‘The 48th Annual CMA Awards’ – CMIL Predictions

Written by SLN Staff Writer
‘The 48th Annual CMA Awards’ – CMIL Predictions

CMA Awards 2014

As we do each and every year, we’ve compiled our predictions for winners in the 12 CMA Awards categories. We’ve included who we believe should win, as well as who we think will win because they happen to be quite different sometimes.

We’ve also included the official CMA Awards nomination criteria for each category to help fans better understand what each award is about. Keep in mind, the eligibility period for “The 48th Annual CMA Awards” is July 1, 2013, through June 30, 2014.

Check out our predictions below. Be sure to leave a comment with your thoughts and predictions as well!

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Luke Bryan
Miranda Lambert
Blake Shelton
George Strait
Keith Urban

Nomination Criteria: This Award is for the act displaying the greatest competence in all aspects of the entertainment field. Voter should give consideration not only to recorded performance, but also to the in-person performance, staging, public acceptance, attitude, leadership, and overall contribution to the Country Music image. Award to artist.

Who Should/Will Win: CMA voters sent “King George” off with a bang in 2013, so it’s very likely that voters will crown a new Entertainer of the Year this time around. Luke Bryan had his best tour year ever (playing to more than 1.7 million fans!), his Crash My Party album continues to sell at a rapid pace, and each of his latest singles have topped the charts. We will be shocked if Bryan doesn’t take home the night’s top honor on Wednesday.

SINGLE OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to Artist and Producer(s))
“Automatic” – Miranda Lambert, Produced by Frank Liddell, Chuck Ainlay, and Glenn Worf, RCA Nashville
“Drunk On A Plane” – Dierks Bentley, Produced by Ross Copperman, Jaren Johnston, Arturo Buenahora, Jr., Capitol Records Nashville
“Give Me Back My Hometown” – Eric Church, Produced by Jay Joyce and Arturo Buenahora, Jr., EMI Records Nashville
“Meanwhile Back At Mama’s” – Tim McGraw featuring Faith Hill, Produced by Byron Gallimore and Tim McGraw, Big Machine
“Mine Would Be You” – Blake Shelton, Produced by Scott Hendricks, Warner Bros./Warner Music Nashville

Nomination Criteria: This Award is for individual tracks only. This category will include both digital releases as well as physical releases. The track must have reached the Top 50 of Billboard’s Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart, Country Aircheck Chart or Music Row Country Breakout Chart for the first time during the eligibility period. If the single charted in the Top 50 on the above charts and was released prior to the eligibility period but achieved its highest chart position during the eligibility period, it is eligible unless it has previously appeared on a Ballot 3 in this category. Award to artist and producer.

Who Should Win: This is another tough category to predict. At one point, it was nearly impossible to turn on the radio without hearing any one of these songs. It’s tough to argue why one is more deserving than the rest. There’s not really a clear front runner.

Who Will Win: Miranda Lambert is a CMA voter favorite and “Automatic” was a huge song for her. We think she’ll likely take this one home.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to Artist and Producer(s))
Crash My Party – Luke Bryan, Produced by Jeff Stevens, Capitol Records Nashville
Fuse – Keith Urban, Produced by Benny Blanco, Nathan Chapman, Ross Copperman, Zach Crowell, Mike Elizondo, Dann Huff, Jay Joyce, Stargate, Keith Urban, and Butch Walker, Capitol Records Nashville
Platinum – Miranda Lambert, Produced by Frank Liddell, Chuck Ainlay, and Glenn Worf, RCA Nashville
Riser – Dierks Bentley, Produced by Ross Copperman, Jaren Johnston, and Arturo Buenahora, Jr., Capitol Records Nashville
The Outsiders – Eric Church, Produced by Jay Joyce and Arturo Buenahora, Jr., EMI Records Nashville

Nomination Criteria: This Award is for an album as a whole unit. The album should be judged on all aspects including, but not limited to, artist’s performance, musical background, engineering, packaging, design, art, layout and liner notes. At least 75% of the product in the album must have first achieved national prominence during the eligibility period. Award to artist and producer.

