cmas 2016

Chris Stapleton, Eric Church, and Maren Morris Dominate the 2016 CMA Awards Nominations

Congrats! Photo: Getty Images

The Country Music Association has announced the nominees for the 2016 CMA Awards (a.k.a. the Grammys of country music) and it’s a mixed bag of familiar and new faces. Just one year after stealing the show in his CMAs debut, Chris Stapleton, Eric Church, and newcomer Maren Morris (who could be the breakout star of this year’s CMAs) lead the nominations with five apiece. But in a twist, only Stapleton is up for Entertainer of the Year, along with last year’s winner Luke Bryan, Garth Brooks, Carrie Underwood, and Keith Urban. (Church had been nominated for the CMAs’s highest award last year.) For Album of the Year, Church’s surprise album Mr. Misunderstood — teased at last year’s CMAs and dropped the following day —   will go up against releases from Morris, Underwood, Urban, and Dierks Bentley. Underwood and Brad Paisley will once again co-host the CMAs, which celebrates its 50th anniversary on November 2 on ABC.

Read the full list of nominees below.

Entertainer of the Year
Garth Brooks
Luke Bryan
Chris Stapleton
Carrie Underwood
Keith Urban

Album of the Year
Hero, Maren Morris
Mr. Misunderstood, Eric Church
Storyteller, Carrie Underwood
Black, Dierks Bentley
Ripcord, Keith Urban

Single of the Year
“Die a Happy Man,” Thomas Rhett
“Humble and Kind,” Tim McGraw
“My Church,” Maren Morris
“Nobody to Blame,” Chris Stapleton
“Record Year,” Eric Church

Song of the Year
“Die a Happy Man,” Thomas Rhett
“Humble and Kind,” Tim McGraw
“My Church,” Maren Morris
“Record Year,” Eric Church
“Burning House,” Cam

Female Vocalist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Maren Morris
Kacey Musgraves
Carrie Underwood

Male Vocalist of the Year
Eric Church
Tim McGraw
Chris Stapleton
Dierks Bentley
Keith Urban

Vocal Group of the Year
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Old Dominion
Rascal Flatts
Zac Brown Band

Vocal Duo of the Year
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Joey + Rory
Maddie & Tae

New Artist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Brothers Osborne
Maren Morris
Old Dominion
Cole Swindell

Musical Event of the Year
“Different for Girls,” Dierks Bentley feat. Elle King
“Home Alone Tonight,” Luke Bryan feat. Karen Fairchild
“The Fighter,” Keith Urban feat. Carrie Underwood
“Think of You,” Chris Young with Cassadee Pope
“You Are My Sunshine,” Morgane Stapleton with Chris Stapleton

Music Video of the Year
“Fire Away,” Chris Stapleton
“Humble and Kind,” Tim McGraw
“Record Year,” Eric Church
“Somewhere on a Beach,” Dierks Bentley
“Burning House,” Cam

Musician of the Year
Jerry Douglas
Paul Franklin
Dann Huff
Brent Mason
Derek Wells

Here Are Your 2016 CMA Awards Nominees