BuzzSugar

4th of July Quiz: How Well Do You Know Your Country (Music)?

BuzzSugar — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 14:00:55 -0700

When reflecting on all things American this 4th of July, I think of apple pie, representative democracy, Elvis, reality television, stuff like that. Of all the things I associate with this land of ours, few things strike me as uniquely American as country music, and whether you love it or loathe it, I bet you know a thing or two about it.

Some of the best musical artists we Americans get to claim came out of this genre, including Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, and Dolly Parton. So in honor of this grand country and some of music's greats, I challenge you to test your knowledge about country music!

Source and Source

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Country Music Award Nominations Announced!

Molly — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 12:31:58 -0700

The 41st Annual Country Music Award nominations were announced today, with Brad Paisley and George Strait leading the pack with five nods each. Kenny Chesney, Alison Krauss and Martina McBride each received four nominations while John Rich, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban got three a piece. Kellie Pickler may or may not be smarter than a fifth grader, but she got a CMA nomination today!

Chesney won Entertainer of the Year at May's Academy of Country Music Awards, so if that's any indication he'll probably do well here too. To see the full list of nominees just read more

Entertainer of the Year
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
Rascal Flatts
George Strait
Keith Urban

Female Vocalist
Alison Krauss
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Reba McEntire
Carrie Underwood

Male Vocalist
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
George Strait
Josh Turner
Keith Urban

Vocal Group
Alison Krauss & Union Station Featuring Jerry Douglas
Dixie Chicks
Emerson Drive
Little Big Town
Rascal Flatts

Vocal Duo
Big & Rich
Brooks & Dunn
Montgomery Gentry
Sugarland
The Wreckers

Horizon Award
Jason Aldean
Rodney Atkins
Little Big Town
Kellie Pickler
Taylor Swift

Album of the Year

5th Gear
Brad Paisley
Producers: Frank Rogers and Chris DuBois
Arista Nashville

It Just Comes Natural
George Strait
Producers: Tony Brown and George Strait
MCA Nashville

Long Trip Alone
Dierks Bentley
Producer: Brett Beavers
Capitol Records Nashville

Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing
Keith Urban
Producers: Dann Huff and Keith Urban
Capitol Records Nashville

These Days
Vince Gill
Producers: Vince Gill, John Hobbs and Justin Niebank
MCA Nashville

Single of the Year

"Anyway"
Artist: Martina McBride
Producer: Martina McBride
RCA Records

"Before He Cheats"
Artist: Carrie Underwood
Producer: Mark Bright
19 Recordings Limited/Arista Records

"Lost in This Moment"
Artist: Big & Rich
Producers: Big Kenny and John Rich
Warner Bros. Nashville

"Ticks"
Artist: Brad Paisley
Producers: Frank Rogers and Chris DuBois
Arista Nashville

"Wrapped"
Artist: George Strait
Producers: Tony Brown and George Strait
MCA Nashville

Song of the Year

"Anyway"
Songwriters: Martina McBride, Brad Warren and Brett Warren
Publishers: Delemmava Music, Bucky and Clyde Music

"Before He Cheats"
Songwriters: Josh Kear and Chris Tompkins
Publishers: That Little House Music, Mighty Under Dog Music and Sony/ATV Cross Keys

"Give It Away"
Songwriters: Bill Anderson, Buddy Cannon and Jamey Johnson
Publishers: Sony, ATV Tree, Mr. Bubba Music, Slow Run Music and EMI Blackwood

"Lost in This Moment"
Songwriters: John Rich, Keith Anderson and Rodney Clawson
Publishers: Rich Texan Music, Warner-Tamerlane, Writer's Extreme, EMI April Music and Romeo Cowboy

"Stupid Boy"
Songwriters: Dave Berg, Deanna Bryant and Sarah Buxton
Publishers: Song Planet, That Little House Music, Cal IV Songs and BergBrain Music

Musical Event

"Because of You"
Artists: Reba McEntire With Kelly Clarkson
MCA Nashville

"Find Out Who Your Friends Are"
Artists: Tracy Lawrence Featuring Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney
Rocky Comfort Records, CO5

"Hey Good Lookin'" (Live)
Artists: Jimmy Buffett With George Strait and Alan Jackson
MCA Nashville

