Taylor Swift

2010 Academy Of Country Music Awards Nominees Announced

Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood and Zac Brown Band have topped the nominations for the 45th annual Academy of Country Music Awards, which were announced by Reba McEntire and Blake Shelton last night.

Lady Antebellum scored seven nominations. While Lambert and Underwood received six each nominations in five categories. Zac Brown also scored six nominations -  four as a member of the Zac Brown Band and another two as the group's producer.
 
Following for CMA Awards and Grammy success, Taylor Swift received a total of five nominations, including her first Entertainer of the Year nomination.
 
Under the ACM tally, artists receive multiple nominations in certain categories if they wrote the song or produced the recording.
 
Kenny Chesney's nominations include entertainer of the year (which he has already won four times) and top male vocalist. Brad Paisley is also nominated for the fan voted Entertainer of the Year and top male vocalist. His American Saturday Night is nominated for album of the year, and "Welcome to the Future" is competing for video of the year.
 
The other entertainer of the year nominees are Toby Keith, George Strait and Australia's Keith Urban. The three categories for newcomers - top new solo vocalist, vocal group and vocal duo - will also be opened up to fan voting. The winner in each of those three categories will then move on to compete for overall top new artist, another fan-voted category.
 
Reba McEntire will host the show live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas USA on April 18.
 

As Taylor Hit's Sydney, Her GRAMMY Performace Continues To Generate Major Discussion

Taylor Swift won the major award at the GRAMMYS earlier this week - the award for Album of the Year, as well as three other awards, but her vocal performance with Stevie Nicks has been widely critized.

Patrick Goldstein of the Los Angeles Times said, "Even though Swift was the big winner Sunday night, she has largely been derided by critics and is viewed as a youthful enthusiasm, not a serious artist. (If you watched the show, you may have noticed that while she has lovely hair, she can barely sing).

And popular online music critic Bob Leftez said, "Taylor Swift shortened her career last night. And since she says she calls all her own shots, she has to shoulder the blame. Yes, her dream came true, she made it, she's a star, but the real test is longevity. Elton John can play with GaGa decades later. Will Taylor Swift be duetting with the stars of the 2030s? Doubtful."

Scott Borchetta, the head of Swifts record label, Big Machine Records responded to the critics in the The Tennessean by saying...

“The facts say she is the undisputed best communicator that we’ve got," Borchetta said.

"So when she says something or feels something it affects more people than anybody else. Maybe she’s not the best technical singer, but she is the best emotional singer. Everybody gets up there and is technically perfect people don’t seem to want more of it. There’s not an artist in any other format that people want more of than they want of Taylor. I think (the critics) are missing the whole voice of a generation that is happening right in front of them. Maybe they are jealous or can’t understand that. But obviously the people that she talks to are engaged with her. No one is perfect on any given day. Maybe in that moment we didn’t have the best night, but in the same breath, maybe we did.”

In a phone intoerview to Billboard, Borchetta went on to say, "This is not 'American Idol.' This is not a competition of getting up and seeing who can sing the highest note. This is about a true artist and writer and communicator. It's not about that technically perfect performance."

And that prompted a response from American Idol's first winner, Kelly Clarkson on her online blog.

"I understand defending your artist obviously because I have done the same in the past for artists I like, including Taylor, so you might see why its upsetting to read you attacking American Idol for producing simply vocalists that hit ‘the high notes’. Thank you for that ‘Captain Obvious’ sense of humor because you know what, we not only hit the high notes, you forgot to mention we generally hit the ‘right’ notes as well. Every artist has a bad performance or two and that is understandable, but throwing blame will not make the situation at hand any better. I have been criticized left and right for having shaky performances before (and they were shaky) and what my manager or label executives say to me and the public is “I’ll kick butt next time” or “every performance isn’t going to be perfect” ……I bring this up because you should take a lesson from these people and instead of lashing out at other artists (that in your ‘humble’ opinion lack true artistry), you should simply take a breath and realize that sometimes things won’t go according to plan or work out and that’s okay," said Clarkson.

Swift takes to stage on Saturday night at Acer Arena to a sold out crowd in Sydney. There's no doubt her longevity as an artist will have everything with her ability to continue to record hit songs and remain relevant to her world-wide army of fans, as opposed to the reaction to her GRAMMY performance.

Grammy Award Winners Announced

Country Music has figured prominently at this year's GRAMMY Awards with Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Zac Brown Band, Lady Antebellum, Randy Travis and Australia's Keith Urban amougst the winners.

Swift won GRAMMYS for Best Country Album, Best Country Song ('White Horse') and Best Female Country Vocal Performance ('White Horse'). She then won the biggest award of the night, Album Of The Year (all genres).

