ACM Award predictions

The Academy of Country Music is announcing its annual awards live on TV on Sunday. Here are our predictions and hopes for the ceremony:

Entertainer of the Year

Jason Aldean
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
Blake Shelton
Taylor Swift

Jonathan: First off, let the Carrie Underwood backlash begin. And end. I agree with the fans who love her, but she didn’t make enough of a splash in 2011 to be considered here. At least you need to release a solo single. I agree with this list as it features most of the big players in country music right now. I would’ve included Zac Brown Band here as musicianship should win out over star power. But I can’t say any of these artists don’t deserve it from a numbers perspective.
Will Win: Taylor Swift – it’s still a fan voted award and she has the largest fan base for these kinds of contests.
Should Win: Blake Shelton – not because of his radio hits but because he’s the only one here to ascend to the next level in 2011. He makes country music look cool on The Voice, too. He may not have a strong catalog of singles but we could do far worse in Hollywood’s ideal of country music.

OH: I think I would also lean to Blake Shelton here. Chesney, Aldean and Swift have all had bigger tours and more impressive sales, but Blake has been representing country music to a mass audience thanks to his TV exposure. However, this being a fan-voted category, I think Taylor Swift will be Sunday’s winner, with only the fast-rising rocker Jason Aldean likely to challenge.

Razor X: Taylor Swift has this one in the bag, as it’s fan voted again this year.

Note: Voting is still open for anyone who wants to make their contribution.

2012 Grammy predictions

The Grammy awards are probably the world’s most prestigious cross-genre awards in the word of music, although within country music the CMA and ACM awards hold greater weight. The significance of the Grammies has been further affected this year with the contraction in the number of categories of interest to country fans. But awards shows offer a way of taking stock once every few months regarding the genre as a whole, particularly the more mainstream end. In a few days, we’ll learn who has won this year’s awards. In the meantime, here are our predictions:

Best Country Solo Performance

This new category combines the former nods to performances by male and female vocalists.

‘Dirt Road Anthem’ – Jason Aldean
‘I’m Gonna Love You Through It’ – Martina McBride
‘Honey Bee’ – Blake Shelton
‘Mean’ – Taylor Swift
‘Mama’s Song’ – Carrie Underwood

Razor X: I can’t remember the last time I came across a more underwhelming list of nominees. “Honey Bee” is the only one on the list that I can tolerate, but it doesn’t seem like the sort of song that usually wins Grammys. I think Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood are the two real contenders here; I’ll predict that Underwood will win.

Occasional Hope: A remarkably uninspiring lineup in this category. I suppose by default my vote (if I had one) would have gone to Blake Shelton. Carrie Underwood’s song is well-meaning but bland; Martina McBride’s is the epitome of emotional manipulation; Jason Aldean’s record is horrible; and Taylor Swift’s song has nice production for once, but the lyric collapses into juvenile namecalling (and I’m afraid I’m still unimpressed by her vocal ability). That leaves Blake Shelton with a slight but not unlistenable song, making it my lukewarm favorite by default. Who will actually win it? The Grammy voting pool is a bit different from the specialist country awards shows, so I’m going to predict Taylor Swift as although Aldean has had a big breakthrough over the past couple of years, I think his lack of cross-genre name recognition will limit his appeal to voters. He, Swift and Blake Shelton all have performance slots on the show (Blake as part of a Glen Campbell tribute and Jason Aldean revisitng his duet with Kelly Clarkson), which could be an indication that the battle is between these three.

Jonathan Pappalardo: It seems as though the Grammy organization can’t win. If they go by artistic merits they’re deemed out of touch with reality. If they go with what’s popular, they’re deemed too mainstream. For my tastes these nominees are awful. There isn’t a song here I can get excited about, apart from Taylor Swift’s “Mean.” If she has to win an award this year, let it be this one.

Single Review – Zac Brown Band – ‘No Hurry’

In the ongoing battle for group supremacy in country music, Zac Brown Band should win every battle. I love their tendency to stick to a more traditional sound and sing songs that aren’t riddled with clichés. They’re a much-needed breath of fresh air to offset the watered down sound of Lady Antebellum and the pretty boy flare of Rascal Flatts. Plus, as entertainers and musicians, there is hardly a better mainstream country act around.

