Third Annual American Country Awards Picks and Predictions

Fox TV's new network special returns with the American Country Awards for the third time tonight with a special two-hour entertaining fan-votied award show. Read on to see what we think of the nominees and who we think you fans have chosen to take home the guitar awards.

The ACA Awards are a new entrant into the major Network award shows and unlike the CMA Awards And ACM Awards, these award shows offer a TON of categories and allow the fans to make the votes for every award. This means these awards are more like Country Music's own "People's Choice Awards." The winners receive a cool guitar.

NOMINEES

Artist of the Year 
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Lady Antebellum
Taylor Swift
Zac Brown Band

Taylor Swift has the most active internet voting fan base of all of these nominees but you really cannot count out the Zac Brown Band, Luke Bryan, Lady Antebellum or Jason Aldean fans either. Still, given that Taylor's NEVER lost a fan-voted award she's been nominated for, I'm not betting against her. Personally, though, I'd rather have Zac Brown Band take home this award.

Artist of the Year: Male
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Kenny Chesney
Eric Church
Toby Keith

Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan are likely the front-runners here. Although all five nominees could win and I wouldn't be surprised. I just think that given his plethora of Digital singles that sell multi-millions, Luke Bryan has the edge here though my gut says that Aldean is the #2.

Artist of the Year: Female
Sara Evans
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood

I know I said that Taylor's never lost a major fan-voted award but I think this is where she finally loses one, particularly with Carrie Underwood's fan base engaged to make sure Taylor doesn't steal this one from her. If they don't win this for Carrie, they're going to go crazy on Twitter saying how this is 'rigged.' In my eyes, there's no reason to feel this way as they are active on the internet and had the right to make sure Carrie takes home this award.

Artist of the Year: Group
The Band Perry
Eli Young Band
Lady Antebellum
Rascal Flatts
Zac Brown Band

Here's one that should go to the Zac Brown Band, who have an active fan base on line but in reality the guitar could go to any of the five bands here, with Rascal Flatts often getting their fans engaged enough to win such awards. That being said, I still see Lady Antebellum pulling out the win here.

Artist of the Year: Breakthrough Artist
Lee Brice
Colt Ford
Gloriana
Justin Moore
Jake Owen

The artist with the biggest voting fan base here is likely Jake Owen but there's a chance Colt Ford's active and rabid group of underground fans really got out the vote to get him a win. Then you have the Gold-album owning Justin Moore, who has fans who buy his CDs more than any other artist on this list, which should help him get fans to vow too. That being said, there's also a case to be made for Lee Brice and Gloriana. In the end, though, I think Jake Owen's fans help him take this one home. 

Artist of the Year: New Artist
Lauren Alaina
Hunter Hayes
Jana Kramer
Kip Moore
Pistol Annies

This one's pretty easy to call. Despite success for Alaina with both album sales and 3 Top 40 country radio hits, Jana Kramer's Gold "Why Ya Wanna" single, The nearly Gold Pistol Annies Hell On Heels album and Kip Moore's #1 Platinum single "Somethin' Bout A Truck," there's really no way Hunter Hayes doesn't take home the guitar here. He's has a Gold single with "Storm Warning," nearly Double Platinum #1 with "Wanted" and a Gold-certified self-titled record. Honestly, he should be in the "Breakthrough" artist list. 

Album of the Year
Dierks Bentley, “Home”
Luke Bryan, “tailgates & tanlines”
Eric Church, “Chief”
Lady Antebellum, “Own the Night”
Blake Shelton, “Red River Blue”

Here's a case where Team BS could come out to give him the win, the LadyAers could give Lady Antebellum the win or even Eric Church's "Chief" could win the award. The only one likely to not have a shot is Dierks Bentley, which brings us to Luke Bryan. It's the best-selling CD of this list (w/Lady Antebellum and Eric Church the next two best-sellers). That means that Luke Bryan could and likely will have just enough to take this award from the #TeamBlake.

Single of the Year
Jason Aldean, “Tattoos On This Town”
Luke Bryan, “I Don’t Want This Night To End”
Eric Church, “Drink In My Hand”
Chris Young, “You”
Zac Brown Band, “Keep Me In Mind”

Again, I am predicting Luke Bryan to take an award away from some of his label mates but it's highly possible that Chris Young's "ChrisYoungCountry" fans got very active and voted enough to make him get his first ever award. in the end, though, I just think Luke Bryan's fans will have enough to give him a big ole win here. 

Single of the Year: Male
Jason Aldean, “Tattoos On This Town”
Luke Bryan, “I Don’t Want This Night To End”
Kenny Chesney, “Reality”
Eric Church, “Drink In My Hand”
Chris Young, “You”

This category is exactly the same as "Single of the Year" as long as you swap out Chesney with Zac Brown Band. That means I think the same logic for "Single of the Year" applies to the SOTY:M category too.

 

Single of the Year: Female
Sara Evans, “My Heart Can’t Tell You No”
Miranda Lambert, “Over You”
Martina McBride, “I’m Gonna Love You Through It”
Taylor Swift, “Ours”
Carrie Underwood, “Good Girl”

I think Carrie's fans are going to steal this from Taylor again too. They just are SO active voting. The problem they may run into is that they sometimes feel that Taylor's always going to win, no matter what they do. So they may not have voted to win. In fact. I think I will change my vote from CArrie to Taylor here for that reason. In all honesty though, I'd rather Martina or Miranda's songs win as they're the best two songs on this list.

