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CMT Music Awards 2015

CMT Music Awards 2015 – The Nominees You Need To Know

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The annual CMT Music Awards are this week, and there are twelve acts up for Video of the Year. The awards also boasts more specific categories such as Male Video, Female Video, Group Video, Duo Video, Breakthrough Video, Collaborative Video and CMT Performance of the Year, but for the purpose of this listicle we’ll focus on those up for the main prize. Who will win? Tune in to CMT on Wednesday, June 10 at 8/7c to find out!

Carrie Underwood ‘Something In The Water’

Carrie’s first single in over a year, ‘Something In The Water’ was #1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart for a whopping 7 weeks last year. The dramatic track about the life-changing moment of baptism comes to a close with a rendition of ‘Amazing Grace’, and of course Carrie absolutely hits it out of the park vocally. The song connected even with non-religious fans, and the video has been watched over 12.5 million times on YouTube. It shows Carrie standing in the centre of the shot performing the song with passion and heart, while dancers move gracefully around her, kicking up the puddles and letting the water fall over them. While it doesn’t actually show a real baptism, it’s still a great video.

Darius Rucker ‘Homegrown Honey’

A #1 on country radio a couple of months ago, ‘Homegrown Honey’ was the lead single from Darius’ fourth country studio album ‘Southern Style’. The video adds to the free and easy nature of the catchy summer song, alternating initially between colour shots of the central female character ordering a drink at a New York bar, and Darius playing with his band in black and white. Soon we switch to a party in the corridors back stage at a venue, before seeing Darius play a show and invite the girl up on stage to dance. To date it has had 4.5 million hits on YouTube.

Dierks Bentley ‘Drunk On A Plane’

‘Drunk On A Plane’ was the third single from Dierks Bentley’s latest album ‘Riser’, and last year it was a huge summer hit, notching up 2 weeks at #1 on radio. The video, in collaboration with Funny Or Die, features a hilarious narrative where Dierks and the main character get drunk on a plane with the other passengers, following the main character’s heartbreak. Definitely a fan favourite! To date it has had nearly 22 million hits on YouTube.

Florida Georgia Line ‘Dirt’

‘Dirt’ was the lead single from Florida Georgia Line’s sophomore album ‘Anything Goes’, and saw a departure from their previous party-orientated material for a country ballad about how everything in life comes from, and ends up in, the dirt. The video came with a whole story, led by actor JD Souther, where the music is interspersed with dialogue following the life of a woman who has since died. This is one of FGL’s best tracks and it has a truly heartwarming video. To date it has had nearly 30 million views on YouTube.

Jason Aldean ‘Burnin’ It Down’

‘Burnin’ It Down’ became the fastest single in 2014 to reach Platinum status, notching up that certification in just nine weeks. A #1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart for several weeks in addition to a week at #1 on country radio, the video for the sexy song is just a sultry and sensual. Jason doesn’t star in the narrative, instead featuring in a separate scene performing with his band, while fire shoots up behind them, leaving the main storyline to two young lovers getting hot and heavy with each other in slow motion. To date it has had over 22 million views on YouTube.

Kenny Chesney ‘American Kids’

The fun and quirky summer song ‘American Kids’ (lead from his album ‘The Big Revival’) became another #1 for Kenny Chesney last year. The video is just as joyful and sunny, showing lots of shots of a bunch of kids hanging out and having fun around the ‘big revival’ bus, dressed in 70s garb. To date it’s had nearly 14 million views on YouTube, and has been the catalyst for the hugely popular ‘Big Revival’ mega tour.

Lady Antebellum ‘Bartender’

‘Bartender’ saw Lady Antebellum opt for a more modern, hip, R&B-themed track, and after becoming a #1 and leading their latest album ‘747’, the video has continued to spurn its popularity. One of the more narrative-focused out there, the video stars Kate Upton as the girl going out to forget her heartbreak, in a boxing-style set of rounds in battle with the bartender. Drinking everything he throws their way, they win the battle. To date it’s received nearly 13 million hits on YouTube.

Lee Brice ‘I Don’t Dance’

One of the most popular tracks last year and another #1, Lee Brice’s ‘I Don’t Dance’ pulls on the romantic heartstrings as it’s a song he wrote for he and his wife’s first dance. The video follows in that path, switching between shots of him playing the song to an empty auditorium and plenty of footage from his own wedding. Pretty emotional stuff! The video has been watched over 11 million times on YouTube.

Luke Bryan ‘Play It Again’

Luke Bryan’s ‘Play It Again’ was a monster hit in 2014, and one of his biggest in recent years. It sat at #1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart for endless weeks, and still gets downloaded and streamed well over a year later. The video strays from conventional music videos and shows footage from Luke’s tour at the time, from backstage interactions and the set being built to him performing to enthralled audiences. Although not particularly inventive, it’s been watched over 35 million times, and is the most-watched video of those nominated.

Maddie & Tae ‘Girl In A Country Song’

The breakout act of 2014, Maddie & Tae set everyone talking with their debut single ‘Girl In A Country Song’. The song was a #1 hit and a direct calling out of the way women are portrayed in bro-country songs. The video went one further and showed them reversing gender roles so that the men were the ones having to act “sexy” and they were the ones creepily objectifying them. Smart but hilarious, it showed they were a force to be reckoned with, and with over 23 million views it’s clear fans are on board too!

Miranda Lambert & Carrie Underwood ‘Somethin’ Bad’

Although the power collaboration between these two Queens of Country was not quite as big a hit as fans hoped (it was polarizing to some listeners, and peaked in the top 20), the video was killer. Styled as a short film, it featured Miranda and Carrie as bank clerks, but part of a plot to rob the bank of millions of dollars. They work together to swindle some poker masters out of a ton of money, and then run off with the money from the bank too, escaping into a helicopter. This video is totally glamorous, and is a ton of fun! Fans agree, as it’s been watched over 34.5 million times on YouTube.

Sam Hunt ‘Take Your Time’

‘Take Your Time’ was a #1 on country radio only recently, but it was #1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart for endless weeks before that, and still continues to dominate the charts. Another short film, the video takes us out of the bar setting of the song and constructs a narrative where a woman is being regularly abused by her violent, drinking husband. Sam is there as an onlooker, occasionally running to help her out, but he’s always a little too late. When the woman finally decides to leave her husband and he tries to stop her, Sam is there to fight him off while she puts the baby in the car and speeds off, never looking back. It’s been watched nearly 23 million times on YouTube!

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Annette Gibbons
Hi, I’m Annette, I have been a huge country music fan since the early 90s those were the days we were lucky enough to have CMT in the UK. I enjoy nothing more than listening to country music whilst having a cold beer (or a moonshine) with friends. I try to as many gigs as I can here in the UK and in the USA; I think of Nashville as my second home and I am lucky to have made some amazing friends in Tennessee. Think Country is something I am very proud of, I just want to share my love and passion of all things country music related with you all.
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