The World Series and Beyonce Upstage the 50th CMA Awards Before They Even Begin
For the last six months the Country Music Association has been meticulously planning their controlled explosion of anticipation, excitement, and hopefully, attention that is set to go off Wednesday, November 2nd during the celebration of 50 years of their annual awards show. And most certainly, many tried and true country fans will be tuning in from all over the country to participate in this milestone event, especially after the CMA’s announced an incredible lineup of country music legends who are usually left on the sidelines for such events.
Charley Pride, George Strait, Vince Gill, Charlie Daniels, Randy Travis, Ricky Skaggs, Roy Clark, Dwight Yoakam, and Alan Jackson are just some of the names that for years were excluded from country music’s mainstream award shows that were asked to participate this year, while a newer performer, Chris Stapleton, who is beloved by many of country music’s more traditional and independently-minded fans, is up for numerous prizes on the night, including Entertainer of the Year, and walked away with the first pre-telecast award for Video of the Year for his effort, “Fire Away.”
But all of this seems like an afterthought in the gigantic shadow being cast Wednesday evening as the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians face off in one of the most historic Game 7 World Series games in the last century. With both teams looking to end record-breaking World Series droughts, and the underdog story of the Cubs sweeping up the nation in baseball fever, there is little attention left for whatever the CMA’s have planned. And frankly, there shouldn’t be. Sure, some female television watchers may prefer the CMA’s over any baseball game, but the flotsam and jetsam viewer that the CMA’s need to lure in to justify all their efforts to make the 50th Annual awards the “biggest night in country history” will just not be there.
But late Wednesday, the CMA’s played a wild card that they hope will help their chances. Announced last minute, pop diva Beyonce will be performing on the show with the help of The Dixie Chicks. But instead of this bringing more attention to many of the country legends and new stars who will be in attendance, the star power of Queen Bea could very well upstage the other performers.
It also rips open an old wound in country caused by the calling of Beyonce’s song “Daddy Lessons” a country song, which had even the disparate outlets of Saving Country Music and CMT coming together in agreement there was nothing country about it. Meanwhile outlets such as the Associated Press put the bug out there that Queen Bea should be considered to be nominated and even perhaps win at these very CMA Awards due to her efforts with “Daddy Lessons.” And when she wasn’t nominated, cries of racism and other ridiculous notions were forwarded by entertainment media that only knows about country music from the outside looking in. And that’s not even beginning to branch the hot button issue of the Dixie Chicks in country, their whole blackballing back in the early 2000’s, and how how they will be received by the currently politically-incited American public.
It all has become a perfect storm to make a true country music fan want avoid the whole thing, especially when you have a one-in-a-lifetime baseball game as an alternative. Sure, it would be cool to see some country legends, but how much face time can we really expect them to get, and do you really want to suffer through Luke Bryan to do so?
All of a sudden what felt like a massive event a few weeks ago now feels deflating, while there is a very real concern that low ratings will be translated by the CMA’s as a sign that nobody wants to see the older performers they booked. Ironically, the Beyonce announcement will seal the deal for many older country fans to change the dial.
Much is still left to be decided. Will Beyonce offer a serious enough boost for the CMA’s to compete? Will Chris Stapleton win the CMA for Entertainer of the Year, keeping his fairy tale story alive? Will enough people DVR the CMA’s to at least keep the numbers respectable? Time will tell, but most of the momentum built up by the CMA’s for the last six months seems to have evaporated in the last 12 hours, with Beyonce arguably hurting just as much as helping in the minds of many of the older country fans the CMA’s were looking to court.
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During or after the World Series, feel free to stop by Saving Country Music’s LIVE blog to stay up with the action.
Brian
November 2, 2016 @ 1:06 pm
Do you think that she will change the arrangement to be a lot more country?
sbach66
November 2, 2016 @ 1:09 pm
Seals the deal for me. I was going to switch between CMAs and the ball game, but nope. Not now.
Stephanie
November 2, 2016 @ 1:11 pm
I really enjoy the live blog and comments here during the CMAs. And this year, I was actually even looking forward to a lot of the show itself! I’m really disappointed about the bad luck of the timing. But I’m a Cubs fan.
I would wonder if even some of those in attendance aren’t a little less than thrilled. Probabaly not a lot of Chicago/Cleveland fans I guess.
Stephanie
November 2, 2016 @ 1:12 pm
And I think Beyoncé being there is stupid. But easily skipped. They are probabaly trying for a repeat of all the buzz from Timberlake last year.
