Yes, I know what you may thinking. Bro-country with a spin on it. Wrong. This isn't bro-country at all. In fact it's rather depressing.

Basically the narrator has this honeymoon all planned out, but then he and his fiancee break up, but he can't return his plane tickets, so he tapes her picture to the seat next to his and gets drunk. On a plane. It's all quite hilarious.

Dierks is in fine form as a storyteller and dials in his inner flight alcoholic perfectly during the bridge where he drunk dials his ex and tells her to kiss his ass. And it's insanely catchy.

This is an outstanding single on all levels. It's hilarious, dark, and fun all at the same time. It's a gem.


Grade: A

Listen: "Drunk on a Plane"

Oh. Another new male artist. With another bro song. How original.

Yes, Dylan Scott's debut single is insanely dull lyrically. Same old topic. "Yo, girl you're so sexy" (not quite that bad but you get the point). But I kinda like this one.

It takes a fair bit to make a bro-country song enjoyable. You need to have a kick-ass melody, production and vocal performance. Here's the good news: "Makin' This Boy Go Crazy" perfects those 3 elements.

This is catchy. Like, really catchy. The line of "oh, girl you make me feel like whoa" will be stuck in your head for days. This sounds good. It's fairly light on the production. Which is good because Dylan Scott is an excellent vocalist. He sounds really similar to Brett Eldredge. Which is a good thing.

So yeah. Poor lyrically, outstanding on all other fronts. I like it.


Grade: B

Listen: "Makin' This Boy Go Crazy"

2 albums into his career, Lee Brice has accomplished a fair bit. 5 top 10 singles, 3 of those being #1's, along with the longest chart run in country music history ("Love Like Crazy") and a bunch of CMA, ACM, and Grammy nominees. To make all that even more impressive, is it was done under Curb Records, and hasn't resorted to selling out to the bro crowd.

He maintains his status as a quality artist recording quality material with lead single "I Don't Dance", and looks likely to continue his red hot radio stretch.

Yes, it's a ballad. Radio hates ballads. Radio has become so anti-ballad that even if you're a star like Keith Urban, you still can't get one up the charts. If you're a female artist, just forget about it. But Lee Brice has somehow managed to get a few ballads to the top of the charts, and "I Don't Dance" shows no signs of breaking this stretch.

"I Don't Dance" is a heartfelt love ballad about a man who, despite having no dancing ability whatsoever, is still spinning her around in circles. Paired up with a restrained production, a nice melody, and a sincere performance, and you have another excellent single from one of the most consistent male artists on radio today.


Grade: A-

Listen: "I Don't Dance"

Entertainer of the year

Should win:

Luke Bryan - S14
Blake Shelton
Miranda Lambert
George Strait- MM
Taylor Swift

Will win:

Luke Bryan - S14, MM
Blake Shelton
Miranda Lambert
George Strait
Taylor Swift

sabre14: If you want to talk about who's truly been the best entertainer, I think it's hands down Luke Bryan. Though he had a sub-par single last year to frankly put it nicely that caused some controversy with the Bro-country movement. But he's become the must see touring act of any country superstar today. Plus having three #1 singles and a platinum album doesn't hurt either.

Markus: Another year, another Carrie Underwood snub. I'm not even a big Carrie fan, but come on. It's ridiculous. Out of these, Bryan had the biggest year but it would be awesome if George could snag the ACM entertainer as well. 


Male Vocalist of the year


Should win:


Blake Shelton
Luke Bryan
Jason Aldean - S14
Keith Urban - MM
Lee Brice

Will win:

Blake Shelton - S14
Luke Bryan - MM
Jason Aldean
Keith Urban
Lee Brice

sabre14: Not exactly crazy about any of the nominees, but if I had to pick, Jason has had both chart success and touring success to nab this award. Unfortunately very little seems to stop team Blake right now. Everything he touches turns to gold and this award I believe will be no different.


Markus: Keith released one of my favorite albums of last year with Fuse, so he gets my vote based on personal preference. It's a 2 horse race between the two hosts for this award, I'll give the slight edge to Luke. On another note, yay for new blood!

