This year’s 55th ACM Awards will be hosted on Sunday April 4th 2020 by Keith Urban.
Announced this week, the nominees for the 2020 ACM Awards are in. The nominees were announced Thursday morning with Maren Morris, Thomas Rhett and Producer Dann Huff each receiving five nominations. Reigning Duo of the Year Dan + Shay earned four nominations. ACM Award-winning producer busbee was posthumously nominated for two awards. Urban who has won 15 ACM Awards in his time, will host the awards for the first time this year.
Entertainer of the Year
Luke Bryan
Eric Church
Luke Combs
Thomas Rhett
Carrie Underwood
Yet another EOTY category where women are under-represented. We hope Carrie finally wins this one and gets what she deserves after that CMA snub. Still, this category has definitely been shaken up with 4/5 of the nominees not selected in 2019, and two (Combs and Rhett have never been nominated before).
Prediction: Luke Combs
Female Artist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Maren Morris
Kacey Musgraves
Carrie Underwood
This is such a stacked category, yet there is one artist that was clearly snubbed, having won her first Grammys this year – Tanya Tucker. Still, we can’t think of any of these women we want removed from this list to give her space, so we’re going to let that one slide…
Prediction: Miranda Lambert
Male Artist of the Year
Dierks Bentley
Luke Combs
Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban
There’s a few notable names snubbed from this list – including Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean, yet this trio have been so heavily awarded in the past, it seems time to give the awards on to new nominees, still we would have loved to see Kane Brown on this list…
Prediction: Luke Combs
Duo of the Year
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Maddie and Tae
It’s been one hell of a year for all of these nominees, yet it feels like Dan & Shay have entered new territory with their latest record and collaboration with Justin Bieber.
Prediction: Dan + Shay
Group of the Year
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion
The Highwomen
We are loving the fact that The Highwomen made their way onto their list. What we’re not loving? That Runaway June didn’t. It’s been a huge year for all of the bands on this list, releasing new records, tours and babies, still there’s one group we’re putting our money behind in shaking up the country landscape…
Prediction: The Highwomen
New Female Artist of the Year
Ingrid Andress
Gabby Barrett
Lindsay Ell
Caylee Hammack
Tenille Townes
When you look at this list, it seems incredible that country radio are still not supporting women. This list is full of the future of Nashville in powerful songwriting, vocals and vision, and if we’re honest, we want them all to win.
Prediction: Caylee Hammack
New Male Artist of the Year
Jordan Davis
Russell Dickerson
Riley Green
Cody Johnson
Morgan Wallen
This is another stacked list, and another it’s hard to differentiate one name from. We’d have loved to have seen Mitchell Tenpenny make this list..
Prediction: Morgan Wallen
Album of the Year
Center Point Road – Thomas Rhett
Girl – Maren Morris
Heartache Medication – Jon Pardi
What You See Is What You Get – Luke Combs
Wildcard – Miranda Lambert
Dare we say it? We wish that Thomas Rhett’s record had been replaced by Lady Antebellum’s on this list, which feels like a notable snub to a body of work that we believed was so strong.
Prediction: Girl – Maren Morris
Single of the Year
“God’s Country” – Blake Shelton
“One Man Band” – Old Dominion
“Rainbow” – Kacey Musgraves
“Rumor” – Lee Brice
“What If I Never Get Over You” – Lady Antebellum
Luke Combs’ material feels notably absent from this list, with the huge success of songs like ‘Beer Never Broke My Heart,’ colour us shocked. Still, there was one song that really hit home this year…
Prediction: “What If I Never Get Over You” – Lady Antebellum
Song of the Year
“10,000 Hours” – Dan + Shay feat. Justin Bieber
“Girl Goin’ Nowhere” – Ashley McBryde
“God’s Country” – Blake Shelton
“One Man Band” – Old Dominion
“Some of It” – Eric Church
Again, we’re shocked at the Luke Combs’ snubs, but there was one song that stood out at the CMAs and continues to stand out here.
Prediction: “God’s Country” – Blake Shelton
Video of the Year
“10,000 Hours” – Dan + Shay feat. Justin Bieber
“God’s Country – Blake Shelton
“One Man Band” – Old Dominion
“Remember You Young” – Thomas Rhett
“Sugarcoat” – Little Big Town
No words, just give the video a watch…
Prediction: “Remember You Young” – Thomas Rhett
Songwriter of the Year
Ashley Gorley
Michael Hardy
Hillary Lindsey
Shane McAnally
Josh Osborne
We’re shocked that Nicole Gallyon did not make the cut for this list, and we’re waiting for the day when Josh Kerr does.
Prediction: Ashley Gorley
Music Event of the Year
“10,000 Hours” – Dan + Shay feat. Justin Bieber
“Dive Bar” – Garth Brooks feat. Blake Shelton
“Fooled Around and Fell in Love” – Miranda Lambert feat. Maren Morris, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes, Caylee Hammack, and Elle King
“Old Town Road” – Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus
“What Happens in a Small Town” – Brantley Gilbert feat. Lindsay Ell
It took the world by storm, so it wouldn’t seem right but to give the award to….
Prediction: “Old Town Road” – Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus
The 2020 ACM Awards will take place on April 4th.
