How did Taylor Swift pull off that shockeroo at the ACM Awards?
There were no surprises at the Academy of Country Music Awards until the last envelope of the night was opened. After she missed out on major awards for best album and female vocalist, Taylor Swift pulled off a stunning victory as the ACM's entertainer of the year.
On hearing the news while she was seated in the audience, Swift dropped her head into her hands, gasped, "Oh, my God," and hugged two stars she beat for the prize -- Brad Paisley and Miranda Lambert -- then headed to the stage to claim the honor from Ryan Seacrest.
"This is the first time I ever won this and I'm just losing my mind!" she proclaimed while looking dazed at the podium. "We just got back from Asia and Europe on tour and thank you for this wonderful welcome-home gift and thanks for not forgetting about me. The fact that this is from the fans -- you are the best thing that has ever happened to me! Ever!"
Perhaps the award's outcome shouldn't be considered too surprising for two reasons. It usually honors the country star who's had the biggest music tour of the year and it has a different voting method than the other ACM Awards, which are chosen by members of the Academy of Country Music. The entertainer of the year award is decided by fans voting online and this year Taylor Swift was not nominated against her country nemesis who won the previous two years: Carrie Underwood.
Academy voters came up with predictable results in the other categories. One year after Lambert received a standing ovation performing "The House That Built Me" at the ACM Awards, the tune returned to win four laurels. Three were for best song, single and video of the year. Previously it won best song and music video of the year at the rival awards bestowed by the Country Music Assn. Lambert also won the prize for best female country vocalist over Swift and Underwood, the same prize she recently claimed at the Grammys for crooning "The House That Built Me." It was the second year in a row that she snagged the ACM trophy.
Paisley won the male vocalist prize for a fifth straight year. He accepted it saying: "I am honestly shocked. This is way too many of these for me."
Following up on their recent Grammy victories for best record and song for "Need You Now," Lady Antebellum won best album of the year, as expected. Last year they won ACM Awards for best single and song for "Need You Now," but the album wasn't eligible until this year.
Below, ACM Award winners are marked with an asterisk.
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Jason Aldean
Toby Keith
Miranda Lambert
Brad Paisley
*Taylor Swift
Keith Urban
Jason Aldean
*Brad Paisley
Blake Shelton
George Strait
Keith Urban
TOP FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
*Miranda Lambert
Reba McEntire
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood
Lee Ann Womack
TOP VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
The JaneDear girls
Joey + Rory
Montgomery Gentry
Steel Magnolia
*Sugarland
TOP VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
*Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Randy Rogers Band
The Band Perry
Zac Brown Band
TOP NEW VOCAL DUO or GROUP OF THE YEAR
The JaneDear Girls
Steel Magnolia
*The Band Perry
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
"Hemingway's Whiskey," Kenny Chesney
*"Need You Now," Lady Antebellum
"The Guitar Song," Jamey Johnson (Mercury). Produced by: Arlis Albritton, Dave Cobb, the Kent Hardly Playboys
"Speak Now," Taylor Swift
"Up On the Ridge," Dierks Bentley
"You Get What You Give," Zac Brown Band
SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR
"A Little More Country Than That," Easton Corbin
"As She's Walking Away," Zac Brown Band featuring Alan Jackson
"If I Die Young," the Band Perry
"Love Like Crazy," Lee Brice
"The Boys of Fall," Kenny Chesney
*"The House That Built Me," Miranda Lambert
SONG OF THE YEAR
"A Little More Country Than That," Easton Corbin. Composers: Rory Lee Feek, Don Poythress
"As She's Walking Away," Zac Brown Band featuring Alan Jackson. Composers: Zac Brown, Wyatt Durrette
"If I Die Young," the Band Perry. Composer: Kimberly Perry.
"Love Like Crazy," Lee Brice. Composers: Tim James, Doug Johnson
*"The House That Built Me," Miranda Lambert. Composers: Tom Douglas, Allen Shamblin
-- Tom O'Neil
Photo: Taylor Swift. Credit: Getty Images
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Taylor deserved it more than any nominee. However I will say Brad was a close second. Taylor sold out all her shows in Asia and Europe, which were by the way all arenas. Carrie was not nominated for a big reason, Carries tour was mostly last year, this past year was about her wedding. She is talented and beautiful. Her lack of a nomination was a tad shocking but understandable. Taylor may not be the best vocalist, but neither was bruce springstein, he was a songwriter, and entertainer. As is Taylor. Also this award is fan voted which means if she won its right, her fans supported her. Im not going to lie i may be a tad biased I have been a Taylor fan since her debut album, however Lady A should NOT have won album of the year. They had ONE hit song. It should have either been Kenny or Taylor. Kenny and Taylor's received the best critical acclaim. And Taylor's also stood out in sales. "Speak Now" only sold a few thousand copies less than "Need You Know" by the end of 2010. Lady A's album was out in February, Taylor's was released in October. Another thing that should have been a factor. Frankly, if Taylor had walked away empty handed that night, it would have been a shame. What Taylor has done for country music is undeniable and great, not only has she brought it world wide appeal, she brought on a whole new world and generation of fans to the genre.
