We conclude our Dove Prediction posts with the predictions for Artist of The Year, New Artist of The Year, and Song of The Year. We will also briefly comment on the Video Awards.
Song and Album of The Year are typically category busters. Now the 2013 Dove Awards had 21 Song of The Year Nominees, which was a joke. There are 10 this year. Since #PlatVnyl5 had 9 nominees for Song of The Year, this is not excessive. The nominees were as follows:
- Overwhelmed, Big Daddy Weave
- Thrive, Casting Crowns
- Come As You Are, Crowder
- Hope In Front of Me, Danny Gokey
- How Can It Be, Lauren Daigle
- He Knows My Name, Francesca Battistelli
- Greater, Mercy Me
- Multiplied, Needtobreathe
- We Believe, Newsboys
- This Is Amazing Grace, Phil Wickham
Except for Big Daddy Weave, they appear to be of #PlatVnyl5 vintage. With the exception that Lauren Daigle was a nominee for AC/Insp Song, none of them were among my nine. We think different here at The Night Beat. I'm going to go with How Can It Be by Lauren Daigle for the win. I think it will be Casting Crowns for the industry.
The Doves for 2015 have Artist of The Year, New Artist of The Year, Southern Gospel Artist of The Year, Gospel Artist of The Year, and Contemporary Christian Artist of The Year. We just have the first two. New Artist nominees were About A Mile, Danny Gokey, I Am They, Lauren Daigle and NF. I really liked Daigle's powerful voice, and I was impressed by About A Mile, so I'll predict one of the two.
Artist of The Year nominees were For King And Country, Francesca Battistelli, Kari Jobe, Lecrae, and Mercy Me. Kari Jobe was the only one on my list. I think it will either be her or Francesca.
One last prediction. Video, or in Dovespeak, Short Form Video. The nominees were: You Can't Stop Me by Andy Mineo; Take This City by Everfound; Shoulders by For King and Country; Dreams by Kings Kaleidoscope; and Wake Up by NF. Two rap, two pop and one alternative. I'm treating this as Video of The Year. I had none of the nominees and the King's Kaleidoscope video is of #PlatVnyl6 vintage. I'll pick them nonetheless. The Platinum Vinyl Awards have 14 Video Categories, allowing for as many as 70 nominees. It allows for much more variety.
That does it folks. The Dove Awards will take place in Nashville on October 13. While I won't be there in person, I will keep tabs and either eat crow or gloat at my prognostication skills. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
Though we are a bit delayed, we continue with our predictions as to who will win the 2015 Dove Awards. Since the awards wont be handed out until October, I am not going to miss anything. I will be a little bit bolder here. Not that I am no longer concerned about tipping my hand, just not as much. After all, if I like a song on the album, that's no indication I will love the album.
We begin with Worship Song. The five nominees were Great Are You Lord by All Sons and Daughters; Holy Spirit by Francesca Battistelli; Forever (We Sing Hallelujah) by Kari Jobe; Because He Lives (Amen) by Matt Maher; and This Is Amazing Grace by Phil Wickham. Based on the airplay ratings and popular opinion, I am going to go with Holy Spirit for the win, but that is just wrong. For pure power and feeling there is no argument. Forever (we sing Hallelujah) should win.
Pop/Contemporary Song (or Pop Song for the PVA's) had six entries: Come As You Are by Crowder; Shoulders by For King and COUNTRY; Touch The Sky by Hillsong United; How Can It Be by Lauren Daigle; We Believe by Newsboys; and Soul On Fire by Third Day. I really have no dog in the race for this one, but Lauren Daigle was a nominee in #PlatVnyl5 for AC/Insp. Plus I once knew a family of Daigle's, and coincidentally they had a baby daughter named Loren. I think For King and Country is going to take the Dove.
Rock Song was a real head-scratcher. Safety (ft Stephen Christian) by Fireflight; Darkest Part by Red; Good to be alive by Skillet; Furious Love by Veridia; and Dead Man by We As Human. Red and Fireflight are the #PlatVnyl6 nominees and I hope the winner is one of them. Veridia was a #PlatVnyl5 nominee and Skillet and We As Human were in #PlatVnyl4. I have a bad feeling that Skillet is going to win for an old song. Red should.
