Here we have the 54th Annual Country Music Association Awards. These took place on 11th November 2020, which means only a month and a week ago basically right now and this is still a really new and fresh ceremony. At least in theory. The contents felt wooden and uninspired. First of all, it must be said of course that this show took place during the corona time and not only was this not a virtual ceremony, but they really did their best to follow through with it in a way where it does not differ essentially from older editions. But of course, there were alterations. The stage was in the middle of the room and there were tables with guests surrounding it. And of course they had their mouths covered. But apart from that, corona was not as much of an issue here as you could have guessed. Sometimes they made references, but that was it really. Which is not a lot. I mean other shows were cancelled, took place as virtual events or had no audiences at all in the room. Not so this one here. But I guess it went well because we did not hear in the news over the last five weeks that some people there got infected. This includes the two hosts. Those were Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker. Not too unusual, but a bit nonetheless, if we are looking at how many times Paisley and Underwood (she really seems more likely to win when she is hosting) hosted this show. Not so in the extraordinary challenge of a year 2020. Well, I kinda wish they had though. Underwood has really gone down on the scale for me lately, but I still think she is better than McEntire. I mean she is a legend etc. but she is not doing too much for me at all. When she simply talks about something and randomly starts singing in-between, people in the audience find it amazing and awesome, but to me it just feels cringeworthy. Just like her random screaming out. I would not even say it is fake, it may be her authentic self, but I don't like it particularly. Darius Rucker I certainly liked more, even if I would not say that he blew me away either. Certainly I would have preferred Paisley, also without his wife in the audience. Was he even there at all this year? Anyway, Rucker's inclusion kinda makes sense with the Black Lives Matter movement having been the second-most defining aspect of the year politically probably. It also felt that there were in general more Black artists than on other CMA Awards editions I have watched in the past. As long as their quality is fitting, that is alright with me. But talent should always be above everything and skin color should not be a factor at all. Here I think they were almost all on the same level. Actually, I felt that some of the White artists were even worse than the Black perfomers. Like I am sure you can make a point for the fella who received the lifetime achievement award whatever it was called. Good for him. I don't know the guy, but I think he probably has experienced some real discrimination and racism back in his younger years and not the stuff that people are up in arms now. Besides, also really cool that Willie Nelson has an award named after him. I said it before when I reviewed another edition, but it can definitely be stated several times. Like the man.
Alright, what else is there to note about these minimally over two hours (without commercials). Oh yeah, on the male side I cannot say too much about Combs (not Puff Daddy), Church, Old Dominion etc. one thing I really struggled with was Maren Morris being the really big winner on the female side. Nothing against her personally, but what I heard from her music-wise that night felt more like generic pop music than really heartfelt country music and it makes me a bit sad to see the defining awards body from this genre giving major awards to something like that. I am generally not arguing against her talent and I know many like her, but she should really focus more on actual country music. Then again, it's probably not gonna happen. But at least I hope that then they will stop nominating her the way it was done with Taylor Swift when she turned into 100% commercial and forgettable pop music starlet. There was at least one other song performed that night that did not feel country at all. No clue why they are including stuff like that during the broadcast. Other than that, the usual names where there too once again. Keith Urban for example, even if he did not win Entertainer of the Year that night. What a terrible (name for a) category by the way. It would be amazing if they lose this one and if they want, they can include a category with a better name for all I care. Or not. Just away with it. With a reference again to the previous criticisms, one of the weakest moments of the night was probably when they featured Justin Bieber here. I know he was nominated several times and his song was probably at least slightly on the country side and it was a strange feeling to see him there perform at this prestigious place in front of an empty audience, but they should have leared from the Beyoncé backlash and instead they did the exact same thing again. Don't understand it al all. Also I don't think the number was particularly good and hy he received so many nominations and such acclaim for it. Then again, I have never liked him at all. Probably not gonna change anytime soon. Another problem with this awards show is the usual, namely that they include far too much music and just not enough awards. Or even if they included all the awards there are, they could have kept it at 1.5 hours and left out several performances. A lot of it was so forgettably. Normally I say with this show that it is alright and fine and everything because, even if there is too much music, then it is still country and I can live with it, even if it is not the perfect solution, because I like listening to it. But here this is not true at all. judging from this ceremony, it felt as if they were moving much closer to pop music and again and that made me pretty sad. There are enough pop music (awards) shows already all year long. I know I kept saying they need new faces and artists, so it is not always the same folks nominated and performing here, but now that they are doing it (with Morris and others) the path they seem to be going for is really nothing that helps country music at all. Stay essential, folks. You're dealing with such a great genre of music here. Do not bury your talent for money and mainstream. I mean it may not have been as bad as some of the other songs and performances, but they even turned the really amazing song "In the Ghetto" into something entirely generic and forgettable. How could they? So much done wrong during this awards. Please back to normal and classy again for 2021. This one here may very well be the worst CMA Awards edition from the new millennium. Which means, in other words, the worst from the last 20 years. It's a long time. Highly not recommended. Big thumbs-down. Every country music artists who decided to stay home and not become part of this travesty made the right choice. For their health and their reputation.
