The Academy of Country Music announced the host and nominations for the 53RD ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS™, Country Music’s Party of the Year®, honoring country music’s superstars and hottest emerging talent. Multimedia superstar and sixteen-time ACM Award® winner Reba McEntire will return to host LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 15, 2018 at 8:00 PM ET/PT on the CBS Television Network. This year’s show will mark Reba’s fifteenth time hosting the ceremony, last appearing in 2012 with Blake Shelton.
In addition to surprising audiences with the news that she will return to host, Reba appeared live yesterday (3/1) on “CBS This Morning” to announce this year’s ACM Award nominees for Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, Vocal Duo of the Year, and Vocal Group of the Year, as well as nominees for Song of the Year on Facebook LIVE. “Entertainment Tonight” host Nancy O’Dell announced additional nominees on ETonline.com.
The following is the full list of final nominees. The Academy of Country Music’s professional membership selects the nominees and winners of the Academy of Country Music Awards.
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
The 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: Volume 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: Anderson Fork In The Road Music (ASCAP), Atlas Music Publishing, Highly Combustible Music (ASCAP), I Love Pizza Music (ASCAP), Kobalt Music Group Ltd. (GMR), Kobalt Songs Music Publishing (ASCAP), Sam Hunt Publishing (ASCAP), Smack Hits (GMR), Smack Songs LLC (ASCAP), Smackville Music (ASCAP), Songs of Southside Independent Music Publishing (ASCAP), Universal Music Corp. (ASCAP), Who Wants To Buy My Publishing (ASCAP)
Female – Keith Urban
Songwriters: Ross Copperman, Nicolle Galyon and Shane McAnally
Publishers: A Girl Named Charlie (BMI), EMI Blackwood Music Inc. (BMI), Plain Jane Songs (BMI), Rezolant Music (BMI), Smack Hits (GMR), Smack Songs LLC (GMR), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI)
Tin Man – Miranda Lambert
Songwriters: Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert Jon Randall
Publishers:Beat Up Ford Publishing (BMI), BMG Platinum Songs (BMI), Lonesome Vinyl Music (BMI), Pink Dog Publishing (BMI), Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (BMI), SWMBMGBMI (BMI)
Whiskey And You – Chris Stapleton
Songwriters: Lee Thomas Miller, Chris Stapleton
Publishers: New Sea Gayle Music (ASCAP), Spirit of Nashville One (BMI), Spirit Two Nashville (ASCAP), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI), WM Music Corp. (ASCAP)
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
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