Chris Stapleton Absolutely Dominates The 2016 ACM Awards
It was another stunning night for Kentucky songwriter Chris Stapleton as he dominated the 2016 ACM Awards held Sunday (4-3) night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Stapleton walked away with Song of the Year for “Nobody To Blame,” Album of the Year for “Traveller,” and Male Vocalist of the Year as well. Along with an earlier win for New Male Vocalist of the Year, that give him four total awards, and the biggest take of the night.
Jason Aldean was the only other big winner, taking home Entertainer of the Year. Miranda Lambert won Female Vocalist of the Year.
“You’ve got to be kidding me. I thought sure we were going to get ‘Girl Crushed’ on this one,” Stapleton said when he won for Song of the Year. Despite being a front-runner for the other awards, the win for “Nobody To Blame” may have been the biggest surprise. Later when Little Big Town was accepting their award for Vocal Group of the Year they said, “Thank you Chris Stapleton for not being a group.”
Stapleton was joined by producer Dave Cobb on stage when he accepted Album of the Year, which was handed out by Garth Brooks via satellite from Ottawa. “Garth Brooks just gave me an award!” Stapleton said.
Stapleton was up for a total of five awards on the night, and went into Sunday’s festivities already scoring the trophy for New Male Vocalist of the Year. The only award he didn’t win was for Vocal Event of the Year. He adds his ACM hardware on top of winning two Grammy Awards in February, and where it all began—the CMA Awards in November when he shocked the world by walking away with New Artist of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, and Album of the Year. Along with the momentum from a marquee collaboration with Justin Timberlake on the CMA’s, Stapleton has been skyrocketed into country music superstardom in the last six months.
Chris has now won 6 of the 7 country music industry awards he’s been nominated for, and 8 of the 10 awards if you include the Grammy Awards. Meanwhile artist like Luke Bryan and Sam Hunt won nothing Sunday night.
On top of all the awards show hardware, Chris Stapleton’s debut album Traveller has officially sold over 1 million copies now, meaning Traveller has beat out Florida Georgia Line’s latest album Anything Goes in sales, and has beat out reigning CMA and ACM Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan’s album Kill The Lights in sales. Simply put, Chris Stapleton is now the best-selling artist on all of country music in the last 18 months in regards to album sales, and has been in the Top 15 of the Billboard 200 for 21 straight weeks. And as of a couple of weeks ago, his current radio single “Nobody To Blame” officially cracked the Top 10 on country radio, concurring yet another challenge for an authentic country artist.
The only question left is, where can Chris Stapleton go from here, and will he take country music with him?
2016 ACM Awards Winners:
- Entertainer of the Year – Jason Aldean
- Album of the Year – Chris Stapleton
- Song of the Year – Chris Stapleton
- Male Vocalist of the Year- Chris Stapleton
- Female Vocalist of the Year – Miranda Lambert
- Vocal Group of the Year – Little Big Town
- Vocal Duo of the Year – Florida Georgia Line
- Single of the Year – Thomas Rhett “Die a Happy Man”
- Video of the Year – Eric Church’s “Mr. Misunderstood”
April 3, 2016 @ 8:41 pm
It might take awhile for album number 2 to get here but I’m already looking forward to a much needed album coming out this summer: Jack Ingram and Midnight Motel. As long as that album comes out I’m happy.
April 3, 2016 @ 8:43 pm
I know the crazy meteoric rise has prolonged the album cycle for Traveller but are there any rumors yet about a follow up?
April 3, 2016 @ 9:55 pm
I have not heard anything, but if Stapleton is getting into the studio, it will have to be between a pretty heavy touring schedule he has coming up. He’s on the road most of April, May, and August. Perhaps June or July are studio time, or maybe he’s already been working on stuff. We’ll just have to see.
April 3, 2016 @ 8:54 pm
Aldean sent his wife to” service” someone to get that award.
April 3, 2016 @ 9:10 pm
Happy to see Chris Stapleton win 6 awards.
Take note: COUNTRY RADIO was NOT needed for this Talent. Chris Stapleton is
now proof that TALENT WILL win without
country radio and all I can now think of
is maybe it was Better this way.
Also,did anyone notice Luke Bryan got NADA!
Last week I posted on another thread here
“What happens when the star starts to fade”?
Well,I think we are about to see Luke Bryan now start to fade as Talent takes over Country music. Chris Stapleton won Big and
I think country music will make that turn to
Actually get serious about making meaning full country music again.
Jason aldean won Entertainer of the yr. Yep.
No Luke Bryan. The smile was bright on the red carpet tonight,will Luke Bryan still have
that smile for the camera when he is Not the
“Flavor of the day” any longer? Seems fans are growing up and going else where for country music now. Give it one Full year and
the bro country music will be gone.
April 4, 2016 @ 1:23 am
Luke Bryan is way better than Jason Aldean. Aldean is an asshole and he does not care about anything but money. Bryan sucks as well, but at least he has a conscience and he tries to release some better stuff to radio
April 4, 2016 @ 4:28 am
Saying Luke Bryan is better than Jason Aldean is like saying Gonorrhea is better than Syphilis. I still wouldn’t want either one of them.
