54th Annual ACM Awards Nominees: The Full List

Chris Stapleton, Dan + Shay, and Kacey Musgraves lead the nominees for the upcoming 54th Academy of Country Music Awards, to be held Sunday, April 7 in Las Vegas.

Reigning Male Artist of the Year, Chris Stapleton received six nominations in four categories, including his second nod for Entertainer of the Year. Stapleton is also nominated twice, as both artist and producer, for his album From A Room: Volume 2 in the Album of the Year category, which he won last year for From A Room: Volume 1. Additionally, he is nominated for Song of the Year twice, as both artist and songwriter, for “Broken Halos.” Lastly, Stapleton is nominated for Male Artist of the Year.

Dan + Shay earned six nominations, including their sixth nod for Duo of the Year. They received nominations in the Single of the Year, Song of the Year and Video of the Year categories for “Tequila.” Dan + Shay are also nominated for Album of the Year for Dan + Shay, and Music Event of the Year for “Keeping Score” (featuring Kelly Clarkson). Additionally, Dan Smyers received 3 individual nominations as a producer in the Album of the Year, Single of the Year and Music Event of the Year categories. He also received an individual nomination as a writer in the Song of the Year category for “Tequila.”

Kacey Musgraves earned five nominations in three categories, including a nod for Female Artist of the Year. Additionally, she is nominated in the Album of the Year Category twice, as both artist and producer, for Golden Hour, as well as in the Song of the Year category twice, as both artist and songwriter, for “Space Cowboy.” Musgraves most recently won in 2016 in the Video of the Year category for “Forever Country” and previously won in the Album of the Year category in 2013 for Same Trailer Different Park.

Earning four nominations each are Dierks Bentley, Brothers Osborne, Florida Georgia Line and Bebe Rexha.

Ian Fitchuk, a first-time nominee this year, picked up six nominations including a nod for Album of the Year with Kacey Musgraves as a producer for Golden Hour. Fitchuk also received five nominations across Studio Recording Award categories, including Bass Player of the Year, Drummer of the Year, Piano/Keyboards Player of the Year, Specialty Instrument(s) Player of the Year and Producer of the Year.

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
• Jason Aldean
• Luke Bryan
• Kenny Chesney
• Chris Stapleton
• Keith Urban

FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
• Miranda Lambert
• Ashley McBryde
• Maren Morris
• Kacey Musgraves
• Carrie Underwood

MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
• Dierks Bentley
• Luke Combs
• Thomas Rhett
• Chris Stapleton
• Keith Urban

DUO OF THE YEAR
• Brothers Osborne
• Dan + Shay
• Florida Georgia Line
• LOCASH
• Maddie & Tae

GROUP OF THE YEAR
• Lady Antebellum
• LANCO
• Little Big Town
• Midland
• Old Dominion

NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
• Danielle Bradbery
• Lindsay Ell
• Ashley McBryde
• Carly Pearce

NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
• Jimmie Allen
• Luke Combs
• Jordan Davis
• Michael Ray
• Mitchell Tenpenny

NEW DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
• High Valley
• LANCO
• Runaway June

ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
• Dan + Shay – Dan + Shay
Producers: Scott Hendricks / Dan Smyers / Matt Dragstrem
Record Label: Warner Music Nashville

• Desperate Man – Eric Church
Producers: Jay Joyce / Arturo Buenahora Jr.
Record Label: EMI Records Nashville

• From A Room: Volume 2 – Chris Stapleton
Producers: Dave Cobb / Chris Stapleton
Record Label: Mercury Nashville

• Golden Hour – Kacey Musgraves
Producers: Ian Fitchuk / Daniel Tashian / Kacey Musgraves
Record Label: MCA Nashville

• The Mountain – Dierks Bentley
Producers: Ross Copperman / Jon Randall Stewart / Arturo Buenahora Jr.
Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville

SINGLE OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
• Down to the Honky Tonk – Jake Owen
Producer: Joey Moi
Record Label: Big Loud Records

• Heaven – Kane Brown
Producer: Dann Huff / Polow Da Don
Record Label: RCA Nashville

• Meant To Be – Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
Producer: Wilshire for Rock The Soul Ent
Record Label: Warner Bros. Records

