The Academy of Country Music and CBS just announced the nominees for the 56th ACM Awards® . Miranda Lambert is nominated for five awards this year and continues her streak as the most-nominated female artist in ACM Award history, with 68 nominations.
Luke Combs and Chris Stapleton both have the potential to achieve the Triple Crown Award, which consists of an Entertainer of the Year win, plus wins in an act’s respective New Artist (male, female, or duo or group) and Artist (male, female, duo or group) categories.
Watch Live on April 18
The show will broadcast live from three iconic country music venues: the Grand Ole Opry House, Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium and The Bluebird Cafe on Sunday, April 18 (8:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network and will also be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+, ViacomCBS’ upcoming global streaming service.
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
STUDIO RECORDING AWARDS
BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
- Jarrod Travis Cure
- Mark Hill
- Tony Lucido
- Steve Mackey
- Glenn Worf
DRUMMER OF THE YEAR
- Fred Eltringham
- Evan Hutchings
- Derek Mixon
- Jerry Roe
- Aaron Sterling
GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
- J.T. Corenflos
- Kris Donegan
- Jedd Hughes
- Ilya Toshinskiy
- Derek Wells
PIANO/KEYS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
- Dave Cohen
- David Dorn
- Charlie Judge
- Mike Rojas
- Benmont Tench
SPECIALTY INSTRUMENT PLAYER OF THE YEAR (Tie Within Category Increased Nominees)
- Alicia Enstrom
- Jim Hoke
- Danny Rader
- Mickey Raphael
- Ilya Toshinskiy
- Kristin Wilkinson
STEEL GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
- Spencer Cullum
- Dan Dugmore
- Mike Johnson
- Russ Pahl
- Justin Schipper
AUDIO ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
- Jeff Balding
- Jason Hall
- Gena Johnson
- Vance Powell
- F. Reid Shippen
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
- Buddy Cannon
- Dave Cobb
- Dann Huff
- Jay Joyce
- Joey Moi