From nominations and notes to performers and presenters, here’s everything a country music fan needs to know about the 2019 ACM Awards on Sunday, April 7.
- Date: Sunday, April 7
- Time: 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT / delayed PT
- Location: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas
- TV Channel: CBS
- Online Stream: CBS All Access
- Host: Reba McEntire
- Announcers: Shawn Parr & Elaina Smith
- Performers: Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, Old Dominion, Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Brothers Osborne, Kane Brown, Brandi Carlile, Eric Church, Kelly Clarkson, Luke Combs, Dan + Shay, Florida Georgia Line, Khalid, Miranda Lambert, LANCO, Little Big Town, Ashley McBryde, Reba McEntire, Maren Morris, Thomas Rhett, Chris Stapleton, George Strait and Carrie Underwood
- Collaborations: Jason Aldean & Kelly Clarkson / Dierks Bentley & Brandi Carlile / Eric Church & Ashley McBryde / Dan + Shay & Kelly Clarkson / Florida Georgia Line & Jason Aldean / Maren Morris & Brothers Osborne / Kane Brown and Khali
- Presenters: Lauren Alaina, Beth Behrs, Clint Black, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Jessie James Decker, Hunter Hayes, Jay Hernandez, Lady Antebellum, Midland, Nancy O’Dell, Danica Patrick, Carly Pearce, Dennis Quaid, Michael Ray, Cole Swindell and Wilmer Valderrama
- Red Carpet Coverage: 5 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. CT / 2 p.m. PT / on ETOnline.com
- Previously Announced Winners: Luke Combs (New Male Vocalist of the Year), Ashley McBryde (New Female Vocalist of the Year) and Lanco (New Vocal Duo/Group of the Year)
The Nominees
Song of the Year (Awarded to Songwriter/Publisher/Artist)
- Break Up In The End – Cole Swindell
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- Writers: Jessie Jo Dillon / Chase McGill / Jon Nite
- Publishers: EMI April Music Inc. / Nite Writer Music (ASCAP) / Songs of Universal, Inc. / Plum Nelly (BMI) / Big Music Machine (BMI)/ Big Ass Pile Of Dimes Music (BMI)
- Broken Halos – Chris Stapleton
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- Writers: Mike Henderson, Chris Stapleton
- Publishers: WB Music Corp./House of Sea Gayle Music, admin. by ClearBox Rights/Spirit Catalog Holdings, S.a.r.l. admin. by Spirit Two Nashville (ASCAP); Straight Six Music (BMI)
- Meant To Be – Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
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- Writers: David Garcia, Tyler Hubbard, Joshua Miller, Bebe Rexha
- Publishers: BMG Platinum Songs/Kiss Me If You Can Music (BMI) (all rights administered by BMG Rights Management (US) LLC) Big Loud Mountain (BMI) and T Hubb Publishing (BMI). All Rights Administered by Round Hill Works. Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. on behalf of itself and Songs of the Corn and Jack 10 Publishing. Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Publishing (ASCAP) D Soul Music (ASCAP) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com)
- Space Cowboy – Kacey Musgraves
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- Writers: Luke Laird, Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves
- Publishers: Smack Hits/Smack Songs, admin by Kobalt Music Group ltd. (GMR); Universal Music Works/We Are Creative NBaSmack Hits/Smack Songs, LLC, admin. by Kobalt Music Group Ltd. (GMR); Universal Music Works/We Are Creative Nation/Jake and Mack Music, admin. by Universal Music Works; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp./351 Music (BMI).
