Two pop boy bands on one stage…at a country music awards show.
The 60th Annual ACM Awards are coming up next week, scheduled to kick off on May 8 from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.
Ella Langley leads the pack with eight nominations, having already won the award for New Female Artist of the Year while also racking up nominations for Single of the Year, Song of the Year, and Female Artist of the Year, among others. And among the other leaders, Morgan Wallen, Cody Johnson and Lainey Wilson are nominated for seven awards each, while Chris Stapleton has six nominations, including (of course) Entertainer of the Year.
Several performers have already been announced for the 60th anniversary show, including Eric Church, Brooks & Dunn, Miranda Lambert, Stapleton, Clint Black, Wynonna Judd, and Alan Jackson.
And honestly, that’s not a bad lineup, especially given that the ACM Awards especially have seemed to stray more from country music in recent years in favor of trying to create “big” moments with pop stars, athletes, celebrities…while sidelining actual country artists.
It’s great to see names like Clint Black and Wynonna included, and of course Alan Jackson deserves his time in the spotlight as he wraps up his legendary career with his Last Call: One More For The Road tour following the announcement a couple years ago that he was suffering from a degenerative nerve condition that makes it harder for him to get around.
But I guess producers just couldn’t help themselves and had to throw in at least one pop act.
It was announced today that the Backstreet Boys would be joining Rascal Flatts for a performance during the show, which comes on the heels of the ’90s boy band performing at Stagecoach and teaming up with Luke Combs for a surprise performance of “I Want It That Way.”
Obviously the Backstreet Boys have dipped their toe into country music before, with AJ McLean making an ill-fated attempt at becoming a country artist with his terrible song “Back Porch Bottle Service” back in 2018. And they also teamed up with Florida Georgia Line for their song “God, Your Mama, and Me” a few years ago. So it’s not totally out of left field to have them on a country awards show, though it is disappointing after the rest of the performers have been actual country artists.
The Backstreet Boys are also going to be featured on Rascal Flatts’ newest album, Life Is A Highway: Refueled Duets, on a new version of “What Hurts The Most,” so I’m guessing that song will be what they perform at the awards show. And I guess of all the artists who are performing, it makes the most sense for the Backstreet Boys to be with another pop-leaning boy band.
But still, it’s always a little disappointing when these awards shows feel like they have to include pop artists to “draw new fans” or attract viewers from outside of country music. I’m a firm believer that country music can stand on its own, without needed pop artists to boost its ratings, and I wish the awards shows would just let country music take center stage instead of watering it down with collaborations and pop artists in a misguided attempt to attract new fans.
Oh well, doesn’t seem like they care what I think anyway.
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