The Academy of Country Music announced the nominations for this year’s awards show today, and Universal Music Group Nashville is celebrating its honorees.
Eric Church, who performing for three-and-a-half to four hours each night on his recent Double Down Tour) leads our nominees with three, including his second nod for Entertainer of the Year. He was also nominated as artist and songwriter in the Song of the Year category for “Some of It” – marking his eighth and ninth nominations in the category.
Reigning Female Artist of the Year Kacey Musgraves earned three nominations including her seventh nod for Female Artist of the Year. Additionally, she received her first Single of the Year nomination as both artist and producer for “Rainbow.”
Carrie Underwood is nominated for a pair of awards, including Entertainer of the Year, as well as Female Artist of the Year.
Newcomer Caylee Hammack also picks up two nominations, including New Female Artist of the Year, as well as Music Event of the Year for Fooled Around And Fell In Love” with Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris, Ashley McBryde and Tenille Townes.
Little Big Town also picks up a pair of nods for Group of the Year and Video of the Year for “Sugar Coat.”
Luke Bryan is nominated for Entertainer of the Year, an award he’s previously won twice at the ACMs.
Chris Stapleton, Dierks Bentley and Keith Urban are nominated for Male Artist of the Year; Jon Pardi is up for Album of the Year for Heartache Medication; Jordan Davis for New Male Artist of the Year; and Brothers Osborne and Maddie & Tae are up for Duo of the Year.
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The 55th Academy of Country Awards show, hosted by Keith Urban, will broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas April 5th at 8pm ET/delayed PT on CBS.
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Luke Bryan
Eric Church
Luke Combs
Thomas Rhett
Carrie Underwood
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
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
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Maddie & Tae
GROUP OF THE YEAR
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion
The Highwomen
NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Ingrid Andress
Gabby Barrett
Lindsay Ell
Caylee Hammack
Tenille Townes
NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Jordan Davis
Russell Dickerson
Riley Green
Cody Johnson
Morgan Wallen
ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
Center Point Road – Thomas Rhett
Producers: Julian Bunetta, Jesse Frasure, Dann Huff, Thomas Rhett, The Stereotypes, Cleve Wilson
GIRL – Maren Morris
Producers: busbee, Greg Kurstin, Maren Morris
Heartache Medication – Jon Pardi
Producers: Bart Butler, Ryan Gore, Jon Pardi
What You See Is What You Get – Luke Combs
Producer: Scott Moffatt
Wildcard – Miranda Lambert
Producer: Jay Joyce
SINGLE OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
God’s Country – Blake Shelton
Producer: Scott Hendricks
One Man Band – Old Dominion
Producer: Shane McAnally
Rainbow – Kacey Musgraves
Producers: Ian Fitchuk, Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian
Rumor – Lee Brice
Producers: Lee Brice, Dan Frizsell, Kyle Jacobs, Jon Stone
What If I Never Get Over You – Lady Antebellum
Producer: Dann Huff
SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
10,000 Hours – Dan + Shay Featuring Justin Bieber
Songwriters: Justin Bieber, Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd, Jessie Jo Dillon, Shay Mooney, Jordan Reynolds, Dan Smyers
Publishers: Beats and Banjos (ASCAP), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP) / Shay Mooney Music (BMI), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI) / Big Ass Pile Of Dimes Music (BMI), Big Machine Music (BMI) / Buckeye 26 (ASCAP), Jreynmusic (ASCAP), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP) / Bieber Time Publishing (ASCAP), Universal Music (ASCAP) / Poo B Z Inc. (ASCAP), BMG Gold Songs (ASCAP).
Girl Goin’ Nowhere – Ashley McBryde
Songwriters: Jeremy Bussey, Ashley McBryde
Publishers: Songs of Song Factory (BMI) / Universal Tunes (SESAC).
God’s Country – Blake Shelton
Songwriters: Devin Dawson, Michael Hardy, Jordan Schmidt
Publishers: Relative Music Group (BMI), Administered by Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing (BMI) / WB Music Corp. / Georgia Song Vibez / We-volve Music (ASCAP) / Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. / Neon Cross Music (BMI).
One Man Band – Old Dominion
Songwriters: Josh Osborne, Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen, Brad Tursi
Publishers: WB Music Corp/Smackville Music/Smack Songs LLC (ASCAP) adm by Kobalt Songs Music Publishing. Rezsongs/Reehits World/Smacktown Music, a division of Smack Blue, LLC/Unfair Entertainment (ASCAP) adm. by Me Gusta Music. We’re Really Doin’ It Publishing (ASCAP) adm by Words & Music. Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing/Smackville Music/Smack Songs LLC (ASCAP) adm. by Kobalt Songs Music Publishing.
Some Of It – Eric Church
Songwriters: Eric Church, Clint Daniels, Jeff Hyde, Bobby Pinson
Publishers: Sony/ATV Tree Publishing/Longer and Louder Music, admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC; Mammaw’s Fried Okra Music/Little Louder Songs, admin. by Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing; New Writers Of Sea Gayle Music, admin. by ClearBox Rights; New Writers Of Sea Gayle Music/Not A Track Guy Music, admin. by ClearBox Rights (BMI).