Artists: Alison Krauss and John Waite
"Missing You"
Rounder Records

"The Reason Why"
Artists: Vince Gill With Guest Vocalist Alison Krauss
MCA Nashville

Music Video of the Year

"Anyway"
Artist: Martina McBride
Directors: Robert Deaton and George J. Flanigen IV

"Before He Cheats"
Artist: Carrie Underwood
Director: Roman White

"Moments"
Artist: Emerson Drive
Director: Steven Goldmann

"Online"
Artist: Brad Paisley
Director: Jason Alexander

"You Save Me"
Artist: Kenny Chesney
Director: Shaun Silva

Musician
Eddie Bayers Jr. - Drums
Jerry Douglas - Dobro
Dann Huff - Guitar
Mac McAnally - Guitar
Randy Scruggs - Guitar

Source

Young Talent and Legends Honored at the CMT Awards

BuzzSugar — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 09:42:40 -0700

The 2007 CMT Awards are country music's version of the MTV Video Music Awards: The winners are chosen by fans, and the ceremony is more about the spectacle than the actual winners. At last night's awards ceremony, hosted by Jeff Foxworthy and held in Nashville, Carrie Underwood beat out the Dixie Chicks to win Video of the Year, and the "American Idol" winner also took home the award for Best Female Video. I was probably most excited to see legendary singer and songwriter Kris Kristofferson on stage to accept the Johnny Cash Visionary Award.

The show also included performances from big Nashville names - including Hank Williams Jr. and Martina McBride - as well as one very non-Nashville name: Bon Jovi. The band was there to show off its new single, "(You Want To) Make a Memory," from the upcoming album the band recorded in Nashville. To see the full list of winners, read more

Video of the Year: "Before He Cheats," Carrie Underwood
Male Video: "You Save Me," Kenny Chesney
Female Video: "Before He Cheats," Carrie Underwood
Duo Video: "Want To," Sugarland
Group Video: "What Hurts the Most," Rascal Flatts
Breakthrough Video: "Tim McGraw," Taylor Swift
Wide Open Country Video: "Love You," Jack Ingram
Video Director: Roman White, "Before He Cheats" (Carrie Underwood)
Johnny Cash Visionary Award: Kris Kristofferson

Source

Announcing the Winners: 2009 American Music Awards

BuzzSugar — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:42:17 -0800

The American Music Awards show is over, and I've got your full list of who earned trophies. Following her big CMA wins, Taylor Swift dominated in the female categories, taking home AMAs for favorite artist in both pop and country categories as well as the top honor of them all: Artist of the Year.

Besides Ms. Swift, there were plenty of others who triumphed, like country act Gloriana, who pulled off a shocker of an upset with Breakthrough Artist over Lady Gaga. (Even Gloriana poked fun at the win, asking the audience to raise a show of hands if they didn't know who they are.) Michael Jackson won four posthumous honors, and his brother Jermaine took the stage with family members to accept on his behalf. I'll be going over all of the highlights from the show tomorrow - including some of my red carpet coverage and notes from the press room - so check back then! For now, be sure to vote on Fab's fashion polls and Bella's beauty polls from the night's looks.

To see the full list of winners from the evening, just read more.

POP OR ROCK MUSIC

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST
Michael Jackson

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST
Taylor Swift

FAVORITE BAND, DUO, OR GROUP
The Black Eyed Peas

FAVORITE ALBUM
Michael Jackson, Number Ones

COUNTRY MUSIC

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST
Keith Urban

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST
Taylor Swift

FAVORITE BAND, DUO, OR GROUP
Rascal Flatts

FAVORITE ALBUM
Taylor Swift, Fearless

RAP/HIP-HOP MUSIC

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST
Jay-Z

FAVORITE BAND, DUO, OR GROUP
Black Eyed Peas

FAVORITE ALBUM
Jay-Z, The Blueprint 3

SOUL/RHYTHM & BLUES MUSIC

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST
Michael Jackson

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST
Beyonce

FAVORITE ALBUM
Michael Jackson, Number Ones

SOUNDTRACKS

FAVORITE ALBUM
The Twilight Soundtrack

ALTERNATIVE ROCK MUSIC

FAVORITE ARTIST
Green Day

ADULT CONTEMPORARY MUSIC

FAVORITE ARTIST
Taylor Swift

LATIN MUSIC

FAVORITE ARTIST
Aventura

CONTEMPORARY INSPIRATIONAL

FAVORITE ARTIST
Mary Mary

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Taylor Swift

BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST
Gloriana

INTERNATIONAL AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
Whitney Houston

