MaroonJoon Awards Reviews: CMT Music Awards 2014

Welcome to Nashville, y'all. Hats, boots, gee-tars, twang, thick southern accents, moonshine, what have ya. You'll have everything you'll need from here and the annual country music showcase that makes the city proud (well, everything except the last one), the CMT Music Awards.

Hosted this year by Kirsten Bell (who is obviously not from the south), I believe this is the best show in the few years I've watched. {Hold on; which year did Kenan Thompson show up dressed as Reba McEntire?}
In the mandatory pre-taped hosting bit, Kris needs a new co-host. her friends suggest using an app to find the perfect perfect partner after Jason Aldean parted ways with her last year. She tries to find one in guys you really wouldn't want to host anything like Rob Ford, Larry the Cable Guy, Kanye West, Donald Sterling, Tom Arnold, Sean Hayes (who's really creepy here) and even her husband Dax Shepard. She finally realizes that Country has so much sausage, she can make some major clit-power alone this time around.

The show kicked off with the one and only ZZ Top (I thought it was either them or some guys from Duck Dynasty). I knew from there it was gonna be good. And it did. They performed one of their greatest hits.
Then Florida Georgia Line popped up (literally) to sing (or twang) "That's How We Roll" with Luke Bryan, who also popped up. I'm beginning to like that song. The way they sang the "Roll" part really irritated me, though.
The popping up continues when (really) Jason Derulo performed his smash "Talk Dirty", with FGL and Luke joining in. And they danced...really.

Later we get a reprise of "Roll", and that told me the show will get off to a fantastic start. And it did, and it kept getting better.

The legendary Alan Jackson (I called him Taylor on Twitter; I admit my faults) was honored with a performance by Lee Ann Womack and Kacey Musgraves (typed Casy) singing one of his classics, and later received the CMT Impact Award, the first artist to get this honor.

Keith Urban had a performance at the world-famous Bluebird Cafe in the Nashville area of Green Hills. Keyword: HAD. Before I get to why I said this, Keith performed his song "Cop Car", which, without hesitation or exaggeration, is about two people falling in love, but the guy has been in a battle with police. It's a gritty, yet sweet song.

Now, at first, the piece was performed at the Bluebird, but it was later revealed to be just inside the Bridgestone Area with set pieces looking like the Bluebird. It even have camera angles looking like we're in a small restaurant and not a huge arena. It was an amazing, song and performance.

Jake Owen, a new artist heating up the country charts, sang his breakthrough song "Beachin'". I honestly thought of him as a poor man's Florida Georgia Line, because of his hair, and how his music sounds similar to theirs. That song is pretty good, though.


Eric Church rocked out hard with his guest Lizzy Hale, performing "That's Damn Rock 'n Rock". This was one of the best performances of the night. Lizzy really sang her heart out; naw, she screamed her heart out. I want to sing with her one day just to hear her sing. Sorry, I mean saaang.

Little Big Town gave us the first performance of perhaps a new summer anthem called "Day Drinking". It's about...well, drinking...in the day--time. It's also about having fun and enjoying time with frien--okay it's a country version of Will Smith's "Summertime". The performance was said to have everyone talking. It's just the band and their backing players in all white, along with the stage.

Then, during the 3rd verse, everything turned to color; the backing players played the drums with paint all over them, and powder covered the group and things got messy. It's a really nice song, and pretty good performance.

John Legend took to the CMTA stage to sing his huge hit "All of Me" with Jennifer Nettles and Hunter Hayes joining in to turn the R&B ballad into a wonderful countrified croon. Fantastic.

Dierks Bentley sang "Drunk on a Plane". This one had everything, drinking, hot stewardesses, references to a dated Far East Movement song, and well--more drinking. I originally thought of the song as some parody, based on the title. I mostly thought of "Snakes on a Plane", but that's too dark and facetious a base for a parody. But no, it's a real, legit song. I still really like it, though.

Brantley Gilbert performed a song really liked called "Bottoms Up". If you heard of the Trey Songz--song of the same name, you already know that it's yet another country song about drinking. But it's different--slightly. It sounds like one of those "Redemption/I want to change my life" songs, judging by the beat, which I loved. It's like country-rock with a touch of rap, but that's from looking at the dude. I love this song and I make this one of my favorite performances.

This year seriously went to Blake Shelton. First his artist on The Voice, Cassadee Pope, won the award for Breakthrough Artist of the Year (which he presented to her!), his wife Miranda Lambert won for Female Video (for the fifth time in a row!), and he won for Male Video (third time in four years). This night really belongs to him. Outside, he performed "Boys Round Here". Fantastic song about hanging out with the guys down South, drinking cool beer and talking about trucks, conversing with God, and how the girls love a guy doesn't give a damn about the Dougie. Great song and great winning night from a guy that's used to never stop winning The Voice.

Last but not least, two of the hottest bad bitches in country, Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert, ignited the stage with perhaps the hottest song of the summer "Something Bad". They rocked it on and off, hair billowing in the on-stage fan breeze. Both giving their all to the song and this performance. This is the best performance of the night.

Thank you all for joining me for this review. I hope you all enjoyed it as much I we enjoyed the show. Can't wait for next year, and I can't wait for the MMVAs and BET Awards.
See you later this month for the reviews.
See y'all later.