The nominations for the 2008 Country Music Association (CMA) Awards have been announced. Overall I think they were alright. There were a few people I think should not have been nominated and a few who should have been.
Brooks & Dunn’s “Cowboy Town” should not have been nominated for Album of the Year. I thought Reba McEntire’s “Duets” album should have been nominated. LeAnn Rimes and Reba should have joined Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, and Miranda Lambert as Female Vocalist of the Year nominee. Also Alan Jackson’s “Small Town Southern Man” should have been nominated for Song of the Year.
However you can nitpick these things to death. I was pleased to see my prediction that Sugarland would be considered for Entertainer of the Year come true. I was also pleased to see my man Alan Jackson up for Male Vocalist, Album, Song, and Video of the Year.
Here are my predictions for the winners.
Entertainer of the Year will be Kenny Chesney. This will give him four EOY wins tying him with Garth Brooks for the most wins. I personally think Keith Urban should be the choice. I think his live performances and his music are superior to Kenny, but that is a personal preference.
Male Vocalist will be Brad Paisley. Since 1991 only one person, Toby Keith in 2001, has won this award and not won it at least a second time in a row. Paisley won last year for the first time, so the laws of percentages say he will win again. I prefer Alan Jackson here and he deserves it, but it is hard to not say Brad deserves it too.
Female Vocalist will be Miranda Lambert. Miranda is definitively deserving, and she is really making some great music. Of course Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift are the two best selling artist in country music right now. Underwood has won the last two FOY awards, but I get the feeling the industry is tiring of her winning all the time. There was a time in the 90’s when the CMA used the Female Vocalist Award to push female artists to the new level of stardom. I think that will happen here with Miranda.
Group of the will be Rascal Flatts. I think the CMA is tiring of RF as they were not nominated for Entertainer of the Year even though they had a big tour and sold some albums. It seemed to me that RF was never really accepted by the CMA and its voters. I think Lady Antebellum is more to the CMA voters liking, and will soon be taking over this award.
Duo of the Year will be Sugarland. I think they will have a big night. Nashville biggest female stars (Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, and Taylor Swift) are young, and country music core 25-54 female audience may not see them as one of them. Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles (age 34) is someone they can related too more wholly. The country music industry knows this and also knows Sugarland is selling a lot of albums. Country Music needs more superstars, especially with female voices, and the CMA will do its part in promoting Sugarland for that role.
The New Artist of the Year will be Lady Antebellum. Music folks think these guys are great, and the CMA voters will agree. I think Ashton Shepherd should have been dominated and won, but I was not consulted.
Album of the Year will hopefully be “Good Time” by Alan Jackson. I think it is the best album nominated. Of course the CMA could go for a more commercially successes album like Carrie Underwood or Kenny Chesney’s.
Single of the Year will be “Stay” by Sugarland. Simply put this song is sung powerfully and masterfully by a gifted vocalist in Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland.
Song of the Year will be “Stay” by Sugarland. Why? See above.
Video of the Year will be “Stay” by Sugarland. I still remember watching it for the first time on YouTube. Not much happens in the video, but it was definitely powerful.
Vocal Event of the Year Sugarland will win here with “Life in a Northern Town.” Never released a single, and only recorded during a live concert, this song was an improbable success.
Showing posts with label Sugarland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sugarland. Show all posts
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Sugarland – The Next Female CMA Entertainer of the Year
I believe Sugarland will be the next female act to win CMA Entertainer of the Year (EOY). In the last 26 years the only female acts to claim EOY were Reba McEntire (1986), Shania Twain (1999), and the Dixie Chicks (2000).
Many have written about why this is. I believe the question to be asked is what are the CMA voters looking for in an EOY and what artist can deliver what the voters want.
I think CMA voters want an act that will sell lots of records, get lots of radio play, tour well, is respected, and seen by the voters of the CMA as an artist they wish to put forward as the face of country music.
Sugarland is the duo of Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush. While Bush is a man, Sugarland qualifies as a female act because Nettles is the lead singer, and her female voice is how fans identify Sugarland.
Sugarland’s two albums have sold a combined 4 million copies with six top 10 hits with two going to #1. A 7th top 10 hit is on the way in “Stay” a song considered to be their best performance yet. In 2007 Sugarland ended Brooks & Dunn’s strangle hold on the CMA Vocal Duo award and they are expect to win the award again in 2008.
Nettles is considered a brilliant vocalist, and Sugarland is considered an excellent live act that plays well in concert and on television. They have made savvy use of the Web especially MySpace and YouTube. In 2007 Sugarland headlined on tour for the first time.
