Justice for Riley.
With the CMA Awards happening tonight in Nashville, and the year quickly coming to an end, I’ve been reflecting on all of the great country music that has been released in 2024.
It truly has been an incredible year for the genre, both in the mainstream and in terms of smaller, independent artists, which feels like an accomplishment in and of itself — it’s been a long time since it felt like we’ve made this kind of progress as a genre, and it’s exciting to see.
I mean, just as a quick example, Post Malone announced this morning that Sierra Ferrell will be one of the openers on his massive stadium trek next summer. I don’t think that’s something that would’ve even been in the realm of possibilities even just a few years ago, and I know fans all over the country will fall in love with her talent and amazing music… that’s the kind of progress that makes me even more excited for the future.
All of them have put out so many great albums and singles, and in ideal world, the major country music associations in the CMA’s (and ACM’s) would recognize deserving artists from every type of sub-genre of country.
Unfortunately, the corporate stronghold that major labels have in terms of being able to shell out tons of money to essentially “buy,” or majorly promote, certain artists, who end up winning so many awards, makes it all the more difficult for a more well-rounded group of artists to be nominated. That’s not to say they people who are nominated aren’t not deserving either, but it’s always just felt unfair because of how it all really works, which is my biggest gripe about it.
And as I was looking over all of the big names who are nominees at the CMA’s this year, like Morgan Wallen, Lainey Wilson, Luke Combs and others, I noticed one name in particular was missing. And it’s someone who, in my opinion, has been putting out some of the best music they’ve ever made over the last year or so… and that would be the duck man himself, Mr. Riley Green.
He is nominated for one award tomorrow night, which is for a song he’s featured on, Ella Langley’s viral hit “You Look Like You Love Me,” which up for Musical Event of the Year. Actually, Riley only received one ACM nomination for this year too (they took place in May and had a different eligibility period), which was for Music Event of the Year for “Different ‘Round Here (ft. Luke Combs).”
According to Billboard, the eligibility period for nominations at the 2024 CMA show means that the only music that can be up for an award had to be released between July 1st, 2023 through June 30th, 2024. This means that Riley’s 2023 Ain’t My Last Rodeo album, as well as songs from his Way Out Here EP that was released in April, would’ve been eligible.
I don’t know if it’s realistic to think that the album should’ve been in contention against Deeper Well, Fathers & Sons, Higher, Whitsitt Chapel and Leather, but Ain’t My Last Rodeo was a really solid album and honestly one that I’ve gone back to a lot since its release.
But there are at least two other categories he should’ve been, at the very least, nominated for, in Male Vocalist of the Year and Song Of the Year. Riley has sold thousands of tickets over the last year or so during his extensive Ain’t My Last Rodeo tour this year, and is on pace to do it even bigger next year for his 2025 Damn Country Music tour.
And I’ve already said it a few times, but I think there’s no question that his solo write “Jesus Saves,” which was first included on the Way Out Here EP (and later his Don’t Mind If I Do album), should’ve easily been nominated, and honestly, won. I don’t see how you can argue that “Burn It Down,” “Dirt Cheap,” “I Had Some Help,” “The Painter” and “White Horse” are better, more impactful songs. Sure, a few of them were radio hits and I like them all… but a CMA Award for one of them? I’m just not on board… again, no offense to the other artists, but if we’re being fair and honest about who should win, that’s my opinion.
It really speaks to the issues that I think many of us see with the major country associations in terms of not only ignoring independent, smaller artists both in and outside of Nashville, but even some of the more deserving artists that are on mainstream labels (Eric Church also comes to mind as an example of a mainstream artist who is largely ignored by big award shows). I don’t expect them to nominate artists like Tyler Childers, Silverada or Colter Wall, but Riley is exactly the kind of artist the major-label Nashville machine should be championing.
He is as country as cornbread, incredibly authentic, and has some of the most objectively country music you can find on a major Nashville label right now. He’s been doing it that way for a long time, even when it wasn’t as “cool” as it’s become in recent years, and he continues to evolve and grow with every release, while still managing to honor his country roots and the values and kind of music so many of us country fans love so dearly.
I can only hope that his most recent album Don’t Mind If I Do will get nominated for awards next year because it’s so solid from top to bottom, so we’ll see what happens… I’m not holding my breathe, so to speak, but if the CMA (and ACM awards too) want to get even a shred of credibility back, spotlighting Riley and other similar artists feels imperative.
And for whatever it’s worth, “Jesus Saves” is my song of the year… it encapsulates everything that makes country so unique and special in terms of the heartfelt, nuanced storytelling, and simple production that will altogether stop you in your tracks.
Plus, he didn’t even need someone else to help him do it…
“Jesus Saves”
