Chris Stapleton and Dan + Shay are the most nominated acts heading to the 54th annual ACM Awards in Las Vegas.
Stapleton leads with six nominations in four categories including a nod for the night’s top honor for entertainer of the year. Stapleton is also nominated twice, as both artist and producer, for his album From A Room: Volume 2 in the album of the year category, which he won last year for From A Room: Volume 1. Additionally, he is nominated for song of the year twice, as both artist and songwriter, for “Broken Halos.”
Dan + Shay earned six nominations, including their sixth nod for duo of the year. Additionally, Dan Smyers received three individual nominations as a producer in the album of the year, single of the year and music event of the year categories. He also received an individual nomination as a writer in the song of the year category for “Tequila.”
First-time ACM nominee, Ian Fitchuk received six nominations, including a nod for album of the year with Kacey Musgraves as a producer for Golden Hour. Fitchuk also received five nominations across Studio Recording Award categories, including Bass Player of the Year, Drummer of the Year, Piano/Keyboards Player of the Year, Specialty Instrument(s) Player of the Year and Producer of the Year.
Musgraves follows with five nominations including female artist of the year. Her album of the year nomination for Golden Hour counts twice as she’s both the collection’s producer and principle artist.
Dierks Bentley, Brothers Osborne, Florida Georgia Line and Bebe Rexha follow with four nominations each.
Additionally, Jenee Fleenor is the first-ever woman to get a nomination for specialty instrument player of the year.
This year marks the return of the ACM Artist of the Decade Honor which will be announced in the coming weeks. Only five other honorees have received this award, including Marty Robbins (1969), Loretta Lynn (1979), Alabama (1988), Garth Brooks (1998) and George Strait (2009).
Reba McEntire will host the ACM Awards live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 7 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
Here is the complete list of nominees:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Kenny Chesney
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Miranda Lambert
Ashley McBryde
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
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
LOCASH
Maddie & Tae
GROUP OF THE YEAR
Lady Antebellum
LANCO
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion
NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Danielle Bradbery
Lindsay Ell
Ashley McBryde
Carly Pearce
NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Jimmie Allen
Luke Combs
Jordan Davis
Michael Ray
Mitchell Tenpenny
NEW DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
High Valley
LANCO
Runaway June
ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
Dan + Shay – Dan + Shay
Producers: Scott Hendricks / Dan Smyers / Matt Dragstrem
Record Label: Warner Music Nashville
Desperate Man – Eric Church
Producers: Jay Joyce / Arturo Buenahora Jr.
Record Label: EMI Records Nashville
From A Room: Volume 2 – Chris Stapleton
Producers: Dave Cobb / Chris Stapleton
Record Label: Mercury Nashville
Golden Hour – Kacey Musgraves
Producers: Ian Fitchuk / Daniel Tashian / Kacey Musgraves
Record Label: MCA Nashville
The Mountain – Dierks Bentley
Producers: Ross Copperman / Jon Randall Stewart / Arturo Buenahora Jr.
Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville
SINGLE OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
“Down to the Honky Tonk” – Jake Owen
Producer: Joey Moi
Record Label: Big Loud Records
“Heaven” – Kane Brown
Producer: Dann Huff / Polow Da Don
Record Label: RCA Nashville
“Meant To Be” – Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
Producer: Wilshire for Rock The Soul Ent
Record Label: Warner Bros. Records
“Most People Are Good” – Luke Bryan
Producers: Jeff Stevens / Jody Stevens
Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville
Tequila – Dan + Shay
Producers: Scott Hendricks / Dan Smyers
Record Label: Warner Music Nashville
SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
“Break Up In The End” – Cole Swindell
Writers: Jessie Jo Dillon / Chase McGill / Jon Nite
Publishers: EMI April Music Inc. / Nite Writer Music (ASCAP) / Songs of Universal, Inc. / Plum Nelly (BMI) / Big Music Machine (BMI)/ Big Ass Pile Of Dimes Music (BMI)
“Broken Halos” – Chris Stapleton
Writers: Mike Henderson, Chris Stapleton
Publishers: WB Music Corp./House of Sea Gayle Music, admin. by ClearBox Rights/Spirit Catalog Holdings, S.a.r.l. admin. by Spirit Two Nashville (ASCAP); Straight Six Music (BMI)
“Meant To Be” – Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
Writers: David Garcia, Tyler Hubbard, Joshua Miller, Bebe Rexha
Publishers: BMG Platinum Songs/Kiss Me If You Can Music (BMI) (all rights administered by BMG Rights Management (US) LLC) Big Loud Mountain (BMI) and T Hubb Publishing (BMI). All Rights Administered by Round Hill Works. Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. on behalf of itself and Songs of the Corn and Jack 10 Publishing. Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Publishing (ASCAP) D Soul Music (ASCAP) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com)
“Space Cowboy” – Kacey Musgraves
Writers: Luke Laird, Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves
Publishers: Smack Hits/Smack Songs, admin by Kobalt Music Group ltd. (GMR); Universal Music Works/We Are Creative NBaSmack Hits/Smack Songs, LLC, admin. by Kobalt Music Group Ltd. (GMR); Universal Music Works/We Are Creative Nation/Jake and Mack Music, admin. by Universal Music Works; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp./351 Music (BMI)
“Tequila” – Dan + Shay
Writers: Nicolle Galyon / Jordan Reynolds / Dan Smyers
Publishers: Beats and Banjos (ASCAP), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP), A Girl Named Charlie (BMI) / Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI) / Buckeye26 (ASCAP) / Jreynmusic (ASCAP)
“Yours” – Russell Dickerson
Writers: Casey Brown / Russell Dickerson / Parker Welling
Publishers: BMG Platinum Songs/Kailey’s Dream / So Essential Tunes / Not Just Another Song Publishing / Hillbilly Science and Research Publishing/Trailerlily Music
VIDEO OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
“Babe” – Sugarland featuring Taylor Swift
Producer: Roger Hunt
Director: Anthony Mandler
“Burn Out” – Midland
Producer: Ben Skipworth
Director: TK McKamy / Cameron Duddy
“Burning Man” – Dierks Bentley featuring Brothers Osborne
Producer: Nate Eggert
Director: Wes Edwards
“Drunk Girl” – Chris Janson
Producer: Ben Skipworth
Director: Jeff Venable
“Shoot Me Straight” – Brothers Osborne
Producer: April Kimbrell
Director: Wes Edwards / Ryan Silver
“Tequila” – Dan + Shay
Producer: Christen Pinkston
Director: Patrick Tracy
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR*(Off Camera Award)
Ross Copperman
Ashley Gorley
Shane McAnally
Chase McGill
Josh Osborne
MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
“Burning Man” – Dierks Bentley featuring Brothers Osborne
Producers: Ross Copperman / Jon Randall Stewart / Arturo Buenahora Jr.
Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville
“Drowns the Whiskey” – Jason Aldean featuring Miranda Lambert
Producer: Michael Knox
Record Labels: Macon Music, LLC; Broken Bow Records; BBR Music Group; BMG
“Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” – David Lee Murphy featuring Kenny Chesney
Producers: Buddy Cannon / Kenny Chesney / David Lee Murphy
Record Label: Reviver Records
“Keeping Score” – Dan + Shay featuring Kelly Clarkson
Producers: Scott Hendricks / Dan Smyers
Record Label: Warner Music Nashville
“Meant To Be” – Bebe Rexha Featuring Florida Georgia Line
Producer: Wilshire for Rock The Soul Ent
Record Label: Warner Bros. Records
INDUSTRY AWARDS:
CASINO OF THE YEAR – SMALL CAPACITY
Choctaw Casino & Resort – Durant, OK
Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort – Cherokee, NC
The Joint: Tulsa – Tulsa, OK
Peppermill Reno – Reno, NV
Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort – Mt. Pleasant, MI
CASINO OF THE YEAR – LARGE CAPACITY
Casino Rama – Orillia, ON
Grand Casino Hinckley – Hinckley, MN
Mohegan Sun Arena – Uncasville, CT
Sandia Casino Amphitheater – Albuquerque, NM
WinStar Global Event Center – Thackerville, OK
FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR
Boots & Hearts – Oro-Medonte, ON
Faster Horses – Brooklyn, MI
Stagecoach – Indio, CA
Tortuga Music Festival – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Windy City Smokeout – Chicago, IL
NIGHTCLUB OF THE YEAR
Dusty Armadillo – Rootstown, OH
Grizzly Rose – Denver, CO
Joe’s on Weed St – Chicago, IL
Joe’s Live – Rosemont, IL
Stoney’s Rockin’ Country – Las Vegas, NV
VENUE OF THE YEAR – SMALL CAPACITY
House of Blues – Anaheim, CA
House of Blues – Boston, MA
Floore’s – Helotes, TX
Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN
Surf Ballroom – Clear Lake, IA
VENUE OF THE YEAR – MEDIUM CAPACITY
Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO
Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion – Gilford, NH
Ascend Amphitheater – Nashville, TN
The Wharf Amphitheater – Orange Beach, AL
The Anthem – Washington, DC
VENUE OF THE YEAR – LARGE CAPACITY
Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN
BOK Center – Tulsa, OK
Budweiser Stage – Toronto, ON
PNC Bank Arts Center – Holmdel, NJ
Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center – Noblesville, IN
DON ROMEO TALENT BUYER OF THE YEAR
Todd Boltin – Variety Attractions
Billy Brill – Billy Alan Productions
Gil Cunningham – Neste Event Marketing
Kell Houston – Houston Productions
Nicole More – Wilson Events, Inc.
PROMOTER OF THE YEAR
Brent Fedrizzi – AEG Presents
Stacy Vee – Goldenvoice
Ed Warm – Joe’s Bar
Adam Weiser – AEG Presents
Jason Wright – Live Nation
STUDIO RECORDING AWARDS:
BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Mike Brignardello
JT Cure
Ian Fitchuk
Tony Lucido
Glenn Worf
DRUMMER OF THE YEAR
Matt Chamberlain
Ian Fitchuk
Evan Hutchings
Aaron Sterling
Nir Z
GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Tom Bukovac
Jedd Hughes
Danny Rader
Adam Shoenfeld
Ilya Toshinsky
Derek Wells
PIANO/KEYBOARDS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Dave Cohen
David Dorn
Ian Fitchuk
Tony Harrell
Charlie Judge
Gordon Mote
SPECIALTY INSTRUMENT(S) PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Ian Fitchuk
Jenee Fleenor
Carl Miner
Mickey Raphael
Ilya Toshinsky
STEEL GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Dan Dugmore
Steve Hinson
Mike Johnson
Russ Pahl
Justin Schipper
AUDIO ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
Craig Alvin
Ryan Gore
Jeff Juliano
Vance Powell
F Reid Shippen
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Buddy Cannon
Ian Fitchuk
Dann Huff
Jay Joyce
Michael Knox
ACM RADIO AWARDS: The following previously announced radio awards will be presented during the annual Radio Winners Reception which will be held on Saturday, April 6 in Las Vegas.
NATIONAL ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR (tie within category increased nominees)
Cody Alan CMT After MidNite with Cody Alan
Kix Brooks American Country Countdown
Darren Wilhite and Tim Wall Wilhite & Wall
Lon Helton Country Countdown USA with Lon Helton
Tracy Lawrence Honky Tonkin’ with Tracy Lawrence
Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase The Crook & Chase Countdown