With six nominations each, Maren Morris and Chris Stapleton lead the ACM Awards nominees list. Maren is the reigning Female Artist of the Year and received her fifth nomination in that category. “The Bones” accounted for three additional nominations for Maren in the Song of the Year (as artist and songwriter) and Single of the Year categories. Plus, she received recognition for the first time ever in the Music Video of the Year (“Better Than We Found It”) and Group of the Year (The Highwomen) categories. Meanwhile, Chris earned nods in the Entertainer of the Year, Song of the Year (as artist and songwriter), and Album of the Year (as artist and producer) categories. He is a past two-time winner of Male Artist of the Year, and he’ll have a chance to take home honors in that category once again.
Miranda Lambert’s “Bluebird” garnered four nominations for the singer-songwriter in three categories (Video of the Year, Single of the Year, and Song of the Year). Those nods, along with one in the Female Artist of the Year category, extend her lifetime nominations tally to 68 as Miranda continues to be the most nominated female artist in ACM history. If she wins Female Artist of the Year, it will be her tenth trophy in that category.
In other history-making news, for the first time ever, each Single of the Year nomination features a female artist. Four black artists – Kane Brown, Jimmie Allen, Mickey Guyton, and John Legend – all received nominations marking another first. Two of those artists – Kane and Jimmie – are already winners as they collected wins in the Music Video and New Male Artist categories respectively.
Additionally, prior to Sunday’s show, Carly Pearce and Lee Brice won Music Event of the Year with their number one duet “I Hope You’re Happy Now.” This marks a sweep for the duo as they also took home the award in the CMA equivalent category in November 2020. The song could collect more hardware as it competes for Single of the Year.
Check out the full list of nominations below (previously announced winners are in bold). Tune-in to see which artists wins as the 56th ACM Awards air live from Nashville on Sunday, April 18th at 8/7c on CBS. The show will also stream live and be available on demand via Paramout+.
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
- Luke Bryan
- Eric Church
- Luke Combs
- Thomas Rhett
- Chris Stapleton
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Kelsea Ballerini
- Miranda Lambert
- Ashley McBryde
- Maren Morris
- Carly Pearce
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Dierks Bentley
- Eric Church
- Luke Combs
- Thomas Rhett
- Chris Stapleton
DUO OF THE YEAR
- Brooks & Dunn
- Brothers Osborne
- Dan + Shay
- Florida Georgia Line
- Maddie & Tae
GROUP OF THE YEAR
- Lady A
- Little Big Town
- Old Dominion
- The Cadillac Three
- The Highwomen
NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Ingrid Andress
- Tenille Arts
- Gabby Barrett
- Mickey Guyton
- Caylee Hammack
NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Jimmie Allen
- Travis Denning
- HARDY
- Cody Johnson
- Parker McCollum
ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
- Born Here Live Here Die Here – Luke Bryan
Producers: Jeff Stevens, Jody Stevens
Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville
- Mixtape Vol. 1 – Kane Brown
Producers: Andrew Goldstein, Charlie Handsome, Dann Huff, Lindsay Rimes
Record Label: RCA Nashville
- Never Will – Ashley McBryde
Producer: Jay Joyce
Record Label: Warner Music Nashville
- Skeletons – Brothers Osborne
Producer: Jay Joyce
Record Label: EMI Records Nashville
- Starting Over – Chris Stapleton
Producers: Chris Stapleton, Dave Cobb
Record Label: Mercury Nashville
SINGLE OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
- “Bluebird” – Miranda Lambert
Producer: Jay Joyce
Record Label: Vanner Records/RCA Records Nashville
- “I Hope” – Gabby Barrett
Producers: Ross Copperman, Zach Kale
Record Label: Warner Music Nashville
- “I Hope You’re Happy Now” – Carly Pearce & Lee Brice
Producers: busbee
Record Label: Big Machine Records / Curb Records
- “More Hearts Than Mine” – Ingrid Andress
Producers: Ingrid Andress, Sam Ellis
Record Label: Warner Music Nashville
- “The Bones” – Maren Morris
Producer: Greg Kurstin
Record Label: Columbia Nashville
SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
- “Bluebird” – Miranda Lambert
Songwriter(s): Luke Dick, Miranda Lambert, Natalie Hemby
Publishers: Emileon Songs; Little Louder Songs; Pink Dog Publishing; Songs of Universal, INC; Sony ATV Tree Publishing; Wrucke for You Publishing
- “One Night Standards” – Ashley McBryde
Songwriter(s): Ashley McBryde, Nicolette Hayford, Shane McAnally
Publishers: Canned Biscuit Songs; Smackworks Music; Smack Blue, LLC; Smackstreet Music; Tempo Investments; Warner Geo Met Ric Music; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp
- “Some People Do” – Old Dominion
Songwriter(s): Jesse Frasure, Matt Ramsey, Thomas Rhett, Shane McAnally
Publishers: Carrot Seed Songs; EMI Blackwood Music INC; Smackville Music; Songs of ROC Nation; Telemitry Rhythm House Music; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp; Smack Hits; Tempo Investments; Warner Gro Met Ric Music
- “Starting Over” – Chris Stapleton
Songwriter(s): Chris Stapleton, Mike Henderson
Publishers: I Wrote These Songs; Straight Six Music; WC Music Corp
- “The Bones” – Maren Morris
Songwriter(s): Jimmy Robbins, Maren Morris, Laura Veltz
Publishers: Big Machine Music, LLC; Extraordinary Alien Publishing; International Dog Music; Oh Denise Publishing; Round Hill Songs; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
VIDEO OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
- “Better Than We Found It” – Maren Morris
Director: Gabrielle Woodland
Producers: Sarah Kunin, Jennifer Pepke
- “Bluebird” – Miranda Lambert
Director: Trey Fanjoy
Producer: Heather Levenstone
- “Gone” – Dierks Bentley
Directors: Wes Edwards, Ed Pryor, Travis Nicholson, Running Bear and Sam Siske, with animation by Skylar Wilson
Producer: David Garcia
- “Hallelujah” – Carrie Underwood and John Legend
Director: Randee St. Nicholas
Producer: Greg Wells
- “Worldwide Beautiful” – Kane Brown
Director: Alex Alvga
Producer: Christen Pinkston
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR*(Off Camera Award)
- Ashley Gorley
- Michael Hardy
- Hillary Lindsey
- Shane McAnally
- Josh Osborne
MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR (Tie Within Category Increased Nominees) [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
- “Be A Light” – Thomas Rhett featuring Reba McEntire, Hillary Scott, Chris Tomlin, Keith Urban
Producer: Dann Huff
Record Label: The Valory Music Co.
- “Does To Me” – Luke Combs featuring Eric Church
Producer: Scott Moffatt
Record Label: River House Artists/Columbia Nashville
- “I Hope You’re Happy Now” – Carly Pearce & Lee Brice
Producer: busbee
Record Label: Big Machine Records / Curb Records
- “Nobody But You” – Blake Shelton featuring Gwen Stefani
Producer: Scott Hendricks
Record Label: Warner Music Nashville
- “One Beer” – HARDY featuring Lauren Alaina & Devin Dawson
Producers: Derek Wells, Joey Moi
Record Label: Big Loud Records
- “One Too Many” – Keith Urban, P!nk
Producers: Cutfather, Dan McCarroll, Keith Urban, PhD
Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville
Image: ACM Awards