Single of the Year: Group
Eli Young Band, “Even If It Breaks Your Heart”
Lady Antebellum, “We Owned The Night”
Rascal Flatts, “Banjo”
The Band Perry, “All Your Life”
Zac Brown Band, “Keep Me In Mind”

Logic would say that Zac Brown Band should win this award since they're also in the overall "Single of the Year" category but they've got the Juggernauts that are Lady Antebellum and Rascal Flatts (and even The Band Perry) to contend with so unless the Zamily voted early and often, I think Lady Antebellum (who wins People Choice's Awards like this) will take the award.

Single of the Year: New Artist
Hunter Hayes, “Wanted”
Jana Kramer, “Why Ya Wanna”
Dustin Lynch, “Cowboys and Angels”
Kip Moore, “Somethin’ ’Bout A Truck”
The Farm, “Home Sweet Home”

The same reasons that I chose Hunter Hayes in the Artist of the Year, New Artist category apply here. That being said, Dustin Lynch has a ton of fans that will likely make him the #2 vote-getter here. I LOVE the Farm and their record but I think its not their time yet.

Single of the Year: Breakthrough Artist
Lee Brice, “A Woman Like You”
Brantley Gilbert, “You Don’t Know Her Like I Do”
Gloriana, “(Kissed You) Good Night”
David Nail, “Let It Rain”
Jake Owen, “Alone With You”

Brantley Gilbert has a large group of fans and could snag this one away from Jake Owen. Lee Brice has his fans too as do David Nail and Gloriana. Still, I think that Gilbert's fans are going to give him this award.

Single of the Year: Vocal Collaboration
Kix Brooks featuring Joe Walsh, “New To This Town”
Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw, “Feel Like A Rock Star”
Brad Paisley featuring Carrie Underwood, “Remind Me”
Rascal Flatts featuring Natasha Bedingfield, “Easy”
Zac Brown Band featuring Jimmy Buffett, “Knee Deep”

There's no way possible that Brad Paisley and Carrie's fans don't allow them to take this award. That is all.

Touring Artist of the Year
Jason Aldean
Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw
Eric Church
Toby Keith
Lady Antebellum
Miranda Lambert
Brad Paisley
Rascal Flatts
Taylor Swift
Zac Brown Band

 

Taylor Swift doesn't lose fan-voted award show categories and despite me saying she will lose one against Carrie above, Carrie's not here so that means that Taylor takes the cake here, once again, no matter how popular the other 9! nominees are.

Music Video of the Year
Luke Bryan, “I Don’t Want This Night To End”
Jake Owen, “Alone With You”
Blake Shelton, “God Gave Me You”
Keith Urban, “For You”
Chris Young, “You”

Luke Bryan's once again got a shot at taking home another award. This is a gut feeling as once again I think his fans will make sure he wins. Still, I can't count-out #TeamBlake and Chris Young Country from helping their stars squeak in and win.

Music Video of the Year: Male
Luke Bryan, “I Don’t Want This Night to End”
Jake Owen, “Alone With You”
Blake Shelton, “God Gave Me You”
Keith Urban, “For You”
Chris Young, “You”

See above for my thought here as the category nominees are exactly the same (though I can see Chris Young Country getting their star one of these two wins).

Music Video of the Year: Female
Sara Evans, “My Heart Can’t Tell You No”
Miranda Lambert, “Over You”
Martina McBride, “I’m Gonna Love You Through It”
Taylor Swift, “Ours”
Carrie Underwood, “Good Girl”

Taylor doesn't lose.

Music Video of the Year: Group or Collaboration
Gloriana, “(Kissed You) Good Night”
Lady Antebellum, “Dancin’ Away With My Heart”
Little Big Town, “Pontoon”
Love and Theft, “Angel Eyes”
The Band Perry, “All Your Life”

Here's one for Lady Antebellum to take home. Though I'd LOVE to see "Pontoon" or "Angel Eyes" take home this award. It's actually a strong group of songs.

Music Video of the Year: New Artist
Hunter Hayes, “Wanted”
Casey James, “Let’s Don’t Call It A Night”
Jana Kramer, “Why You Wanna”
Dustin Lynch, “Cowboys and Angels”
Kip Moore, “Somethin’ ’Bout A Truck”

Given his American Idol platform, Casey James could win this from Hunter Hayes. Still I think Hunter takes  the win again (to be one of the event's biggest winners).

Song of the Year:
Trace Adkins, “Just Fishin’” (Casey Beathard, Monty Criswell and Ed Hill)
Jason Aldean, “Fly Over States,” (Michael Dulaney and Neil Thrasher)
Jason Aldean, “Tattoos On This Town” (Michael Dulaney, Wendell Mobley and Neil Thrasher)
Lee Brice, “A Woman Like You” (Phil Barton, Johnny Bulford and Jon Stone)
Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter, “You And Tequila” (Matraca Berg and Deana Carter)
Eric Church, “Springsteen” (Eric Church, Jeff Hyde and Ryan Tyndell)
Ronnie Dunn, “Cost of Livin’” (Phillip Coleman and Ronnie Dunn)
Eli Young Band, “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” (Will Hoge and Eric Paslay)
Toby Keith, “Red Solo Cup” (Brett Beavers, Jim Beavers, Brad Warren and Brett Warren)
Tim McGraw, “Better Than I Used to Be” (Ashley Gorley and Bryan Simpson)

A songwriter award, Hopefully the fans picked the best-written song. here. All are well-written and worthy but I'll guess that one of Jason Aldean's two songs takes the award here. 

 

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