Maren Morris & Chris Stapleton Lead This Year’s ACM Nominees

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As we told you, nominees for the 56^th Annual ACM Awards were announced Friday, with Maren Morris and Chris Stapleton leading this year’s back.

Both artists earned six nominations, with Miranda Lambert close behind with five, bringing her overall total to 68 lifetime nominations, the most of any female artist in ACM history. In addition, Miranda earned her 15^th Female Artist of the Year nod. (She’s won nine times)

When it comes to diversity and inclusion, this year’s ACM made progress in some areas, and didn’t in others.

• For example, the Entertainer of the Year category is made up of males – Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Thomas Rhett and Stapleton.
• But, in the Single of the Year category, every song features a female artist, including Miranda, Gabby Barrett, Carly Pearce (with Lee Brice), Ingrid Andress and Maren.
• Also, there a record four Black artists nominated this year – Jimmie Allen, Kane Brown, Mickey Guyton and John Legend, for his duet with Carrie Underwood. 

• As for the snubs: Carrie didn’t receive a Female Artist of the Year nomination for the first time since 2005, and while she tied with Rhett for Entertainer of the Year last year, she didn’t receive a nod this year. Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw both had new albums this year and neither received a nod. Blake Shelton also only received one nod, for “Nobody But You,” his collaboration with Gwen Stefani. Click here to see artist reactions to this year’s nominations. 

• As we previously told you, the 52^nd Annual ACM Awards will air April 18^th on CBS, and will take place live from three of Nashville’s most historic venues, the Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman Auditorium and the Bluebird Café.

Check out the complete list of nominees below: 

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
• Luke Combs
• Eric Church
• 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

• Born Here Live Here Die Here – Luke Bryan
• Mixtape Vol. 1 – Kane Brown
• Never Will – Ashley McBryde
• Skeletons – Brothers Osborne
• Starting Over – Chris Stapleton

Single of the Year

• "Bluebird" – Miranda Lambert
• "I Hope" – Gabby Barrett
• "I Hope You’re Happy Now" – Carly Pearce & Lee Brice
• "More Hearts Than Mine"– Ingrid Andress
• "The Bones" – Maren Morris 

Song of the Year

• "Bluebird" – Miranda Lambert
• "One Night Standards" – Ashley McBryde
• "Some People Do" – Old Dominion
• "Starting Over" – Chris Stapleton
• "The Bones" – Maren Morris 

Video of the Year

• "Better Than We Found It" – Maren Morris
• "Bluebird"– Miranda Lambert
• "Gone" – Dierks Bentley
• "Hallelujah" – Carrie Underwood and John Legend
• "Worldwide Beautiful" – Kane Brown 

Songwriter of the Year

• Ashley Gorley
• Michael Hardy
• Hillary Lindsey
• Shane McAnally
• Josh Osborne

Music Event of the Year

• "Be A Light" – Thomas Rhett featuring Reba McEntire, Hillary Scott, Chris Tomlin, Keith Urban
• "Does To Me" – Luke Combs feat. Eric Church
• "I Hope You’re Happy Now" – Carly Pearce & Lee Brice
• "Nobody But You" – Blake Shelton ft. Gwen Stefani
• "One Beer" – HARDY ft. Lauren Alaina & Devin Dawson
• "One Too Many" – Keith Urban, P!nk 

Source: ACM

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