» ACM Nominees: Mercury’s Chris Stapletonleads with eight nominations for the 53rd Annual ACM Awards, which air April 15 from Las Vegas on CBS. Reba McEntire returns as host. Valory’s Thomas Rhett has six, and Capitol’s Keith Urban and songwriter Shane McAnallyeach have five nods, RCA’s Miranda Lambertand Columbia’s Maren Morris each have four, with MCA’s Sam Hunt, Capitol’s Little Big Town and Big Machine’s Midland receiving three. The full list:
Entertainer: Jason Aldean, Garth Brooks, Luke Bryan, Chris Stapleton, Keith Urban.
Male Vocalist: Jason Aldean, Thomas Rhett, Chris Stapleton, Keith Urban, Chris Young.
Female Vocalist: Kelsea Ballerini, Miranda Lambert, Reba McEntire, Maren Morris, Carrie Underwood.
Vocal Duo: Brothers Osborne, Dan + Shay, Florida Georgia Line, LoCash, Tim McGraw & Faith Hill.
Vocal Group: Lady Antebellum, Lanco, Little Big Town, Midland, Old Dominion.
New Male: Kane Brown, Luke Combs, Devin Dawson, Russell Dickerson, Brett Young.
New Female: Lauren Alaina, Danielle Bradbery, Carly Pearce, RaeLynn.
New Vocal Duo/Group: High Valley, Lanco, LoCash, Midland, Runaway June.
Album: Breaker, Little Big Town; California Sunrise, Jon Pardi; From A Room: Vol. 1, Chris Stapleton; Happy Endings, Old Dominion; Life Changes, Thomas Rhett.
Single: “Better Man,” Little Big Town; “Body Like A Back Road,” Sam Hunt; “Broken Halos,” Chris Stapleton; “Drinkin’ Problem,” Midland; “I’ll Name The Dogs,” Blake Shelton.
Song: “Body Like A Back Road,” Sam Hunt; “Female,” Keith Urban; “Tin Man,” Miranda Lambert; “Whiskey And You,” Chris Stapleton.
Video: “Black,” Dierks Bentley; “It Ain’t My Fault,” Brothers Osborne; “Legends,” Kelsea Ballerini; “Marry Me,” Thomas Rhett, “We Should Be Friends,” Miranda Lambert.
Songwriter: Rhett Akins, Ashley Gorley, Hillary Lindsey, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne.
Vocal Event: “Craving You,” Thomas Rhett f/Maren Morris; “Dear Hate,” Maren Morris f/Vince Gill; “(Funny) How Time Slips Away,” Glen Campbell and Willie Nelson; “The Fighter,” Keith Urban f/Carrie Underwood; “What Ifs,” Kane Brown f/Lauren Alaina.