Miranda, Lady Antebellum Big ACM Winners!

Predictability went out the window a little bit during the 45^th ACM Awards Sunday night. While wins for Brad Paisley for Male Vocalist and Brooks & Dunn were oh, so predictable, as was Lady Antebellum’s wins for Single, Song and Group of the year, the Best New Artist award didn’t go to who we expected it to go to and neither did the female vocalist and Album of the Year trophy.

Presented mostly like it was a three-hour infomercial for live country music than an actual, you know, award show, The ACM Awards awarded the Best New Artist award not to Gloriana or Joey + Rory but to Luke Bryan, who I would’ve guessed would’ve been the least-likely to win this award given how strong fans have been voting for Gloriana in the past and for Joey + Rory’s traditionalist leanings. Still, as much as we like all the winners, it’s hard to argue with the results, particularly when you consider that Luke’s still sold more albums and had more hits than his category mates. As for Female Vocalist of the Year, most people would’ve guessed that Taylor or Carrie would win this award but alas they didn’t as it went to the industry’s favorite of the moment, Miranda Lambert. After working her way up to stardom the old-fashioned way, it’s refreshing to see her getting one of the most ‘coveted’ awards of the night.

Miranda also beat out Lady Antebellum and Carrie Underwood for Album of the Year with Revolution, giving her last two albums the achievement. This is something that’s also a record for a solo female artist (winning two Album of the Year awards). Carrie, for her part, actually took home a record-making second Entertainer of the Year award herself, thanks in large part to the fans who voted for her throughout the show. Many would’ve guessed that Taylor Swift would’ve taken home this award but I guess more Carrie fans were there to give her what they will spin as ‘the most important’ award of the night, but they can be proud of their star as she did win an award, even if she was shut-out of all the other awards but the special award she got for winning “the triple crown” award from the Academy.

Blake Shelton & Trace Adkins took home the Best Vocal Event for “Hillbilly Bone” before the show started while Miranda won Video of the Year for “White Liar,” giving her three awards for the evening. Lady Antebellum won a total of five awards (each member got one as the artist and songwriter for the two “Need You Now” wins). The best performances of the night include Miranda’s “The House That Built Me,” Keith Urban’s “I’m In,” Reba's "I Keep On Loving You" and Laura Bell Bundy’s fun “Giddy On Up” (something some other people will say was the worst). Carrie for her part was spot-on vocally while it was comical to see the mics off when Brooks and Dunn performed “My Maria.” We also have to wonder if Kenny Chesney was singing or was lip-synching his performance.

In the end though, the show provided a great advertisement for mainstream country music and the sound at the show was pretty good, considering it was a live program and the fact that award shows are notorious for horrible sound.

Winners

Vocal Event of the Year – Blake Shelton & Trace Adkins, “Hillbilly Bone”

Video of the Year – Miranda Lambert, “White Liar”

Song of the Year – Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”

Single of the Year – Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”