Alright, what else is there to note about these minimally over two hours (without commercials). Oh yeah, on the male side I cannot say too much about Combs (not Puff Daddy), Church, Old Dominion etc. one thing I really struggled with was Maren Morris being the really big winner on the female side. Nothing against her personally, but what I heard from her music-wise that night felt more like generic pop music than really heartfelt country music and it makes me a bit sad to see the defining awards body from this genre giving major awards to something like that. I am generally not arguing against her talent and I know many like her, but she should really focus more on actual country music. Then again, it's probably not gonna happen. But at least I hope that then they will stop nominating her the way it was done with Taylor Swift when she turned into 100% commercial and forgettable pop music starlet. There was at least one other song performed that night that did not feel country at all. No clue why they are including stuff like that during the broadcast. Other than that, the usual names where there too once again. Keith Urban for example, even if he did not win Entertainer of the Year that night. What a terrible (name for a) category by the way. It would be amazing if they lose this one and if they want, they can include a category with a better name for all I care. Or not. Just away with it. With a reference again to the previous criticisms, one of the weakest moments of the night was probably when they featured Justin Bieber here. I know he was nominated several times and his song was probably at least slightly on the country side and it was a strange feeling to see him there perform at this prestigious place in front of an empty audience, but they should have leared from the Beyoncé backlash and instead they did the exact same thing again. Don't understand it al all. Also I don't think the number was particularly good and hy he received so many nominations and such acclaim for it. Then again, I have never liked him at all. Probably not gonna change anytime soon. Another problem with this awards show is the usual, namely that they include far too much music and just not enough awards. Or even if they included all the awards there are, they could have kept it at 1.5 hours and left out several performances. A lot of it was so forgettably. Normally I say with this show that it is alright and fine and everything because, even if there is too much music, then it is still country and I can live with it, even if it is not the perfect solution, because I like listening to it. But here this is not true at all. judging from this ceremony, it felt as if they were moving much closer to pop music and again and that made me pretty sad. There are enough pop music (awards) shows already all year long. I know I kept saying they need new faces and artists, so it is not always the same folks nominated and performing here, but now that they are doing it (with Morris and others) the path they seem to be going for is really nothing that helps country music at all. Stay essential, folks. You're dealing with such a great genre of music here. Do not bury your talent for money and mainstream. I mean it may not have been as bad as some of the other songs and performances, but they even turned the really amazing song "In the Ghetto" into something entirely generic and forgettable. How could they? So much done wrong during this awards. Please back to normal and classy again for 2021. This one here may very well be the worst CMA Awards edition from the new millennium. Which means, in other words, the worst from the last 20 years. It's a long time. Highly not recommended. Big thumbs-down. Every country music artists who decided to stay home and not become part of this travesty made the right choice. For their health and their reputation.