April 3, 2016 @ 9:34 pm
I am happy he is getting the recognition he deserves. Hopefully his success will extend to some of the other artists that are making great country music, such as Sturgill Simpson and Whitey Morgan. Dave Cobb has the keys to the studio now, so hopefully it will be “Hillbilly Central” all over again. It is time to take our country (music) back!!
April 3, 2016 @ 9:37 pm
……its really kinda incredible . every wannabe and his label are knocking themselves out chasing the hip sound the kids are all into and every week that changes cuz….well ….cuz they’re KIDS they are pandering to , for God sakes. the guys have the obligatory stuble , the T-shirt , ripped designer jeans , the bed-head-do , searchlight teeth , tats , couple weeks in the gym …but forget the most important part of sustaining success in the music biz ….THE F********** MUSIC !!! . . along comes a guy like Stapleton …..or an Isbell….someone who pays no attention to any of that peripheral shit but has THE MUSIC that resonates with peoples’ hearts and believes in it enough to go out and play it and play it and play it and they outsell ALL of the wannabes on sheer honesty and integrity and substance . whoda thunk it ?….lol
April 3, 2016 @ 9:42 pm
BTW Trigger …..I keep meaning to thank your for the Sam Outlaw piece . after more serious consideration I think his entire record is a radio gem with some solid , smart writing and some Musgraves-like arrangements and instrumentaion . LOTS of singles on this thing if radio wakes up soon enough to acknowledge the boredom of bro-dom .
April 4, 2016 @ 4:36 am
Why does Miranda Lambert keep winning female vocalist of the year?!
She must be one of the most undeserving multiple winner of this award at both the CMAs and the ACMs.
Really it is about time someone else won it.
I feel sorry for Carrie Underwood.
April 6, 2016 @ 8:32 am
It’s a tradition to keep giving the vocalist of the year award to the same person. Vince Gill has as many Male Vocalist trophies as Geno Auriemma has women’s basketball championship trophies.
April 4, 2016 @ 4:40 am
“Nobody to Blame” winning song of the year seems awfully… put together. I still don’t think it was the best choice for a single. On an album as good as “Traveller,” “Nobody to Blame” doesn’t stand out at all. I’d almost call it a weak point.
Oh well, a win is a win.
April 4, 2016 @ 6:05 am
But Jesus, does it stand out on country radio. A couple of weeks ago, we were driving home from my daughter’s soccer game listening to the local country station (wife’s choice). Nobody to Blame was the first song we heard and man, it was great to enthusiastically sing along to a song on the “country” station. Then, back to the same old horseshit for the rest of the ride home.
April 4, 2016 @ 10:25 am
You make a strong point , I think , Jack . ‘Nobody To Blame ‘ is really the latest ” poster child ” for the revolution , as I see it . Not the strongest song… but certainly the strongest COUNTRY and COUNTRY-SOUNDING song to hit radio in some time .It stands out dramatically above the white noise and din of contemporary playlists riddled with sound-alike grooves , productions , themes and even vocals . The ‘bros’ really all do sound the same when you hear them back to back . Then along comes a SINGER ….a real SINGER like Chris and your ears and your heart can hardly believe what’s happening . THIS is what Country Music is SUPPOSED to be about . Music with its own , unique sonic identity , for lack of a better term , which features traditional instruments not commonly found outside of the genre , themes not found in other genres and voices that you cannot ignore . Sure , Carrie Underwood , Miranda and a very few others do have the vocals …..but they sure aren’t using them for material that goes to the heart .
April 4, 2016 @ 10:14 am
They were not voting for “Nobody To Blame,” they were voting for Chris Stapleton. None of the songs nominated for Song of the Year deserved it, so they gave it to the best artist that did.
April 4, 2016 @ 7:14 am
I like while CS was singing and the camera swung out to the audience and all the so called “stars” were all singing along like minions at their shows….. I pay to hear the performer sing, not some drunk yokel next to me… another bad trend of millennials.
April 4, 2016 @ 7:33 am
yall buncha sobs shud be kissin luke brians ass fur recording drink a beer and haven chris in the video evan. willin to betcha thats the furst place the lot of yall saw em was in lukes video. dont remember seein em in no george strait video or the king recording nun of his songs.
and I have desided to up date my review of traveler to 1 1/2 guns up
April 4, 2016 @ 8:41 am
Lil Dale, you still rock. Love your insight, Brother!
Roll Damn Tide
April 4, 2016 @ 9:22 am
no scott ole buddy u rock!
and cud sum wun tell me what was the point of tim mcgraw haven all the arabs and spear chuckers on stage with em? is that the next groop of folks nashvile wants to bend over backwards to impress and prove they aint rednecks? if u thawt sam hunts edm beets suck wait til u here wut cuntry music sounds like when they start enfusin world music and florida gorgia lines albums start soundin like the gods must be crazy soundtrack.
Role tide
April 4, 2016 @ 10:31 am
that spelling is too good to be the real ” l’il Dale ” .
