As a media darling and artist’s artist, breakthrough country singer-songwriter Kacey Musgraves is certain to have a lasting presence at awards shows.
She made waves on the nominations list for this past spring’s Academy of Country Music Awards, and she does the same on the newly-announced ballot for the upcoming 47th Annual Country Music Association Awards.
Musgraves ties music superstar Taylor Swift with a ceremony-best six nominations for the CMAs, which air this November on ABC. And though she does not join the latter in the coveted Entertainer of the Year category, she is up for votes in several key categories, including Single of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year.
While Swift matches Musgraves’ nomination count, it is worth noting that three of her nominations–Single of the Year, Musical Event of the Year and Music Video of the Year–are for her collaboration with Keith Urban and Tim McGraw on McGraw’s “Highway Don’t Care.” Of Musgraves’ six nominations, only one–Song of the Year for her co-write on Miranda Lambert’s “Mama’s Broken Heart”–fits a similar bill (and Musgraves also has a nomination in that category for her own “Merry Go Round”).
ABC issued the nominations list Tuesday:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Blake Shelton
George Strait
Taylor Swift
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to Artist and Producer(s))
“Cruise”
Florida Georgia Line
Produced by Joey Moi
Republic Nashville
“Highway Don’t Care”
Tim McGraw with Taylor Swift and Keith Urban
Produced by Byron Gallimore and Tim McGraw
Big Machine Records
“Mama’s Broken Heart”
Miranda Lambert
Produced by Frank Liddell, Glenn Worf, and Chuck Ainlay
RCA Nashville
“Merry Go ‘Round”
Kacey Musgraves
Produced by Luke Laird, Shane McAnally, and Kacey Musgraves
Mercury Records
“Wagon Wheel”
Darius Rucker
Produced by Frank Rogers
Capitol Records NASHVILLE
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to Artist and Producer(s))
“Based on a True Story”
Blake Shelton
Produced by Scott Hendricks
Warner Bros. Records
“Blown Away”
Carrie Underwood
Produced by Mark Bright
19 Recordings/Arista NASHVILLE
“Red”
Taylor Swift
Produced by Jeff Bhasker, Scott Borchetta, Nathan Chapman, Dann Huff, Jacknife Lee, Max Martin, Shellback, Taylor Swift, Butch Walker, and Dan Wilson
Big Machine Records
“Same Trailer Different Park”
Kacey Musgraves
Produced by Luke Laird, Shane McAnally, and Kacey Musgraves
Mercury Records
“Tornado”
Little Big Town
Produced by Jay Joyce
Capitol Records NASHVILLE
SONG OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to Songwriter(s))
“I Drive Your Truck”
Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington, and Jimmy Yeary
“Mama’s Broken Heart”
Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally, and Kacey Musgraves
“Merry Go ‘Round”
Kacey Musgraves, Josh Osborne, and Shane McAnally
“Pontoon”
Natalie Hemby, Luke Laird, and Barry Dean
“Wagon Wheel”
Bob Dylan and Ketch Secor
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Kelly Clarkson
Miranda Lambert
Kacey Musgraves
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Eric Church
Blake Shelton
Keith Urban
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Eli Young Band
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
The Band Perry
Zac Brown Band
VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Big & Rich
Florida Georgia Line
Love and Theft
Sugarland
The Civil Wars
Thompson Square
MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to each artist)
“Boys ‘Round Here”
Blake Shelton (featuring Pistol Annies)
Warner Bros. Records
“Cruise”
Florida Georgia Line (with Nelly)
Republic NASHVILLE
“Don’t Rush”
Kelly Clarkson (featuring Vince Gill)
19 Recordings/RCA NASHVILLE
“Highway Don’t Care”
Tim McGraw (with Taylor Swift and Keith Urban)
Big Machine Records
“The Only Way I Know”
Jason Aldean with Luke Bryan and Eric Church
Broken Bow Records
MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Sam Bush (Mandolin)
Paul Franklin (Steel Guitar)
Dann Huff (Guitar)
Brent Mason (Guitar)
Mac McAnally (Guitar)
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
“Blown Away”
Carrie Underwood
Directed by Randee St. Nicholas
“Boys ‘Round Here”
Blake Shelton featuring Pistol Annies
Directed by Trey Fanjoy
“Downtown”
Lady Antebellum
Directed by Peter Zavadil
“Highway Don’t Care”
Tim McGraw with Taylor Swift and Keith Urban
Directed by Shane Drake
“Mama’s Broken Heart”
Miranda Lambert
Directed by Trey Fanjoy
“Tornado”
Little Big Town
Directed by Shane Drake
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Lee Brice
Brett Eldredge
Florida Georgia Line
Kip Moore
Kacey Musgraves