Brian
November 2, 2016 @ 1:23 pm
I think you hit the nail on the head, they are going after lightning in a bottle twice. If it works again, no doubt we will see it again next year.
Trigger
November 2, 2016 @ 1:25 pm
I thin Beyince is a completely different dynamic from Timberlake. First, Timberlake had a relationship with country going in. He was good friends with Chris Stapleton and was touting him before anyone. He lives in Nashville and the fact that he’s working on a country record is the worst kept secret in music. With Beyonce, this is all about trying to create a buzz. But all it will do is create conflict. Her Bea Hive think they own everything she’s a part of, and will be immediately making demands and accusations. And basically this bvalidates for everyone that “Daddy Problems” is a country song, which it isn’t. Terrible decision by the CMA.
seak05
November 2, 2016 @ 1:35 pm
Don’t tell Justin he’s from Nashville #memphisbaby ( 🙂 ) (but seriously growing up somewhere shouldn’t be a standard, Beyonce did grow up in Texas, but should it really matter if you grew up in NY? I mean Haggard was from Calif, & so is Pardi etc)
Trigger
November 2, 2016 @ 2:00 pm
Justin Timberlake very specifically bought into Aubrey Preston’s land conservatory south of Nashville to be a part of that community, and stage his move into country music in the coming years. I’m not saying Justin Timberlake should play the CMA’s either. But you know they’re going to feature a pop star every year, and with his relationship with Stapleton, it made sense. Beyonce is just an unmittigated attention grab. I’m not faulting Beyonce for that. This is on the CMA’s.
Brian
November 2, 2016 @ 1:41 pm
I agree with you about the whole dynamic, but they are trying to create the same buzz, even if the fit is not remotely the same.
Stephanie
November 2, 2016 @ 2:09 pm
Yes this is what I meant. And it won’t work I bet.
seak05
November 2, 2016 @ 1:16 pm
Well, I’m a) female and b) planning to mostly watch the baseball game. But Beyonce performing doesn’t really feel all that different to me than Justin performing last year. The Dixie Chicks have also been covering Daddy’s lessons all summer, so it feels like a natural pairing.
Personally, I’m very happy to see the Dixie Chicks performing. They are a big and important part of country history, and belong on the stage. The fact that they were blackballed for expressing a political opinion, just because it wasn’t one the prevailing sentiment in country, is a stain on the country music industry. (keep in mind the NRA holds an event every yr in conjunction with the ACM’s that many country stars participate in, & yet they aren’t blackballed)
justin casey
November 2, 2016 @ 1:31 pm
as many have said this is an attempt to redo jt and stapleton last year i’m watching the awards since i haven’t watched any of the world series and i’m actually a bit of a beyonce fan and it’ll be nice to hear dixie chicks again
Justin
November 2, 2016 @ 1:37 pm
I’m thinking even some of the performers there tonight would probably rather be watching the game, haha.
PCS20832
November 2, 2016 @ 1:41 pm
I was pretty interested in seeing the legends…but not over this World Series Game 7. Couldn’t care less about Beyonce. However, I’ll keep the SCM blog up on my laptop because it is always so entertaining! Thanks Trigger!
Brett Dale
November 2, 2016 @ 1:48 pm
How thew dixie chicks got blackballed was Fu**** disgusting, the whole, “It’s unAmerican to criticize president” was pathetic.
I guess that changed for some people like Fox News when the black man became president.
Lamont Cranston
November 3, 2016 @ 11:52 am
Yeah, no one ever criticized Bush *eye roll*. And the last Democrat President before Obama was white and he was freaking IMPEACHED. Seems to me Obama got off easy. I love how you libs pretend that opposition to your guy is unprecedented.
And the Chicks were no more blackballed or censored than you would be if you put out an album and the public refused to buy it. They have a right to say what they want, they do NOT have the right to freedom from consequences of saying what they want.
A.K.A. City
November 2, 2016 @ 1:53 pm
While I am actually looking forward to seeing Beyoncé and the Dixie Chicks, I do not think that this particular pairing fits in with the theme that the CMAs seemed to be going with by the previously announced legendary performers. It seems that they are going after two completely different audiences, and by attempting to appeal to two vastly different demographics, it will turn viewers from both groups off. I’ll watch it, but on my DVR, so that I can fast forward through anything that is too unbearable.