Link Time! Taylor Swift Wins Entertainer of the Year at the CMAs

BuzzSugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:30:31 -0800

Taylor Swift is the youngest person ever to take the big CMAs prize - Watching TV
Where are all the women writers in late-night? - New York Times
Get to know the new guy on 30 Rock - Marc Malkin
Dawson's Creek scribe Kevin Williamson is working on a redo of The Bedroom Window - MTV Movies Blog
Harvey Keitel joins the cast of Little Fockers - ComingSoon
Sesame Street's five biggest controversies - TV Squad
Fright Night is getting a remake and the woman from Buffy the Vampire Slayer is behind it - Cinematical
Bill Clinton shares his thoughts on the ladies of Mad Men - TresSugar
Minnie Driver to guest star on Modern Family - Ausiello Files

Movie Preview: Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal in Crazy Heart

BuzzSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:36:05 -0800

The trailer for Crazy Heart notes that both stars Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal have been nominated for Oscars, and the solemn, raw tone of the film looks an awful lot like awards show bait for these two big talents. Jeff Bridges stars as Bad Blake, a grizzled, hard-livin', lovin', and drinkin' country singer/songwriter who's known for his amazing music, and Maggie Gyllenhaal plays the journalist he eventually falls for.

We don't see a ton of plot in the trailer, but the story seems like a familiar one, complete with introspection and a soft country anthem that fits the title. Colin Farrell and Robert Duvall also star in the film, which features original songs by celebrated songwriter T-Bone Burnett.

To see the trailer and predict for yourself if this is one you're going to be seeing in the Oscar race, just read more.

Twilight Leads the People's Choice Awards Nominations

BuzzSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:43:12 -0800

The 36th annual People's Choice Awards nominees are here, and last year's Twilight is leading the charge! American Idol's Kris Allen was among the announcers this morning for the nominees, which also include lots of nods for The Proposal - but of course, everyone's favorite bloodsucking love story landed in many categories, including favorite on-screen movie team.

Why didn't they look to 2009's New Moon? Because last year's nominations debuted before the first movie in the Twilight saga.

To see the full list of nominees, just read more.

MOVIES

FAVORITE MOVIE
Twilight
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Star Trek
The Hangover
The Proposal

FAMILY MOVIE
Hannah Montana: The Movie
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
Up
Where the Wild Things Are

COMEDY MOVIE
17 Again
Bride Wars
He's Just Not That Into You
The Hangover
The Proposal

INDEPENDENT MOVIE
(500) Days of Summer
District 9
Inglourious Basterds
Paranormal Activity
Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail

FAVORITE MOVIE FRANCHISE
Twilight
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Star Trek
Transformers
X-Men

FAVORITE MOVIE ACTOR
Brad Pitt
Hugh Jackman
Johnny Depp
Robert Pattinson
Ryan Reynolds

FAVORITE MOVIE ACTRESS
Anna Hathaway
Drew Barrymore
Jennifer Aniston
Kristen Stewart
Sandra Bullock

FAVORITE ACTION STAR
Christian Bale
Gerard Butler
Hugh Jackman
Shia LaBeouf
Vin Diesel

FAVORITE COMEDIC STAR
Adam Sandler
Ben Stiller
Jim Carrey
Ryan Reynolds
Vince Vaughn

FAVORITE BREAKOUT MOVIE ACTRESS:
Anna Kendrick
Emily Osment
Ginnifer Goodwin
Miley Cyrus
Zoe Saldana

FAVORITE BREAKOUT MOVIE ACTOR
Chris Pine
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Sam Worthington
Taylor Lautner
Zachary Quinto

FAVORITE ONSCREEN TEAM
Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds, The Proposal
Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner, Twilight
Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Ryan Reynolds, will.i.am, Dominic Monaghan and Daniel Henney, X-Men Origins: Wolverine