Female vocalist of the year

Should win:

Carrie Underwood
Miranda Lambert - S14
Taylor Swift
Kacey Musgraves - MM
Sheryl Crow

Will win:

Carrie Underwood
Miranda Lambert - S14, MM
Taylor Swift
Kacey Musgraves
Sheryl Crow


sabre14: I love Kacey and Carrie but Kacey is still too new and didn't have enough success to justify this award, and Carrie went dark the second half of last year. Miranda I feel has had the success to get the Female vocalist award once again.


Markus: Kacey released my favorite album of the year, and one of my favorite singles of the year. If it were up to me she'd get it but the voters love Miranda so she'll get it again.



Vocal Group of the year

Should win:

Little Big Town
The Band Perry - S14
Zac Brown Band - MM
Lady Antebellum
Eli Young Band

Will win:

Little Big Town
The Band Perry - S14, MM
Zac Brown Band
Lady Antebellum
Eli Young Band

sabre14: I know I said this is was The Band Perry's time to win this award at the CMA's, but I really can't see them not winning here. I'm personally not a big fan of their most recent album or the music in general, but they have had the best success of the group's this year.


Markus: How has ZBB not won this damn award yet. They've been the most consistent group in terms of success (and quality in my opinion). Yet they have never won this at the CMA's, or the ACM's. Highly doubt it changes this year, it's TBP's to lose.



Duo of the year

Should win:

Thompson Square - S14
Dan + Shay
Florida-Georgia Line - MM
Big & Rich
Love and Theft

Will win:

Thompson Square
Dan + Shay
Florida-Georgia Line - S14, MM
Big & Rich
Love and Theft

sabre14: Before you say, wait, how could you think that Thompson Square should win after the year FGL has had. Thompson Square for my personal taste has the better overall music, and they had a pretty nice year themselves. A #1 single and another long lasting top 5. But nothing I feel will stop from FGL getting the win, with the unmatched success of 2013 that maybe has never been seen before.

Markus: FGL have had 4 (!) #1 singles within the eligibility period. That's insane. No way they lose this.



New Artist of the year

Should win: 

Kip Moore - S14, MM
Justin Moore
Brett Eldredge

Will win:

Kip Moore
Justin Moore - MM
Brett Eldredge - S14

sabre14: Very close call between all three nominees. Personally I feel Justin Moore should not even be in this category but it is what it is. I will give the slight edge to Kip on who I feel should win for musical execution alone. But Brett's massively successful single "Don't Ya" will give him the win.


Markus: Kip is one of my favorite artist right now, but Justin has the biggest fanbase and is the most familiar name, despite the fact he shouldn't even be nominated... 



Single of the year

Should win:

Florida-Georgia Line, "Cruise" - MM
Tim McGraw f/ Taylor Swift and Keith Urban, "Highway Don't Care"
Lee Brice, "I Drive Your Truck"
Miranda Lambert, "Mama's Broken Heart"
Darius Rucker, "Wagon Wheel" - S14

Will win:

Florida-Georgia Line, "Cruise"
Tim McGraw f/ Taylor Swift and Keith Urban, "Highway Don't Care"
Lee Brice, "I Drive Your Truck"
Miranda Lambert, "Mama's Broken Heart"
Darius Rucker, "Wagon Wheel" - S14, MM

sabre14: "Wagon Wheel" dominated every category in terms of chart success. It's recurrent play was strong and finished #2 on Billboard year end chart. It's currently the fifth best selling song by a country male solo artist. "Cruise" peaked in December of 2012, and though it too had a ridiculously strong recurrent play, it's overall body of work wasn't as deep into the past year as "Wagon Wheel" was.


Markus: Strong group of nominees. Thinking "Wagon Wheel" will barely squeak it out over "Cruise".



Song of the year

Should win:

"Every Storm (Runs Out Of Rain)", Gary Allan
"I Drive Your Truck", Lee Brice - MM
"Mama's Broken Heart", Miranda Lambert - S14
"Mine Would Be You", Blake Shelton
"Wagon Wheel", Darius Rucker


Will win:

"Every Storm (Runs Out Of Rain)", Gary Allan
"I Drive Your Truck", Lee Brice - S14, MM
"Mama's Broken Heart", Miranda Lambert
"Mine Would Be You", Blake Shelton
"Wagon Wheel", Darius Rucker

sabre14: Lee's song seems to have struck a major chord with the award shows and fans alike. Miranda's, which was written by Kacey Musgraves, Shane MacAnally, and Brandy Clark, saw a unique style of song that was both well executed and refreshing on country radio this past year. Though I believe the hot streak that "I Drive Your Truck" is on will continue like it did at the CMA's, and will get Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington, and Jimmy Yeary the win.

