Luke Bryan leads the list of country nominees for this year’s Billboard Music Awards with four, including Top Country Artist, Top Country Album for Crash My Party, Top Country Song with “Play It Again,” as well as for Florida Georgia Line’s “This is How We Roll.”

Sam Hunt is also nominated in the Top Country Song category with “Leave the Night On.”

The 2015 Billboard Music Awards will air live from Las Vegas May 17^th at 8pm ET on ABC.

Top Country Artist
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Florida Georgia Line
Brantley Gilbert
Blake Shelton

Top Country Album
Jason Aldean Old Boots, New Dirt
Garth Brooks Man Against Machine
Luke Bryan Crash My Party
Brantley Gilbert Just as I Am
Miranda Lambert Platinum

Top Country Song
Jason Aldean “Burnin’ It Down”
Luke Bryan “Play It Again”
Sam Hunt “Leave the Night On”
Florida Georgia Line featuring Luke Bryan “This Is How We Roll”
Florida Georgia Line “Dirt”

NASHVILLE, TN – (April 6, 2015) – Last month, Luke Bryan performed for 400,000 fans during his two-day concert event in Panama City Beach, Florida.  Now he is bringing the beach concert experience to more fans as AXS TV airs “Luke Bryan Spring Break Checkin’ Out” on Sunday, April 12 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

The television special, which includes exclusive interview content and performance footage from this year’s spring break concerts as well as all seven previous years, was filmed by Fly High productions and directed by Michael Monaco.

Luke’s spring break albums and concerts began in 2009 as a way to get new music out to Luke’s fans between studio releases.  This year’s release, Spring Break…Checkin’ Out, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Albums Chart and No. 3 on Billboard’s Top 200 with sales near 89k, making it his second consecutive spring break album to debut at No. 1.  Sales of Luke’s combined seven spring break releases now exceeds 1.2 million.

Luke heads into the 50^th Academy of Country Music Awards this month as a co-host and with four nominations- Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist, Song of the Year (“Drink A Beer”) and Vocal Event (“This Is How We Roll”) with Florida Georgia Line.  This is his third consecutive year to co-host with Blake Shelton, broadcasting live on April 19 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX on the CBS Television Network.

About Luke Bryan
Since the debut of his first album in 2007, Luke Bryan has placed 12 singles at No. 1 and sold 7 million albums with 27 million digital tracks from his four studio albums and has been named Entertainer of the Year for both the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association.

About AXS TV
AXS TV is the cable industry’s leading general entertainment network for live event programming, and the premier destination for some of the nation’s biggest music festivals in 2015. Launched in July 2012 by visionary entrepreneur Mark Cuban, AXS TV is dedicated to providing groundbreaking music programming, stand-up comedy performances from today’s top comedians, and hard-hitting mixed martial arts promotions. Boasting over 70 hours of exclusive live broadcasts of premier music festivals in 2015 (featuring Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Stagecoach Country Music Festival, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Rock on the Range Music Festival and Firefly Music Festival), the HD channel heavily concentrates on bringing the industry’s biggest names directly into their viewers’ homes, for the ultimate front row experience. Other hit network franchises include THE X FACTOR UK and original programs such as THE BIG INTERVIEW with Dan Rather; THE WORLD’S GREATEST TRIBUTE BANDS, GOTHAM COMEDY LIVE, ART MANN PRESENTS, AXS TV FIGHTS and INSIDE MMA.

AXS TV is a partnership between Mark Cuban, AEG, Ryan Seacrest Media, Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and CBS. The network is available in the United States via AT&T U-verse, Charter, Comcast/Xfinity, DIRECTV, DISH, Suddenlink, Verizon FiOS, and other cable, satellite and telco providers. The network is also distributed in Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. For more information, visit the website, www.axs.tv; go to the Facebook page here and follow the company on Twitter, @axstv; on Instagram; Tumblr; Cyber Dust and YouTube.

Darius Rucker appears on the Ellen DeGeneres Show on Tuesday (April 7th) to perform his recent No. 1 hit, “Homegrown Honey.”

Darius Rucker and Sam Hunt are expected to perform at the 11th Annual Drive for Show, Rock Fore! Dough in Evans, Georgia on Tuesday (April 7th) before the Masters. Proceeds from the show benefit The First Tee of August, which provides young people of all ethnic and economic backgrounds an opportunity to develop, through golf and character education, life-enhancing values such as honesty, integrity and sportsmanship.

George Strait released his new single, “Let It Go,” on Monday (April 6th). He wrote the song with his son, Bubba Strait, and Keith Gattis.

Lady Antebellum will perform, along with Kris Kristofferson and Jason Isbell, on Skyville Live Tuesday night (April 7th) at 8pm ET. The show will be streamed exclusively online at skyvillelive.com.