Posted by: jayne | April 07, 2011 at 10:54 PM
I read on two other sites that Taylor and her band lip-sinked her song "mean" on the award show. When you watch you can tell that she isn't really playing the bandjo, her hand never moves on one chord and the violin players bow isn't anywhere near the violin! I guess she learned her lessons after so many bad live appearances on award shows!
Posted by: floridagirl | April 05, 2011 at 02:25 PM
@ timmy ryan
I'd like to see where you got that information lol. Sadly all I can say is...you're wrong. Taylor does write her own songs and actually was hired to write songs in highschool. I think at the age of 14, not positive. She actually met Scott Borchetta at a small performance of her's at some restaurant before she was signed to anyone and actually turned down RCA for a development deal. Scott hadn't yet created Big Machine Records and decided he wanted Taylor as his first artist. She's real. If anyone says otherwise they probably don't know the facts about her.
Posted by: ME | April 05, 2011 at 09:12 AM
@ dee
That was one of the most retarded rants I have ever heard. I'm all for proclaiming faith and God being with the children of today, but Taylor isn't flashing the sign of the devil. That's just ridiculous. And not all music today is "evil." I usually listen to stuff like, the Goo Goo Dolls, Foo Fighters, Shinedown, etc. and while not every song is Godly none of them are flashing the sign of the devil.
As far as Taylor being with older men, if you listen to the lyrics of Dear John, she pretty clearly points out she made a mistake. Nothing wrong with singing about un-Godly things if its not proclaiming them as "good acts."
(There are Christian bands and different forms of religious music to listen to as well.)
Posted by: ME | April 05, 2011 at 09:03 AM
i wasnt going to leave a comment, but after reading a few i realized that i must say Taylor Swift did deserve that award. She is extremely talented and dedicated. for those of you who have not been to one of her concerts, i recomend it, it will change your life for the better (: she is amaaaaaazing! and her new album Speak Now, was the best album ever made. her songs come right from her heart, and she is a great influence to everyone. we can all learn from her :)
Posted by: jessica | April 04, 2011 at 10:20 PM
I disagree with Taylor winning anything - she is not talented at all and all her music sounds alike - high school, fairy tales, childish dreams for a child sung by a child. And unfortunately our children all have way more time to do things like vote for a favorite entertainer so that reputable folks like George Brad jason don't stand a chance against teeny bopper artists and their tweeting friends. Also think about the argument that was posted how Europe thinks she's wonderful - they also love David Hasselhoff so personally I question their judgement!
Posted by: Tammy B | April 04, 2011 at 08:55 PM
it is just so funny how all the carrie fans come out and hate on everyone that won all because there artist got nothing now they have to gripe about how she got robed and snubbed and how everyone else won and she did not u got to love it carrie got zip and taylor got EOTY the night could of not gone any better. u got to love how sense they cant rig an awards show to get there artist the award they say its fixed and how people begged and bribed to get votes but yet they hack and rig the events and say it should never be fan voted but yet that is the only way that there artist will ever win an award just look at the CMA'S carrie has been nominated for how many EOTY's in her career and taylor be nominate how many times and how many has carrie won vs how many taylor has won when it was not fan voted.
Posted by: pmackey33 | April 04, 2011 at 05:31 PM
Thanks again country fan for making me realize talent means nothing. Taylor Swift is awful and a waste
Posted by: chris | April 04, 2011 at 04:57 PM
Taylor Swift?? Really?? She's about as country as Madonna!! Tired of all this mainstream "pop" working it's way into country just because the teenagers think it's cool. Now Miranda is a different story. She's the only new country lady coming out that is keeping it traditional. Lot's of new men are sounding great like Jason Aldean and Justin Moore. I still think that Toby Keith...Trace Adkins...George Strait etc...are where it's at!! What's going in Nashville these days??
Posted by: Kathy Cosper | April 04, 2011 at 04:49 PM
Her teeny bopper friends all tweeted for her. There is know way she should have won. Brad, Miranda and Keith deserved it much more. What a joke. And Carrie and Stephens performance was buy far the bes. By a long shot
Posted by: sheila | April 04, 2011 at 03:22 PM
I must be in Libya....according to LA times there is no freedom of speech...
Posted by: dee | April 04, 2011 at 02:58 PM
LA TIMES u have too be one of ^^ his ^^ children I do believe what I commented should be shared witht the masses why only post part of my comment?
