~ New Music Monday ~ February 27th, 2017 ~ 2017 ACM Nominations and Predictions ~

February 16th Lady Antebellum announced the 2017 Academy of Country Music Award nominees on CBS This Morning. Per usual there are some expected, some unexpected and some snubs. Performers have yet to be fully announced for the main show, but almost every day new artists are being added to the "Party for a Cause" concerts happening pre-show night. In this weeks New Music Monday I will be sharing my thoughts on the nominations and predictions for wins. The 2017 ACM's will be held in April in Vegas and hosted by dynamic duo Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley for the second year in a row. As I prepped for this post something came to mind that I just had to share with my faithful readers. Warning: Once you see it you will not be able to un see it......

 

.....You're welcome. Now, lets get to the important things like judging the academy for who they did and did not nominate while also judging who we think should win. It's a judg-ey Monday.

EOTY (Entertainer of the Year) -

Carrie Underwood
FGL
Jason Aldean
Keith Urban
Luke Bryan

WTF is EC NOT in the EOTY Category??!!! I am baffled. Anyway, what I would like to see happen is Carrie take this. It isn't often a female artist walks away with EOTY, even though some well deserved have been skipped over for their male counterparts. Last year Jason Aldean took his first win in this category and both Keith and Luke have won in the past. I really think that with all that Carrie is apart of representing the country music community in multi-genre settings, internationally, and with the steam still burning from her "Storytellers" Tour I really think she deserves a win. My
fear, FGL will win.

~ Carrie Underwood - "Church Bells" ~

fr the "Storytellers" Tour

Male Vocalist of the Year -
Chris Stapleton
Thomas Rett
Dierks Bentley
Jason Aldean
Keith Urban

My preference for this category is Dierks. I LOVE "Black" and really think it is a stand out when it comes to the catalog of Bentley records. I think the voters themselves could really go any which way. Stapelton took home so many trophies last year that idk he has shelf room left, but I could see it going to him and deservingly so.

Female Vocalist of the Year -

Carrie Underwood
Kacey Musgraves
Kelsea Ballerini
Maren Morris
Miranda Lambert

Queen Ran has won so many times in a row that I have lost count. I think her wins have been well deserved and earned, but I would like to see this go to someone else this year. Maren has already gotten a CMA and a Grammy so it would not be a big surprise if she won at the ACM's. I would be supportive of that choice even though she is technically a "freshmen". I love "Hero" just that much.

Vocal Duo -

Big and Rich
Dan and Shay
Maddie and Tae
FGL
Brothers Osborne

Again, my fear, FGL will win for like the gazzillionth time, but my hope is that Bro's Oz or Maddie and Tae win. The Brothers O won at the CMA's and are Grammy nominated artists now so, it is very possible they would do a three peat and take the ACM as well.

Vocal Group -

Eli Young Band
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Old Dominion
Rascal Flatts

I want this one to go to Little Big Town. With the release of "Breaker" last week they are going to be fresh in everyone's mind plus, fellow artists and industry folks can't seem to quit praising this newest musical offering from the group. I downloaded it to my Spotify and can concur they are as awesome as ever. Let us all just forget that "Wanderlust" situation from last year. I'm willing to pretend it didn't happen if you are.

New Female -

Brandy Clark
Cam
Maren Morris
Lauren Alaina

Brandy Clark has been nominated by ACMs, CMAs, and Grammy's and still has not received the recognition or praise she deserves. She is not new technically, but because of her lack of wins I feel she keeps getting put into new categories. I think she has shown via her work for other artists as well as her own that she truly deserves this nod. I honestly would have no problem with any of these females winning. I like them all and follow them all on Insta. I think they are legit and I can't wait to see them nominated in years to come in Best Female. It kinda baffles me when a "New Female" nominee is also in the Best Female category. This is the case with Maren. Just for the sake of fairness I hope that if she wins one she doesn't win the other. I need the trophy love to be spread about evenly. Also, WTF is there not a FIFTH nominee like in all other categories. I can think of a handful of new female artist who deserve to be in this category. Lindsay Ell, RaeLynn, Aubrie Sellers, Margo Price and the list goes on and on and on. This makes zero sense to me and is an injustice to the integrity of the award and the artists competing for it each year.

New Male -

Brett Young
Chris Janson
Chris Young
Jon Pardi
Kane Brown

If Kane Brown wins this category I am setting something on fire!!!!!! My vote goes to Chris Janson or Jon Pardi. I don't have much to say about this category because Kane's very presence in it enrages me just that much.

New Duo/Group-

Maddie and Tae
Brothers Osborne
Dan and Shay
LoCash
Thousand Hourses

Again, my vote is for Maddie and Tae or the Bros Oz. I think they made the most traction this year and are deserving of a nod.

~ Dierks Bentley - Discussing the Single, "Black" ~

Album of the Year -

Dierks Bentley - Black
Keith Urban - Rib Cord
Maren Morris - Hero
Miranda Lambert - The Weight of These Wings
FGL - Dig Your Roots

I have made my affections for "Black", "Hero" and TWOTW multiple times in New Music Monday posts so, I am good with either of those winning. My heart would love to see Dierks take it for "Black" I think it would be a beautiful possible book end to the album.