"I just hope that you know how much this means to me and Nathan [Chapman], my producer, and to all these musicians you see on this stage that we get to take this back to Nashville," she said.

"Oh my God, our families are freaking out in their living rooms! My dad and my little brother are losing their minds in the living room right now. This is for my dad. Thank you for all those times you said I could do whatever I wanted in life. And my mom, you're my best friend," said Swift.  

Zac Brown Band won Best New Artist among all genres, completing a great double for country music.

And Keith Urban won his third GRAMMY in the Best Male Country Vocal Performance category for 'Sweet Thing'.

Lady Antebellum won Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals for 'I Run To You' and Carrie Underwood and Randy Travis won Best Country Collaboration With Vocals for 'I Told You So'.

Visit www.grammys.com for the full list of winners.

Photos: Steve Granitz / WireImage.com

Country Stars Dominate People's Choice Awards

Carrie Underwood Peoples Choice Awards

The US People's Choice Awards were held today in Los Angeles with country artists fairing very well. Taylor Swift won the Favorite Female Artist (All Genres) award. She beat out Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Carrie Underwood and P!NK to win.

Australia's Keith Urban took home the Favorite Male Artist (All genres). He was up against Eminem, Jason Mraz, John Mayer and Tim McGraw.
 
Recently engaged Carrie Underwood took home the PCA Award for Favorite Country Artist. She was nominated in the category along with Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts and Taylor Swift.

Keith Urban Wins American Music Award

Australia's Keith Urban won an American Music Award yesterday in the Favourite Male Country Artist category. The awards were broadcast in Australia on cable channel FOX 8. It's the first time Urban has won an American Music Award.

Taylor Swfit won five awards on the night and the big upset of the night was country group Gloriana's win in the Breakthrough Artist category. They beat out Lady GaGa to win that award.

Urban will now fly to Sydney to perform at the ARIA Awards in Sydney on Thursday night. He is nominated for an ARIA in the Best Country Album catagory alongside Jasmine Rae, Troy Cassar-Daley, Shane Nicholson and Felicity Urquhart.

Check out this video from Urban to fans following the AMA Award win...

 

Photo provided by the Country Music Association.

Swift Cleans Up At 2009 CMA Awards

Taylor Swift CMA Awards 2009

Global sensation Taylor Swift won four awards at "Country Music's Biggest Night" - last night's CMA Awards in Nashville, including the big one... Entertainer of the Year. 

Her album Fearless won Album of the Year, while she also won the Female Vocalist of the Year award for the first time.

Brad Paisley retained his Male Vocalist title, while former Hootie & The Blowfish frontman Darius Rucker was crowned New Aritist of the Year.

Jamey Johnson's 'In Colour' won Song of the Year.

The awards were a huge success. They were aired live in Australia on CMC for the first time and the awards show also achieved it's highest ratings in the US since 2005.

Check out cmt.com's wrap up of the big show...

 

For the full list of winners visit www.cmaawards.com.

Photo provided by Country Music Association

Taylor Swift To Open The CMA Awards Today!

Entertainer of the Year favourite Taylor Swift will open today's CMA Awards, hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, will air live from the Sommet Center in Nashville, at midday on CMC in Australia.

Taylor is the perfect choice as the opening act for the 2009 CMA Awards," said Tammy Genovese, CMA Chief Executive Officer. "Her charisma, charm, popularity, and talent will set the stage for an evening you won't soon forget. We know her fans will want to stay tuned to see what she does next. In addition to Swift, performers already announced include Jason Aldean, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney and Dave Mathews, Billy Currington, Vince Gill and Daughtry, Kid Rock and Jamey Johnson, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, George Strait, Sugarland, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, and Zac Brown Band.

Announced as Awards presenters during "Country Music's Biggest Night" are Dale Earnhardt Jr., Neil Flynn, Patricia Heaton, Julianne Hough, Randy Houser, The Judds, Kid Rock, Kris Kristofferson, Jake Owen, Kellie Pickler, LeAnn Rimes, Robin Roberts, and Lee Ann Womack.

Taylor Swift 2010 Australian Tour Announced

Taylor Swift will return to Australia next February for her first Arena Tour in this country.

Swift, who performed at CMC Rocks The Snowys and Sound Relief earlier this year will perform shows in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Newcastle and Adelaide. 

Tickets officially go on sale October 15.  