• Most People Are Good – Luke Bryan
Producers: Jeff Stevens / Jody Stevens
Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville

• Tequila – Dan + Shay
Producers: Scott Hendricks / Dan Smyers
Record Label: Warner Music Nashville

SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
• Break Up In The End – Cole Swindell
Writers: Jessie Jo Dillon / Chase McGill / Jon Nite
Publishers: EMI April Music Inc. / Nite Writer Music (ASCAP) / Songs of Universal, Inc. / Plum Nelly (BMI) / Big Music Machine (BMI)/ Big Ass Pile Of Dimes Music (BMI)

• Broken Halos – Chris Stapleton
Writers: Mike Henderson / Chris Stapleton
Publishers: WB Music Corp./House of Sea Gayle Music, admin. by ClearBox Rights/Spirit Catalog Holdings, S.a.r.l. admin. by Spirit Two Nashville (ASCAP); Straight Six Music (BMI)

• Meant To Be – Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
Writers: David Garcia / Tyler Hubbard / Joshua Miller / Bebe Rexha
Publishers: BMG Platinum Songs/Kiss Me If You Can Music (BMI) (all rights administered by BMG Rights Management (US) LLC) Big Loud Mountain (BMI) and T Hubb Publishing (BMI). All Rights Administered by Round Hill Works. Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. on behalf of itself and Songs of the Corn and Jack 10 Publishing. Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Publishing (ASCAP) D Soul Music (ASCAP) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com)

• Space Cowboy – Kacey Musgraves
Writers: Luke Laird / Shane McAnally / Kacey Musgraves
Publishers: Smack Hits/Smack Songs, admin by Kobalt Music Group ltd. (GMR)/Universal Music Works/We Are Creative NBaSmack Hits/Smack Songs, LLC, admin. by Kobalt Music Group Ltd. (GMR); Universal Music Works/We Are Creative Nation/Jake and Mack Music, admin. by Universal Music Works; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp./351 Music (BMI).

• Tequila – Dan + Shay
Writers: Nicolle Galyon / Jordan Reynolds / Dan Smyers
Publishers: Beats and Banjos (ASCAP)/ WB Music Corp. (ASCAP)/A Girl Named Charlie (BMI) / Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI) / Buckeye26 (ASCAP) / Jreynmusic (ASCAP)

• Yours – Russell Dickerson
Writers: Casey Brown / Russell Dickerson / Parker Welling
Publishers: BMG Platinum Songs/Kailey’s Dream / So Essential Tunes / Not Just Another Song Publishing / Hillbilly Science and Research Publishing/Trailerlily Music

VIDEO OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
• Babe – Sugarland featuring Taylor Swift
Producer: Roger Hunt
Director: Anthony Mandler

• Burn Out – Midland
Producer: Ben Skipworth
Director: TK McKamy / Cameron Duddy

• Burning Man – Dierks Bentley featuring Brothers Osborne
Producer: Nate Eggert
Director: Wes Edwards

• Drunk Girl – Chris Janson
Producer: Ben Skipworth
Director: Jeff Venable

• Shoot Me Straight – Brothers Osborne
Producer: April Kimbrell
Director: Wes Edwards / Ryan Silver

• Tequila – Dan + Shay
Producer: Christen Pinkston
Director: Patrick Tracy

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR*(Off Camera Award)
• Ross Copperman
• Ashley Gorley
• Shane McAnally
• Chase McGill
• Josh Osborne

MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
• Burning Man – Dierks Bentley featuring Brothers Osborne
Producers: Ross Copperman / Jon Randall Stewart / Arturo Buenahora Jr.
Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville

• Drowns the Whiskey – Jason Aldean featuring Miranda Lambert
Producer: Michael Knox
Record Labels: Macon Music, LLC; Broken Bow Records; BBR Music Group; BMG

• Everything’s Gonna Be Alright – David Lee Murphy featuring Kenny Chesney
Producers: Buddy Cannon / Kenny Chesney / David Lee Murphy
Record Label: Reviver Records

• Keeping Score – Dan + Shay featuring Kelly Clarkson
Producers: Scott Hendricks / Dan Smyers
Record Label: Warner Music Nashville

• Meant To Be – Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
Producer: Wilshire for Rock The Soul Ent
Record Label: Warner Bros. Records