G
November 2, 2016 @ 1:56 pm
So sad. I love country music. These shows have become ridiculous. Not worth my time watching anymore. I was excited for tonight, but now I think I won’t watch at all. Country Music doesn’t need any help from other genre singers. It is wonderful music!
seak05
November 2, 2016 @ 2:08 pm
I actually just realized that Kenny Rogers wasn’t on the list, which seems odd, and I heard a rumor that Taylor might be around. I wonder how many “surprise” performers the show will actually have.
seak05
November 2, 2016 @ 3:52 pm
answer my own question Rogers is touring in Europe
Stephanie
November 2, 2016 @ 2:15 pm
I don’t really know how these things work, but didn’t it occur to anyone that this was a pretty big scheduling conflict? I mean, I suppose it had to be scheduled before the details of the Series were known, but still, you’d think you’d see the potential for this.
Scotty J
November 2, 2016 @ 2:23 pm
Well MLB announces their planned schedule long, long in advance (I think you could find out when game 7 of NEXT year’s WS is scheduled) so I would put this on the CMA and ABC rolling the dice. There have only been two game 7’s since 2002 so the odds were in their favor that the series would be over by tonight.
Of course for people like me on the west coast this doesn’t much matter as the game starts at approx. 5 and the CMAs are shown delayed at 8. Kind of ruins the whole live blog thing but, oh well.
Stephanie
November 2, 2016 @ 2:49 pm
Well that’s what I’m saying. I suppose you didn’t know it would be the Cubs and go to game 7. But you could surely see the potential!
Scotty J
November 2, 2016 @ 2:54 pm
They probably thought if it was a KC/SF game 7 or something like that then they would be OK ratings wise but unlike with the CMAs you have no control over who will qualify and how big a story they will be. They played the odds and probably lost.
Martin
November 2, 2016 @ 2:16 pm
I don’t care if it is a ratings ploy.
The fact that The Dixie Chicks will co-open the CMA Awards is astonishing and beautiful news.
I am more focused on that than the Beyonce factor.
Really, I want to see the World Series, but there is something really bold about the CMAs having the Dixie Chicks back.
Gumslasher
November 2, 2016 @ 2:36 pm
Much ado about nothing.
FeedThemHogs
November 2, 2016 @ 2:46 pm
Kudos to the CMAs for bringing the Dixie Chicks back to country music. That took balls. Their tour put them back in the minds of folks, and now putting them on stage where they will be talked about will re-introduce even more people to them. Not crazy about the Beyonce pairing, but what ever. I’d much rather hear a stirring rendition of Traveling Soldier, but I’ll take them being in attendance and on stage
Trigger
November 2, 2016 @ 4:34 pm
Not to be a wet blanket, but The Dixie Chicks are not performing on the CMA’s. Beyonce is performing at the CMA’s, with the Dixie Chicks . . . singing a Beyonce song. The Dixie Chicks were not the big surprise announcement. They were not the name leaked earlier today in a contrived move by the CMA through People Magazine. It was Beyonce. I hope they get a chance to perform one of their own songs, but don’t count on it. This is Beyonce’s moment. The Dixie Chicks just get to live in it.
FeedThemHogs
November 2, 2016 @ 5:44 pm
Yea I get that, but someone at the CMAs still had to say, “What about the Dixie Chicks?” Even if they were a default choice since they’ve been performing her song at shows. I know they won’t get to do their own song, I just said that’s what I would prefer
Scotty J
November 2, 2016 @ 2:56 pm
Both CBS and NBC have pulled there original programming for tonight and are going with repeats so they have thrown in the towel competition wise against the game.
Waymore38
November 2, 2016 @ 3:31 pm
I wasn’t going to watch anyway. Why can’t mainstream country music just stick to country, instead bringing artists from other genres for their award shows?
gtrman86
November 2, 2016 @ 3:43 pm
Fuck off Beyoncé, you are not Country, is Kanye making a fucking appearance too???
At
November 2, 2016 @ 3:53 pm
I have a bunch of friends who represent artists or hold positions in the industry – most are planning to leave to watch the game once red carpet is over. Saw where Brett Eldgredge skipped out to head to the game with his grandparents.
Someone mentioned the absence of Kenny Rogers – he’s performing overseas. If he wasn’t I feel like he would’ve been there.
Besides the unnecessary Beyoncé addition, I will say that it’s been wonderful to see my social media filled with posts of Clint Black, Alan, and others. Some of those group photos melt my heart.
I remember last year how Eric Church’s surprise album got upstaged by Stapletons sweep – I feel like this year the entire award show is upstaged by the World Series.