Who Should Win: This is Dierks Bentley’s year. He’s often been overlooked at major award shows, so hopefully that will change this time around because he deserves the recognition. Riser is a great album top to bottom and it should be recognized for that.

Who Will Win: When it comes to radio airplay and sales, it’s hard to compete with Luke Bryan’s Crash My Party. However, considering the nomination criteria, Eric Church’s The Outsiders is the front-runner.

SONG OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to Songwriter(s))
“Automatic” – Nicolle Galyon, Natalie Hemby, and Miranda Lambert
“Follow Your Arrow” – Kacey Musgraves, Brandy Clark, and Shane McAnally
“Give Me Back My Hometown” – Eric Church and Luke Laird
“I Don’t Dance” – Lee Brice, Rob Hatch, and Dallas Davidson
“I Hold On” – Brett James and Dierks Bentley

Nomination Criteria: This Award is for the songwriter(s). Any Country Music song with original words and music is eligible based upon the song’s Country singles chart activity during the eligibility period. In this category, Ballot 2 will contain the eligible nominations from Ballot 1 and the top five songs from the combined tabulation of the Country Singles Charts from Billboard’s Hot Country Singles, Country Aircheck Chart and Music Row Country Breakout Chart. Award to songwriter(s).

Who Should/Will Win: This is a tight race between “Automatic,” “I Don’t Dance,” and “I Hold On.” Due to its strong sentimental value, we think Brett James and Dierks Bentley’s “I Hold On” will come out on top.

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Kacey Musgraves
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood

Nomination Criteria: This Award is based on individual musical performance on a solo album release. Award to artist.

Who Should/Will Win: It’s hard to imagine anyone but Miranda Lambert winning Female Vocalist of the Year this year. No one else can compete her recent sales numbers, tours, etc. Plus, Platinum was another huge album for the Texas native, which will easily help her earn this honor. Each of these women are amazing vocalists, but this is Lambert’s to lose. (Fun fact: She’s currently tied with Reba for the longest category win streak/most category wins for Female Vocalist of the Year.)

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Dierks Bentley
Luke Bryan
Eric Church
Blake Shelton
Keith Urban

Nomination Criteria: This Award is based on individual musical performance on a solo album release. Award to artist.

Who Should Win: This is always one of the toughest categories to predict! We could argue all day about why each artist is deserving of the award, but who has time for that?

Who Will Win: Will Blake Shelton’s winning streak come to an end? It’s likely. The other nominees are really giving him a run for his money. If Shelton’s reign ends, we’ll likely see Eric Church accepting this award. Shelton has to pass the torch eventually.

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Eli Young Band
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
The Band Perry
Zac Brown Band

Nomination Criteria: A group is defined as an act, composed of three (3) or more people, all of whom normally perform together and none of whom is known primarily as an individual performing artist. This Award is based on the musical performance of the group as a unit on an album. Award to group.

Who Should Win: After a somewhat of a lull between albums, Lady Antebellum came back with a vengeance, dominating the charts with their smash hit “Bartender” and headlining the Take Me Downtown Tour. Lady A hasn’t taken this trophy home since 2011. If they were going to reclaim it anytime soon, this would be their year.

Who Will Win: CMA voters are loving Little Big Town (who doesn’t?!), so it’s likely that the quartet will earn their third Vocal Group of the Year trophy Wednesday night.

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Love and Theft
The Swon Brothers
Thompson Square

Nomination Criteria: A duo is defined as an act composed of two (2) people, both of whom normally perform together and neither of whom is known primarily as an individual performing artist. This Award is based on the musical performance of the duo as a unit on an album. Award to duo.

Who Should/Will Win: Like it or not, this one is simple: Florida Georgia Line will win. No other nominee in this category comes close to FGL’s radio airplay, touring numbers, chart numbers, etc.

MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to each artist)
“Bakersfield” – Vince Gill and Paul Franklin, Mercury Nashville
“Meanwhile Back At Mama’s” – Tim McGraw featuring Faith Hill, Big Machine
“Somethin’ Bad” – Miranda Lambert duet with Carrie Underwood, RCA Nashville
“We Were Us” – Keith Urban featuring Miranda Lambert, Capitol Records Nashville
“You Can’t Make Old Friends” – Kenny Rogers duet with Dolly Parton, Warner Bros./Warner Music Nashville

Nomination Criteria: An event is defined as a collaboration of two (2) or more people either or all of whom are known primarily as individual artists. They must have performed together, as a unit, on a single or album released domestically within the eligibility period with each artist prominently featured. Live performance events are not eligible. Award to each artist.

Who Should/Will Win: When we first heard that Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood were coming together for a duet, we knew the result would be nothing short of amazing. The blonde bombshells didn’t disappoint. In a time when females are lacking on country radio, “Somethin’ Bad” brought two powerhouses together and dominated. We think CMA voters will recognize this and send Lambert and Underwood home with Vocal Event trophies.

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Sam Bush (Mandolin)
Jerry Douglas (Dobro)
Paul Franklin (Steel Guitar)
Dann Huff (Guitar)
Mac McAnally (Guitar)

Nomination Criteria: This Award is for a musician known primarily as an instrumental performer. In order to qualify, a musician must have played on at least one album or single that has appeared in the Top 10 of the Country album or singles charts from Billboard’s Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart, Music Row Country Breakout Chart or Country Aircheck Chart during the eligibility period. Award to musician.

Who Should/Will Win: We can’t pretend to know too much about this category. The most recognizable name here is Mac McAnally, so we’re betting on him…Plus, he’s on a six year winning streak.

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
“Automatic” – Miranda Lambert, Directed by Trey Fanjoy
“Bartender” – Lady Antebellum, Directed by Shane Drake
“Drunk On A Plane” – Dierks Bentley, Directed by Wes Edwards
“Follow Your Arrow” – Kacey Musgraves, Directed by Kacey Musgraves and Honey
“Somethin’ Bad” – Miranda Lambert duet with Carrie Underwood, Directed by Trey Fanjoy

Nomination Criteria: This Award is for an original music video not more than ten (10) minutes in length featuring the performance of not more than one (1) song or medley. The video must have been first nationally broadcast in its entirety during the eligibility period. The video should be judged on all audio and video elements including, but not limited to, the artist’s performance, video concept and production. Award to artist and director.

Who Should/Will Win: This category ultimately comes down to “Drunk on a Plane” and “Somethin’ Bad.” Both videos were equally awesome in their own right, but “Somethin’ Bad” was epic. The clip, which has nearly 20 million views on YouTube, is more like a mini-movie and is more than deserving of the Video of the Year award.

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Brandy Clark
Brett Eldredge
Kip Moore
Thomas Rhett
Cole Swindell

Nomination Criteria: This Award is to the artist, whether individual or a group, who is known primarily as a Country artist, who has for the first time demonstrated the most significant creative growth and development in overall chart or sales activity (of a debut or sophomore album), live performance, professionalism and/or national media recognition related to the launch of their career. Any artist who has previously won a CMA Award (except Song of the Year, Musical Event of the Year and Video of the Year) or who has twice been a final nominee for the Horizon Award or New Artist of the Year Award is ineligible for nomination. Award to artist.

Who Should/Will Win: Brandy Clark is an obvious critic favorite, but she hasn’t seen as much mainstream success as fellow nominees Brett Eldredge, Kip Moore, Thomas Rhett, and Cole Swindell. Simply considering radio airplay during the nomination period, Eldredge, Rhett, and Swindell are front runners. From there, it’s a total toss up as to who is more deserving of the award. However, given his previous success as a songwriter, his touring history, and overall sales, we think Thomas Rhett has a slight edge over the other nominees.

Hosted for the seventh time by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, “The 48th Annual CMA Awards” airs live Wednesday, Nov. 5 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Be sure to tune in to see which artists come out on top!