Taylor Swift 2009 Australian Tour Dates
Brisbane Entertainment Centre - Thursday February 4
Sydney Acer Arena - Saturday February 6
Newcastle Entertainment Centre - Monday February 8
Melbourne Rod Laver Arena - Wednesday February 10
Adelaide Entertainment Centre - Friday February 12
 

2009 CMA Awards Nominations Announced

Brad PaisleyThe final list of nominees for "The 43rd Annual CMA Awards" features fresh faces in 10 of the 12 CMA Awards categories with new artists layered throughout the finalist field, the continued dominance of the established superstars, and crossover favorites making huge gains in 2009.

"The 43rd Annual CMA Awards" will be broadcast live from the Sommet Center in Nashville and will be broadcast live in Australia on CMC on Thursday November 12.  Reigning CMA Male and Female Vocalist of the Year Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood return for a second year to host what Nashville calls "County Music's Biggest Night".
 
"It is great for the format and speaks to the strength of our music and talent of our artists that there are so many new faces on the list of nominees this year," said Tammy Genovese, CMA Chief Executive Officer. "With more than a quarter of the nominees making their debut in 2009, representing a variety of major and independent labels, there will be a heightened level of excitement and anticipation for the CMA Awards in November."
 
For the fourth year, the announcement of the final nominees in five of the 12 CMA Awards categories was made on ABC News' "Good Morning America." Darius Rucker and Lee Ann Womack delivered the news from the "Good Morning America" studios in the heart of New York City's Times Square. The remaining categories were announced by Randy Houser on "Insider Special Edition: 2009 CMA Awards Nominations" live from CMT's network studios in Nashville, hosted by CMT personalities Cody Alan and Alecia Davis.
 
At the conclusion of the announcements, Paisley led the list of finalists with six nominations. Paisley was nominated for Entertainer; Male Vocalist; Album for American Saturday Night, which was produced by Frank Rogers and Chris DuBois; Single and Song for "Then" (DuBois and Ashley Gorley are also nominated as songwriters); and Music Video for "Start a Band" with Keith Urban, which was directed by Jim Shea.
 
Urban, along with Jamey Johnson, George Strait, Taylor Swift, and Zac Brown (frontman of the Zac Brown Band),each received four nominations.
 
George Strait received nominations for Entertainer; Male Vocalist; Music Video for "Troubadour" directed by Trey Fanjoy; and Musical Event with Lee Ann Womack for "Everything But Quits" (a category they won in 2005 with "Good News, Bad News"). Strait now has 79 career CMA Awards nominations, which ties him with Alan Jackson for the most nominations to date. He leads the trophy count with 22.
 
Taylor Swift has four nominations including her first for Entertainer of the Year. The last time a solo female artist was nominated for Entertainer of the Year was Faith Hill in 2000. Shania Twain was the last female artist to claim the trophy in 1999.Swift, who won the Horizon Award in 2007, is also nominated for Female Vocalist (she received her first nomination in the category in 2008); and Music Video for "Love Story," which was directed by Trey Fanjoy. In another first for the 19-year-old artist, she is nominated for Album of the Year for Fearless. Swift may also receive a second trophy for producing Fearless with Nathan Chapman.
 
Keith Urban's nominations include Entertainer; Male Vocalist; Music Video for "Start a Band" with Paisley; and Album of the Year for Defying Gravity. Urban is eligible to win a second trophy in the Album category for producing Defying Gravity with Dann Huff. Huff is also a nominee for Musician of the Year.
 
 
Jamey Johnson's list of nominations includes New Artist; Single and Song for "In Color" (which Johnson co-wrote with Lee Thomas Miller and James Otto); and Album of the Year for That Lonesome Song, which was produced by The Kent Hardly Playboys. These are Johnson's first artist nominations. In 2007, as a songwriter he won Song of the Year for George Strait's "Give It Away," which he co-wrote with Bill Anderson and Buddy Cannon.
 
Zac Brown claims his first CMA Awards nominations in 2009 - three with his self-named group and one for penning their hit "Chicken Fried." The Zac Brown Band received nominations for New Artist; Vocal Group; and Single of the Year for "Chicken Fried," which was produced by Keith Stegall. Zac Brown picked up the additional nomination for Song of the Year for writing "Chicken Fried" with Wyatt Durrette.
 
A powerhouse in the Entertainer of the Year category, Kenny Chesney has won the trophy in 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2008, which ties him with Garth Brooks for the most wins in the category. Chesney is nominated again in 2009, in addition to nods for Male Vocalist and Musical Event with Mac McAnally for "Down the Road." McAnally is also nominated for Musician of the Year along with Eddie Bayers, Paul Franklin, and Brent Mason.
 