But as more and more singles keep getting released and hitting #1 (“Keep Me In Mind” marked their seventh consecutive trip to the top and eighth overall), I’ve noticed the freshness of their sound has settled somewhere around routine. When you’ve set the bar as high as they have, it’s difficult to continue to show growth when you’re just consistently great.

But like any great act, there’s bound to be some missteps along the way. For the fifth single from the band’s latest album You Get What You Give, “No Hurry” is a bit of a let down. For all the outstanding album cuts (I’m looking at you “Let It Go” and “Martin”) on the project, I’m baffled this one will have its day at radio in place of some truly excellent songs.

Co-written by Zac Brown with James Otto and Wyatt Durrette, “No Hurry” is basically a laundry list of items the protagonist needs to accomplish but isn’t in a rush to complete:

You know my old car needs washing

And the front yard needs a trim

And the telephone keeps ringing

And the bossman knows I know its him

And the bills ain’t gonna pay themselves

No matter anyway

Cause I ain’t in no hurry today

Here’s the problem – these aren’t a particularly attention grabbing list of items to sing about. List songs are the hardest to sell because if they’re not exciting, there ceases to be a point. And “No Hurry” fits into that category. If the opening lyrics cannot hold the attention of the listener, and these don’t hold mine, than you know something is wrong.

As the song progresses, the lyrics take a turn from the idea of this person not being in a hurry for daily activities and errands to not being in a rush to ascend to heaven:

When I must return

To the cold cold ground

Have ‘em take their time

When they lay this sinner down

Heaven knows that I ain’t perfect

I’ve raised a little cain

And I plan to raise a whole lot more

Before I hear those angels sing

(Gonna get right with the lord)

But there’ll be hell to pay

But I ain’t in no hurry

The idea of living it up while you’re still on earth is predictable and bordering on cliché. As evidenced by their lazy execution, the writers are aptly reiterating what we’ve heard countless times before without offering us anything new. And such a poor execution is quite baffling from writers as talented as these.

But the one saving grace for “No Hurry” is the production. I thoroughly enjoy the fiddle and guitar work as it accomplishes the task of drawing the listener in and keeping them from turning the dial as soon as the song comes on. Anytime I get to hear fiddle front and center on a mainstream country single these days is a cause for celebration. Too bad the concept for the song doesn’t follow suit.

Grade: C 

Single Review – Lady Antebellum – ‘Dancin’ Away With My Heart’

On the third single from Own The Night Lady Antebellum reunites with Josh Kear who helped them pin “Need You Now.” It’s an attempt to rekindle the fire of their signature song.

As the story goes, it’s about a couple that lost touch after high school only to meet up years later. It’s as if no time has passed and all the feelings from when they were eighteen come rushing back.

The gently rolling soft drums and guitars aid in wrapping the story in a sweet romantic comedy-like vibe that perfectly complements the back and forth between Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott. Their roles in this love story are believable because of their sincere conviction. They play these characters very well.

With so much working in their favor, why did “Dancing Away With My Heart” have to go so wrong? The lazy songwriting and inability to fully flush out the details of this reunion display a complete lack of effort. There’s no mention of where this chance meeting is taking place. Are they attending a high school reunion? A mutual friend’s wedding? Did they know each other would even be present?

So much time is spent drilling in the fact they haven’t seen each other in ages that they forgot to fill us in on the details that took them from college until the present moment. It’s frustrating that they would leave so many important details unanswered.

They should’ve followed Reba’s lead. She got every detail right when she tackled the same theme in 1995.

Grade: B- 

Week ending 12/17/11: #1 singles this week in country music history

1951: Slow Poke — Pee Wee King & His Golden West Cowboys (feat. Redd Stewart) (RCA)

1961: Walk On By – Leroy Van Dyke (Mercury)

1971: Kiss An Angel Good Morning — Charley Pride (RCA)

1981: Still Doin’ Time — George Jones (Epic)

1991: For My Broken Heart — Reba McEntire (MCA)

2001: I Wanna Talk About Me — Toby Keith (DreamWorks Nashville)

2011: We Owned The Night — Lady Antebellum (Capitol)

Week ending 12/10/11: #1 singles this week in country music history

1951: Slow Poke — Pee Wee King & His Golden West Cowboys (feat. Redd Stewart) (RCA)

1961: Walk On By – Leroy Van Dyke (Mercury)

1971: Kiss An Angel Good Morning — Charley Pride (RCA)

1981: Bet Your Heart On Me – Johnny Lee (Warner Bros.)

