This year’s CMT “Artist of the Year” awards will exclusively honor women, according to reports.
Variety reports that the country music network’s honorees will be “exclusively women, including Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris and Kelsea Ballerini.”
“Even the mixed-gender bands being celebrated are being awarded only for their female co-frontpeople — Hillary Scott from Lady Antebellum, and Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman from Little Big Town,” the report continues.
The decision to only honor women is meant to address the fact that many country music stars are male.
CMT senior Vice President Leslie Fram said that the decision to “applaud female country artists not only solidifies our commitment, but we hope will spark a much-needed change in the industry.”
A number of award shows and events this year contained political and social justice messages.
The MTV Video Music Awards was filled with anti-Trump messaging, leading to an all-time low in ratings.
Rapper-singer Logic wore a shirt that reads “Fuck the Wall” while performing a song surrounded by immigrant families who were then “reunited” on stage.
"One Day" performance by @__RyanTedder and @Logic301 had us 😢@vmas #VMAs pic.twitter.com/pCt29vAAUh
— MTV Asia (@mtvasia) August 21, 2018
Comedian Kevin Hart also opened the VMAs by saying, “You never know what’s going to happen at the VMAs. Bad language, people run to the bathroom and send out crazy tweets. It’s basically like a typical day at the White House. In your face, Trump! Suck it!”
The recent Miss America pageant also saw a ratings drop coincide with an increasingly politicized (and swimsuit-free) competition.
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