TELEVISION

FAVORITE TV DRAMA
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Grey's Anatomy
House
Lost
NCIS

FAVORITE TV COMEDY
Desperate Housewives
How I Met Your Mother
The Big Bang Theory
The Office
Two and a Half Men

FAVORITE TV DRAMA ACTOR
Hugh Laurie
Kiefer Sutherland
Mark Harmon
Matthew Fox
Patrick Dempsey

FAVORITE TV DRAMA ACTRESS
Anna Paquin
Blake Lively
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Katherine Heigl
Mariska Hargitay

FAVORITE TV COMEDY ACTOR
Alex Baldwin
Charlie Sheen
Jim Parsons
Neil Patrick Harris
Steve Carell

FAVORITE TV COMEDY ACTRESS
Alyson Hannigan
America Ferrera
Amy Poehler
Eva Longoria Parker
Tina Fey

FAVORITE TV OBSESSION
Dexter
Gossip Girl
The Hills
The Secret Life of the American Teenager
True Blood

FAVORITE TV TALK SHOW
Chelsea Lately
Live with Regis & Kelly
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Tyra Banks Show

FAVORITE TV SCI-FI/FANTASY
Heroes
Lost
Supernatural
The Vampire Diaries
True Blood

FAVORITE TV COMPETITION SHOW
American Idol
Dancing With the Stars
Project Runway
So You Think You Can Dance
Survivor: Samoa

FAVORITE ANIMAL SHOW
Animal Cops
DogTown
Dog Whisperer
It's Me or the Dog
Rescue Ink

FAVORITE NEW TV DRAMA
Eastwick
FlashForward
Melrose Place
Mercy
The Forgotten
The Good Wife
The Vampire Diaries,
Three Rivers
NCIS: Los Angeles
V

FAVORITE NEW TV COMEDY
Accidentally on Purpose
Brothers
Community
Cougar Town
Glee
Hank
The Cleveland Show
The Middle
Modern Family

MUSIC

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST
Eminem
Jason Mraz
John Mayer
Keith Urban
Tim McGraw

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST
Beyonce
Britney Spears
Carrie Underwood
Pink
Taylor Swift

FAVORITE COUNTRY ARTIST
Brad Paisley
Carrie Underwood
Keith Urban
Rascal Flatts
Taylor Swift

FAVORITE BREAKOUT MUSIC ARTIST
Adam Lambert
Demi Lovato
Kris Allen
Lady Gaga
Susan Boyle

FAVORITE HIP-HOP ARTIST
Eminem
Flo Rida
Jay-Z
Lil' Wayne
T.I.

FAVORITE ROCK BAND
Daughtry
Green Day
Kings of Leon
Muse
Paramore

FAVORITE MUSIC COLLABORATION
Cobra Starship & Leighton Meester, "Good Girls Go Bad"
Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat, "Lucky"
Jay-Z, Rihanna & Kanye West, "Run This Town"
T.I. & Rihanna, "Live Your Life"
The Lonely Island & T-Pain, "I'm on a Boat."

FAVORITE R&B ARTIST
Alicia Keys
Beyonce
Jennifer Hudson
Mariah Carey
Usher

FAVORITE POP ARTIST
Britney Spears
Katy Perry
Lady Gaga
Taylor Swift
The Black Eyed Peas

FAVORITE WEB CELEB
Andy Samberg
Ashton Kutcher
Miley Cyrus
P. Diddy
Will Ferrell

New Music: Norah Jones's "Light as a Feather"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:30:00 -0800

It's been seven years since Norah Jones burst onto the music scene with her debut album and mega-hit "Don't Know Why," and the talented chanteuse has continued to make beautiful, jazzy music (and one movie, which we'll just forget about) ever since.

Her latest album is The Fall, which comes out Nov. 17, and I'm already entranced by the soft, haunting "Light as a Feather." It's not just Jones's smoky voice that makes it worth listening to; it was co-written by alt-country icon Ryan Adams. To hear the song for yourself, just read more.

What to Download: New Music Today

BuzzSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:30:32 -0800

New DVD and music releases are the perk of Tuesdays, and today's album picks are fresh, fun, and guaranteed to liven up your iPod. I've checked out today's new music and have some advice for what's worth the download.