Single of the Year -

Keith Urban - "Blue Ain't Your Color"
FGL - H.O.L.Y.
Tim McGraw - "Humble and Kind"
Maren Morris - "My Church"
Miranda Lambert - "Vice"

"Humble and Kind" has won so many awards already, but IDK if it will take Single and Song at the ACMS. I would be o.k. with Maren or Miranda taking this one if it doesn't go to "Humble".

Song of the Year -

Keith Urban - "Blue Ain't Your Color"
Thomas Rett - "Die a Happy Man"
Tim McGraw - "Humble and Kind"
Eric Church Feat. Rhiannon Giddens - "Kill a Word"
Chris Stapleton - "Tennessee Whiskey"
Miranda Lambert - "Vice"

Considering Miranda is the only female in this category, for girl power purposes I would dig if she won. Also, hasn't "Die a Happy Man" already won this award before? Am I getting my awards confused cause I could totally see that happening. As mentioned in the previous category, "Humble and Kind" has already won similar categories several times so, it is feasible that M & M could win at the ACMs as well. I love me some Stapleton, but again, wasn't this already nominated last year? Am I losing my mind? Also again, totally possible.


Video of the Year -

Chris Stapelton - "Fire Away"
Varied Artist - "Forever Country"
Tim McGraw - "Humble and Kind"
Kelsea Ballerini - "Peter Pan"
Miranda Lambert - "Vice"

I think that Trey Fanjoy did an amazing job with Miranda's, "Vice". It left everyone to decide for themselves what all they imagery and symbolism meant. A visual for a lyrical who done it. I am not crazy affectionate for "Forever Country" the song or the video, but I feel like politically it may have to win. I said this in a past post, but I have too many recolections to Taylor Swifts, "Trouble" when I watch Kelsea's. "Peter Pan". Totally different songs, but the talking at the beginning, the dessert, even if Kelsea hadn't been spoke of and promoted as Taylor's heir apparent those things alone would be two too many similarities. And don't mistake this for hate. I love the song, the video and Taylor too, but I just have strong emotions when it comes to such things as too much resemblance to a mentor artist.

~ Miranda Lambert - "Vice" ~

fr "The Weight of These Wings ~

Vocal Event of the Year -

Dierks Bentley and Elle King - "Different for Girls"
Varied Artists - "Forever Country"
FGL Feat. Tim McGraw - "May We All"
Kenny Chesney and Pink - "Setting the World on Fire"
Chris Young and Cassadee Pope - "Think of You"

I think, again because of politics, "Forever Country" is going to win this category, but if I had my vote counted twice I'd use them both for Dierks and Elle. I honestly don't think Kenny and Pink should have even been nominated.

Song Writer of the Year -

Ashely Gorly
Hillary Lindsey
Lori McKenna
Luke Laird
Shane McAnally

Shane McAnally was apart of the team to create "Forever Country" as well as many other songs, but I could see him winning this. Lori McKenna has already won, as mentioned before for "Humble and Kind" at several other shows. I wouldn't be surprised if she won at the ACMs. I wouldn't be mad about it either. It's a beautiful song that deserves the awards it's been getting.

SNUBS: Once again Sturgill Simpson, Kip Moore, Ashley Monroe, The Cadillac Three, Brantley Gilbert, Justin Moore, Kelleigh Bannen, Mickey Guyton, Margo Price, and many more have been passed by for radio popular "artists". Sturgill has now won a GRAMMY!!!! A GRAMMY!!!! Country music community do you hear me? A G-R-A-M-M-Y!!!!! How? For the love of how???!!! Is he not in ANY of the categories represented here? How? How!!!

~ Sturgill Simpson Live at the 2017 Grammy's ~

Kip Moore's, "Wild One"s did not produce what the industry would call radio success, but it consistently sold out live shows across the U.S. as well as in the U.K. How "Running for You" isn't in the best song category I'll never understand. With Moore teasing the drop of a new album later this Spring and the recent release of the single, "More Girls Like You", I can only hope, pray, fast, cross my fingers and whatever else needed to be done, that he will not be looked over in the future.

Ashley Monroe, Kelleigh Bannen, Mickey Guyton, Margo Price, Lindsay Elle, Run Away June, Jessie James, and Aubrie Sellers are all female artist that could have filled that fifth spot in Best New Female and deservedly. Why they are getting ZERO attention from the award shows and radio is such a mystery to me. I truly believe it is only a matter of time before these artist and other artist like RaeLynn, Post Monroe, Cassadee Pope, etc.will be running these categories.

~ Ashley Monroe - "Bombshell" ~

fr "The Blade"

Be sure to follow me on socials night of for play by play comments and questions. Who gets your vote for these categories? Did one of your favorite artists get snubbed? Feel free to share in the comment section !!!! Happy New Music Monday Music Addix!!! Hope you have a rockin' week.