Nominations were announced today for the 54th Academy of Country Music Awards, honoring country music’s superstars and hottest emerging talent. As previously announced, iconic entertainer and 16-time ACM Award winner Reba McEntire returns to host live from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Sunday, April 7 (8:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on CBS.
This year will also mark the return of the ACM Artist of the Decade Honor, which will be announced in the coming weeks. Only five other acts have received the award, including Marty Robbins in 1969, Loretta Lynn in 1979, Alabama in 1988, Garth Brooks in 1998 and George Strait in 2009.
Some of our favorite reality stars nominated for an ACM include: The Voice season 4 winner Danielle Bradbery is up for Best New Artist as is Jimmie Allen who made it to the Hollywood Round on American Idol season 10. Carrie Underwood nabs her perennial spot in the Female artist of the Year category. American Idol and The Voice’s Kelly Clarkson is nominated in the Music Event of the Year category along with Dan + Shay for their “Keeping Score” duet. The Voice alum Nicole Gaylon earned a songwriting nod. X Factor US and American Idol hopeful Kane Brown’s “Heaven” is nominated for Single of the Year. American Idol judge Luke Bryan is included in the prestigious Entertainer of the Year category as well as for Single of the Year .
The following is the list of nominees in the main categories. The full list of nominations, including Industry Awards and Studio Recording Awards, is available on ACMcountry.com.
MAIN AWARDS:
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 Producers: Scott Hendricks / Dan Smyers / Matt Dragstrem Record Label: Warner Music Nashville
- Desperate Man – Eric Church Producers: Jay Joyce / Arturo Buenahora Jr. Record Label: EMI Records Nashville
- From A Room: Volume 2 – Chris Stapleton Producers: Dave Cobb / Chris Stapleton Record Label: Mercury Nashville
- Golden Hour – Kacey Musgraves Producers: Ian Fitchuk / Daniel Tashian / Kacey Musgraves Record Label: MCA Nashville
- The Mountain – Dierks Bentley Producers: Ross Copperman / Jon Randall Stewart / Arturo Buenahora Jr. Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville
Single of the Year [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
- Down to the Honky Tonk – Jake Owen Producer: Joey Moi Record Label: Big Loud Records
- Heaven – Kane Brown Producer: Dann Huff / Polow Da Don Record Label: RCA Nashville
- Meant to Be – Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line Producer: Wilshire for Rock The Soul Ent Record Label: Warner Bros. Records
- Most People Are Good – Luke Bryan Producers: Jeff Stevens / Jody Stevens Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville
- Tequila – Dan + Shay Producers: Scott Hendricks / Dan Smyers Record Label: Warner Music Nashville
SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
- Break Up In The End – Cole Swindell Writers: Jessie Jo Dillon / Chase McGill / Jon Nite Publishers: EMI April Music Inc. / Nite Writer Music (ASCAP) / Songs of Universal, Inc. / Plum Nelly (BMI) / Big Music Machine (BMI)/ Big Ass Pile Of Dimes Music (BMI)
- Broken Halos – Chris Stapleton Writers: Mike Henderson, Chris Stapleton Publishers: WB Music Corp./House of Sea Gayle Music, admin. by ClearBox Rights/Spirit Catalog Holdings, S.a.r.l. admin. by Spirit Two Nashville (ASCAP); Straight Six Music (BMI)
- Meant to Be – Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line Writers: David Garcia, Tyler Hubbard, Joshua Miller, Bebe Rexha Publishers: BMG Platinum Songs/Kiss Me If You Can Music (BMI) (all rights administered by BMG Rights Management (US) LLC) Big Loud Mountain (BMI) and T Hubb Publishing (BMI). All Rights Administered by Round Hill Works. Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. on behalf of itself and Songs of the Corn and Jack 10 Publishing. Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Publishing (ASCAP) D Soul Music (ASCAP) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com)
- Space Cowboy – Kacey Musgraves Writers: Luke Laird, Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves Publishers: Smack Hits/Smack Songs, admin bvy Kobalt Music Group ltd. (GMR); Universal Music Works/We Are Creative NBaSmack Hits/Smack Songs, LLC, admin. by Kobalt Music Group Ltd. (GMR); Universal Music Works/We Are Creative Nation/Jake and Mack Music, admin. by Universal Music Works; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp./351 Music (BMI).
- Tequila – Dan + Shay Writers: Nicolle Galyon / Jordan Reynolds / Dan Smyers Publishers: Beats and Banjos (ASCAP), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP), A Girl Named Charlie (BMI) / Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI) / Buckeye26 (ASCAP) / Jreynmusic (ASCAP)
- Yours – Russell Dickerson Writers: Casey Brown / Russell Dickerson / Parker Welling Publishers: BMG Platinum Songs/Kailey’s Dream / So Essential Tunes / Not Just Another Song Publishing / Hillbilly Science and Research Publishing/Trailerlily Music
Video of the Year [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
- Babe – Sugarland featuring Taylor Swift Producer: Roger Hunt Director: Anthony Mandler
- Burn Out – Midland Producer: Ben Skipworth Director: TK McKamy / Cameron Duddy
- Burning Man – Dierks Bentley featuring Brothers Osborne Producer: Nate Eggert Director: Wes Edwards
- Drunk Girl – Chris Janson Producer: Ben Skipworth Director: Jeff Venable
- Shoot Me Straight – Brothers Osborne Producer: April Kimbrell Director: Wes Edwards / Ryan Silver
- Tequila – Dan + Shay Producer: Christen Pinkston Director: Patrick Tracy
songwriter of the year*(Off Camera Award)
- Ross Copperman
- Ashley Gorley
- Shane McAnally
- Chase McGill
- Josh Osborne
MUSIC Event of the Year [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
- Burning Man – Dierks Bentley featuring Brothers Osborne Producers: Ross Copperman / Jon Randall Stewart / Arturo Buenahora Jr. Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville
- Drowns the Whiskey – Jason Aldean featuring Miranda Lambert Producer: Michael Knox Record Labels: Macon Music, LLC; Broken Bow Records; BBR Music Group; BMG
- Everything’s Gonna Be Alright – David Lee Murphy featuring Kenny Chesney Producers: Buddy Cannon / Kenny Chesney / David Lee Murphy Record Label: Reviver Records
- Keeping Score – Dan + Shay featuring Kelly Clarkson Producers: Scott Hendricks / Dan Smyers Record Label: Warner Music Nashville
- Meant to Be – Bebe Rexha Featuring Florida Georgia Line Producer: Wilshire for Rock The Soul Ent Record Label: Warner Bros. Records
