Eric Church Beats Out Taylor Swift, Miranda Lambert For Most CMA Nominations

The nominees for this year’s Country Music Awards came as a little bit of a surprise, being as neither Taylor Swift nor Miranda Lambert led the pack by garnering the most nominations. Instead, that honor went to newbie Eric Church, who leads the list with five nominations, to Lambert and hubby Blake Shelton’s four each, and Swift’s three.

The nominees for the CMAs were announced Wednesday morning in Times Square in a segment that was aired on ABC’s Good Morning America. Jason Aldean announced the names of the musicians who will be honored on Thursday, November 1, at the 46th Annual Country Music Awards in Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, and he was supposed to be joined by Lady Antebellum, but the band was unable to travel due to bad weather. “But we’ll be tuned in to @GMS tomorrow morning with you!” assured Lady Antebellum singer Hillary Scott when she discovered that she would not be able to make it.

Another relative newcomer, Luke Bryan (having been nominated only one other time) took two nods for Male Vocalist and Album of the Year. Swift, who was nominated again this year for Entertainer of the Year, was the only female to grace the category. The two-time winner of the highest CMA honor is in the category with Shelton, Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney and Aldean. Swift’s other two nominations are for Female Vocalist of the Year and Musical Even of the Year.

People must have been pleased enough with Carrie Underwood and Paisley’s hosting performances last year, as they are returning to take on the duty a second time. The CMAs will air on ABC on November 1.

Check out the full list of CMS nominees here:

Entertainer of the Year: Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, and Taylor Swift

Album of the Year: Eric Church’s >Chief, Miranda Lambert’s Four the Record, Dierks Bentley’s “>Home, Lady Antebellum’s “>Own the Night, and Luke Bryan’s “tailgates & tanlines”.

Jason Aldean’s “Dirt Road Anthem,” Blake Shelton’s “God Gave Me You,” Dierks Bentley’s “Home,” Little Big Town’s “Pontoon,” and Eric Church’s “Springsteen”

Song of the Year (award to songwriters): “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” (Will Hoge and Eric Paslay), “God Gave Me You” (Dave Barnes), “Home” (Dan Wilson, Brett Beavers, and Dierks Bentley), “Over You” (Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton), and “Springsteen” (Eric Church, Ryan Tyndell, and Jeff Hyde)

Male Vocalist of the Year: Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Blake Shelton, and Keith Urban

Female Vocalist of the Year: Kelly Clarkson, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Taylor Swift, and Carrie Underwood

Vocal Group of the Year: Eli Young Band, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, The Band Perry, and Zac Brown Band

Vocal Duo of the Year: Big & Rich, Love and Theft, Sugarland, The Civil Wars, and Thompson Square

New Artist of the Year: Lee Brice, Brantley Gilbert, Hunter Hayes, Love and Theft, and Thompson Square

Music Video of the Year: Kenny Chesney’s “Come Over,” Miranda Lambert’s “Over You,” Little Big Town’s “Pontoon,” Toby Keith’s “Red Solo Cup,” and Eric Church’s “Springsteen”

Musical Event of the Year: “Dixie Highway” (Alan Jackson featuring Zac Brown Band), “Feel Like a Rock Star” (Kenny Chesney duet with Tim McGraw), “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die” (Willie Nelson with Snoop Dogg, Kris Kristofferson, and Jamey Johnson), “Safe & Sound” (Taylor Swift featuring the Civil Wars), and “Stuck on You” (Lionel Richie with Darius Rucker)

Musician of the Year: Sam Bush (Mandolin), Paul Franklin (Steel Guitar), Dan Huff (Guitar), Brent Mason (Guitar), and Mac McAnally (Guitar)

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