1991: For My Broken Heart — Reba McEntire (MCA)

2001: I Wanna Talk About Me — Toby Keith (DreamWorks Nashville)

2011: We Owned The Night — Lady Antebellum (Capitol)

Jonathan Pappalardo’s Top Ten Singles of 2011

While 2011 was a bland and boring year for mainstream country music where anthems to dirt roads, tales about being someone’s honey bee, and odes to plastic party accessories were all over the radio, it did feature some bright spots. There was even one artist I thought was so constantly strong, two of their singles made my top ten for the year. I would’ve added this person’s latest as a third, but two in one top ten is more than enough.

So in addition to complaining about those songs that seem to have taken country music off track, let’s take a moment and celebrate what was good about country music in 2011. And judging by my list, you have to remember that just because a song spent four or five weeks at #1, doesn’t mean it’s of good quality. So here’s my list of favorite songs, all released as singles in 2011.

I’ll have the rest of my list, numbers 11-45, on my own blog later this month.

10. Randy Houser – “In God’s Time”

The balance between religion and spirituality in American popular culture is often shaky – there are those who believe in the teachings derived from texts and others who choose to let a higher power guide them, but don’t necessarily tie it to a particular faith. As there are those who happily merge the two.

Houser’s tale of letting life work itself out by surrendering to a greater force is the ultimate definition of spirituality, the study of the soul. In realty, “Time” is a fundamental lesson in how to live your life – “But no one knows, not you or me, it might be tomorrow or it might never be. Oh, but don’t lose faith. Put it in His hands. ‘Cause it might be that He might have a bigger plan. Than you had in mind. Miracles happen, in God’s time.”

Very rarely does a singer emerge from the shadows to clearly leave their mark by just a song, but Houser has here. Not only is he among the greatest living of all country singers, but also he may be the best trying to have chart success today.

“Time” is nothing short of a masterpiece, a classic and iconic statement from a living profit. Problem is, Houser occupies his time with distracting southern rock – a decision marking his downfall. If he only understood that he was put here to create songs like this, he would sour into the heavens, and fill the shoes of the ilk in his wake.

2011 CMA Awards Recap

Now that the annual train wreck known as the CMA Awards Show has again come and gone, it’s time to take a look back and see how well the MKOC writers did with our predictions. The results are pretty evenly split this year, with Jonathan Pappalardo and Occasional Hope correctly predicting the winner in six categories, while J.R. Journey and I each guessed the winner five times.

Entertainer of the Year — Taylor Swift

Perhaps in denial that such a travesty could happen more than once, none of us chose Taylor Swift as the winner in this category. All of us were rather confident that the trophy would go home with Blake Shelton.

Male Vocalist — Blake Shelton

Jonathan, Occasional Hope, and I all accurately predicted the winner in this category, while J.R. thought that the honor would go to Jason Aldean.

Female Vocalist — Miranda Lambert

This one was pretty much a no-brainer that all of us accurately predicted.

New Artist — The Band Perry

Both J.R. and Occasional Hope called this one correctly, while Jonathan chose Luke Bryan and I predicted that the award would go to Chris Young (wishful thinking on my part).

Vocal Group – Lady Antebellum

Jonathan and I got this one right, while Occasional Hope went with the Zac Brown Band and J.R. predicted that The Band Perry would be the victors in this category.

Duo of the Year — Sugarland

There wasn’t any real competition in this category; consequently we all accurately called this one for Sugarland.

Single of the Year — “If I Die Young” – The Band Perry

Both JR. and Occasional Hope got this one right. I thought that the award would go to “Colder Weather” by the Zac Brown Band and Jonathan felt it would go to Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson for “Don’t You Wanna Stay.”

Song of the Year — “If I Die Young” – The Band Perry

I was the only one who got this one wrong, thinking (hoping) that it would go to the Zac Brown Band’s “Colder Weather”.

