The nominees for the 50th Annual CMA Awards were announced this morning and Blake Shelton did not receive a single nod.
I made the statement that I could not believe that Blake did not get a single nomination for the CMAs and a co-worker said, “That’s just because you are big Blake Shelton fan.” While it is a fact that I am a huge fan of Blake and his music, but that is not why I am in disbelief about the snub by the CMAs.
Let’s take the personal taste in music and being a fan out of the mix and simply look at the facts. Since this time last year, Blake has released a greatest hits package titled Reloaded: 20 #1 Hits. That project featured chart topping singles from Blake and one new song. That song, “Gonna” became the 21st #1 song of Blake’s career and on the album.
Blake also released the song “Came Here To Forget.” That song became Blake’s 22nd number one single and moved his historic string of consecutive chart toppers to 17 #1 songs.
That song came from a new album called If I’m Honest which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Country Album sales chart and at #3 on the Billboard 200 all-genre chart. The second single from the album is “She’s Got A Way With Words” and is currently in the top 10 on the singles charts and climbing.
Blake also released the song “Savior’s Shadow” to Christian radio when it made it to the top 20 on the Christian singles chart.
Blake continued his role on the hit TV reality show The Voice for two more seasons in the past year while headlining his own national tour. He was part of the animated hit movie The Angry Birds Movie by voicing the character “Earl.” Blake also wrote and recorded a song for the movie and its soundtrack called “Friends.”
That is just the main things Blake has been a part of in his career not counting things like his endorsements with businesses like Gildan, his part in businesses like Smithworks Vodka and much more.
I know there are only “so many awards” and “so many nomination slots available,” however I guess I just can’t understand how the CMAs can justify not recognizing with at least a single nomination a person who does so much in so many ways so well that promotes country music.
I could point out people who have done much less in the past year that received nominations, however I do not want to be accused of slamming anybody because that is not the purpose of this blog. I am just pointing out what a specific artist has done over the past year that deserves to be recognized for his hard work. I would think that all of these achievements should at least qualify for a nomination for Male Vocalist and Entertainer of the Year.
I’m sure if you were to ask Blake he would say that as long as the fans are enjoying his music and he gets to keep doing what he loves, those are all of the “awards and nominations” he really needs.
In the end, this all adds up to just MY opinion and nothing more (other than the facts listed). Feel free to disagree or agree with me, that is your right. If you wish to share your opinion, you can do so at our Facebook page.
By: Buck Stevens
