighted. If all these are equally weighted, no one should touch Stapleton then.
CeeCeeBee
February 21, 2019 @ 8:45 pm
It says a lot about how jaded we all are when none of us have talked about the horror of “Meant to Be” possibly being named song of the year.
albert
February 22, 2019 @ 12:41 am
what they need to do is have two categories:
1. POPULAR song of the year …..given to the song that gets the most play , radio play , streams , video views, etc….most of that is based on hype , payola , label promotion , ‘favours ‘ , sucking up etc…
2. song of the year …..an award based on creativity , substance , originality ….THE best song ….not the most POPULAR song . Two completely different things .
CeeCeeBee
February 22, 2019 @ 8:59 am
I always sort of thought that was the difference between “single of the year” and “song of the year” But looking over the list of recent winners in both categories, I guess not.
Bamstrait
February 22, 2019 @ 5:16 am
I am not fond of the men nominated for EOTY, but there isn’t a woman anywhere near the league of these guys. Not in ticket or record sales or popularity. Having seen Miranda, Carrie and Kacey I can safely say they have no stage presence, little personality comes across and there is literally nothing happening on the stage, they should check out Reba she is a born performer and has a great songbook.
eisenhorn
February 22, 2019 @ 5:23 am
I wish that all awards shows – movies, television, music, press – would cease to exist. They are not relevant and are a product of interests groups pushing their agendas and/or profit interests. They have nothing to do with who really deserves accolades.
More aptly, they are just an opportunity for the industry to stroke itself. Unfortunately, I feel the need to comb through the nominees and awardees each time because I love to disappoint myself. At least I do not give the awards shows themselves my time.
wayne
February 22, 2019 @ 6:54 am
Bamstrait,
Exactly.
Bill
February 22, 2019 @ 7:41 am
Looking at those nominees, reminds me of cotton candy. Sweet and tastes good when you eat it but no substance to it and you’re hungry an hour later.
Doc
February 22, 2019 @ 7:45 am
U guys don’t know what the grass roots of country music is doing now days..if u want to see, know or follow just listen, watch go see Tyler Childers..then u will know real country music..enuf said !
Trigger
February 22, 2019 @ 9:00 am
You mean this guy?
https://www.savingcountrymusic.com/saving-country-musics-2018-artist-of-the-year/
For the Birds
February 22, 2019 @ 4:34 pm
LOL
Whiskey_Pete
February 22, 2019 @ 10:44 am
Country music is on its way to becoming a novelty act.
Root Cause: Shift in demographics
TheRealBobCephus
February 22, 2019 @ 11:33 am
what?
Will
February 22, 2019 @ 6:48 pm
Your last line in this article sounds like Drake’s Grammy speech!
Aggc
February 22, 2019 @ 8:43 pm
Ashley McBryde is certainly deserving of an award even if its just an ACM.
Dirt Road Derek
February 23, 2019 @ 10:05 am
While it’s great to see Urban only nominated twice, still two times too many, the awards are the last reason I’ll be watching. They may mean something to the nominated artists, but I couldn’t care less who wins. I’m just interested in the performances. And since even those tend to be hit or miss, I’ll have my phone and a bottle whiskey to keep me entertained while I wait for the (hopefully) good ones.
Ryan
February 24, 2019 @ 5:17 pm
Who is Keith Urban’s peeps paying off to get him a nomination still???
Tyler Wayne
February 25, 2019 @ 7:33 pm
How will the Artist of the Decade thing work? And who do you think will/should get it?
CeeCeeBee
February 26, 2019 @ 10:03 am
Oh, Lord, I don’t even want to think about that. In the past, there have been obvious winners (Strait, Brooks, Alabama). This time there just isn’t any clear front runner. Sadly, I expect it to be Aldean or Luke Bryan, or someone of that ilk.
I mean, honestly, what mainstreamers out there have actually contributed enough meaningful work to country music to actually be a good choice? I can’t think of a single one.
Tyler Wayne
February 26, 2019 @ 10:48 am
I think you could make a case for Miranda since she has won female vocalist every year this decade. She also has won the most ACMS out of anyone. I could also see the case against her getting it though due to her not being an entertainer of the year.
CeeCeeBee
February 26, 2019 @ 11:06 am
Miranda Lambert is my personal favorite current “mainstream” country artist. She might deserve some consideration, based on the number of times they have awarded her (not just as a female artist but also in the album, song, and singles categories) plus the contributions she has made to country music by giving exposure to other singers and songwriters) but as you said, never having won EotY is a killer. Her commercial success isn’t as strong as many of the male artists who would get consideration either.
Plus…
Well, I just think if she were named artist of the decade would cause such a public backlash it would do both her and the academy more harm than good. Can you imagine all the screaming about giving such a high honor to a “homewrecker, cheating, whore?” The outcry would be catastrophic.
I wonder about Stapleton though. Even though his success is fairly recent, maybe an argument can be made for him. He has the sales, the awards, and the quality of work. Just don’t know if he has the longevity.
Rob
February 26, 2019 @ 9:20 am
Where and when are the Bellamey Brothers going to be rcognized by ACM or CMA 40 years never won duo or group Its about time or Hall of Fame
the realist
February 28, 2019 @ 2:35 pm
Dan + Shay, Keith Urban, and Thomas Rhett should form a trio and call themselves ‘Brokeback Mountain’
Judy
April 7, 2019 @ 6:25 pm
Toby still has the most fun tour. Few new artists have real country songs ala George S, Garth B, Travis T, Reba, Willie, Martina or Toby. Can’t we mix new & old!