Lady Antebellum have re-launched their successful 7FOR7 campaign, in which they surprised seven different people by granting their wishes.  This time, seven lucky fans will have their mortgage paid for a year by Quicken Loans, plus they’ll win a trip to a future Lady Antebellum concert and a chance to meet the band.  You have a chance to win through August 20th.

Luke Bryan not only returns as co-host of the ACM Awards, but he will also once again captain a team to compete against Justin Moore and his group in the 2015 ACM & Cabela’s Great Outdoor Archery Tournament, taking place Saturday, April 18th at the Texas Rangers Youth Ballpark in Arlington, Texas. Dustin Lynch, Tyler Farr and Willie and Jep Robertson (Duck Dynasty) are among the members of Luke’s Team, while Justin’s Team will feature Eric Paslay, Brantley Gilbert, Chase Rice and Jamie Lynn Spears.

Eric Church, Alan Jackson, Kip Moore, Keith Urban and Lady Antebellum are a few of the latest performers announced for the 3^rd Annual ACM Party for a Cause Festival, taking place in Arlington, Texas April 17th and 18th. They’re joined by John Anderson, Deana Carter, Brandy Clark, Brett Eldredge, Sara Evans, Brantley Gilbert, Hunter Hayes, Ashley Monroe, David Lee Murphy, Joe Nichols, Jake Owen, Reba, Marty Stuart, Cole Swindell, Brooks & Dunn and The Band Perry.

Previously announced performers include Darius Rucker, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Sam Hunt, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Patty Loveless, Ronnie Milsap, Dwight Yoakam, Alabama, Eli Young Band Clint Black and Florida Georgia Line.

The event will be taped for a two hour special, ACM Presents: Superstar Duets, which will air May 15th on the CBS. Proceeds from ticket sales for the ACM Party for a Cause Festival will benefit ACM Lifting Lives, the charitable arm of the Academy.

NASHVILLE, TN (March 10, 2015) – NOW That’s What I Call ACM Awards 50 Years, the milestone anniversary collaboration between the Academy of Country Music and NOW That’s What I Call Music!, is released Tuesday, March 31st.

The collection of recordings celebrate the ACM Awards’ 50-year history and will feature 2 discs as well as a digital collection of ACM award-winning songs. The first disc will feature recent contemporary hits while the second will include timeless classics.

The complete track listing for NOW That’s What I Call ACM Awards 50 Years includes:

DISC ONE (1990-2015)

1. Jason Aldean (with Luke Bryan & Eric Church) The Only Way I Know 2012
2. Lee Brice I Drive Your Truck 2012
3. Luke Bryan Country Girl (Shake It For Me) 2011
4. Blake Shelton Honey Bee 2011
5. Taylor Swift Mean 2010
6. Lady Antebellum Need You Now 2010
7. Miranda Lambert The House That Built Me 2009
8. Brad Paisley & Keith Urban Start A Band 2008
9. Reba & Kelly Clarkson Because of You 2007 
10. George Strait Give It Away 2006
11. Carrie Underwood Jesus, Take the Wheel 2005
12. Tim McGraw Live Like You Were Dying 2004
13. Kenny Chesney The Good Stuff 2002
14. Lee Ann Womack I Hope You Dance 2000
15. Faith Hill This Kiss 1998
16. Alan Jackson Chattahoochee 1993
17. Brooks & Dunn Boot Scootin’ Boogie 1991

DISC TWO (1965-1989)

1. Clint Black Better Man 1989
2. Hank Williams Jr. There’s a Tear in My Beer 1989
3. Randy Travis Forever and Ever Amen 1987
4. The Highwaymen Highwayman 1985
5. The Judds Why Not Me 1984
6. Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers Islands in the Stream 1983
7. Willie Nelson Always on My Mind 1982
8. Alabama Love in the First Degree 1981
9. The Oak Ridge Boys Elvira 1981
10. David Frizzell & Shelly West You’re the Reason God Made Oklahoma 1980
11. George Jones He Stopped Loving Her Today 1980
12. Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Bros. All the Gold in California 1979
13. Don Williams Tulsa Time 1978
14. Glen Campbell Rhinestone Cowboy 1975
15. Charlie Rich Behind Closed Doors 1973
16. Loretta Lynn & Conway Twitty Lead Me On 1971
17. Merle Haggard Okie From Muskogee 1969

The album will be released on March 31^st, just in time for the 50^th Academy of Country Music Awards broadcast LIVE on Sunday, April 19^th at 8:00pm ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network. All of the Academy’s proceeds from sales of the album will go to ACM Lifting Lives, the philanthropic arm of the Academy of Country Music, dedicated to improving lives through the power of music.