Carrie Underwood is the other female act mentioned as the next female act to win CMA EOY. Underwood has sold more albums, has more #1’s than Sugarland. Underwood is more famous, and won more awards. Still history shown Underwood is likely to face a backlash. CMA voters may feel she has been awarded enough. Since she has little present competition for Female Vocalist of the Year, voters may feel content with giving FVOY and giving EOY to others.
Underwood is going out on tour with former EOY winner Keith Urban. Each night fans and critics will get to compare the two in concert. I think Underwood is brilliant, but I fear she will have a tough time overcoming Urban’s incredible live performances. Few have Urban’s all-around musical ability and stage presence.
Suglarland’s Nettles, a charismatic live performer, commands a stage. Along with Bush, she provides energy on stage found only in great entertainers like Garth Brooks and Keith Urban. Add this to the fact that Sugarland faces no backlash, and Sugarland looks to have a clear path to EOY in 2009 or 2010. I might be wrong, but it is a feeling I have.
Many have written about why this is. I believe the question to be asked is what are the CMA voters looking for in an EOY and what artist can deliver what the voters want.
I think CMA voters want an act that will sell lots of records, get lots of radio play, tour well, is respected, and seen by the voters of the CMA as an artist they wish to put forward as the face of country music.
Sugarland is the duo of Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush. While Bush is a man, Sugarland qualifies as a female act because Nettles is the lead singer, and her female voice is how fans identify Sugarland.
Sugarland’s two albums have sold a combined 4 million copies with six top 10 hits with two going to #1. A 7th top 10 hit is on the way in “Stay” a song considered to be their best performance yet. In 2007 Sugarland ended Brooks & Dunn’s strangle hold on the CMA Vocal Duo award and they are expect to win the award again in 2008.
Nettles is considered a brilliant vocalist, and Sugarland is considered an excellent live act that plays well in concert and on television. They have made savvy use of the Web especially MySpace and YouTube. In 2007 Sugarland headlined on tour for the first time.
Carrie Underwood is the other female act mentioned as the next female act to win CMA EOY. Underwood has sold more albums, has more #1’s than Sugarland. Underwood is more famous, and won more awards. Still history shown Underwood is likely to face a backlash. CMA voters may feel she has been awarded enough. Since she has little present competition for Female Vocalist of the Year, voters may feel content with giving FVOY and giving EOY to others.
Underwood is going out on tour with former EOY winner Keith Urban. Each night fans and critics will get to compare the two in concert. I think Underwood is brilliant, but I fear she will have a tough time overcoming Urban’s incredible live performances. Few have Urban’s all-around musical ability and stage presence.
Suglarland’s Nettles, a charismatic live performer, commands a stage. Along with Bush, she provides energy on stage found only in great entertainers like Garth Brooks and Keith Urban. Add this to the fact that Sugarland faces no backlash, and Sugarland looks to have a clear path to EOY in 2009 or 2010. I might be wrong, but it is a feeling I have.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Selected Country Music Artists Fortunes in 2008
I review what artists will do what in 2008.
Alan Jackson will do well in 2008. His album Good Times comes out March 4 and based on the reaction to his new single Small Town Southern Man on places like Country Universe and elsewhere the album should sell well. Small Town Southern Man should earn single and song of the year nominations. Could Good Times be country album of the year?
Even in this tough time for female artists in country music, Ashton Shepherd will make it. She may not be as successful as Carrie Underwood, but she does not have to be to enjoy a rewarding career.
Taylor Swift is not the greatest singer, but neither is Tim McGraw. He succeeded by making mostly good songs choices. Taylor’s has great potential as a song writer. If she realized this potential on her next album, due in 2008, she could have something. Taylor is also the master of using social media to mobilize and gain fans. This fan base should aid her in her efforts for success.
Faith Hill will leave country music, as she has stated, to make a more soul filled pop album. I wonder if this will be as successful as she thinks, because pop music may in a serious rut in 2008.
Brad Paisley and Keith Urban will have it out for the CMA Entertainer of the Year Award. Since Urban has won previously, Paisley would seem to be next in line. With Sugarland, Josh Turner, and Carrie Underwood coming up behind him, he had better hope he wins in 2008.
Sugarland will continue their ascent to super-stardom and earn a nomination for CMA Entertainer of the Year. Their song “Stay” will earn single and song of the year nominations.
Kenny Chesney and Toby Keith will start fading. Chesney will use this as an opportunity to create more traditional, yet daring, country music.