Album of the Year — My Kinda Party – Jason Aldean

I predicted that this award would go to Taylor Swift for Speak Now. While I’m not sorry to have been wrong, it is small consolation that it actually went to Jason Aldean as Jonathan alone accurately predicted. Both J.R. and Occasional Hope had thought that Brad Paisley would win for This Is Country Music.

Musical Event of the Year — “Don’t You Wanna Stay” – Jason Aldean & Kelly Clarkson

I was the only one who got this one right. Everyone else went with “As She’s Walking Away” by the Zac Brown Band and Alan Jackson. I take no pleasure in being right on this one.

Music Video — “You and Tequila” – Kenny Chesney with Grace Potter

Only Jonathan and Occasional Hope made predictions in this category, and neither was correct. Jonathan chose “Mean” by Taylor Swift while Occasional Hope went with “Old Alabama” by Brad Paisley and Alabama.

Musician of the Year — Mac McAnally, guitar

Occasional Hope and I were the only ones who participated in this category. Both of us thought that Dann Huff would win.

To say that I am disappointed in any of the results would imply that I had any reasonable expectations that I would be happy with any of the outcomes. I don’t feel that any of the awards, with the exception of the Male and Female Vocalist trophies, went to the most deserving winner. The program lived up to my low expectations, but all the same it is still somewhat discouraging that this bunch seems to be the best Nashville has to offer these days.

2011 CMA award predictions

The Country Music Association annual awards ceremony will take place on November 9th, 2011, presented by the pairing of Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, who have become something of a fixture in that role in the past few years. Last year Brad also triumphed by winning the Entertainer of the Year title for the first time. The show will feature performances from many of the nominees, plus American Idol Scotty McCreery and pop star Lionel Richie, who has been recording duets with country stars for release next spring.

Here are our thoughts about who will walk away smiling next Wednesday night, category by category:

Entertainer of the Year

Jason Aldean
Brad Paisley
Blake Shelton: Jonathan Pappalardo, Occasional Hope, Razor X, J.R. Journey
Taylor Swift
Keith Urban

Occasional Hope: I feel this is a genuinely open category this year. Brad Paisley is the reigning Entertainer, having finally won the long overdue title last year, and is clearly popular with voters. However, I think he has passed his peak both commercially and (more importantly) artistically, with relatively disappointing sales figures for recent albums, although he continues to do well at radio with a #2 and two #1 hits over the period. He is also one of the top earners in country music, alongside Taylor Swift. Teen favorite Swift won the title controversially in 2009, then was largely ignored last year, and is back again with a brace of nominations. She undoubtedly has the biggest international and pop profile of all the nominees, as well as the biggest sales, with over three million copies sold so far of Speak Now in the U.S. and platinum or multi-platinum status in a number of other countries, some (like the Philippines) with little exposure to country music. She has also toured successfully overseas this year. Of course, that makes her an international pop star as much or more than a country star who has gotten lucky with pop airplay; how far should that sway the CMA?

I have a sneaking suspicion that Jason Aldean could be a big winner this year overall. He’s had a good year, with one of the best-selling albums (over 1.5 million sales), and his brand of country-rock, while far heavier on the rock than the country, has carved out a niche in the market for himself. I’m not a fan myself, but he is undeniably one of the big names in country music at the moment, with two #1 and a #2 hit single from this album, and a crossover AC hit thanks to his duet with Kelly Clarkson. But my gut feeling is that it’s a bit soon to win the top award this year. Blake Shelton, despite his title as reigning Male Vocalist, is the other surprise nominee, and he could just swing it based on the impact he has had as an ambassador for the genre, with his TV role on The Voice. He has also had two #1 singles with ‘Who Are You When I’m Not Looking’ and ‘Honey Bee’, and the frankly baffling inclusion of his poorly selling EP among the Album nominees signals that the Association voters are keen to reward him.

Razor X: It’s hard for me to get very excited about any of these nominees, but Shelton seems to be on a hot streak so I think he will win. And if I have to root for one of these nominees, I’d probably go with him.

Jonathan: This is a case of the veterans versus the newcomers. Urban hasn’t won since 2005 and I don’t expect that drought to end this year. Paisley (who should win) and Swift are strong contenders, but their steady success isn’t enough to help them prevail. It comes down to Shelton versus Aldean, and in a battle between the country rocker and the TV star, Shelton walks away with his first Entertainer trophy.