NOW That’s What I Call ACM Awards 50 Years is a collaboration between Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and the Academy of Country Music, and the album will be distributed by Universal Music Group Distribution. The NOW That’s What I Call Music! series is a joint venture from Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment.  NOW and NOW That’s What I Call Music!are registered trademarks of Universal Music Group and its affiliates.

NOW That’s What I Call Music! debuted in the U.S. in 1998, following 15 years of multi-platinum international success. The series has generated sales exceeding 250 million albums worldwide, including more than 94 million in the U.S.  All 53 volumes in NOW’s numeric U.S. series have charted in the top 10 of Billboard’s Album Chart, 19 of which have reached #1.

The 50th Academy of Country Music Awards is dedicated to honoring and showcasing the biggest names and emerging talent in the country music industry.  The show is produced for television by dick clark productions and will broadcast LIVE from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX on Sunday, April 19, 2015 at 8:00 PM live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network. Allen Shapiro, Mike Mahan, R.A. Clark and Barry Adelman are executive producers.  Bob Romeo is executive producer for the Academy of Country Music.

ACM Lifting Lives® is the philanthropic arm of the Academy of Country Music dedicated to improving lives through the power of music.  Through partnerships with artists and strong ties in the music industry, ACM Lifting Lives develops and funds music-related therapy and education programs, and serves members of the community who face unexpected hardships through its Diane Holcomb Emergency Relief Fund. Through generous donations and the support of artists and fans, ACM Lifting Lives is able to fund everything from disaster relief and helping communities in need, to music education in schools and music camps for those with disabilities, to supporting programs that use music therapy as a means to help our veterans and wounded warriors, while providing grants to help them ease back into life. For more information, please visit www.ACMLiftingLives.org.

Eric Church will be inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame October 15^th in Kannapolis, North Carolina.

Eric Church and Kacey Musgraves will perform at Willie Nelson’s annual 4th of July Picnic in Austin, Texas. Merle Haggard, Asleep at the Wheel and Jamey Johnson are also on the bill.

Kacey Musgraves will perform at the Bonnaroo Music Festival, taking place June 11th – 14th in Manchester, Tennessee. She made her Bonnaroo debut in 2013. Billy Joel, Mumford & Sons and Kendrick Lamar are also scheduled to perform.

Luke Bryan will return for his second Crash My Playa Caribbean concert in Riviera Maya, Mexico January 22nd – 26th, 2016. Go to CrashMyPlaya.com.

Vince Gill was recently interviewed by Dan Rather for his show, The Big Interview, on AXS-TV. His feature will air April 21st.

Earlier this month, Luke Bryan celebrated his final Spring Break in Panama City Beach, Florida. Check out the recap below.

NASHVILLE, TN – (March 18, 2015) – ACM Awards Show co-host and reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan debuts his final Spring Break album, Spring Break…Checkin’ Out, at #1 today on Billboard’s Country Albums Chart with sales near 89K, making it his second consecutive spring break album to debut at #1. Sales of Luke’s combined seven spring break releases now exceed 1.2 million. The album also lands at #3 on Billboard’s Top 200.

Luke celebrated the release with two concerts at Spinnaker Beach Club in Panama City Beach, Florida last week with record crowds of more than 400,000 fans. This weekend Luke performs at the Houston Rodeo and in May will wrap his “That’s My Kind of Night Tour.” On May 8, Luke will launch the “Kick The Dust Up Tour.”

Luke heads into the 50th Academy of Country Music Awards as a co-host and four nominations- Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist, Song of the Year (“Drink A Beer”) and Vocal Event (“This Is How We Roll”) with Florida Georgia Line. This is his third consecutive year to co-host with Blake Shelton and the show will broadcast on April 19 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX on the CBS Television Network.

Since the debut of his first album in 2007, Luke Bryan has placed 12 singles at No. 1 and sold 7 million albums with 27 million digital tracks from his four studio albums and has been named Entertainer of the Year for both the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association. Luke achieved the best touring year of his career in 2014 with 1.7 million fans attending his concerts.

Visit www.LukeBryan.com or follow Luke on Twitter @LukeBryanOnline, Instagram and Facebook.

Luke Bryan’s Spring Break…Checkin’ Out album debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Chart. His seventh and final Spring Break album sold nearly 89,000 copies to bow at the top of the country charts and at No. 3 overall behind Madonna and the cast soundtrack from the FOX TV show, Empire.

Sam Hunt’s Montevallo is No. 2, followed by Shania Twain’s Still the One: Live From Vegas CD & DVD collection at No. 3.

Go behind-the-scenes with the Today Show as Jenna Bush shadows Luke Bryan for the day during one of his two final Spring Break shows last week.

Luke is now in stores with his seventh and final Spring Break album, Checkin’ Out.