Country music's biggest night of the year, also known as the
Country Music Awards took place in Nashville, Tenn., for 41st time Wednesday
night. It might as well have been the third, though, given the complete
interchangeability of the competition.

ABC, taking full advantage of everyone's apathy for the
actual awards, devoted almost as much time to plugging their hit shows by
having hosts who have nothing to do with country music, such as Kate Walsh from
"Private Practice" and James Denton from "Desperate Housewives," introduce performances and the
winners of awards.

Award winners were entirely predictable, except forSugarland’s win for Vocal Duo of the Year. Their toughest competitors,
Brooks and Dunn, have won this category 14 times in the past 16 years.Rascal
Flats won Best Vocal Group of the Year. For the third year in a row, Kenny
Chesney won Best Entertainer of the Year. Despite the dubious merit of an award
given out for having the most relentless publicists, this is somehow CMA's
highest honor, as it appears last in the program. Carrie Underwood took home
two awards, including Best Female Vocalist and Best Single of the Year. Brad
Pasley also left with two trophies, winningMale Vocalist of
the Year and Music Video of the Year. "The king of country" George Strait won Best
Album of the Year, as well as Best Song of the Year.  

More than half of the show consisted of musical performances
from top country music stars. Rascal Flats dominated the show, performing the
opening and closing acts. To add a special twist and create a memorable finale,
Jamie Foxx joined Rascal Flats in the conclusion of the performance. Seventeen-year-old
Taylor Swift performed on a '70s-inspired stage with a flower power theme. She
sang and played her glittered guitar while standing in the center of a giant
pink daisy. Swift might still be a baby, but she is gorgeous and has amazing
talent. She was even awarded the Horizon Award. Brad Praisley opened up his
performance of "Online" with a local high school marching band performing in
the aisles of the venue.

The CMAs were essentially a three hour-long concert
encompassing many of the top country musicians. Not much competition seems to
exist in the country music world; the same performers continuously take home
the same awards, year after year. It might be time for some new performers to
step up and challenge these old time classic country stars.