Quantcast
Swift’s footprint on the show would’ve been much bigger, of course, had her new blockbuster Speak Now been released before the end of the eligibility period.

LAMBERT AND PAISLEY STAND TALL AT CMA AWARDS

Big Night for Sony Music Nashville Labelmates
Birthday girl Miranda Lambert (she turned 27) won big at the 44th Annual Country Music Assn. Awards ceremony Wednesday night in Nashville, taking home trophies for Female Vocalist of the Year, Music Video of the Year for “The House That Built Me” and Album of the Year for Revolution. Brad Paisley, her Sony Music Nashville labelmate, received the night’s top award as Entertainer of the Year, his first, and Lady Antebellum’s chart-topping crossover hit “Need You Now” was named Single of the Year.

As if Lambert didn’t have enough to celebrate, her fiancé Blake Shelton won two awards of his own, including Male Vocalist, in an upset over Paisley, George Strait, Keith Urban and Dierks Bentley. The Zac Brown Band was named New Artist of the Year, and Sugarland got the Vocal Duo award.

Taylor Swift, the reigning Entertainer of the Year, lost to Lambert in the only category for which she was nominated, and which she’d won last year, Female Vocalist. Her footprint on the show would’ve been much bigger, of course, had her new blockbuster Speak Now been released before the end of the eligibility period, which ran from last July 1 to June 30.

Among the show highlights was a tribute to Loretta Lynn, which included an introduction by Sissy Spacek, who played Lynn in Coal Miner’s Daughter. Lynn joined Lambert and Sheryl Crow to perform “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” reprising their duet on the just-released Coal Miner’s Daughter: A Tribute to Loretta Lynn.

Kelly Clarkson joined Jason Aldean for an operatically over-the-top duet on Aldean’s power ballad “Don’t You Wanna Stay,” which “turned into some oddly orchestrated '80s hair metal tune,” according to Todd Marten in Pop & Hiss. Keith Urban came across like a classic-rock guitar hero on “Put You in a Song,” bringing a dazzling smile to Nicole Kidman’s face. And Gwyneth Paltrow did a solid job in her public debut as a country singer (although her guitar-strumming technique still needs work; maybe Vince Gill can give her some pointers), belting out the title song from her upcoming film Country Strong.

The show was co-hosted by Paisley and Carrie Underwood, yet another Sony artist.

NEAR TRUTHS: SPRING BLOOMS
Here come the big guns. (3/28a)
THE COUNT: COLDPLAY IS HOT, COUNTRY'S COOKIN' IN THE U.K.
The latest tidbits from the bustling live sector (3/28a)
CITY OF HOPE TAPS MARCIANO FOR TOP HONOR
This year's philanthropic model (3/28a)
TRUST IN THE TOP 20
Hip-hop is no longer hibernating. (3/28a)
UMG BROADENS SPOTIFY OFFERINGS
Sir Lucian and Daniel are in harmony. (3/28a)
THE NEW UMG
Gosh, we hope there are more press releases.
TIKTOK BANNED!
Unless the Senate manages to make this whole thing go away, that is.
THE NEW HUGE COUNTRY ACT
No, not that one.
TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN PLAYLIST
Now 100% unlicensed!
 Email

 First Name

 Last Name

 Company

 Country
CAPTCHA code
Captcha: (type the characters above)