March 2018

Chris Stapleton is in the lead in nominations for the 2018 Academy of Country Music Awards, airing live on CBS on April 15. The well loved country artist has been nominated for eight awards in five categories including Entertainer of the Year. Reba McEntire will host the show, which is held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Thomas Rhett has six nominations while Keith Urban follows in five categories, including contender for Entertainer of the Year, along with songwriter Shane McAnally, whose credits include Sam Hunt’s “Body Like A Back Road” and Keith Urban’s “Female,” Old Dominion’s “Happy Endings” and Midland’s “Drinkin’ Problems.” Miranda Lambert, ACM’s reigning Female Vocalist of the Year, has four nominations. Maren Morris has received four nominations, including her second in the Female Vocalist of the Year category.   Full list of nominations below: Entertainer of the Year Jason Aldean Garth Brooks Luke Bryan Chris Stapleton Keith Urban Female Vocalist of the Year Kelsea Ballerini Miranda Lambert Reba McEntire Maren Morris Carrie Underwood Male Vocalist of the Year Jason Aldean Thomas Rhett Chris Stapleton Keith Urban Chris Young Vocal Duo of the Year Brothers Osborne Dan + Shay Florida Georgia Line LOCASH Tim McGraw & Faith Hill Vocal Group of the Year Lady Antebellum LANCO Little Big Town Midland Old Dominion New Female Vocalist of the Year  Lauren Alaina Danielle Bradbery Carly Pearce Raelynn New Male Vocalist of the Year Kane Brown Luke Combs Devin Dawson Russell Dickerson Brett Young New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year  High Valley LANCO LOCASH Midland Runaway June Album of the Year “Breaker” – Little Big Town Producer: Jay Joyce Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville “California Sunrise” – Jon Pardi Producers: Bart Butler, Jon Pardi Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville “From A Room Vol. 1” – Chris Stapleton Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton Record Label: Mercury Records “Happy Endings” – Old Dominion Producer: Shane McAnally Record Label: RCA Life Changes – Thomas Rhett Producers: Julian Bunetta, Jesse Frasure, Dann Huff, Joe London, Thomas Rhett Record Label: The Valory Music Co. Single Record of the Year  “Better Man” – Little Big Town Producer: Jay Joyce Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville “Body Like A Back Road” – Sam Hunt Producer: Zach Crowell Record Label: MCA Nashville “Broken Halos” – Chris Stapleton Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton Record Label: Mercury Records “Drinkin’ Problem” – Midland Producers: Dann Huff, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne Record Label: Big Machine Records “I’ll Name The Dogs” – Blake Shelton Producer: Scott Hendricks Record Label: Warner Bros. Song of the Year  “Body Like a Back Road – Sam Hunt Songwriters: Zach Crowell, Sam Hunt, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne Publishers: Universal Music Corp./Sam Hunt Publishing, Highly Combustible Music/I Love Pizza Music,/Songs of Southside Independent Music Publishing/Who Wants to Buy My Publishing/Atlas Music Publishing, Anderson Fork In The Road Music/Smackville Music/Smack Songs LLC, Smack Hits “Female” – Keith Urban Songwriters: Ross Copperman, Nicolle Galyon and Shane McAnally Publishers: EMI Blackwood Music Inc./Rezolant Music/Plain Jane Songs, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp./A Girl Named Charlie (BMI), Smack Hits/Smack Songs LLC (GMR) “Tin Man” – Miranda Lambert Songwriters: Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert Jon Randall Publishers: Sony/ATV Tree Publishing/Pink Dog Publishing (BMI), Beat Up Ford Publishing (BMI), BMG Platinum Songs (BMI)/SWMBMGBMI/Lonesome Vinyl Music “Whiskey And You” – Chris Stapleton Songwriters: Lee Thomas Miller, Chris Stapleton Publishers: WB Music Corp./New Sea Gayle Music (ASCAP), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp./New Sea Gayle Music (BMI) Video of the Year “Black” – Dierks Bentley Director: Wes Edwards Producer: Max A. Butler “It Ain’t My Fault” – Brothers Osborne Director: Wes Edwards, Ryan Silver Producer: Tiffany Davies “Legends” – Kelsea Ballerini Director: Jeff Venable Producer: Ben Skipworth “Marry Me” – Thomas Rhett Director: TK McKamy Producer: Dan Atchison “We Should Be Friends” – Miranda Lambert Director: Trey Fanjoy Producer: April Dace Songwriter of the Year Rhett Akins Ashley Gorley Hillary Lindsey Shane McAnally Josh Osborne Vocal Event of the Year “Craving You” – Thomas Rhett Featuring Maren Morris Producers: Julian Bunetta, Dann Huff, Joe London, Thomas Rhett Record Label: The Valory Music Co. “Dear Hate” – Maren Morris featuring Vince Gill Producers: Brad Hill, Maren Morris Record Label: Columbia Nashville “Funny (How Time Slips Away)” – Glen Campbell And Willie Nelson Producer: Carl Jackson Record Label: Universal Music Enterprises “The Fighter” – Keith Urban featuring Carrie Underwood Producers: Busbee, Keith Urban Record Label: Capitol Nashville “What Ifs” – Kane Brown Featuring Lauren Alaina Producer: Dann Huff Record Label: RCA Nashville