42nd Annual GMA Dove Award Nominees

Yesterday the nominations for the Dove Awards were announced in Atlanta, and, being as that this is primarily a music blog, I think it is my duty to comment on the nominations, and to do my best to predict the eventual winners in April.

Due to my sandwiching of the Platinum Vinyl Awards year of eligibility (October 1-September 30) between both the Grammy (September 1-August 31) and Dove Awards (November 1-October 31), certain windows develop. In our particular case two such windows exist:

Releases between October 1-31, 2009 were considered for the 1st Platinum Vinyl Awards but were considered for the 41st Annual GMA Dove Awards in April 2010. Only one CD was affected by this rule.

• Aaron Sledge (Self Titled)

Releases between October 1-31, 2010 were considered for the 2nd Platinum Vinyl Awards, but were considered for the 42nd Annual GMA Dove Awards in April 2011. Two CD's were affected by this window.

• Jars of Clay Presents The Shelter, Jars of Clay
• Move, Third Day

With the timing issue addressed, we move onto the nominations and my predictions after the break.
Rap/Hip-Hop Album of the Year

• Between Two Worlds, Trip Lee, Reach Records
• Outta Space Love, Group 1 Crew, BEC Recordings
• Rapture Ruckus, Rapture Ruckus, BEC Recordings
• Rehab, Lecrae, Reach Records
• Sex, Drugs and Self Control, John Reuben, Gotee Records

Will Win: Group 1 Crew
Should Win: Lecrae
Reason: The Doves are creatures of habit, and Group 1 Crew has won this category for the past two years. However Lecrae put out a much superior product, especially relating to the category in hand. G1C was more Dance than Hip Hop, and are nominated in the PVA's as such.

Rock Album of the Year

• Horseshoes and Handgrenades, Disciple, INO Records
• Live, Decemberadio, Slanted Records
• Memento Mori, Flyleaf, A&M/Octane Records
• The World is a Thorn, Demon Hunter, Solid State Record
• Travel III, Future of Forestry, Credential Records

Will Win: Decemberadio
Should Win: Disciple
Spoiler: Flyleaf
Reason: The GMA's seem to be going soft here, with Decemberadio, Sanctus Real and Relient K among recent winners, even though three of the nominees are in the Hard Rock genre. Disciple produced a nearly perfect album and should be the front runner in an all Hard Rock category, with Flyleaf and Demon Hunter making solid entries.

Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year

• Move, Third Day, Essential
• Pieces of a Real Heart, Sanctus Real, Sparrow Records
• Satellites and Sirens, Satellites and Sirens, Word
• The Medicine, John Mark McMillan, Integrity Music
• The Rising, Charlie Hall, Sparrow Records/sixsteprecords
• Tonight, TobyMac, ForeFront Records

Will Win: Sanctus Real
Should Win: Third Day
Spoiler: Toby Mac
Reason: The GMA's expanded this one to six for the sole purpose of including McMillan, which is the weakest of the entries. Third Day and Toby Mac will probably split votes, allowing the more radio friendly Sanctus Real to slip in for the win.

Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year

• Jars of Clay Presents The Shelter, Jars of Clay, Essential
• Love Revolution, Natalie Grant, Curb
• No Far Away, Chris August, Fervent/Word
• The Light Meets the Dark, Tenth Avenue North, Reunion
• Until the Whole World Hears, Casting Crowns, Beachstreet

Will Win: Jars of Clay
Should Win: Jars of Clay
Spoiler: Casting Crowns
Reason: Among the nominees, Jars of Clay is the front runner, though their abundance of guests may hurt its winning, in that case Category favorite Casting Crowns could take the Award.

Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year

• Get Ready, Forever Jones, EMI Gospel
• Gospel According to Jazz 3, Kirk Whalum, Ryko
• Here I Am, Marvin Sapp, Verity Gospel Music Group
• Love God. Love People, Israel Houghton, Integrity Music
• Triumphant, VaShawn Mitchell, EMI Gospel

Will Win: Israel Houghton
Should Win: Forever Jones
Could Win: VaShawn Mitchell
Reason: The GMA's love Israel Houghton. Four of the past 5 years winners in this category have had Houghton as either an artist or producer. The GMA's love repetition, and I see no reason for them to snap the streak. For pure WOW factor, the debuts of Forever Jones and Mitchell could sneak in and take the award. In that case I would give the edge to Forever Jones, in that their is no choir, it just sounds like it. 

Praise and Worship Album of the Year

• A Beautiful Exchange, Hillsong Live, Hillsong
• As Long as it Takes, Merideth Andrews, Word
• Everywhere, Geron Davis, Great Worship Music
• Jars of Clay Presents The Shelter, Jars of Clay, Essential
• Passion: Awakening
• We Cry Out, The Worship Project, Jeremy Camp

Will Win: Jeremy Camp
Should Win: Hillsong Live
Reason: Jars of Clay isn't really a Worship project, though it does lean that way on occasion. The expanded for Jeremy Camp's weak entry category seems to predict him winning, as he fits the Chris Tomlin/Michael W. Smith/Matt Redman tend they are on. A look over the winners notices a startling omission, no wins by Hillsong. It is almost like they are trying to shut them out. I think that will happen again this time.

That's it for the Genre-Specific awards I will cover, the GMA's also award in Inspirational, Southern Gospel, Bluegrass, Country, and Traditional Gospel Album, as well as some others. Since is a one man show I will not match them. In my next post I will take on the General Field Nominations. Click the link below for the full list of nominees.

42nd Annual GMA Dove Award Nominees