CMA Awards: Miranda Lambert, Luke Combs lead 2020 nominations
Miranda Lambert bet a “Wildcard” — and it’s paying off.
Lambert tops nominations for the 54th annual Country Music Association Awards, earning seven nods — including Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year — behind the snowballing success of her 2019 album “Wildcard” and chart-topping single “Bluebird.”
She’s now the most-nominated woman in CMA Awards history (Lambert already holds the title for winningest woman), with 55 solo acknowledgements since 2005. Fifty-time nominee Reba McEntire previously held the top female nominee slot.
Powerhouse hitmaker Luke Combs follows Lambert with six nominations, including his first entry into Entertainer of the Year — a trophy considered by many to be country music’s top prize.
Combs, wielding the record-shattering success of his first eight radio singles reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, also earns Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year and two Song of the Year nominations (one as a songwriter for Carly Pearce and Lee Brice’s hit duet “I Hope You’re Happy Now”).
CMA Awards 2020: Here is the full list of nominees
They’ll compete against Eric Church, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban for Entertainer of the Year; Urban competes as the only artist to previously hoist this top CMA honor, earning Entertainer of the Year in 2018. It marks the first time in two decades that more than one woman or all-female group earned a nomination in the same year, dating back to 2000 when The Chicks competed with Faith Hill.
Garth Brooks, a seven-time Entertainer of the Year winner, notably withdrew himself from the top prize in late July. He last won in 2019, polarizing country music listeners and pendants who believed it time for another artist — Church or Underwood, in particular — to take the award.
Maren Morris continues the crossover genre success of her single “The Bones” by earning five nominations; Dan + Shay and Carly Pearce follow with four each, respectively anchored by Justin Bieber collaboration “10,000 Hours” and aforementioned Brice duet “I Hope You’re Happy Now.”
Urban, Bieber and Ashley McBryde, defending New Artist of the Year, each scored three nominations. McBryde — behind the ace songwriting on her sophomore album, “Never Will” — earns a pair of first-time Female Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year nominations.
The 54th annual CMA Awards air Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. CST on ABC.
2020 CMA Awards nominees
Entertainer of the Year
- Eric Church
- Luke Combs
- Miranda Lambert
- Carrie Underwood
- Keith Urban
Single of the Year
- “10,000 Hours” – Dan + Shay (with Justin Bieber)
- Producer: Dan Smyers
- Mix Engineer: Jeff Juliano
- “Beer Never Broke My Heart” – Luke Combs
- Producer: Scott Moffatt
- Mix Engineer: Jim Cooley
- “Bluebird” – Miranda Lambert
- Producer: Jay Joyce
- Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
- “The Bones” – Maren Morris
- Producer: Greg Kurstin
- Mix Engineer: Greg Kurstin
- “I Hope” – Gabby Barrett
- Producers: Ross Copperman, Zach Kale
- Mix Engineer: Buckley Miller
Album of the Year
- Heartache Medication – Jon Pardi
- Producers: Bart Butler, Ryan Gore, Jon Pardi
- Never Will – Ashley McBryde
- Producers: Jay Joyce, John Peets
- Old Dominion – Old Dominion
- Producers: Shane McAnally, Old Dominion
- What You See Is What You Get – Luke Combs
- Producer: Scott Moffatt
- Wildcard – Miranda Lambert
- Producer: Jay Joyce
Song of the Year
- “Bluebird”
- Songwriters: Luke Dick, Natalie Hemby, Miranda Lambert
- “The Bones”
- Songwriters: Maren Morris, Jimmy Robbins, Laura Veltz
- “Even Though I'm Leaving”
- Songwriters: Luke Combs, Wyatt B. Durrette III, Ray Fulcher
- “I Hope You're Happy Now”
- Songwriters: Luke Combs, Randy Montana, Carly Pearce, Jonathan Singleton
- “More Hearts Than Mine”
- Songwriters: Ingrid Andress, Sam Ellis, Derrick Southerland
Female Vocalist of the Year
- Miranda Lambert
- Ashley McBryde
- Maren Morris
- Kacey Musgraves
- Carrie Underwood
Male Vocalist of the Year
- Eric Church
- Luke Combs
- Thomas Rhett
- Chris Stapleton
- Keith Urban
Vocal Group of the Year
- Lady A
- Little Big Town
- Midland
- Old Dominion
- Rascal Flatts
Vocal Duo of the Year
- Brooks & Dunn
- Brothers Osborne
- Dan + Shay
- Florida Georgia Line
- Maddie & Tae
Musical Event of the Year
- “10,000 Hours” – Dan + Shay (with Justin Bieber)
- Producer: Dan Smyers
- “Be A Light” – Thomas Rhett featuring Reba McEntire, Hillary Scott, Chris Tomlin, Keith Urban
- Producer: Dann Huff
- “The Bones” – Maren Morris with Hozier
- Producer: Greg Kurstin
- “Fooled Around And Fell In Love” – Miranda Lambert (feat. Maren Morris, Elle King, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes & Caylee Hammack)
- Producer: Jay Joyce
- “I Hope You're Happy Now” – Carly Pearce and Lee Brice
- Producer: busbee
Musician of the Year
- Jenee Fleenor, fiddle
- Paul Franklin, steel guitar
- Rob McNelley, guitar
- Ilya Toshinskiy, guitar
- Derek Wells, guitar
Music Video of the Year
- “10,000 Hours” – Dan + Shay (with Justin Bieber)
- Director: Patrick Tracy
- “Bluebird” – Miranda Lambert
- Director: Trey Fanjoy
- “Homemade” – Jake Owen
- Director: Justin Clough
- “I Hope You're Happy Now” – Carly Pearce and Lee Brice
- Director: Sam Siske
- “Second One To Know” – Chris Stapleton
- Director: David Coleman
New Artist of the Year
- Jimmie Allen
- Ingrid Andress
- Gabby Barrett
- Carly Pearce
- Morgan Wallen
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