Rick Diamond/Getty Images; Taylor Hill/Getty Images(NASHVILLE) — Eric Church and Chris Stapleton are the leading nominees for this year’s Academy of Country Music Awards. Each singer received five nods.
Among his nominations, Church has nabbed his first for Entertainer of the Year; he’s also up for Male Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year, for Mr. Misunderstood, among other categories. As for Stapleton, he’s scored his first nods for Male and New Male Vocalist of the Year, and for Album of the Year, for Traveller.
Cam, Chris Young and Little Big Town scored four nods each; Chris Janson, Thomas Rhett and Miranda Lambert each have three. The awards are changing a bit this year: the Entertainer, New Male, New Female and New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year were previously fan-voted. Now, they will be voted on by the Academy’s professional membership.
The ACM Awards, hosted by Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley, will air April 3 on CBS.
Here are the nominees:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Jason Aldean
Garth Brooks
Luke Bryan
Eric Church
Miranda Lambert
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Jason Aldean
Dierks Bentley
Eric Church
Brett Eldredge
Chris Stapleton
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Kelsea Ballerini
Jana Kramer
Miranda Lambert
Kacey Musgraves
Carrie Underwood
VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Joey + Rory
Maddie & Tae
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Eli Young Band
Little Big Town
Old Dominion
Rascal Flatts
Zac Brown Band
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
I’m Comin’ Over – Chris Young
Montevallo – Sam Hunt
Mr. Misunderstood – Eric Church
Tangled Up – Thomas Rhett
Traveller – Chris Stapleton
SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR
“Burning House” – Cam
“Buy Me A Boat” – Chris Janson
“Die A Happy Man” – Thomas Rhett
“Girl Crush” – Little Big Town
“I’m Comin’ Over” – Chris Young
“Take Your Time” – Sam Hunt
NEW MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Brett Eldredge
Chris Janson
Thomas Rhett
Chase Rice
Chris Stapleton
NEW FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Kelsea Ballerini
Cam
Mickey Guyton
RaeLynn
NEW VOCAL DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
A Thousand Horses
Brothers Osborne
Maddie & Tae
Old Dominion
Parmalee
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
“Biscuits” – Kacey Musgraves
“Burning House” – Cam
“Girl Crush” – Little Big Town
“Mr. Misunderstood” – Eric Church
“Riser” – Dierks Bentley
VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
“Hangover Tonight” – Gary Allan Featuring Chris Stapleton
“Home Alone Tonight” – Luke Bryan Featuring Karen Fairchild
“Raise ‘Em Up” – Keith Urban Featuring Eric Church
“Smokin’ And Drinkin’” – Miranda Lambert Featuring Little Big Town
Wild Child” – Kenny Chesney With Grace Potter
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