Our ACM Spotlight Series is featuring the ACM’s Album of the Year category. Over the years, the Academy has become known to bestow this award on albums that have done well commercially rather than albums that have excelled artistically. As with our other Spotlights, we’ll be looking back at the last ten years of winners and nominees starting with this year’s nominees.
2009
American Saturday Night – Brad Paisley- The Foundation – Zac Brown Band
- Lady Antebellum – Lady Antebellum
- Play On – Carrie Underwood
- Revolution – Miranda Lambert
This year’s nominees includes three platinum albums, two gold albums, and five of country’s best talent. If the Academy chooses to award a successful album, it may decide to give the award to Zac Brown Band or Carrie Underwood because they’ve sold the most out of the five. However, if they want to award an album based on the quality, they could choose either the Miranda Lambert or Brad Paisley album for the win. My best bet is they’ll go with critical darling, Miranda Lambert.
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Back When I Knew It All – Montgomery Gentry -
Carnival Ride – Carrie Underwood
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Fearless – Taylor Swift
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That Lonesome Song – Jamey Johnson
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Troubadour – George Strait
5th Gear – Brad Paisley- Crazy Ex-Girlfriend – Miranda Lambert
- If You’re Going Through Hell – Rodney Atkins
- Just Who I Am: Poets and Pirates – Kenny Chesney
- Taylor Swift – Taylor Swift
2006
Hillbilly Deluxe – Brooks & Dunn- It Just Comes Natural – George Strait
- Me And My Gang – Rascal Flatts
- Some Hearts – Carrie Underwood
- These Days – Vince Gill
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Feels Like Today – Rascal Flatts -
There’s More Where That Came From – Lee Ann Womack
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Time Well Wasted – Brad Paisley
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Tough All Over – Gary Allan
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Twice the Speed of Life – Sugarland
2004
Be Here – Keith Urban- Here For the Party – Gretchen Wilson
- Live Like You Were Dying – Tim McGraw
- Restless – Sara Evans
- When The Sun Goes Down – Kenny Chesney
Usually, the ACM’s like to throw in an underdog and this year it was Sara Evans’ Restless which was a nice surprise. Meanwhile, it was a showdown between two superstars and a redneck woman, but it was Keith Urban’s stellar Be Here album that claimed the prize that night.
2003
Honkytonkville – George Strait- Martina – Martina McBride
- Mud on the Tires – Brad Paisley
- Red Dirt Road – Brooks & Dunn
- Shock’n Y’all – Toby Keith
The ACM’s continued to show their support for Toby Keith by awarding him four awards during the 2004 award show including Album, Top Male Vocalist, Video of the Year, and his second Entertainer of the Year award. Keith has yet to receive the same recognition from the CMA’s.
2002
Drive – Alan Jackson- Home – Dixie Chicks
- No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems – Kenny Chesney
- On A Mission – Trick Pony
- Unleashed – Toby Keith
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Down The Road I Go – Travis Tritt -
O Brother, Where Art Thou? – Various Artists
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Pull My Chain – Toby Keith
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Set This Circus Down – Tim McGraw
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Steers and Stripes – Brooks & Dunn
American III: Solitary Man – Johnny Cash- How Do You Like Me Now?! – Toby Keith
- I Hope You Dance – Lee Ann Womack
- One Voice – Billy Gillman
- Who Needs Pictures – Brad Paisley
The inclusion of pre-teen sensation Billy Gillman was a huge surprise along with the inclusion of rising star Brad Paisley’s debut album. However, it was Toby Keith’s muli-platinum album that took home the gold that night.
1999
A Place in the Sun – Tim McGraw- Breathe – Faith Hill
- Cold Hard Truth – George Jones
- Fly – Dixie Chicks
- Ride With Bob – Asleep at the Wheel
AC Country Music 