CMT Awards—Inspired or Flawed Judgement?
(Complete list of winners here.) (Photos: IzzyNashville.com)
The ninth annual CMT Music Awards seemed to be more about the party than the music. The two and a half hour show did however offer viewers a few outstanding musical moments.
Zac Brown Band did a heartfelt rendition of “Free” that reinforced the band’s artistic orientation. LeAnn Rimes previewed “Swingin” from her upcoming CD. (John Anderson was briefly shown as a member of the band, although no mention was made of the fact that he was the song’s original hitmaker.) Rimes combined vocal swagger with choreography (including triple cartwheels) in what became one of the evening’s WOW! moments. Also unique was the pairing of Keith Urban with John Mayer. The two six string masters sent musical lightning bolts back and forth across the stage. (Watch for them to appear together later this month on CMT Crossroads.) Lady Antebellum’s show closer “Stars Tonight” re focused attention on the power of country music, or as Kid Rock said in a rare eloquent moment, “If the music’s real, you’ll feel it.”
Kid Rock leaned heavily on smokin’ and drinkin’ to carry the hosting load. Maybe it worked, maybe it simply cheapened and distracted from the performers and their music. Did we really need to go backstage to Kid’s party room to see him, John Rich, Kellie Pickler and a host of here-for-the-party nonames throwing back Crown Royal shots? Did I miss the significance of the message?
Kenan Thompson rolled out his Reba impersonation (as seen on SNL) and was name checked by the real redhead. The two Rebas carried on in good form and generated one of the show’s funnier moments. Laura Bell Bundy and Blake Shelton showed genuine chemistry together as they wove song titles into innuendo to eek out a few laughs. Bumpers from Steel Magnolia, Trailer Choir and Easton Corbin were disappointingly short, but highlights nonetheless. Additional A-list performances from Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood and Toby Keith kept the show moving.
Was the ninth annual CMT Awards on target for an audience that wants a more edgy party atmosphere? Or did CMT show flawed judgment by elevating glitz and glamor above the music? As Kenan Thompson sings, “What’s Up With That?”
Early (unofficial) Ratings Update: Show was #1 most watched CMT Awards premiere in channel’s history, up almost 20% from last year. CMT was #1 most-watched network across all cable during its time period (8-10:30P EST) with Persons 18-49, Women 18-49 impressions.
[update] TV by the Numbers reports that the Awards show had 3.04 million viewers.
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For added perspective read the viewer comments posted on CMT.com
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Maybe they needed the ‘show’ in order to detract from the lack of originality in the music. With very few exceptions, all the music sounds the same as well as the singers, both male and female. It’s basically pop/rock music with a few references to something ‘country’.
Kid Rock as host. The CMT Awards are a joke and having Rock and his gang of dirt-bags on there definitely didn’t help.
Above this message it reads, “Music Row reserves the right to delete comments that are insulting or otherwise inappropriate.” CMT should have “deleted” the SHOW. It was “insulting and inappropriate” for both the music industry and the fans. I was embarrassed for the artists on stage and the bored-looking artists in the audience. Very poor taste by the writers and producers.
Personally, I don’t care for kid rock. I do think he is talented and has deep respect for country music, but he is just not someone I want to listen to or watch. Despite the shows reputation as more of a party than an awards show, I do think last night was just a little too much party. I was nervous watching it the whole time. I thought a lot of the pairings for presenters was awkward. It even seemed like a lot of the star section looked annoyed, or nervous embarrassed during most of the show. I thought the performances were great, with the exception of the opener by kid rock and his friends. Finally I thought all of the wins were well deserved and the acceptance speeches were great.
I think all of you need to leave the computer and get some sunshine and quit being so doom and gloom. Maybe the oil spill in the Gulf has got you down. I think CMT was on trying to make this an event. The performances weren’t out of this world but have you turned on the radio lately. Their ain’t a lot of wow songs out there. All the heavy hitters were there and I thought Kid Rock didn’t take the spotlight and the show moved along. People ripped CMT last year for having very safe Bill Engvall as host, this year they rip for having Kid Rock. Kelly, Woody, Dina and Amy. Go get some sun and a Krispy Kreme… and David have an opinion instead of suggesting both sides.
Wow, Some of us are so far apart. I thought besides Snookie everything was great in a youthful kind of way. It was so refreshing to see new youthful faces instead of the same old award show I feel like I have been watching for the last 10 years. Was it the CMA’s? No, but a great event to attract the demographic of tomorrow. I also loved the intro but I come from a more rock background.
Kudos to CMT. I thought last year was great as well.
Rob Dennis
Rack-N-Roll Audio
The show was OK and I am inclined to agree with “Bob” about there not being any great songs from many artists.
CMT Awards show was disorganized, disjointed and disappointing portrayal of Nashville and the brand of Country Music that is gaining market share.
Producers are out of touch and basically rating whores without a plan. There is too much talent in this town for the Country Music Community to put up with this.
The “Let’s do an award show, get artists for free, overcharge for tickets and get free programming scam” comes with responsibilities. Portray Nashville in a positive light. At least make an attempt to put on a good show (it was worse in person).
But have some sense of organization, hire some good writers and step up to the moment. Smoking and drinking on set not cool anymore.
Unfortunately got modest increase in ratings so expect more of “How the outsiders see Country Music and Nashville” in the future. And hours more of the Dukes of Hazzard instead of country Videos.
I Thought the show was not as good as many previous ones. It may have been bad organization of it.
It is important that the CMT awards maintains some quality and consistency since the show is representative of the city, possibly the only city in America except for New Orleans, that has made itself a force in the music business by making Nashville the center of the country music world. We should see this always. This year it missed the mark.
The people who put on this show should be ashamed of themselves. Kid Rock is about as much country as a monkey.
The drinking scenes were an insult to all the REAL country performers. I hope that next years show will be conducted in a more realistic event instead of the crap we were subjected to in 2010!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was very disappointed in the show. At a time that many artists are donating proceeds from their fan parties and doing concerts to raise money for Nashville flood relief, the producers chose to show Kid Rock and friends drinking backstage. I kept thinking a better use of the time would have been if some of the artists had performed a group song to be available to download with all proceeds going to the the flood relief.
A missed opportunity for all of Nashville.
I thought the show was something that you would see on MTV or some pop show, not a country channel. Country music is about respect, honor and gratitude for fellow performers and fans. The actual music itself is kinda like that too. That is what separates country from pop and rock. You will not see anyone interrupting Darius’ or Jennifer Hudson’s speech. Country respects all “types” of people. This show was just about seeing who could drink and curse the most. That is not what the country music genre has ever really been about. Yes, some country performers may drink and such behind the scenes but they rarely ever make a spectacle out of it and they at least do it with some type of dignity (if that makes sense). Even the country stars seem to feel out of place. Country music has always grown and evolved but it never should have gone this direction! Horrible show this year..If you want that type of awards show and music, you are listening to the wrong channel. (or atleast I thought so)
Also, I couldnt even let my kids watch the show this year. I was afraid of what was going to happen. Never have I felt like I needed to do that before. Sad.
CMT Music Awards, Inspired or Flawed. Very flawed.