VIDEO OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
10,000 Hours – Dan + Shay Featuring Justin Bieber
Director: Patrick Tracy
Producer: Christen Pinkston
God’s Country – Blake Shelton
Director: Sophie Muller
Producers: Jamie Amos, Patrick Kennedy
One Man Band – Old Dominion
Director: Mason Allen
Producer: Mason Allen
Remember You Young – Thomas Rhett
Director: TK McKamy
Producer: Dan Atchison
Sugar Coat – Little Big Town
Directors: Alexa Kinigopoulos, Stephen Kinigopoulos
Producers: Wes Edwards, Carlo Glorioso, Angie Lorenz
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR *(Off Camera Award)
Ashley Gorley
Michael Hardy
Hillary Lindsey
Shane McAnally
Josh Osborne
MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
10,000 Hours – Dan + Shay Featuring Justin Bieber
Producers: Dan Smyers
Record Label: Warner Music Nashville
Dive Bar – Garth Brooks Featuring Blake Shelton
Producers: Garth Brooks
Record Label: Pearl Records, Inc.
Fooled Around And Fell In Love – Miranda Lambert Featuring Maren Morris, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes, Caylee Hammack & Elle King
Producer: Jay Joyce
Old Town Road – Lil Nas X Featuring Billy Ray Cyrus
Producers: Michael Trent Reznor, Atticus Matthew Ross, YoungKio
What Happens In A Small Town – Brantley Gilbert Featuring Lindsay Ell
Producer: Dann Huff
Eric Church (performing energy) OC: …type of crowd. :40
“Well, I think for me every night I try to empty the tank. There’s always that energy floating around. It’s a palpable thing, and it’s up to me to start that exchange and get the crowd to give it back to me and then watch it build on itself and just to have that experience. We have one night here in whatever city we’re in, you know, we’ve got this night. I’m not gonna see you for a while you’re not gonna see me for a while, you know? And I love being able to capitalize on that moment and trying to live in that moment and get as much energy exchange between myself and the crowd as we can. I love that. That’s my favorite part of what we do. I love being around people, I’m very passionate about my music, and I love people who are passionate about the music too and I love playing a show for that type of crowd.”
Eric Church (Some of It coming of age) OC: …figure it out. :56
“That’s a song, a coming-of-age song, it’s an adult song. It’s adult music. If you listen to the thematics in that and what it’s about, it’s about being older and having some wisdom about you. I think that’s something that I appreciate in my fan base now that early on probably wasn’t there. We were young and drunk and fighting and stupid. But I think now to see them grow – to see the fan base grow – it’s just one of those songs that came along at the right time. And again, it was such a blessing that happened. It wasn’t going to be on the album. It was just one of those freak things that I put it on the album, the last song on the album. The album was done, and all of a sudden it becomes the pillar, one of the pillars on the album. I think again, you go back to it’s one of the great things about music, is you just never know what’s going to happen until it’s all said and done. You can try to plan all you want to, but you’ll probably not going to figure it out.”
Carrie Underwood (Entertainer nod 2019) OC: …sorry boys! (laughs) :28
“I personally feel like entertainer. It’s everything, right? So, I feel like people kind of narrow it down to tours, but I feel like there’s so many more components to it. And, you know, I’m blessed and lucky to be nominated, obviously, and fantastic company. It would be amazing, but of course, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want it. (laughs) Sorry boys.” (laughs)
Luke Bryan (Entertainer wins) OC: …got it right. :49
“The title is what it is, you know? I mean, my focus in life when I’m on stage is entertaining these fans. If it’s my smile and my demeanor, if it’s my song that does it, if it’s me picking up a child out of the audience and letting them sing, it’s not being so premeditated that you can see it from a mile away. I mean, my main thing is be a fan up there that just gets to sing. That’s kind of how I’ve always approached it, and being called the Entertainer of the Year makes me want to do that to the best of my ability every night for the rest of my life as long as I’m on stage. I want people to leave my shows and go, ‘You know what? Whoever’s voting him Entertainer of the Year, they got it right.’”
Jordan Davis (ACM nomination) OC: …in Vegas. :18
“Hey! This is Jordan Davis, and I just want to say thank you to the ACMs (and) to all my supporters in country music for making me a nominee for the New (Male) Artist of the Year at the 55th ACM Awards. I grew up watching this and to be on it now is a dream come true. So, thank y’all so much. Looking forward to an awesome weekend in Vegas.”
Caylee Hammack (ACM nominations) OC: …Thank you. (laughs) :47
“I am blown away and just completely in awe in this situation to wake up and realize that I have two nominations for the ACMs. It’s, this is the biggest blessing in my life, I feel like right now, and I’m just so excited to be included in such a great group of women in the first place with Miranda Lambert pulling us all together to do that cover. It is amazing to see that it was nominated for Music Event of the Year and also as a young female artist in this industry, it is such a validating moment for me to be nominated as a New Female Artist of the Year nominee. Just thank you. Anybody, whoever it was, who had to kill somebody to get me there. Thank you!”(laughs)
Jordan Davis celebrates plaque presentation with team at El Rey Theatre. Pictured L to R: Brad Clark (UMG), Allison Laughter (Red Light Management), Matt Kroepel (UMG), Jordan Davis, Chip Dorsch (Red Light Management), David Friedman (UMG), Zach Sutton (Red Light Management) | Photo Credit: Josh Gicker
Jordan Davis celebrates plaque presentation with team at El Rey Theatre. Pictured L to R: Brad Clark (UMG), Allison Laughter (Red Light Management), Matt Kroepel (UMG), Jordan Davis, Chip Dorsch (Red Light Management), David Friedman (UMG), Zach Sutton (Red Light Management) | Photo Credit: Josh Gicker