J.R. Journey: I think Paisley and Urban are just slot-fillers at this point in their careers, so they’re out. Jason Aldean had a strong year and so did Taylor Swift, but neither exploded into the mainstream – Taylor’s been there for several years now – like Blake Shelton, with a major television and soundtrack push. He’s on a major upswing, and that ought to sway voters enough to give him the edge.

Week ending 10/15/11: #1 albums this week in country music history

1966: Bill Anderson – I Love You Drops (Decca)

1971: Ray Price – I Won’t Mention It Again (Columbia)

1976: Linda Ronstadt – Hasten Down The Wind (Asylum)

1981: Eddie Rabbitt – Step By Step (Warner Brothers)

1986: Randy Travis – Storms Of Life (Warner Brothers)

1991: Garth Brooks – Ropin’ The Wind (Capitol)

1996: LeAnn Rimes – Blue (Curb)

2001: Martina McBride – Greatest Hits (RCA)

2006: Alan Jackson – Like Red On A Rose (Arista)

2011: Lady Antebellum – Own The Night (Capitol)

Week ending 10/8/11: #1 albums this week in country music history

1966: David Houston – Almost Persuaded (Epic)

1971: Ray Price – I Won’t Mention It Again (Columbia)

1976: Linda Ronstadt – Hasten Down The Wind (Asylum)

1981: Eddie Rabbitt – Step By Step (Warner Brothers)

1986: Janie Fricke – Black and White (CBS)

1991: Garth Brooks – Ropin’ The Wind (Capitol)

1996: LeAnn Rimes – Blue (Curb)

2001: Martina McBride – Greatest Hits (RCA)

2006: Kenny Chesney – Live Those Songs Again (BNA)

2011: Lady Antebellum – Own The Night (Capitol)

Week ending 8/27/11: #1 singles this week in country music history

1951: Hey, Good Lookin’ — Hank Williams (MGM)

1961: Tender Years — George Jones (Mercury)

1971: I’m Just Me — Charley Pride (RCA)

1981: I Don’t Need You — Kenny Rogers (Liberty)

1991: You Know Me Better Than That — George Strait (MCA)

2001: Austin – Blake Shelton (Giant)

2011: Just A Kiss — Lady Antebellum (Capitol)

Week ending 8/20/11: #1 singles this week in country music history

1951: Hey, Good Lookin’ — Hank Williams (MGM)

1961: I Fall to Pieces — Patsy Cline (Decca)

1971: I’m Just Me — Charley Pride (RCA)

1981: I Don’t Need You — Kenny Rogers (Liberty)

1991: You Know Me Better Than That — George Strait (MCA)

2001: Austin – Blake Shelton (Giant)

2011: Just A Kiss — Lady Antebellum (Capitol)

Single Review – Thompson Square – ‘I Got You’

“I Got You,” the follow-up to their monster hit “Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not,” finds Thompson Square firmly within the rock infused sound that has taken over mainstream country in recent years.  I’ve often compared their production with Jason Aldean’s, and it’s fitting to see both acts will be touring together this summer.

With “Kiss,” they proved themselves a formable talent. It was memorable enough to catch people’s attention, and once it caught on five months after it was released, it blew up like gangbusters.

Largely benefiting from the success of “Kiss,” they’re able to garner the airplay, but “I Got You” is a dip in quality from their previous hit. The main problem is the predictability of the verses.  The build up to the chorus is an obvious mix of pairings leading up to them declaring they have each other. It isn’t an interesting concept and it leads to a weak execution.

The other issue is the production, which fights the vocals opposed to complementing them. The heavy guitars and loud drums are distracting to the listener and lessen whatever charm they were going for here.

But I will give them credit for showcasing Shawna’s voice on the second verse. She has strong vocals and sounds like a less twangy Kellie Pickler. Much like when Lady Antebellum first showcased Hillary on “Looking For A Good Time,” the song benefits from hearing both sing lead.

And the song is radio-friendly and stands to further their careers down the path to major success. “I Got You” does its job of catching your attention when it comes on the radio and despite it shortcomings, the fans will likely push it into the top ten.