Markus: Another fine group of nominees. I'm guessing "I Drive Your Truck" will on emotional heft.


Album of the year

Should win:

Kacey Musgraves, Same Trailer Different Park - S14, MM
Luke Bryan, Crash My Party
Blake Shelton, Based on a True Story...
Tim McGraw, Two Lanes of Freedom
Florida-Georgia Line, Here's to the Good Times


Will win:

Kacey Musgraves, Same Trailer Different Park
Luke Bryan, Crash My Party - S14
Blake Shelton, Based on a True Story... - MM
Tim McGraw, Two Lanes of Freedom
Florida-Georgia Line, Here's to the Good Times

sabre14: I just can't give the benefit of the doubt for the ACM's to see it my way. Kacey to me had the very best album in the past year. It had a very well done under produced production, amazing lyrical content and clever song subjects like her first two singles. But Luke I predict will ride the hot streak he's on and the success of Crash My Party and it's singles will be too much to look past. 

Markus: Kacey should win and it's not even close.


Vocal Event of the year

Should win:

"Boys 'Round Here", Blake Shelton feat. Pistol Annies and Friends
"Cruise (Remix)", Florida-Georgia Line feat. Nelly
"We Were Us", Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert
"Highway Don't Care", Tim McGraw f/ Taylor Swift and Keith Urban - S14, MM
"Wagon Wheel", Darius Rucker feat. Lady Antebellum

Will win:

"Boys 'Round Here", Blake Shelton feat. Pistol Annies and Friends
"Cruise (Remix)", Florida-Georgia Line feat. Nelly
"We Were Us", Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert
"Highway Don't Care", Tim McGraw f/ Taylor Swift and Keith Urban - S14, MM
"Wagon Wheel", Darius Rucker feat. Lady Antebellum

sabre14: To me this was one of the very best singles of 2013, and proves that McGraw is still capable of good music, though his recent offering makes me wonder if he's feeling OK. The trade off of vocals and the writing of this song were top notch and features some serious star power with Swift and Urban.


Markus: One of my favorites of 2013, I think the star power will be too much too handle.



Music Video of the year

Should win:

"Better Dig Two", The Band Perry
"Blowin' Smoke", Kacey Musgraves
"Highway Don't Care", Tim McGraw f/ Taylor Swift and Keith Urban - S14
"I Drive Your Truck", Lee Brice
"Mama's Broken Heart", Miranda Lambert
"Two Black Cadillacs", Carrie Underwood

Will win:

"Better Dig Two", The Band Perry - S14
"Blowin' Smoke", Kacey Musgraves
"Highway Don't Care", Tim McGraw f/ Taylor Swift and Keith Urban
"I Drive Your Truck", Lee Brice
"Mama's Broken Heart", Miranda Lambert
"Two Black Cadillacs", Carrie Underwood

sabre14: For some reason I feel "Better Dig Two" will pull this one out. I do believe that in terms of quality, there was no better video this past year than "Highway Don't Care". Don't sleep on "Two Black Cadillacs" from Carrie as well.

Hunter Hayes has often been criticized for his immature material (which, when you think about it, is pretty ridiculous considering he's only 22) and it seems people have been clamoring to see him record something a bit deeper. His new single "Invisible" tackles something more serious, but the execution falls a tad flat.

Melodically there's not a whole lot here. It's dull, it's boring, and does nothing to excite me. Production, same thing. This is simply a record that doesn't catch my attention.

While I have to give him credit for trying to dig deeper than his peers, it lyrically comes across as forced, and Hayes' delivery does nothing to elevate it, putting in a performance that is technically among his worst to date. While I think Hayes' sounds pretty bad here, he does convey a fair bit of emotion into the lyric.  


Props for the effort, but as for the results, ehhhhh....



Grade: B-

Listen: "Invisible"

 

I want Cassadee Pope to succeed. I really do. Country music could use more female hit makers. I actually quite like her voice, and her debut album wasn't half bad. 

That said, her debut effort was definitely leaning more towards pop than "country". Which is understandable since she was the lead vocalist of a pop-rock group 
pre-The Voice win. Her latest single, "I Wish I Could Break Your Heart", is a fairly accurate representation of her music early in her career.

