2018 CMA Awards: Chris Stapleton leads nominations
Chris Stapleton’s country music halo is intact.
When nominations were announced for the 52nd Country Music Association Awards Tuesday morning, Stapleton came out on top with five nominations. The “Broken Halos” singer is up for Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year for “From A Room: Volume 2” and Single and Song of the Year for “Broken Halos.”
Fans can find out how many trophies Stapleton will take home when Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood host the 52nd CMA Awards, which will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena 7 p.m. Nov. 14 on ABC.
Stapleton has been a mainstay at the CMA Awards since having his breakout moment on the program in 2015. That year he took home four trophies and memorably dueted with Justin Timberlake on Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey” and Timberlake’s “Drink You Away.” In 2016, he picked up Male Vocalist of the Year and Music Video of the Year and he won Male Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year in 2017.
But Stapleton’s leading nominee status ahead of the 52nd CMA Awards doesn’t equal lackluster business as usual. The 2018 CMA nominations include an array of artists of varying career maturity and country twang that is largely reflective of current trends in contemporary country music.
Other leading nominees include Dan + Shay, Chris Janson, Midland, Thomas Rhett, Dierks Bentley, Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban and Florida Georgia Line – all of whom have three nominations each.
In addition to the nominations he received as part of Dan + Shay – Duo of the Year, Single of the Year for “Tequila” and Video of the Year for “Tequila,” – Dan Smyers of Dan + Shay also picked up Song of the Year and Producer nods for “Tequila,” enough mentions to unofficially tie him with Stapleton as most nominated.
Once again, solo female nominations lagged behind male nods, however Bebe Rexha’s duet with Florida Georgia Line “Meant to Be” and Miranda Lambert’s collaboration with Jason Aldean “Drowns the Whiskey” introduced females into the Single of the Year category. Song of the Year, an award that goes to the nominated song’s writers included one woman – Nicolle Galyon co-wrote “Tequila” with Smyers and Jordan Reynolds. Kacey Musgraves disrupted the male-dominated Album of the Year category with her “Golden Hour.” Lauren Alaina is the sole female in the New Artist of the Year. And Lambert, Rexha and Maren Morris are in Musical Event with their male counterparts.
Luke Bryan, Dan + Shay and Sugarland announced the nominations from Bryan’s Nashville restaurant Luke Bryan’s 32 Bridge on ABC’s “Good Morning America” Tuesday morning.
2018 CMA AWARDS NOMINATIONS
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Kenny Chesney
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
“Broken Halos” – Chris Stapleton
Producer(s): Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton
Mix Engineer(s): Vance Powell
“Drinkin’ Problem” – Midland
Producer(s): Dann Huff, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne
Mix Engineer(s): Justin Niebank
“Drowns the Whiskey” – Jason Aldean (Feat. Miranda Lambert)
Producer(s): Michael Knox
Mix Engineer(s): Jeff Braun
“Meant to Be” – Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line
Producer(s): Willshire
Mix Engineer(s): Serban Ghenea
“Tequila” – Dan + Shay
Producer(s): Scott Hendricks, Dan Smyers
Mix Engineer(s): Jeff Juliano
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Dierks Bentley
Luke Combs
Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Maren Morris
Kacey Musgraves
Carrie Underwood
VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Maddie & Tae
Sugarland
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Lauren Alaina
Luke Combs
Chris Janson
Midland
Brett Young
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
“From A Room: Volume 2” – Chris Stapleton
Producer(s): Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton
“Golden Hour” – Kacey Musgraves
Producer(s): Ian Fitchuk, Daniel Tashian, Kacey Musgraves
“Graffiti U” – Keith Urban
Producer(s): Keith Urban, Dan McCarroll, J.R. Rotem, Josh Kerr, Jason Evigan, Greg Wells, Benny Blanco, Ed Sheeran, Johnny McDaid, Jesse Shatkin, Jimmy Robbins, Oscar Holter, Matt Rad, Eric Valentine, Ian Kirkpatrick, Mike Elizondo, Captain Cuts, Ross Copperman, Dann Huff, Peter Karlsson
“Life Changes” – Thomas Rhett
Producer(s): Julian Bunetta, Jesse Frasure, Dann Huff, Joe London, Thomas Rhett
“The Mountain” – Dierks Bentley
Producer(s): Ross Copperman, Jon Randall Stewart, Arturo Buenahora Jr.
SONG OF THE YEAR
“Body Like A Back Road”
Songwriter(s): Zach Crowell, Sam Hunt, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne
“Broken Halos”
Songwriter(s): Mike Henderson, Chris Stapleton
“Drowns the Whiskey”
Songwriter(s): Brandon Kinney, Jeff Middleton, Josh Thompson
“Drunk Girl”
Songwriter(s): Scooter Carusoe, Tom Douglas, Chris Janson
“Tequila”
Songwriter(s): Nicolle Galyon, Jordan Reynolds, Dan Smyers
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Lady Antebellum
LANCO
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion
MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
“Burning Man” – Dierks Bentley Feat. Brothers Osborne
“Dear Hate” – Maren Morris (Feat. Vince Gill)
“Drowns the Whiskey” – Jason Aldean (Feat. Miranda Lambert)
“Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” – David Lee Murphy (with Kenny Chesney)
“Meant to Be” – Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line
MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Jerry Douglas (Dobro)
Paul Franklin (Steel Guitar)
Dann Huff (Guitar)
Mac McAnally (Guitar)
Derek Wells (Guitar)
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
“Babe” – Sugarland (featuring Taylor Swift)
Director(s): Anthony Mandler
“Cry Pretty” – Carrie Underwood
Director(s): Randee St. Nicholas
“Drunk Girl”– Chris Janson
Director(s): Jeff Venable
“Marry Me” – Thomas Rhett
Director(s): TK McKamy
“Tequila” – Dan + Shay
Director(s): Patrick Tracy