Grade: B - 

Single Review: LeAnn Rimes – ‘Give’

Her public image may have been tarnished by scandal in recent years, but LeAnn Rimes hasn’t failed to turn out artistically strong music worthy of heavy rotation status on country radio. And judging by her new single, the hot streak continues.  “Give” hardly breaks any new ground and with a predictable pop-country arrangement sticks close to the musical style that built her career in the mid to late 1990s. The mix of piano with flourishes of steel guitar showcase the power in her voice better than either of the previous singles from her still-unreleased Lady and Gentlemen album.

Musically, this is the LeAnn Rimes the world fell in love with and stands the best chance of turning positive attention her way. She’s a fantastic singer, and the fullness of her abilities is on display here. The production in the chorus may be a little dense, but it adds the power ballad effect she’s after here.

If fans can forgive her personal dramas, “Give” could be her biggest hit in a long, long time. It fits in with the kind of songs country radio is playing right now and would be in good company next to Lady Antebellum’s “Just A Kiss” or anything by Carrie Underwood or Taylor Swift.  The only downside to the single is the irony in the story. She’s asking people to forgive, forget, and show a little kindness, which at one point would’ve been inspirational, but now comes off as self-pandering. It’s as though she’s begging us to forgive her, by pleading to us through song.

If the lyrics didn’t mirror her personal life so closely, then it would be easier to separate the two and judge her on artistic merit alone. And if anyone else were singing this song, it would be a slam-dunk. But to hear it from Rimes is to listen to a woman realizing her faults but not quite sure of how to make the proper amends with the audience she’s let down.

Grade: B

Listen here.

All about the image?

The latest episode of CMT’s current reality competition, CMT’s Next Superstar, which you can catch up with on the CMT website if you havent been watching the show live, focussed on image. Viewers saw the five surviving competitors each getting a makeover and doing a photo shoot for an album, as well as recording a classic song, before selling themselves to staff at Warner Music, whose votes counted towards that week’s elimination. Image seems to be increasingly important in marketing country music today, and has been ever since music videos became a major way of selling artists.

While an artist’s looks and fashion choices have nothing to do with the quality of their music, they do help to form the general public’s expectations, particularly for a new artist. If New Singer X is pictured wearing jeans and a cowboy hat, I do expect to hear something different from what I expect to hear from New Singer Y, whose outfit is indistinguishable from his/her pop star counterparts.

Modern traditionalists like Alan Jackson and George Strait may seem to pay little attention to image matters, but their style is as (or more) effective in it its way by signalling to the audience that here is an unquestionably country singer. The neo-traditional wave of the early 90s fizzled out in a sea of “Hat Acts”, many of them fine artists in their own right, but they tended to merge into one to many listeners when they shared a similar look and musical style. Chris Young, one of the brightest young traditionalists, often wears that cowboy hat, although Strait-style Easton Corbin does not. Compare him to, say, Jimmy Wayne or the men in Lady Antebellum, who have a much more “fashionable” appearance – and a much less country sound. Of course, it can be misleading; other cowboy hat wearers include rocker Jason Aldean. Sometimes the cowboy hat is a visual equivalent of singing lyrics about how country you are, without necessarily being supported by the music. In the 90s, Marty Stuart was making energetic country rock, but was keenly carrying on country traditions by wearing Nudie style outfits reminiscent of veterans like Porter Wagoner. It was only later that he returned to more traditional musical styles.

Nudie’s elaborate bejewelled and embroidered outfits were almost a uniform for the biggest country stars of the 1950s and 60s, even though they were a world removed from their poverty-stricken rural roots. Porter Wagoner is perhaps the most famous wearer, but even Hank Williams, whose heart wrenching music might seem far removed from image considerations, famously wore a Nudie suit adorned with musical notations. When Gram Parsons encouraged the Byrds to venture into country music with the seminal country-rock album Sweetheart Of the Rodeo, he wore a custom-made Nudie suit with designs of marijuana leaves – combining an appeal to rebellious 60s teenagers with the “country star” outfit. But for most of their wearers, the outfits symbolized showmanship and stardom, just as Loretta Lynn always wore evening gowns on stage and most of her album covers. Using an identifiable image as shorthand to signal an artist as country is thus nothing new. The young Patsy Cline wore western-style dresses, and had to be persuaded to dress in a more sophisticated way when her music began to adopt more pop influences. Dolly Parton’s highly artificial image helped to make her an international superstar in the 70s and 80s, and is still instantly recognised today across the world, even among those who have heard little of her music. In contrast, when last month’s Spotlight Artist Emmylou Harris started her solo career after Gram Parsons’ death, she looked more like the folk singer she had been as a girl, with her long hair hanging down unadorned, whereas most of her contemporaries had big hair – often wigs.

