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.
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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