The verses are actually very good. Pope sounds great and the emotion is evident. But when the chorus comes around, it hits you right over the head with loudness, to the point where she has to scream to be heard. It's the exact same issue I had with her debut top 10 hit "Wasting All These Tears". The cluttered chorus.

It's still a decent effort, and should bring her back to the top 10. She has potential to do great things. Let's just make sure we can hear that potential next time.


Grade: B-

Listen: "I Wish I Could Break Your Heart"

Much like the Kenny Chesney modern classic "Don't Blink", Austin Webb's sophomore single is a gentle reminder to not take even the smallest things in life for granted, because one day you might be wishing you could have it all back. Is it as good as Chesney's take? No, but that would have been a mighty feat. That said, Webb's is still pretty darn fantastic.

The story is told from the perspective of an old man that the narrator converses with looking back at his life and recalling the regrets of his past, leaving the narrator thinking over his own life. This story line leads into a bridge where the narrator calls up his wife and tells her how much he loves/needs her, then finishes off with a fantastic final chorus where Webb preaches to the listener "god only gives us so much precious time, don't let it slip on by".

Webb's performance is both passionate and urgent, giving it a seemingly personal connection, and he's a strong enough vocalist technically to keep such a strong lyric afloat.

All this backed by an gorgeous melody and production. Major props to the producers for not letting this reach full blown power ballad territory, as this would have been the perfect time for overproduction to strike.

Austin Webb and co. have truly crafted a stunning single. Too bad I found it after I submitted my Best of 2013 list.

Grade: A

Listen: "Slip On By"

There's no escaping the inevitable. "Play It Again", Luke Bryan's next single from his 2013 release Crash My Party, was a virtual lock for a single choice based on the fan reaction and stellar (by album track standards) digital sales. But still, I can't help but feel a little disappointed by it, especially coming on the heels of the outstanding "Drink A Beer".

"Play It Again" is your typical radio hit. Tanlines, tailgates and trucks all make their appearance before the first chorus even kicks in. The chorus isn't much better. What could have been a decent earworm of a chorus is bogged down by wall-of-sound production and a grating repeated title hook.

And while past the first verse Bryan lays of the bro cliches, it's not much better. The characters are faceless, giving the listener no insight into what is so special about this girl he meets at the bar, and the general lack of vivid details is really what derails this song from escalating. And as always it's a hip-hop beat that drives the production

But what is most disappointing about this song, is the absence of the almost always present charm and energy of Bryan. That charm and energy has elevated lyrical duds such as "Country Girl (Shake It For Me)" to an enjoyable level. Luke just sounds awkward and out of place singing this, which is a darn shame.

If there's one redeeming quality, it's that the melody is quite nice and somewhat catchy. But even with that, "Play It Again" just does nothing to separate itself from the pack. It doesn't reach the disastrous lows of "That's My Kind Of Night" but still feels nothing more than lukewarm.


Grade: C+

Listen: "Play It Again"

Kelleigh Bannen's debut single "Sorry On The Rocks" was actually pretty good, but made no impact on the charts. I should have seen it coming, but her new single "Famous" is a disappointment to say the least.

"Famous" comes across as a desperate attempt to replicate the success of pop-country offerings from genre megastars Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood. 

And while the two aforementioned artists do tend to lean to the pop side of the pop-country fence, they're (usually) well produced and maintain the occasional country element. "Famous" is pure pop. Not even remotely close to country music. It's overproduced and distorted vocals that would make "Drink To That All Night" proud.

Throw in a grating melody and a whiny performance that recalls some of Swift's worst work and you have a dud of a single.


Grade: D

Listen: "Famous"

I really don't want to like this. I am completely against most of this intelligence insulting trend that has dominated the genre over the past year and a half.

Yet I actually enjoy this to an extent.

Yes, the hook is pretty bad. Yes, it mentions cutoff jeans and hot women. But it's a single I can enjoy listening to.

The overall vibe and structure is similar to that of his breakout #1 smash "It Goes Like This", but the production and melody is far superior, and is just so damn good. 

Rhett is charming with his performance and sounds decent, and like Bobby Peacock of Roughstock said in his review, it's "more credible when coming from the mouth of a 23-year-old than, say, 37-year-old Luke Bryan".


Sue me.


Grade: B

Listen: "Get Me Some Of That"