April 4, 2016 @ 8:08 am
If the ACM honors Chris Stapleton’s music, why were we subjected to 2 hours of terrible performances by people who have no connection to his style of music? I enjoy most genres of music. I don’t enjoy BAD music. Most of the songs and performances were terrible. Country music used to be made by adults for adults.
Sorry, I just can’t get into what they are putting out there today, as country music.
April 4, 2016 @ 8:57 am
I agree, and enjoyed the fact that these “performers” were not auto tuned like usual. It was clear how off key they were. Amazing how technology can make someone sound great when they in fact cant even sing the song they perform nightly in tune. Yikes!
April 4, 2016 @ 8:09 am
I haven’t looked: have the Luke Bryan fans posted their usual butthurt “#whoischrisstapleton” Tweets yet?
April 4, 2016 @ 10:17 am
I think they’re a lot less butthurt about losing to Jason Aldean, seeing how many of them are the same fans, and Luke gave Aldean a big hug after he won. Aldean won because everyone got on board to give it to him, including the Luke Bryan camp.
April 4, 2016 @ 8:45 am
It’s foolish to think that Chris’s rise was organic. He’s been doing this for years, and it took the mainstream mechanisms to deliver him his current success. Why? Because people are followers- the must be told what to like.
There was not some organic upswell from the grass roots fans- it took a Backstreet Boy (N Sync?) to tell us all what is cool.
So, to answer the 2 final questions the author posited…where will Chris go from here: A: if loads of people stand to benefit financially from his success, he will continue to be advertised and exhalted…will he take country with him: A: undoubtably there are already 15 Stapleton juniors that have been signed and are in the studio…so, get ready to start complaining about a new/old problem- ‘where’s the diversity!?!’
April 4, 2016 @ 10:21 am
“It”™s foolish to think that Chris”™s rise was organic.”
I respectfully disagree. What he helped along by the industry? Of course he was, especially by making friends who vote for these awards. But saying his rise wasn’t organic is completely overlooking that he’s received virtually no radio play, and that he made a ton of fans over the years touring solo, and with The SteelDrivers and Jompson Brothers. For YEARS ahead of the release of “Traveller,” people were talking about Stapleton being the next one, and wondering what was taking so damn long. That’s because they had seen him perform live and were blown away.
I’m not saying his connections to the industry didn’t have any part. Stapleton made lots of friends and bestowed many favors, and now that’s coming back to him in spades.
April 4, 2016 @ 3:50 pm
Yeah, I suppose I mean to say, “They hate you till they love you; then, they love you till they hate you.” I am happy for him.
April 4, 2016 @ 8:48 am
Thank God we can say Country was present in Chris Stapleton. The rest of the hip hop, kiddie crap was nothing less than difficult to watch, including Katy Perry who made fun of western dress. Although her vocals were tolerable, how insulting! For most of the evening my ears were bleeding.
Thrilled that the rest of these no talent wonders went home empty handed. I was disappointed that Lambert sang a song about a man looking to get laid from back in the day. ZZ top at the American Music Country Award Show, WOW. Did she not understand what the song was about? I’ve said it before, but I feel like the old man in the old Hank Williams, Jr. video “Young Country” saying over and over again ” That Aint Country” Thanks to Chris Stapleton there is hope
April 4, 2016 @ 10:36 am
“Thrilled that the rest of these no talent wonders went home empty handed. I was disappointed that Lambert sang a song about a man looking to get laid from back in the day.”
Sooooo true, SG . All of the talent Miranda Lambert has and all of the amazing material she could have sung and has recorded and she’s singing THAT lyric with ZZ Top . . Now THAT is just mindless and downright stupid planning .
April 4, 2016 @ 9:16 am
Happy for Chris, this is a good day for country music!
On an unrelated note- Trigger, do we know when the lineup for Willie Nelson’s 4th of July picnic will be released?
April 4, 2016 @ 10:22 am
Good question. I would suspect any day now, but haven’t heard anything specific.
April 4, 2016 @ 12:06 pm
I wish the ghost of waylon jennings would have smashed sam hunts drum machine
April 4, 2016 @ 2:04 pm
Chris Stapleton is the best thing to happen to Country Music since Alan Jackson . Hes a Singer/Songwriter not an Ass wiggler !
April 4, 2016 @ 2:49 pm
Have you ever actually listened to his album? Reminds me of bad 90’s country – jammed with ballads indecipherable from each other. I honestly thought I was listening to a 40 minute concept album as it was impossible to tell where one song finished and the next started.
I’d agree that Stapleton is different to the current trend in country, but different doesn’t always equal better. If this is the future of country, then country is really just eating its own tail.
And AJ doesn’t have that many solo writing credits. He’s certainly no Dwight Yoakam.
April 5, 2016 @ 9:12 am
Don’t know which album you’ve been listening to but it’s definitely not Traveller. It’s the best country album I’ve heard in many years. Chris and his wife Morgane are the real deal and thank God for them. This whole bro-country/pop crap has been horrible.