Darius Rucker wasn't only handing out the good news today, he was a recipient. The lead vocalist and songwriter for the pop group Hootie & The Blowfish, received his first CMA Awards nominations as a solo Country artist in 2009 for New Artist and Male Vocalist of the Year. He performed on the 2008 CMA Awards.
 
After winning Female Vocalist of the Year in 2006, 2007, and 2008, Carrie Underwood is back in 2009 with two nominations for Female Vocalist and Musical Event for "I Told You So," featuring Randy Travis. Travis picked up a second nomination for Song of the Year, for writing "I Told You So." Travis' version of the hit song was nominated for Single and Song of the Year in 1988.
 
If Underwood wins the Female Vocalist trophy again, it will tie her with Martina McBride (1999, 2002-2004) and Reba McEntire (1984-1987) for most wins in this category. McBride and McEntire are each nominated in the Female Vocalist category in 2009. Miranda Lambert is also a Female Vocalist nominee.
 
McEntire scored a second nomination for her performance with Brooks & Dunn on "Cowgirl's Don't Cry" for Musical Event of the Year. In doing so, she retains her position as the female artist with the highest number of nominations in the 43-year history of the CMA Awards with 48.
 
Brooks & Dunn have been presented 19 trophies during their career. In 2009, Brooks & Dunn have nomination for Musical Event with McEntire for "Cowgirls Don't Cry" and are nominated for Vocal Duo, a category they have won a record 14 times.
 
The reigning Vocal Duo crown is in Sugarland's hands. The duo was nominated in the category again in 2009 and also picked up a nomination for Album of the Year for Love on the Inside. Kristian Bush and Jennifer Nettles may also win an additional trophy each for producing the album with Byron Gallimore.
 
A new entry in the Vocal Duo of the Year category this year is Joey + Rory. Also nominated are Big & Rich and Montgomery Gentry.
 
Until 2008, there was a long dry spell for the Eagles between nominations for Vocal Group of the Year (1976, 1977, 2008) but they are back in 2009. The Zac Brown Band is the new addition to the category along with returning nominees Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, and Rascal Flatts, who haveswept the Vocal Group of the Year category the past six years.
 
Reigning New Artist of the Year Lady Antebellum received a second nomination for Single of the Year for "I Run To You," which was produced by Victoria Shaw and Paul Worley.
 
Artists making their debut in the New Artist of the Year category (formerly the Horizon Award) include Randy Houser, Jamey Johnson, Jake Owen, Darius Rucker, and the Zac Brown Band. Artists can only be included in this category two times.
 
Houser received a second nomination for Music Video of the Year for "Boots On," which was directed by Eric Welch. Rounding out the Music Video category is Billy Currington's "People Are Crazy," which was directed by The Brads. The song hit a chord with CMA Awards voters and picked up additional nominations for Single and Song of the Year for writers Bobby Braddock and Troy Jones. Currington, who has two nominations, can receive an additional trophy for producing the Single of the Year with Carson Chamberlain. Currington's last nomination was in 2005 for Musical Event with Shania Twain for "Party for Two."
 
Making their debut in the Musical Event category are The Raconteurs with Ricky Skaggs and Ashley Monroe for "Old Enough." Raconteurs' frontman Jack White, of The White Stripes and The Dead Weather, is no stranger to the format as the producer of Loretta Lynn's critically hailed album Van Lear Rose. Skaggs received his last nomination in this category in 1999 for "Same Old Train," which included a veritable who's who of Country stars.  
 
The 2008 CMA Awards, held in Nashville during November Sweeps (Nov. 12), ranked behind only the Academy Awards and Grammy Awards during the 2008-2009 season for awards shows among total viewers. With "The 42nd Annual CMA Awards," ABC won Wednesday evening in both total viewers (15.9 million) and adults 18-49 (5.0/13). According to Nielsen research, 34.6 million unique viewers 2+ watched six minutes or more of the program. 
 
The CMA Awards nominees and winners are determined by the 6,000 plus industry professional members of CMA, Winners of "The 43rd Annual CMA Awards" will be determined in a final round of voting by eligible voting members of the US Country Music Association. CMA Awards balloting is officiated by the international accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche LLP.
 
Click Here to see the full list of CMA Award Nominations.
 
Source: Country Music Association (CMA)

Taylor Hits 10 Million!

In a period of perceived and even justified doom and gloom for the record buness, Taylor Swift has now achieved worldwide album sales of over 10 million copies. The figure reflects combined global sales for Taylor Swift, Fearless and two limited edition US releases, Beautiful Eyes and The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection. 

Swift's albums have in fact achieved gold and platinum certifications in 14 nations and she has sold more than 20 million paid song downloads, which is the most in country music history worldwide. 

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