Posted by: dee | April 04, 2011 at 02:57 PM
her god is money..
Posted by: nutty squirrel | April 04, 2011 at 02:54 PM
I don't knw about the rest of you..looking at today's youth n young adults are truly misguided "Taylor Swift" granted has talent but WHERE does it come from I see her flashing the ^^ devil ^^ signs all over and the lyrics do not sound like an innocent tryst her track record with older men does not set well with me or what I want my children to see r listen to...this relates to most music today, with exception of CW but with taylor n rhianna joining the ranks who knows what is going to HAPPEN next...Music....as it is called today hooks watever it is luring OUR CHILDREN to their demise I do not see anything postive coming from taylor kanye mm rhi rhi alicia jz beyounce and the likes have a ^^ master ^^ they recognize in all music, videos, of today I do not like wat I see the props used have the occult all over and now WILLOW SMITH shows up at the KIDS CHOICE looking like a minature Rihanna and that is not a compliment believe me....I agree some of the more seasoned CW real stars should have been recognized for their GOD GIVEN GIFT, GOD FEELING SONGS from the LORD ABOVE GOD LORD JESUS wake up n realize we cannot sacrifice OUR CHILDREN to this evil that surrounds them....
they are too precious as the gifts from GOD he trusted us to do right by ALL of them....DO NOT BE BLINDED, WAKE UP!!!
Posted by: dee | April 04, 2011 at 02:40 PM
god, she didn't bribe them, she asked. you know if she asked you I vote for her, if you don't like her... well you'll not vote for her. she won because she has so many fans worldwide and I must say her EOTY is very deserving.
of course people who hate her will make so many excuses LOL just to put her down.
Posted by: tanya | April 04, 2011 at 02:19 PM
she did great. But how did Lady A win for Album of the year? The only big song was Need you now. Taylor has had two huge songs and its only been out for 4 months. Not to mention all the copies sold. Clearly, the ACMs are idiots. Not to mention that Speak Now got better reviews. And did anyone else find it funny that the person with the worst vocals of the night took home best Female vocalist? All the other nominees got standing Ovations except for Miranda.
Posted by: maggie | April 04, 2011 at 01:54 PM
Taylor "can't sing live without autotune to saver her life" Swift winning the EOTY award is just yet another nail in the coffin of mainstream country music. I lived in Nashville up a few months ago, and it's sort of known fact that TS's songs are ghost written for her, and that any and all awards shes won are bought and paid for. She's about as country as Justin Bieber, and her songs are limited to: boys, princesses/fairy tales, and appeal only 9-14 year old girls. The EOTY award is just a "continuation bet", in order to try to convince the public that she's still relevant. She's not. She cant sing. She doesn't write her own songs. And when most of her primary audience finally gets their period- like any other prepubescent fad, TS will be forgotten & will be lucky to be playing small clubs and small rodeo's/state fairs.
Posted by: timmy ryan | April 04, 2011 at 12:06 PM
She didn't really bribe fans. She just asked them to vote...Regardless, she definitely deserved it.
Posted by: Mike | April 04, 2011 at 11:35 AM
Why does this title say Taylor winning was a surprise, while the article only talks about how its not surprising? I say, good for Taylor. After having some backlash she hasn't won many awards lately, and her work is definitely deserving. People will make excuses about why she won over others but she really did deserves it.
Posted by: ME | April 04, 2011 at 11:32 AM
Taylor won because she deserved it.
Her CD "Speak Now" was the best selling CD in 5 years according to Billboard.
You cannot even get tickets to her concerts because they sell out so fast.
You cannot walk into a store or an office without hearing her music playing.
This award was given to her by her fans, not by the corporate suits.
Her fans obviously love her. I know, I am one of them.
Posted by: Jillian | April 04, 2011 at 11:23 AM
YAYYYYY TAYLORRRRRR!! i love her so much and i think she should have won album of the year bu congrats to the others who won! I still like taylor better
Posted by: Anna | April 04, 2011 at 11:16 AM
Uhh Swifty won because she basically bribed her fans into voting for her....and the note she had pinned to her dress? So tacky
Posted by: Justin | April 04, 2011 at 11:02 AM
It was fan voted and Taylor was offering her fans a chance to win a Sony camera. I wouldn't call the win shocking at all.
Posted by: jo | April 04, 2011 at 10:40 AM
Mianda performed Heat Like Mine...she won for The House That Built Me...
Posted by: Jones | April 04, 2011 at 10:15 AM
So...the title talks about how surprising it was that Taylor was. But the article only talks about how it shouldn't be surprising. Hm.
Posted by: Amanda | April 04, 2011 at 09:07 AM