Josh Turner will continue to rise in the eyes of fans, critics, and award show voters.
Brooks & Dunn will, as they have said, release solo albums. Brooks & Dunn the duo will continue, but their popularity will fade.
Miranda Lambert will either become a star or become frustrated by her inability to get country radio to play her music; with the key being how she mobilizes her fans through social media.
The Dixie Chicks will return to country music in 2008. Why? It is the illogical thing to do. It will also cause the mainstream media to pay a great deal of attention to them, thereby helping them sell albums. Also country music is their natural home, and both sides are probably ready to forget if not forgive.
Gretchen Wilson will disappear for the year while she tries to revive her fading career. Amazing how fast she sank after seemingly being the new voice of women in country music.
Jewel will have a tough time in her bid for country music stardom unless she has more up-tempo songs than the ones I heard on her MySpace page. It will not help her that other pop artists will come flocking to country music and not be really as serious about a real career in country music as she is.
Julianne Hough (two-time winner of Dancing with the Stars) and Lady Antebellum will join Ashton Shepherd as break out new artists in 08.
Martina McBride will fade quickly unless she gets more daring with her music. Her last album was bad, and her great voice wasted. She should make a gospel album, but I sense she is still intent on trying to become a bigger star.
George Strait, Garth Brooks, or Shania Twain will make a daring album of music.
Carrie Underwood will have continued success, but find a building backlash to her success. Then her record label will announce Kelly Clarkson will be making a country album putting both of American Idols biggest star alumni in the same genre and on the same label.
Alan Jackson will do well in 2008. His album Good Times comes out March 4 and based on the reaction to his new single Small Town Southern Man on places like Country Universe and elsewhere the album should sell well. Small Town Southern Man should earn single and song of the year nominations. Could Good Times be country album of the year?
Even in this tough time for female artists in country music, Ashton Shepherd will make it. She may not be as successful as Carrie Underwood, but she does not have to be to enjoy a rewarding career.
Taylor Swift is not the greatest singer, but neither is Tim McGraw. He succeeded by making mostly good songs choices. Taylor’s has great potential as a song writer. If she realized this potential on her next album, due in 2008, she could have something. Taylor is also the master of using social media to mobilize and gain fans. This fan base should aid her in her efforts for success.
Faith Hill will leave country music, as she has stated, to make a more soul filled pop album. I wonder if this will be as successful as she thinks, because pop music may in a serious rut in 2008.
Brad Paisley and Keith Urban will have it out for the CMA Entertainer of the Year Award. Since Urban has won previously, Paisley would seem to be next in line. With Sugarland, Josh Turner, and Carrie Underwood coming up behind him, he had better hope he wins in 2008.
Sugarland will continue their ascent to super-stardom and earn a nomination for CMA Entertainer of the Year. Their song “Stay” will earn single and song of the year nominations.
Kenny Chesney and Toby Keith will start fading. Chesney will use this as an opportunity to create more traditional, yet daring, country music.
Josh Turner will continue to rise in the eyes of fans, critics, and award show voters.
Brooks & Dunn will, as they have said, release solo albums. Brooks & Dunn the duo will continue, but their popularity will fade.
Miranda Lambert will either become a star or become frustrated by her inability to get country radio to play her music; with the key being how she mobilizes her fans through social media.
The Dixie Chicks will return to country music in 2008. Why? It is the illogical thing to do. It will also cause the mainstream media to pay a great deal of attention to them, thereby helping them sell albums. Also country music is their natural home, and both sides are probably ready to forget if not forgive.
Gretchen Wilson will disappear for the year while she tries to revive her fading career. Amazing how fast she sank after seemingly being the new voice of women in country music.
Jewel will have a tough time in her bid for country music stardom unless she has more up-tempo songs than the ones I heard on her MySpace page. It will not help her that other pop artists will come flocking to country music and not be really as serious about a real career in country music as she is.
Julianne Hough (two-time winner of Dancing with the Stars) and Lady Antebellum will join Ashton Shepherd as break out new artists in 08.
Martina McBride will fade quickly unless she gets more daring with her music. Her last album was bad, and her great voice wasted. She should make a gospel album, but I sense she is still intent on trying to become a bigger star.
George Strait, Garth Brooks, or Shania Twain will make a daring album of music.
Carrie Underwood will have continued success, but find a building backlash to her success. Then her record label will announce Kelly Clarkson will be making a country album putting both of American Idols biggest star alumni in the same genre and on the same label.
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