Rap Song nominees are Who You Know by Derek Minor; Sideways (feat Lecrae) by KB; All I Need Is You by Lecrae; Mansion by NF; and Volcano (ft Jonathan Thulin) by Rapture Ruckus. I'm going to predict Mansion as the winner with NF, though of the choices offered, I would pick Volcano, which is in the #PlatVnyl6 pool. One caveat though. Despite the Rap by Rapture Ruckus in the song, it is not a Rap Song. It plays more like EDM or Alternative Rock.
I will do Song of The Year, Artist, New Artist and Dabble with videos in the final post. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
Eleven down, one to go. Once September is done we can put the cover on the #PlatVnyl6 pool and open the #PlatVnyl7 pool for entries. 7 Years. God Is Good. There was one song released in August, and that was the Title Track for Stryper's upcoming album Fallen. It wasn't as good as Yahweh, but you would be very rarely have two perfect songs, even on a perfect album. I give it 4.75 Emeralds.
We begin our album coverage with those releases which, while pretty good (I haven't found a real stinker in years), just aren't platinum.
Missing The Mark
- Between The Trees & Ryan Kirkland - Wanderer 3.75 Emeralds
- Rend Collective Experiment - As Family We Go 3.75 Emeralds
- Jim Sonefeld - Love EP 3.50 Emeralds
- United Pursuit Band - Simple Gospel 3.50 Emeralds
- Various Artists - Top 25 Hymns: The Old Rugged Cross 3.75 Emeralds
- Various Artists - War Room: Music From The Original Motion Picture 3.75 Emeralds
- Aaron Watkins - Chasing After You 3.75 Emeralds
I was very disappointed by Rend Collective, they sounded so ordinary. While I don't know much about United Pursuit, I do know that Michael Ketterer teamed up with Har Megiddo, so I had my expectations. The next group not only met my expectations, they smashed through them.
Pure Platinum Perfection
- JJ Heller - Sound of a Living Heart 5 Emeralds
- Toby Mac - This Is Not A Test 5 Emeralds
- P.O.D. - The Awakening 5 Emeralds
- Pillar - One Love Revolution 5 Emeralds
- Sidewalk Prophets - Something Different 5 Emeralds
All I can say to this quintet is WOW. JJ Heller burst out of her folk mold to be a certified Pop Star. Pillar reformed its original lineup and returned to the rap-core sound that I loved on Fireproof. P.O.D. likewise reached heights like a Satellite, and even Toby Mac has put out his best album in a while. I know, I didn't dote on the Sidewalk Prophets, but they were awesome as well. Now on to the ones in the middle
Semi-Precious Metal
- Brinson - Until We Meet Again 4.75 Emeralds
- Tasha Cobbs - One Place (Live) 4.50 Emeralds
- Disciple - The Best of 2005-2013 4.75 Emeralds
- Abigail Duhon - More Than Gold 4.50 Emeralds
- For A Season - I Will Wait 4.75 Emeralds
- Ghost Ship - Costly 4.50 Emeralds
- Geoffrey Golden - Kingdom Live 4.75 Emeralds
- Travis Greene - Intentional EP 4.50 Emeralds
- Gungor - One Wild Life: Soul 4.75 Emeralds
- Cheri Keaggy - No Longer My Own 4.75 Emeralds
- Bridgett Kern - No One Greater 4.75 Emeralds
- Nichole Nordeman - The Unmaking EP 4.75 Emeralds
- Natasha Owens - No One But You 4.75 Emeralds
- Jeremy Rosado - Heartbeat 4.50 Emeralds
- 7eventh Time Down - #GODISONTHEMOVE 4.75 Emeralds
- Aaron Shust - Doxology 4.75 Emeralds
- Thi'sl - Heavy Is The Head 4.25 Emeralds
- Tony Tillman - Camden 4.50 Emeralds
- Tony Tillman - Camden (Instrmentals) 4.50 Emeralds
- John Waller - Crazy Faith 4.50 Emeralds
- WARR Acres - Future 4.75 Emeralds
I am going to forgo links once again to get this out. I think I shall go back and do the old ones. If I don't they shall never get done. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
