Just Announced: Full List of 2021 CMA Nominees

The 2021 CMA Awards nominees reflect a momentous year in country music. In the face of unimaginable adversity, country artists stepped in to continue delivering music to their listeners from a distance. This required hours of Zoom writing sessions and socially distanced rounds where writers and artists leaned into the weight of a pandemic-stricken world, tackling tough subjects and lightening heavy hearts with uplifting lyrics.

On November 10, The Country Music Association will host its 55th Annual Award Show, revealing the winners from the categories outlined below. The nominations include the anticipated “heavy-hitters” of the industry like Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Eric Church, and Carrie Underwood. Chris Stapleton’s Starting Over and Church’s Heart & Soul proved a major genre event with five nominations for each artist in the same categories. Combs, alongside Brothers Osborne, Ashley McBryde, Kane Brown, and Maren Morris, comes in close behind with three nominations apiece.

But beyond the “big names,” the list also emphasizing the significant contributions from breakthrough acts like Carly Pearce—whose latest EP, 29 is up for ‘Album of the Year’— and ‘Female Vocalist of the Year’ nominee Mickey Guyton. Another newcomer Gabby Barret rises to the ranks of Church and Stapleton, earning nominations for ‘Female Vocalist of the Year’ and ‘New Artist of the Year.’ Her hit song “The Good Ones”— produced by Ross Copperman and Zach Kale, and mixed by Chris Galland and Manny Marroquin—is up for ‘Single of the Year.’

The 55th Annual CMA Awards will air live from Nashville Wednesday, November 10 on ABC.

2021 Nominees:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

Eric Church

Luke Combs

Miranda Lambert

Chris Stapleton

Carrie Underwood

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Gabby Barrett

Miranda Lambert

Ashley McBryde

Maren Morris

Carly Pearce

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Dierks Bentley

Eric Church

Luke Combs

Thomas Rhett

Chris Stapleton

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

Lady A

Little Big Town

Midland

Old Dominion

Zac Brown Band

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR

Brooks & Dunn

Brothers Osborne

Dan + Shay

Florida Georgia Line

Maddie & Tae

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Jimmie Allen

Ingrid Andress

Gabby Barrett

Mickey Guyton

HARDY

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR

Jenee Fleenor – Fiddle

Paul Franklin – Steel Guitar

Aaron Sterling – Drums

Ilya Toshinskiy – Banjo

Derek Wells – Guitar

ALBUM OF THE YEAR Award goes to Artist, Producer(s), and Mix Engineer(s)

29 | Carly Pearce | Big Machine Records

Producers: Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne and Jimmy Robbins

Mix Engineer: Ryan Gore

Dangerous: The Double Album | Morgan Wallen | Big Loud Records / Republic Records

Producers: Dave Cohen, Matt Dragstrem, Jacob Durrett, Charlie Handsome and Joey Moi

Mix Engineer: Joey Moi

Heart | Eric Church | EMI Records Nashville / Universal Music Group Nashville

Producer: Jay Joyce

Mix Engineers: Jason Hall and Jay Joyce

Skeletons | Brothers Osborne | EMI Records Nashville / Universal Music Group Nashville

Producer: Jay Joyce

Mix Engineers: Jason Hall and Jay Joyce

Starting Over | Chris Stapleton | Mercury Nashville / Universal Music Group Nashville

Producers: Dave Cobb and Chris Stapleton

Mix Engineer: Vance Powell

SINGLE OF THE YEAR Award goes to Artist(s), Producer(s) and Mix Engineer(s)

“Famous Friends” | Chris Young with Kane Brown | RCA Nashville

Producers: Corey Crowder and Chris Young

Mix Engineer: Sean Moffitt

“The Good Ones” | Gabby Barrett | Warner Music Nashville

Producers: Ross Copperman and Zach Kale

Mix Engineers: Chris Galland and Manny Marroquin

“Hell Of A View” | Eric Church | EMI Records Nashville / Universal Music Group Nashville

Producer: Jay Joyce

Mix Engineers: Jason Hall and Jay Joyce

“One Night Standards” | Ashley McBryde | Warner Music Nashville

Producer: Jay Joyce

Mix Engineers: Jason Hall and Jay Joyce

“Starting Over” | Chris Stapleton | Mercury Nashville / Universal Music Group Nashville

Producers: Dave Cobb and Chris Stapleton

Mix Engineer: Vance Powell

SONG OF THE YEAR Award goes to Songwriter(s)

“Forever After All”

Luke Combs, Drew Parker, Robert Williford

“The Good Ones”

Gabby Barrett, Zach Kale, Emily Landis, Jim McCormick

“Hell Of A View”

Casey Beathard, Eric Church, Monty Criswell

“One Night Standards”

Nicolette Hayford, Shane McAnally, Ashley McBryde

“Starting Over”

Mike Henderson, Chris Stapleton

MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR Award goes to Artist(s) and Producer(s)

“Buy Dirt” | Jordan Davis and Luke Bryan | MCA Nashville / Universal Music Group Nashville

Producer: Paul DiGiovanni

“Chasing After You” | Ryan Hurd with Maren Morris | Arista Nashville

Producers: Aaron Eshuis and Teddy Reimer

“Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)” | Elle King & Miranda Lambert | RCA Records / Columbia Nashville

Producer: Martin Johnson

“Famous Friends” | Chris Young with Kane Brown | RCA Nashville

Producers: Corey Crowder and Chris Young

“half of my hometown” | Kelsea Ballerini (featuring Kenny Chesney) | Black River Entertainment

Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Ross Copperman and Jimmy Robbins

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR Award goes to Artist(s) and Director(s)

“Chasing After You” | Ryan Hurd with Maren Morris

Director: TK McKamy

“Famous Friends” | Chris Young with Kane Brown

Director: Peter Zavadil

“Gone” | Dierks Bentley

Directors: Wes Edwards, Travis Nicholson, Ed Pryor, Running Bear and Sam Siske

“half of my hometown” | Kelsea Ballerini (featuring Kenny Chesney)

Director: Patrick Tracy

“Younger Me” | Brothers Osborne

Director: Reid Long