ACM AWARDS: Nominees and Performances

Posted: April 16, 2021 at 10:40 am

Here are the nominees for Sunday’s 56th Academy of Country Music Awards. Maren Morris and Chris Stapleton lead the pack with six nods apiece.

Maren, who is the ACM’s reigning Female Artist of the Year is up for Single and Song of the Year for “The Bones.” She receives an additional nod as the writer of the song. She’s also up for Female Artist of the Year and Music Video of the Year for the “Better Than We Found It.” She also picked up a nod in the Group of the Year category with The Highwomen.

Chris Stapleton is up for Entertainer of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Song of the Year for “Starting Over” as both songwriter and artist and Album of the Year for Starting Over as artist and producer.

Miranda Lambert continues her streak as the most-nominated female artist in Academy history with 68 lifetime nominations. She’s up for five trophies, including four for “Bluebird” as Single of the Year, Video of the Year and Song of the Year. She gets an additional nod as the songwriter. She also picks up her 15th nomination in the Female Artist of the Year category.

Ashley McBryde received four nominations, including one for her first for Album of the Year.

Reigning Entertainer of the Year Thomas Rhett received four nominations, including his second nomination for Entertainer of the Year.

The 56th Academy of Country Music Awards will be broadcast from Nashville at the Grand Ole Opry House, The Bluebird Café and the Ryman Auditorium on April 18th on CBS.

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 – WINNER
• Mickey Guyton
• Caylee Hammack

New Male Artist of the Year

• Jimmie Allen – WINNER
• 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
• Mixtape Vol. 1 – Kane Brown
• Never Will – Ashley McBryde
• Skeletons – Brothers Osborne
• Starting Over – Chris Stapleton

Single of the Year [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]

• “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 [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]

• “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 [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]

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

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
• Does To Me – Luke Combs featuring Eric Church
• I Hope You’re Happy Now – Carly Pearce & Lee Brice
• Nobody But You – Blake Shelton featuring Gwen Stefani
• One Beer – HARDY featuring Lauren Alaina & Devin Dawson
• One Too Many – Keith Urban, P!nk

Performances for Sunday’s ACM Awards include world premieres, collaborations and even an unexpected cover.

Miranda Lambert and Elle King will open the show with “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home).”

Other performances:

• Dierks Bentley and The War and Treaty – “Pride (In the Name of Love)” (U2 cover)
• Brothers Osborne -“I’m Not for Everyone”
• Kenny Chesney – “Knowing You”
• Eric Church – “Bunch of Nothing”
• Luke Combs – “Forever After All”
• Dan and Shay – “Glad You Exist”
• Mickey Guyton – “Hold On”
• Alan Jackson – “You’ll Always Be My Baby” and “Drive (For Daddy Gene)”
• Miranda Lambert with Jack Ingram and Jon Randall – “In His Arms”
• Maren Morris and Ryan Hurd – “Chasing After You”
• Thomas Rhett – “What’s Your Country Song” and “Country Again”
• Blake Shelton – “Austin” and “Minimum Wage”
• Chris Stapleton – “Maggie’s Song”
• Chris Young and Kane Brown – “Famous Friends”
• Carly Pearce and Lee Brice – “I Hope You’re Happy Now”
• Carrie Underwood – songs from My Savior and duet with CeCe Winans
• Kelsea Ballerini and Kenny Chesney – “Half of My Hometown”

Performances by Keith Urban, Lady A, Gabby Barrett, Jimmie Allen, Little Big Town and Ashley McBryde will be announced soon.

The ACM Awards, hosted by Keith Urban and Mickey Guyton, will air from various spots in Nashville on Sunday at 8 p.m. on CBS. The show will also stream on Paramount-plus.