CMA Awards: A 'big night' — and not just for traditional country music fans

Taylor Swift has sold more albums than anyone in 2009. Kenny Chesney had the year's biggest concert tour. And Carrie Underwood — who co-hosts the CMA (Country Music Association) Awards on Wednesay — will make more TV appearances in the next month than Santa Claus.

Those household names and the new generation of fans they've attracted have put country music at the center of pop for the first time since the heyday of Garth Brooks and Shania Twain nearly a generation ago.

Old prejudices are disappearing as country gains a foothold across the TV dial, in urban-music venues and on the Internet. And kids — even urban and suburban — can dig country songs without any fear of reprisal. That's because the younger generation encounters music in a different way than its parents did. It's an iPod-shuffling generation with eclectic tastes.

"With the onset of digital music, there has become less defined lines between genres," said Swift, who turns 20 next month. "When you discover your music on the Internet like I do and like a lot of my friends do, a lot of times, genre doesn't come into play. It's more about the lyrics and the melody and if you can relate to them."

TV's ratings king, "American Idol," also has been a high-profile promoter of country, whether it's having the finalists cover a country song or showcasing Underwood, the most consistently successful CD seller among "Idol" champions.

Underwood is on a roll. She has scored several No. 1 country hits, including her latest single, "Cowboy Casanova."

Country is the only genre with three awards shows of its own: CMT Video Awards, the Academy of Country Music Awards and the CMA Awards, billed as "country's biggest night."

And today's country stars are a different breed, which helps them appeal to a broader audience. They didn't grow up on Hank Williams and Loretta Lynn, points out Kiss singer Paul Stanley. They were raised on Queen, the Eagles and, of course, Kiss.

Zac Brown, a nominee for CMA's best new artist and single of the year, cites James Taylor as his biggest influence. Keith Urban and Brad Paisley, stars who play guitars, are known for sneaking in classic-rock riffs — from Zeppelin to Creedence — at their concerts.

One of the big stories this year is Darius Rucker, the first rock star to successfully pursue a country career since Kenny Rogers. The frontman for 1990s hotshots Hootie & the Blowfish has landed three No. 1 country hits and two CMA nominations — best new artist and male vocalist.

But the biggest story is Swift. Not only has she sold more albums than any act in the past three years, but she has scored two huge pop hits, "Love Story" and "You Belong With Me."

The latter won an MTV Video Music Award — the first ever for a country artist — and unexpected notoriety as rapper Kanye West interrupted Swift's acceptance speech. The incident brought mainstream media exposure that she could never buy.