- Tequila – Dan + Shay
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- Writers: Nicolle Galyon / Jordan Reynolds / Dan Smyers
- Publishers: Beats and Banjos (ASCAP), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP), A Girl Named Charlie (BMI) / Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI) / Buckeye26 (ASCAP) / Jreynmusic (ASCAP)
- Yours – Russell Dickerson
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- Writers: Casey Brown / Russell Dickerson / Parker Welling
- Publishers: BMG Platinum Songs/Kailey’s Dream / So Essential Tunes / Not Just Another Song Publishing / Hillbilly Science and Research Publishing/Trailerlily Music
Songwriter of the Year
- Ross Copperman
- Ashley Gorley
- Shane McAnally
- Chase McGill
- Josh Osborne
Duo of the Year
- Brothers Osborne
- Dan + Shay
- Florida Georgia Line
- LOCASH
- Maddie & Tae
Group of the Year
- Lady Antebellum
- LANCO
- Little Big Town
- Midland
- Old Dominion
Male Artist of the Year
- Dierks Bentley
- Luke Combs
- Thomas Rhett
- Chris Stapleton
- Keith Urban
Female Artist of the Year
- Miranda Lambert
- Ashley McBryde
- Maren Morris
- Kacey Musgraves
- Carrie Underwood
Entertainer of the Year
- Jason Aldean
- Luke Bryan
- Kenny Chesney
- Chris Stapleton
- Keith Urban
ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
- Dan + Shay – Dan + Shay
- Producers: Scott Hendricks / Dan Smyers / Matt Dragstrem
- Record Label: Warner Music Nashville
- Desperate Man – Eric Church
- Producers: Jay Joyce / Arturo Buenahora Jr.
- Record Label: EMI Records Nashville
- From A Room: Volume 2 – Chris Stapleton
- Producers: Dave Cobb / Chris Stapleton
- Record Label: Mercury Nashville
- Golden Hour – Kacey Musgraves
- Producers: Ian Fitchuk / Daniel Tashian / Kacey Musgraves
- Record Label: MCA Nashville
- The Mountain – Dierks Bentley
- Producers: Ross Copperman / Jon Randall Stewart / Arturo Buenahora Jr.
- Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville
Single of the Year [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
- Down to the Honky Tonk – Jake Owen
- Producer: Joey Moi
- Record Label: Big Loud Records
- Heaven – Kane Brown
- Producer: Dann Huff / Polow Da Don
- Record Label: RCA Nashville
- Meant To Be – Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
- Producer: Wilshire for Rock The Soul Ent
- Record Label: Warner Bros. Records
- Most People Are Good – Luke Bryan
- Producers: Jeff Stevens / Jody Stevens
- Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville
- Tequila – Dan + Shay
- Producers: Scott Hendricks / Dan Smyers
- Record Label: Warner Music Nashville
Video of the Year [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
- Babe – Sugarland featuring Taylor Swift
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- Producer: Roger Hunt
- Director: Anthony Mandler
- Burn Out – Midland
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- Producer: Ben Skipworth
- Director: TK McKamy / Cameron Duddy
- Burning Man – Dierks Bentley featuring Brothers Osborne
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- Producer: Nate Eggert
- Director: Wes Edwards
- Drunk Girl – Chris Janson
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- Producer: Ben Skipworth
- Director: Jeff Venable
- Shoot Me Straight – Brothers Osborne
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- Producer: April Kimbrell
- Director: Wes Edwards / Ryan Silver
- Tequila – Dan + Shay
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- Producer: Christen Pinkston
- Director: Patrick Tracy
Music Event of the Year [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
- Burning Man – Dierks Bentley featuring Brothers Osborne
- Producers: Ross Copperman / Jon Randall Stewart / Arturo Buenahora Jr.
- Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville
- Drowns the Whiskey – Jason Aldean featuring Miranda Lambert
- Producer: Michael Knox
- Record Labels: Macon Music, LLC; Broken Bow Records; BBR Music Group; BMG
- Everything’s Gonna Be Alright – David Lee Murphy featuring Kenny Chesney
- Producers: Buddy Cannon / Kenny Chesney / David Lee Murphy
- Record Label: Reviver Records
- Keeping Score – Dan + Shay featuring Kelly Clarkson
- Producers: Scott Hendricks / Dan Smyers
- Record Label: Warner Music Nashville
- Meant To Be – Bebe Rexha Featuring Florida Georgia Line
- Producer: Wilshire for Rock The Soul Ent
- Record Label: Warner Bros. Records
photos: Luke Bryan & Blake Shelton by Jason Simanek; Carrie Underwood by Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com