Jason
November 2, 2016 @ 4:00 pm
So much for flipping between the ballgame and the CMA’s…
TheKillerRocksOn
November 2, 2016 @ 4:34 pm
and that headline says all you need to know about the state of ‘country’ music at this point…Go Cubs!
Spencer
November 2, 2016 @ 4:42 pm
I’m a baseball fan first. Always have been. So I will be DVRing the CMAs in favor of the World Series. Unfortunate timing for sure.
Decibels
November 2, 2016 @ 4:54 pm
The last great act to regularly receive country radio airplay collaborating with the biggest female music star in the world. Makes sense to me. Black and white musicians have been working together and borrowing from each other forever, often resulting in exciting new sounds. Two strong, intelligent female acts coming together on national TV — one white, one black and a ton of talent. Music fans should be excited by this. Or are some people these days just afraid of strong, intelligent women? Great job by the CMA, whether good old boys feel offended or not.
Trigger
November 2, 2016 @ 4:57 pm
Showing concern for Beyonce being on the CMA Awards is not a political or gender or race thing. Making it such is the whole reason it’s a bad idea.
Gumslasher
November 2, 2016 @ 5:05 pm
And you are doing what?
Greg Green
November 3, 2016 @ 3:10 pm
I thought Trigger was complaining about the CMAs opening again with a non country performer signing a non country song.
Kind of like having the Oscars open with a book reading session.
Decibels
November 5, 2016 @ 8:26 pm
Why was it a bad idea? Because it didn’t fit into your narrow definition of what country music should be? What is wrong with musicians of different backgrounds getting together to stretch the boundaries? In 1962, close-minded country fans complained about Ray Charles making a country album. There is a history of country fans being afraid of anything that might change the music. Kudos to the CMA for giving those folks the finger.
Trigger
November 6, 2016 @ 10:25 am
I don’t think a lot of folks understand just how Beyonce on the CMA Awards became a national controversy. It wasn’t when myself and others offered up our criticism of the decision. We said our peace, and everyone moved on. It wasn’t when Beyonce performed. I actually am surprised at how positive the reception was from many country fans. It wasn’t even when a very small handful of folks decided to make racially insensitive comments about Beyonce on social media. It wasn’t even when the Beyhive decided to take those comments and make a molehill into a mountain, trying to portray country music as racist.
Where this issue blew up is when the CMA’s, at Beyonce’s request, removed video content from the internet, and dozens, perhaps now hundreds, of media outlets accused the CMA of racism for “scrubbing” all accounts of Beyonce being on the awards from the internet. And let’s remember, this is the CMA, WHICH BOOKED BEYONCE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
The CMA was not trying to give anyone the finger, they were trying for an unabashed ratings grab, and failed. It was the CMA’s that got the finger for being racist. Now, do you understand the sheer stupidity of this entire issue?
Rich Leonard
November 3, 2016 @ 12:56 am
I’ve always wondered just how much say the CMA has over these non-Country performers who appear on the show. Do they approve, or is the network calling the shots, because that’s where they think the ratings are?
Smokey J
November 3, 2016 @ 6:54 am
Well, I’m a Cubs fan, so I DVR’ed it. Hopefully will get to watch it tonight. That is horrible luck for the CMA’s to go up against maybe the greatest World Series game ever. Not just for the ratings, but so much potential social media buzz was lost. Not even Beyonce has enough star power to overcome that.
Steve B
November 3, 2016 @ 7:21 am
This was going to be the first CMA awards show I’ve watched in years. And then along came Game 7… Like a lot of folks, I had the ballgame on TV and SCM’s blog on the laptop to follow along.
Jf
November 3, 2016 @ 8:27 am
To me it is pathetic that the mainstream country community feels the only way to get people to pay attention to their music is to get a bunch of pop stars to do duets with country singers. Like the folks at the BET awards are thinking man, if only Kanye would perform with Conway, people would like our music. Pathetic.
But no one watched the CMAs anyway. That ball game — wow!!
SP USMC 51
November 4, 2016 @ 4:17 am
The World Series was the better show. Watching something that hasn’t happened in over 100 years, vs a yearly award show is a no brainer, I’m glad I missed the racist b!*’& of Bumble bea. I don’t agree with a lot of things on this website, but we can all agree, nothing a pop star makes is country, and neither is Brantley Gilbert (though he doesn’t claim to be) or Sam Hunt (though he doesn’t claim to be).
I read a lot of things on here that leave me baffled, don’t blame the artist blame the prius driving radio associates. Not all of the music is bad, just mislabeled.