ACM Week poll: Is contemporary country really country music?
Carrie Underwood is the reigning Academy of Country Music entertainer of the year and is vying to win the title for the second straight year at Sunday’s ACM Awards.
Taylor Swift is the reigning Country Music Association entertainer of the year and is nominated for the ACM entertainer title. (Associated Press file photos)
The 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards will air live from Vegas at 7 p.m. Sunday on CBS, with Oklahoma native Reba McEntire hosting for the 12th time. Fans can follow along with my live blog of the show here at BAM’s Blog.
This year, the academy has expanded the fan-voted entertainer of the year category to eight rather diverse nominees: Checotah native and 2005 “American Idol” winner Carrie Underwood; Norman rabble-rouser Toby Keith; contemporary country sensation Taylor Swift; traditionalist royalty George Strait; Aussie standout Keith Urban; island-loving hitmaker Kenny Chesney; triple-threat Brad Paisley; and Atlanta-based Zac Brown Band. Voting continues into Sunday night on www.VoteACM.com.
These award shows always seem to invite debate about what is “real” country music, particularly since Swift has become a dominate force in the genre. Last fall, George Jones said country-pop stars 
like Swift and Underwood “have stolen our identity.”
“They had to use something that was established already, and that’s traditional country music. So what they need to do really, I think, is find their own title, because they’re definitely not traditional country music,” Jones told the Associated Press.
On Sunday, we’ll be examining the question “What is country music in 2010″ in much more depth.
In the meantime, what do you think? Should pop-influenced contemporary country be considered country music? Or should it have its “own title,” as The Possum puts it?
-BAM
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Comments
Rock has multiple designations and I think country should too. Yes, it might be all country, but it is as varied as different styles of rock. Cross-over music is fine as long as the artists don’t change the music to cross over. If other genres want to play country music, it should be just as it was recorded for country. Kellie Pickler said she didn’t care if pop or adult contemporary stations play her music, but she’s not changing her music in any way to get them to play it. I respect that.
well, u see. Contemporary country is country. but taylor is not country. She’s way POP. although carrie has the a tiny pop voice, she is way Country in attitude, style and VOICE.its very unfair that taylor gains popularity due to her pop genre
Carrie isn’t that country either. My family teased me so much cuz I like country music but then one day at a bbq they had on their “rock” station & was singing along to Before He Cheats. I got them back & told them it was a so called country singer Carrie Underwood singing that song. lol
I read the article back when George Jones made the comment about Carrie, and Taylor and then he was and Carrie were both at the Grand Ole Opry one night, right after he had made the statement. He apologized to Carrie, and they were shown hugging and on a Motorcycle together that was being donated. He said, “that after hearing Carrie at the opry that night that he was defenitely wrong about her.” He also said that he had never heard anyone with such a powerful vocal range as Carrie and that she was consider County.
Carrie, is a mega Superstar that has many qualities. Her voice and beauty will take her anywhere, although Carrie wants to stay true to her country roots. She can sing anything that anyone wants her too, and it is amazing.
She is an amazing young lady, and a wonderful role model for our youth!!
She, in my opinion is the best artist of any genre of the music industry today!!!
Yes it’s country. Although some that are be considered this, ‘cough cough’ Taylor, shouldn’t even have the word country associated with them. Someone who changes all their songs to fit pop, definitely isn’t country. True country singers are perfectly happy singing country and don’t feel the need to mooch off other genres as well.