Record labels invest money in artwork for CDs, in order to attract attention on store shelves. It’s never made much of a difference to me, and I would assume not to most passionate fans who spend a lot of time listening to the music, but it may help bring in more casual purchasers. I’m almost embarrassed to admit it, but my own brother once asked for a record for Christmas, purely because he liked the picture on the cover and was intrigued to see how the music reflected it. Going back to CMT’s Next Superstar, one young female contestant was quite rightly criticized for picking a picture of herself smiling for the title ‘Cold Cold Heart’, just because she thought it made her look prettier than other pictures from the photo-shoot. Songwriter Wynn Varble, who is 50 years old and not exactly competing for heart-throb of the year, went for a simple honest look which would tell any potential purchaser that this was a country record.

Changing musical styles can also be flagged by a changing image. When Lee Ann Womack moved in a poppier direction in the early 200s, she took on a more overtly sexy look (left); then when she defiantly reverted to a retro style in 2005 with There’s More Where That Came From, she went for an equally retro 70s country album cover style (right). The music is, of course, what really matters, but the image helps signal the direction. Similarly, Reba progressed from traditional country and a semi-cowgirl look in the 1980s to a much more sophisticated style, both aurally and visually, in the 90s.

How much does an artist’s image affect what you expect to hear? Have you ever been surprised – pleasantly or otherwise – by a disconnect between the album cover and the music inside?

ACM predictions reviewed

The awards season is over for a while now, with Sunday’s ACM ceremony. Last week we shared our predictions, and although I’m usually the worst predictor of these things, I got the most right this time.

I correctly pegged Taylor Swift to win the partially fan-voted Entertainer of the Year based on her sizeable fan base, and Brad Paisley to retain his title as Top Male Vocalist of the Year. We all predicted Miranda Lambert‘s latest triumph as Top Female Vocalist, but only Razor X expected her hit ‘The House That Built Me’ to sweep Video, Single and Song categories (I only predicted Song, and J.R. got both Song and Single). She really is on a career high these days, although fiance Blake Shelton went home empty-handed this time.

All three of us were sure Sugarland were the only realistic choice for Top Vocal Duo of the Year given the limited success of their rivals, and Razor and I both guessed Lady Antebellum would continue their awards show streak with Top Vocal Group of the Year. None of us expected Lady A’s big-selling but very bland Need You Now, by far the least interesting candidate, to take the Album of the Year title.

J.R. and I both predicted The Band Perry to win Top New Artist, and the Zac Brown Band‘s collaboration with veteran Alan Jackson to pick up the award for Vocal Event of the Year.

2011 ACM award predictions

The major country music awards are scattered through the year, so a new one seems to come along every few months. The Academy of Country Music is presenting its awards for achievement in 2010 in Las Vegas on April 3 on a televized show hosted by Reba McEntire and Blake Shelton. The West Coast based ACMs don’t have quite the prestige of the CMAs, awarded in November, but they have one advantage, in that their eligibility period is the previous calendar year, where the CMA and Grammy organizations have a strange mid-year cutoff which can make it hard to work out exactly what is eligible. On the downside, a few years ago in a misguided attempt at currying popularity with the public, the ACM decided to allow an online fan vote to determine the Entertainer of the Year and New Artist titles. This has been partially modified this year.

Entertainer of the Year

Jason Aldean
Toby Keith
Miranda Lambert
Brad Paisley
Taylor Swift
Keith Urban

Occasional Hope: There were loud squawkings from the fans of Carrie Underwood when she was omitted from the nominations this time, having won the title for the past two years. This is a partially fan-voted category this year, and with Carrie’s absence factored in, I think Taylor Swift is a slam-dunk for the victory, with her enormous and youthful fanbase. Surprise nominee Jason Aldean has earned platinum status for his last two albums and a string of top hits, so although I am underwhelmed by his heavy rocking brand of country, he might just have enough of a fanbase, and have the commercial impetus to impress the industry enough to achieve a surprise win. But the talented Miranda Lambert had a great year last year, and she would be my personal choice.

