Reba announced the ACM nominations this morning on CBS This Morning and let us in on a secret...she's returning as host for the 53rd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards! The ACMs will take place in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand April 15th!
Something I noticed is that Blake Shelton isn't up for Entertainer of the Year or Male Vocalist. Neither is Dierks. I think it's odd that Tim & Faith are up for Duo of the Year. Rascal Flatts isn't nominated. I think Lindsay Ell should have been nominated for New Female Vocalist (there's only 4 nominations in that category...all the other Vocal categories have 5.) There's a hole where people like Justin Moore, Brett Eldredge, and Cole Swindell aren't being represented. But there are a lot of new artists nominations too, which I support. It just feels like an odd list this year.
Chris Stapleton leads the nominations with 8.
Who do you think will win in each category? Here's the list of nominees!
Entertainer Of The Year
- JASON ALDEAN
- GARTH BROOKS
- LUKE BRYAN
- CHRIS STAPLETON
- KEITH URBAN
Female Vocalist Of The Year
- KELSEA BALLERINI
- MIRANDA LAMBERT
- REBA MCENTIRE
- MAREN MORRIS
- CARRIE UNDERWOOD
Male Vocalist Of The Year
- JASON ALDEAN
- THOMAS RHETT
- CHRIS STAPLETON
- KEITH URBAN
- CHRIS YOUNG
Vocal Duo Of The Year
- BROTHERS OSBORNE
- DAN + SHAY
- FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE
- LOCASH
- TIM MCGRAW & FAITH HILL
Vocal Group Of The Year
- LADY ANTEBELLUM
- LANCO
- LITTLE BIG TOWN
- MIDLAND
- OLD DOMINION
New Female Vocalist Of The Year
- LAUREN ALAINA
- DANIELLE BRADBERY
- CARLY PEARCE
- RAELYNN
New Male Vocalist Of The Year
- KANE BROWN
- LUKE COMBS
- DEVIN DAWSON
- RUSSELL DICKERSON
- BRETT YOUNG
New Vocal Duo Or Group Of The Year
- HIGH VALLEY
- LANCO
- LOCASH
- MIDLAND
- RUNAWAY JUNE
Album Of The Year [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
- Breaker - LITTLE BIG TOWN. Producer: JAY JOYCE. Record Label: CAPITOL RECORDS NASHVILLE
- California Sunrise - JON PARDI. Producers: BART BUTLER, JON PARDI. Record Label: CAPITOL RECORDS NASHVILLE
- From A Room Vol. 1 - CHRIS STAPLETON. Producers: DAVE COBB, CHRIS STAPLETON. Record Label: MERCURY RECORDS
- Happy Endings - OLD DOMINION. Producer: SHANE MCANALLY. Record Label: RCA
- Life Changes - THOMAS RHETT. Producers: JULIAN BUNETTA, JESSE FRASURE, DANN HUFF, JOE LONDON, THOMAS RHETT. Record Label: THE VALORY MUSIC CO.
Single Record Of The Year [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
- Better Man - LITTLE BIG TOWN. Producer: JAY JOYCE. Record Label: CAPITOL RECORDS NASHVILLE
- Body Like A Back Road - SAM HUNT. Producer: ZACH CROWELL. Record Label: MCA NASHVILLE
- Broken Halos - CHRIS STAPLETON. Producers: DAVE COBB, CHRIS STAPLETON. Record Label: MERCURY RECORDS
- Drinkin’ Problem - MIDLAND. Producers: DANN HUFF, SHANE MCANALLY, JOSH OSBORNE. Record Label: BIG MACHINE RECORDS
- I’ll Name The Dogs - BLAKE SHELTON. Producer: SCOTT HENDRICKS. Record Label: WARNER BROS.
Song Of The Year [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
- Body Like a Back Road - SAM HUNT. Songwriters: ZACH CROWELL, SAM HUNT, SHANE MCANALLY, JOSH OSBORNE. Publishers: UNIVERSAL MUSIC CORP./SAM HUNT PUBLISHING, HIGHLY COMBUSTIBLE MUSIC/I LOVE PIZZA MUSIC,/SONGS OF SOUTHSIDE INDEPENDENT MUSIC PUBLISHING/WHO WANTS TO BUY MY PUBLISHING/ATLAS MUSIC PUBLISHING, ANDERSON FORK IN THE ROAD MUSIC/SMACKVILLE MUSIC/SMACK SONGS LLC, SMACK HITS
- Female - KEITH URBAN. Songwriters: ROSS COPPERMAN, NICOLLE GALYON AND SHANE MCANALLY. Publishers: EMI BLACKWOOD MUSIC INC./REZOLANT MUSIC/PLAIN JANE SONGS, WARNER-TAMERLANE PUBLISHING CORP./A GIRL NAMED CHARLIE (BMI), SMACK HITS/SMACK SONGS LLC (GMR)
- Tin Man - MIRANDA LAMBERT. Songwriters: JACK INGRAM, MIRANDA LAMBERT JON RANDALL. Publishers: SONY/ATV TREE PUBLISHING/PINK DOG PUBLISHING (BMI), BEAT UP FORD PUBLISHING (BMI), BMG PLATINUM SONGS (BMI)/SWMBMGBMI/LONESOME VINYL MUSIC
- Whiskey And You - CHRIS STAPLETON. Songwriters: LEE THOMAS MILLER, CHRIS STAPLETON. Publishers: WB MUSIC CORP./NEW SEA GAYLE MUSIC (ASCAP), WARNER-TAMERLANE PUBLISHING CORP./NEW SEA GAYLE MUSIC (BMI)
Video Of The Year [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
- Black - DIERKS BENTLEY. Director: WES EDWARDS. Producer: MAX A. BUTLER
- It Ain’t My Fault - BROTHERS OSBORNE. Director: WES EDWARDS, RYAN SILVER. Producer: TIFFANY DAVIES
- Legends - KELSEA BALLERINI. Director: JEFF VENABLE. Producer: BEN SKIPWORTH
- Marry Me - THOMAS RHETT. Director: TK MCKAMY. Producer: DAN ATCHISON
- We Should Be Friends - MIRANDA LAMBERT. Director: TREY FANJOY. Producer: APRIL DACE
Songwriter Of The Year (Off Camera Award)
- RHETT AKINS
- ASHLEY GORLEY
- HILLARY LINDSEY
- SHANE MCANALLY
- JOSH OSBORNE
Vocal Event Of The Year [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
- Craving You – THOMAS RHETT FEATURING MAREN MORRIS. Producers: JULIAN BUNETTA, DANN HUFF, JOE LONDON, THOMAS RHETT. Record Label: THE VALORY MUSIC CO.
- Dear Hate – MAREN MORRIS featuring VINCE GILL. Producers: BRAD HILL, MAREN MORRIS. Record Label: COLUMBIA NASHVILLE
- Funny (How Time Slips Away) - GLEN CAMPBELL and WILLIE NELSON. Producer: CARL JACKSON. Record Label: UNIVERSAL MUSIC ENTERPRISES
- The Fighter – KEITH URBAN featuring CARRIE UNDERWOOD. Producers: BUSBEE, KEITH URBAN. Record Label: CAPITOL NASHVILLE
- What Ifs – KANE BROWN featuring LAUREN ALAINA. Producer: DANN HUFF. Record Label: RCA NASHVILLE