Don't stop partying: I'll resist doing a full-on album review for Weezer's Raditude; it's tempting, because I've always been a fan and have much to say about the band's transformation over the last 15 years. That said, if I forget about how lyrically deep Weezer used to be, I can enjoy the band for what it is now: a group of guys who write catchy, rocking party songs. I'm definitely enjoying this album way more than the last two simply for the fun factor; first single "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To" is permanently stuck in my head and I don't mind. "Let It All Hang Out," with lyrics written by Jermaine Dupri, is exactly what you should blast at your next party when you're worried no one's having a good time; and continuing with the obvious theme here is "Can't Stop Partying" with Lil Wayne guest-rapping.

Ultimate TV karaoke If you're obsessed with Glee already, you may want to get your hands on the show's first soundtrack, Glee - The Music, Vol. 1. The offerings on the album are songs that have been on the season so far, plus a few from the next episode. "Don't Stop Believin'," the first song that captured the country's attention, is worth having (especially to remind you that for every awkward Mr. Schu rap, there's a gem like this). There's also the goosebump-inducing "Somebody to Love." Finally, there's one I'm especially excited about that has yet to air: Artie's slowed-down version of Billy Idol's "Dancing With Myself," where the oft-overlooked glee club member finally gets his own episode and electrifying solo.

Hear one more new release when you read more.
America's country idol: Country cutie Carrie Underwood is back with another disc of songs, Play On, that utilize her sweet voice to tell you she's not a doormat. Her first single, "Cowboy Casanova," warns ladies of players in 10-gallon hats; this infectious tune will probably be dominating the radio the rest of the year. Another catchy tale of heartbreak you're sure to hear a lot of is "Quitter," but I prefer the more uplifting title track "Play On," which showcases Underwood's pipes rather than her sassy attitude.

What to Download: New Music Today

BuzzSugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:30:14 -0700

It's one of my favorite days of the week: Tuesday! Which means I get to add DVDs to my Netflix queue, along with some brand new tunes for my iPod. So check out today's music releases for what you should download. (And if you like to review albums, don't forget to take a peek at the Music Review Group in the community.)

A smooth ride: Sufjan Stevens takes a breather from his states project with BQE, an ode to the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. He originally performed the work to accompany a film about the road, but the music stands on its own as a beautiful orchestral arrangement. Warning if you like Stevens's mellow voice: BQE is all instrumental. Still, it proves that he has what it takes as a composer, and I'd like to see him lend his talents to more of this sort of work. My picks: Movement II: Sleeping Invader, which sounds like a ballet dream sequence, and Traffic Shock, which mixes in clashing electronic sounds like a busy gridlock.

Pretty packs a punch: If you haven't heard of Florence and the Machine, get ready. Florence Welch is the latest spunky Brit singer on the scene, and her debut Lungs already went platinum in the UK. Today, it's available to buy stateside. She's the singer I'd want to be if I had my own band - a woman who wails while banging the tambourine - and her album veers between tough-chick anthems and haunting ballads a la Sarah McLachlan. Make sure you try the hand-clapping, feel-good Dog Days Are Over or the romantic Cosmic Love.

See two more releases when you read more.

Freaky fun: If you're a Flight of the Conchords fan - or even if you're not - you'll want to check out I Told You I Was Freaky, a compilation of music from season two (including three previously unreleased tracks). Sure, half the fun is watching the boys act out each song on the show (and Jemaine's wicked dance moves), but when you listen to the music on its own, you realize just how talented they really are. Each selection could qualify for radio-play - or just a ridiculously fun karaoke night. The album includes favorites like Sugarlumps, Hurt Feelings, and the Emmy-nominated Carol Brown.

Lyrical wanderlust: Jay Farrar of Son Volt and Benjamin Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie team up on One Fast Move or I'm Gone: Music From Kerouac's Big Sur, an ode to the famous author's work. The two musicians met while working on a documentary about Kerouac and decided to collaborate on this album using words from his novel. It's fitting then that the result feels like a cross-country trip - lazy and laid-back with some twangy country, Americana sound. I'll be adding the title track and California Zephyr to my car playlist.