Chris Stapleton & Dan + Shay Lead This Year’s ACM Award Nominations
Featured Content
Audio By Carbonatix
Nominees for the 54th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards were announced yesterday, with Chris Stapleton and Dan + Shay leading this year’s pack with six nods each, while Dan + Shay’s Dan Smyersearned an additional four nods for producing and writing. And Kacey Musgraves proved her GRAMMY wins weren’t a fluke, with Kacey nabbing five ACM nods.
And they were far from the only multiple nominees, with Dierks Bentley, Brothers Osborne, Florida Georgia Line and first-time nominee Bebe Rexha all earning four nods.
When it comes to the coveted Entertainer of the Year category, it is once again dominated by males something host Reba McEntire commented on when announcing the category on CBS This Morning, noting "it doesn't make me very happy." Artists competing in the category this year include last year’s winner Jason Aldean up against Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Chris Stapleton and Keith Urban.
- It was also revealed that this year will mark the return of the ACM Artist of the Decade honor, although this year’s recipient hasn’t been revealed yet. Other winners of the prestigious award include Marty Robbins in 1969, Loretta Lynn in 1979, Alabama in 1988, GarthBrooks in 1998 and George Strait in 2009.
- Here's one interesting thing to note. It seems an artist can be "new" more than once. Several of this year's New Artist nominees have been nominated in the category before, including Luke Combs, Carly Pearce, Danielle Bradbery, High Valley, LANCO and Runaway June.
The 54th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, hosted by Reba McEntire, will air April 7th on CBS, live from Las Vegas. Check out the nominees below and click here for a complete list. Also, click here to see reactions from the nominees.
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
- Jason Aldean
- Luke Bryan
- Kenny Chesney
- Chris Stapleton
- Keith Urban
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Miranda Lambert
- Ashley McBryde
- Maren Morris
- Kacey Musgraves
- Carrie Underwood
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Dierks Bentley
- Luke Combs
- Thomas Rhett
- Chris Stapleton
- Keith Urban
DUO OF THE YEAR
- Brothers Osborne
- Dan + Shay
- Florida Georgia Line
- LOCASH
- Maddie & Tae
GROUP OF THE YEAR
- Lady Antebellum
- LANCO
- Little Big Town
- Midland
- Old Dominion
NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Danielle Bradbery
- Lindsay Ell
- Ashley McBryde
- Carly Pearce
NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Jimmie Allen
- Luke Combs
- Jordan Davis
- Michael Ray
- Mitchell Tenpenny
NEW DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
- High Valley
- LANCO
- Runaway June
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
[Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
- “Dan + Shay” – Dan + Shay
- “Desperate Man” – Eric Church
- “From A Room: Volume 2” – Chris Stapleton
- “Golden Hour” – Kacey Musgraves
- “The Mountain” – Dierks Bentley
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
[Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
- “Down to the Honky Tonk” – Jake Owen
- “Heaven” – Kane Brown
- “Meant To Be” – Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
- “Most People Are Good” – Luke Bryan
- “Tequila” – Dan + Shay
SONG OF THE YEAR
[Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
- “Break Up In The End” – Cole Swindell
- “Broken Halos” – Chris Stapleton
- “Meant To Be” – Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
- “Space Cowboy” – Kacey Musgraves
- “Tequila” – Dan + Shay
- “Yours” – Russell Dickerson
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
[Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
- “Babe” – Sugarland featuring Taylor Swift
- “Burn Out” – Midland
- “Burning Man” – Dierks Bentley featuring Brothers Osborne
- “Drunk Girl” – Chris Janson
- “Shoot Me Straight” – Brothers Osborne
- “Tequila” – Dan + Shay
MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR
[Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
- “Burning Man” – Dierks Bentley featuring Brothers Osborne
- “Drowns the Whiskey” – Jason Aldean featuring Miranda Lambert
- “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” – David Lee Murphy featuring Kenny Chesney
- “Keeping Score” – Dan + Shay featuring Kelly Clarkson
- “Meant To Be” – Bebe Rexha Featuring Florida Georgia Line
Source: ACM Country