INDUSTRY AWARDS:
CASINO OF THE YEAR – SMALL CAPACITY
• Choctaw Casino & Resort – Durant, OK
• Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort – Cherokee, NC
• The Joint: Tulsa – Tulsa, OK
• Peppermill Reno – Reno, NV
• Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort – Mt. Pleasant, MI

CASINO OF THE YEAR – LARGE CAPACITY
• Casino Rama – Orillia, ON
• Grand Casino Hinckley – Hinckley, MN
• Mohegan Sun Arena – Uncasville, CT
• Sandia Casino Amphitheater – Albuquerque, NM
• WinStar Global Event Center – Thackerville, OK

FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR
• Boots & Hearts – Oro-Medonte, ON
• Faster Horses – Brooklyn, MI
• Stagecoach – Indio, CA
• Tortuga Music Festival – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
• Windy City Smokeout – Chicago, IL

NIGHTCLUB OF THE YEAR
• Dusty Armadillo – Rootstown, OH
• Grizzly Rose – Denver, CO
• Joe’s on Weed St – Chicago, IL
• Joe’s Live – Rosemont, IL
• Stoney’s Rockin’ Country – Las Vegas, NV

VENUE OF THE YEAR – SMALL CAPACITY
• House of Blues – Anaheim, CA
• House of Blues – Boston, MA
• Floore’s – Helotes, TX
• Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN
• Surf Ballroom – Clear Lake, IA

VENUE OF THE YEAR – MEDIUM CAPACITY
• Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO
• Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion – Gilford, NH
• Ascend Amphitheater – Nashville, TN
• The Wharf Amphitheater – Orange Beach, AL
• The Anthem – Washington, DC

VENUE OF THE YEAR – LARGE CAPACITY
• Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN
• BOK Center – Tulsa, OK
• Budweiser Stage – Toronto, ON
• PNC Bank Arts Center – Holmdel, NJ
• Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center – Noblesville, IN

DON ROMEO TALENT BUYER OF THE YEAR
• Todd Boltin – Variety Attractions
• Billy Brill – Billy Alan Productions
• Gil Cunningham – Neste Event Marketing
• Kell Houston – Houston Productions
• Nicole More – Wilson Events, Inc.

PROMOTER OF THE YEAR
• Brent Fedrizzi – AEG Presents
• Stacy Vee – Goldenvoice
• Ed Warm – Joe’s Bar
• Adam Weiser – AEG Presents
• Jason Wright – Live Nation

STUDIO RECORDING AWARDS:
BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
• Mike Brignardello
• JT Cure
• Ian Fitchuk
• Tony Lucido
• Glenn Worf

DRUMMER OF THE YEAR
• Matt Chamberlain
• Ian Fitchuk
• Evan Hutchings
• Aaron Sterling
• Nir Z

GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
• Tom Bukovac
• Jedd Hughes
• Danny Rader
• Adam Shoenfeld
• Ilya Toshinsky
• Derek Wells

PIANO/KEYBOARDS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
• Dave Cohen
• David Dorn
• Ian Fitchuk
• Tony Harrell
• Charlie Judge
• Gordon Mote

SPECIALTY INSTRUMENT(S) PLAYER OF THE YEAR
• Ian Fitchuk
• Jenee Fleenor
• Carl Miner
• Mickey Raphael
• Ilya Toshinsky

STEEL GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
• Dan Dugmore
• Steve Hinson
• Mike Johnson
• Russ Pahl
• Justin Schipper

AUDIO ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
• Craig Alvin
• Ryan Gore
• Jeff Juliano
• Vance Powell
• F Reid Shippen

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
• Buddy Cannon
• Ian Fitchuk
• Dann Huff
• Jay Joyce
• Michael Knox

[fbcomments count="off" num="3" countmsg="Comments" width="100%"]
Follow MusicRow on Twitter

Tags:

Category: Artist, Awards, Featured

About the Author

Jessica Nicholson serves as the Managing Editor for MusicRow magazine. Her previous music journalism experience includes work with Country Weekly magazine and Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) magazine. She holds a BBA degree in Music Business and Marketing from Belmont University. She welcomes your feedback at jnicholson@musicrow.com.

View Author Profile