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September 10, 2021

SONY MUSIC NASHVILLE EARNS 20 CMA NOMINATIONS

Sony Music Nashville has earned 20 overall nominations for “The 55th Annual CMA Awards.”

Kane Brown, Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris, and Chris Young each earned three nominations; Ryan Hurd received two; and Brooks & Dunn, Elle King, and Old Dominion each notched one.

Brown earned his first-ever CMA nominations this year as he and Chris Young are up for Single, Musical Event, and Music Video of the Year for their multi-week, No. 1 collaboration “Famous Friends.” 

Combs earns his fourth nominations for Male Vocalist of the Year and Song of the Year (six-week No. 1 “Forever After All”). He’s won the former trophy for two consecutive years and previously took home the latter in 2019 (“Beautiful Crazy”).

Lambert, the most nominated female artist now ties Brad Paisley as third most nominated artist overall in CMA history. She earned her fifth nod for Entertainer of the Year, 15th consecutive nomination for Female Vocalist of the Year – which she has won seven times – and eighth nomination for Musical Event of the Year (“Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)” with Elle King), a category she previously won in 2014 (“We Were Us” with Keith Urban).

Reigning Female Vocalist of the Year Morris earned her sixth nomination in that category and in Musical Event of the Year for “Chasing After You,” her collaboration with husband Ryan Hurd. “Chasing After You” is also nominated for Music Video of the Year, as Hurd earns his first nominations ever for the Top 20 hit.

Brooks & Dunn earned their 22nd Vocal Duo of the Year nomination, a category they have swept 14 times.

Elle King is nominated for her second Musical Event of the Year trophy for “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)” with Lambert, a category she previously won for “Different for Girls” with Dierks Bentley. 

Old Dominion earned their sixth consecutive Vocal Group of the Year nomination, which they have won the past three years.

“The 55th Annual CMA Awards” airs live from Nashville Wednesday, Nov. 10 on ABC. 
  “THE 55th ANNUAL CMA AWARDS” – FINAL NOMINEES (by ballot category order):    
 
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

•    Eric Church  
•    Luke Combs   
•    Miranda Lambert    

•    Chris Stapleton  
•    Carrie Underwood   

SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artist(s), Producer(s) and Mix Engineer(s)  
•    “Famous Friends” – Chris Young with Kane Brown  
Producers: Corey Crowder, Chris Young  
Mix Engineer: Sean Moffitt 

•    “The Good Ones” – Gabby Barrett  
Producers: Ross Copperman, Zach Kale  
Mix Engineers: Chris Galland, Manny Marroquin 
•    “Hell Of A View” – Eric Church  
Producer: Jay Joyce  
Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce   
•    “One Night Standards” – Ashley McBryde  
Producer: Jay Joyce  
Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce   
•    “Starting Over” – Chris Stapleton 
Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton  
Mix Engineer: Vance Powell 

ALBUM OF THE YEAR  
Award goes to Artist(s), Producer(s) and Mix Engineer(s) 

•    29 – Carly Pearce 
Producers: Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne and Jimmy Robbins  
Mix Engineer: Ryan Gore  
•    Dangerous: The Double Album – Morgan Wallen  
Producers: Dave Cohen, Matt Dragstrem, Jacob Durrett, Charlie Handsome and Joey Moi  
Mix Engineer: Joey Moi  
•    Heart – Eric Church  
Producer: Jay Joyce 
Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce 
•    Skeletons – Brothers Osborne  
Producer: Jay Joyce  
Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce 
•    Starting Over – Chris Stapleton  
Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton  
Mix Engineer: Vance Powell 

SONG OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Songwriter(s)  
•    “Forever After All”   

Songwriters: Luke Combs, Drew Parker, Robert Williford  
•    “The Good Ones”   
Songwriters: Gabby Barrett, Zach Kale, Emily Landis, Jim McCormick 
•    “Hell Of A View”   
Songwriters: Casey Beathard, Eric Church, Monty Criswell  
•    “One Night Standards”   
Songwriters: Nicolette Hayford, Shane McAnally, Ashley McBryde 
•    “Starting Over”   
Songwriters: Mike Henderson, Chris Stapleton  

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR   
•    Gabby Barrett 
•    Miranda Lambert    
•    Ashley McBryde   
•    Maren Morris   
•    Carly Pearce  

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR 
•    Dierks Bentley 
•    Eric Church    
•    Luke Combs   
•    Thomas Rhett   
•    Chris Stapleton   

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
•    Lady A  
•    Little Big Town   
•    Midland   
•    Old Dominion    
•    Zac Brown Band 

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
•    Brooks & Dunn   

•    Brothers Osborne   
•    Dan + Shay    
•    Florida Georgia Line   
•    Maddie & Tae 

MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artist(s) and Producer(s)  

•    “Buy Dirt” – Jordan Davis and Luke Bryan  
Producer: Paul DiGiovanni  
•    “Chasing After You” – Ryan Hurd with Maren Morris  
Producers: Aaron Eshuis, Teddy Reimer 
•    “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)” – Elle King & Miranda Lambert  
Producer: Martin Johnson  
•    “Famous Friends” – Chris Young with Kane Brown  
Producers: Corey Crowder, Chris Young 

•    “half of my hometown” – Kelsea Ballerini (featuring Kenny Chesney)  
Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Ross Copperman, Jimmy Robbins 

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
•    Jenee Fleenor, Fiddle  
•    Paul Franklin, Steel Guitar  
•    Aaron Sterling, Drums  
•    Ilya Toshinskiy, Banjo  
•    Derek Wells, Guitar  

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR   
Award goes to Artist(s) and Director(s)  
•    “Chasing After You” – Ryan Hurd with Maren Morris 
Director: TK McKamy  
•    “Famous Friends” – Chris Young with Kane Brown  
Director: Peter Zavadil  

•    “Gone” – Dierks Bentley 
Directors: Wes Edwards, Travis Nicholson, Ed Pryor, Running Bear, Sam Siske 
•    “half of my hometown” – Kelsea Ballerini (featuring Kenny Chesney)  
Director: Patrick Tracy  
•    “Younger Me” – Brothers Osborne  
Director: Reid Long  

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR  
•    Jimmie Allen  
•    Ingrid Andress   
•    Gabby Barrett   
•    Mickey Guyton 
•    HARDY