Razor X: This seems like it will be Miranda‘s year. If the award were entirely based on fan votes, Taylor Swift would be a very strong contender, but I think that because industry votes will be counted as well, they’ll offset the fan voting.

J.R. Journey: I’m assuming the members will win the battle in the combination membership/fan voting for the Entertainer race this year. Paisley may well hold his own in the online voting pools too, but I think he’ll outdistance the others as the overall vote-getter.

Top Male Vocalist of the Year

Jason Aldean
Brad Paisley
Blake Shelton
George Strait
Keith Urban

O.H.: Brad Paisley has won this title for the last four years. I can’t see anyone pushing him out this time either. I can’t say I feel very enthusiastic about this category despite the underlying talent of those nominated. None of the nominees produced particularly memorable music in 2010 – Blake Shelton may be the reigning CMA Male Vocalist and half of country music’s favorite courrent love story, but I think the ACM likes to differentiate itself from the CMAs occasionally. I liked ‘Twang’, but it under-performed at radio.

J.R.: In addition to his co-hosting duties, Blake Shelton seems poised to finally unseat Brad Paisley as the reigning Male Vocalist this year.

R.X.: Blake Shelton . Again, I think the ACMs will follow the CMA’s lead. It’s time for some new blood in this category and I just can’t see the award going to Aldean. At least I hope not.

Week ending 3/5/11: #1 albums this week in country music history

1966: Eddy Arnold – My World (RCA Victor)

1971: Lynn Anderson – Rose Garden (Columbia)

1976: Various Artists – Wanted: The Outlaws (RCA)

1981: Dolly Parton – 9 to 5 And Odd Jobs (RCA Victor)

1986: The Judds – Rockin’ With The Rhythm (RCA)

1991: Garth Brooks – No Fences (Capitol)

1996: Shania Twain – The Woman In Me (Mercury)

2001: Various Artists – O Brother Where Art Thou (Official Soundtrack)

2006: Carrie Underwood – Some Hearts (Arista)

2011: Lady Antebellum – Need You Now (Capitol)

Our Grammy predictions in review

Early last week we shared our predictions for Sunday’s Grammy ceremony. J.R. Journey was the most accurate in his selections, correctly identifying six of the winners. Razor X and I got three right each.

I predicted that Lady Antebellum’s bland but commercially successful Need You Now would beat out superior rivals to win Country Album of the Year, despite it being the weakest in the category – but that it would fail to take home the cross-genre prize. As it turned out, though, the latter was the only award for which they were nominated that the pop-country trio failed to take home. J.R. noted that their star status would help them to win Duo/Group Vocal Performance for ‘Need You Now’, and so it proved. Although it wasn’t my personal choice, this is Lady A’s finest record and is more worthy of a Grammy than their album of the same name. However, none of us expected the song to beat out Miranda Lambert’s hit ‘The House That Built Me’ for Country Song, and we didn’t even consider that it might be named the all-genre Song or Record of the Year.

There were only two serious contenders for Female Country Vocal Performance, and we all correctly identified Miranda Lambert’s ‘The House That Built Me’ as the overwhelming favorite to win, following her triumphs at the CMAs. This was the most deserving winner of the night in the straight country categories. J.R. and I pegged Grammy favorite Keith Urban to win his fourth Grammy in the Male Country Vocal Performance category, this time for his big hit ‘Til Summer Comes Around’.

J.R. and Razor X predicted that the Zac Brown Band’s charming duet with Alan Jackson would walk away with Country Collaboration with Vocals. They also got it right with Marty Stuart’s win for Country Instrumental Performance.

Bluegrass artists made quite a showing in the country nominations this year, but all were disappointed. It seems oddly fitting that a country artist’s foray into bluegrass won the Grammy for Bluegrass Album. Patty Loveless’s Mountain Soul II was, in fact, my personal favorite nominee, but only J.R. actually predicted the win.

Among the awards we didn’t look at, Crazy Heart won for Compilation Soundtrack and ‘The Weary Kind’ won for song from a film or TV. Diamond Rio managed to snag Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Gospel album for what sounded to me more like a Contemporary Christian record, The Reason. It would, incidentally, be nice to see them back in country music again with their trademark harmonies.