Roots, Toots n' Hoots Blog

Most, least interesting category - ACMs Duo of the Year

Jeffrey Remz  |  April 19, 2015

The Vocal Group of the Year category is one of the most and least interesting at the same time at the Academy of Country Music awards show tonight.

Least interesting because the nominees are Florida Georgia Line, Maddie & Tear, Brothers Osborne, The Swon Brothers and Dan + Shay. And that means that if FGL does not win, there is something funny going on. I'm not saying that the bro country boys are deserving of the award. More like they have practically no competition.

How many folks have even ever heard of Brothers Osborne or The Swon Brothers? The former released a five-song EP this past September, which received little attention even from its label. The Swon boys put out a full length in October - not bad either - but it didn't go very far.

Dan + Shay, of course, have enjoyed some success, mainly due to the hit single, "19 You + Me," but there is nothing particularly riveting about them either.

And then there are Maddie & Tae, where is where the most interesting part comes in. The duo has only released a four-song EP with a full-length ready to drop in June. But what gave the youthful duo notoriety was their single "Girl in a Country Song," a rebuttal song to the bro country purveyors like FGL where women are objectified, guys hang out in pick-up trucks and the sound tends to have little to do with traditional country. Great, fun song from a group that seems to know something about country's past.

The song sure attracted a lot of attention and is leading the charge about bro country. Isn't it ironic that the two are facing off against each? But it is hard to conceive that Maddie & Tae would have a chance to win against FGL. Brian Kelly and Tyler Hubbard have dominated the category and are poised to do so again.

While I would love to see Maddie & Tae win (I've seen them in a live setting, and they were not studio creations), looks like Kelly and Hubbard ought to prepare their speeches.