New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ American Country Awards) The third annual AMERICAN COUNTRY AWARDS will air live from Mandalay Bay in Las
Vegas Monday, Dec. 10 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX.
Luke Bryan leads the AMERICAN COUNTRY AWARDS nominees with seven nominations;
Lady Antebellum and
Zac Brown Band each earned six nods; and
Eric Church and
Taylor Swift garnered five nominations.
A "Song of the Year" category also has been added to this year's event, in an effort to pay tribute not only to country music's top performers, but to its top songwriters, as well. The nominees are determined by the Professional Songwriting Division of the Nashville Songwriters Association International.
Starting today, fans can vote once each day for their favorite AMERICAN COUNTRY AWARDS nominees at www.theacas.com. Voting is open until Monday, Nov. 12 for all categories, except for Artist of the Year, which closes on Friday, Dec. 7. The nominees for each award category have been determined by four media measurement companies: BigChampagne (record sales and media consumption); Great American Country (video airplay); Mediabase (radio airplay); Pollstar (touring data); and Nashville Songwriters Association International.
Hosted by multi-platinum recording artist
Trace Adkins and Emmy and Tony Award winner Kristin Chenoweth, the two-hour live music spectacular is the only country music awards show that gives fans the opportunity to vote for their favorite artists not only in traditional categories but also in a previously unrecognized area - touring - encompassing the entire spectrum of country music and bestowing honors that no other awards show has.
The AMERICAN COUNTRY AWARDS will feature performances and appearances by the year's chart-topping country artists. Performers and presenters will be announced soon.
Following is the list of categories and nominees for the AMERICAN COUNTRY AWARDS:
ARTISTS
Artist of the Year:
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Lady Antebellum
Taylor Swift
Zac Brown Band
Artist of the Year: Male
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Kenny Chesney
Eric Church
Toby Keith
Artist of the Year: Female
Sara Evans
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood
Artist of the Year: Group
The Band Perry
Eli Young Band
Lady Antebellum
Rascal Flatts
Zac Brown Band
Artist of the Year: Breakthrough Artist
Lee Brice
Colt Ford
Gloriana
Justin Moore
Jake Owen
Artist of the Year: New Artist
Lauren Alaina
Hunter Hayes
Jana Kramer
Kip Moore
Pistol Annies
Album
Album of the Year Dierks Bentley, "Home" Luke Bryan, "tailgates & tanlines" Eric Church, "
Chief" Lady Antebellum, "Own the Night"
Blake Shelton, "
Red River Blue"
SINGLES
Single of the Year Jason Aldean, "
Tattoos On This Town" Luke Bryan, "
I Don't Want This Night To End" Eric Church, "
Drink In My Hand" Chris Young, "You" Zac Brown Band, "
Keep Me In Mind"
Single of the Year: Male Jason Aldean, "
Tattoos On This Town" Luke Bryan, "
I Don't Want This Night To End" Kenny Chesney, "
Reality" Eric Church, "
Drink In My Hand" Chris Young, "You"
Single of the Year: Female Sara Evans, "My
Heart Can't Tell You No"
Miranda Lambert, "
Over You" Martina McBride, "I'm Gonna Love You Through It" Taylor Swift, "Ours" Carrie Underwood, "
Good Girl"
Single of the Year: Group Eli Young Band, "
Even If It Breaks Your Heart" Lady Antebellum, "
We Owned The Night" Rascal Flatts, "Banjo" The Band Perry, "
All Your Life" Zac Brown Band, "
Keep Me In Mind"
Single of the Year: New Artist Hunter Hayes, "
Wanted" Jana Kramer, "Why Ya Wanna"
Dustin Lynch, "Cowboys and Angels" Kip Moore, "Somethin' 'Bout A Truck" The Farm, "
Home Sweet Home"
Single of the Year: Breakthrough Artist Lee Brice, "
A Woman Like You" Brantley Gilbert, "You Don't Know Her Like I Do" Gloriana, "
(Kissed You) Good Night"
David Nail, "
Let It Rain" Jake Owen, "
Alone With You"
Single of the Year: Vocal Collaboration Kix Brooks featuring Joe Walsh, "New To This Town"
Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw, "
Feel Like A Rock Star"
Brad Paisley featuring Carrie Underwood, "
Remind Me"
Rascal Flatts featuring Natasha Bedingfield, "Easy"
Zac Brown Band featuring Jimmy Buffett, "
Knee Deep"
TOURING
Touring Artist of the Year
Kenny Chesney Lady Antebellum Miranda Lambert
Tim McGraw Brad Paisley Eric Church Toby Keith Rascal Flatts Taylor Swift Zac Brown Band Jason Aldean
VIDEOS
Music Video of the Year Luke Bryan, "
I Don't Want This Night To End" Jake Owen, "
Alone With You"
Blake Shelton, "
God Gave Me You" Keith Urban, "
For You" Chris Young, "You"
Music Video: Male Luke Bryan, "I Don't Want This Night to End" Jake Owen, "
Alone With You"
Blake Shelton, "
God Gave Me You" Keith Urban, "
For You" Chris Young, "You"
Music Video: Female Sara Evans, "My
Heart Can't Tell You No"
Miranda Lambert, "
Over You" Martina McBride, "I'm Gonna Love You Through It" Taylor Swift, "Ours" Carrie Underwood, "
Good Girl"
Music Video: Group or Collaboration Gloriana, "
(Kissed You) Good Night" Lady Antebellum, "Dancin' Away With My Heart"
Little Big Town, "
Pontoon" Love and Theft, "
Angel Eyes" The Band Perry, "
All Your Life"
Music Video: New Artist Hunter Hayes, "
Wanted" Casey James, "Let's Don't Call It A Night" Jana Kramer, "
Why You Wanna"
Dustin Lynch, "Cowboys and Angels" Kip Moore, "Somethin' 'Bout A Truck"
Song of the Year: Trace Adkins, "Just Fishin'" (Casey Beathard, Monty Criswell and Ed Hill) Jason Aldean, "Fly Over States," (Michael Dulaney and Neil Thrasher) Jason Aldean, "
Tattoos On This Town" (Michael Dulaney, Wendell Mobley and Neil Thrasher) Lee Brice, "
A Woman Like You" (Phil Barton, Johnny Bulford and Jon Stone)
Kenny Chesney featuring
Grace Potter, "
You And Tequila" (Matraca Berg and Deana Carter) Ronnie Dunn, "Cost of Livin'" (Phillip Coleman and Ronnie Dunn) Eli Young Band, "
Even If It Breaks Your Heart" (Will Hoge and Eric Paslay) Toby Keith, "
Red Solo Cup" (Brett Beavers, Jim Beavers, Brad Warren and
Brett Warren) Eric Church, "
Springsteen" (Eric Church, Jeff Hyde and Ryan Tyndell) Tim McGraw, "Better Than I Used to Be" (Ashley Gorley& Bryan Simpson)
AMERICAN COUNTRY AWARDS is executive-produced by Bob Bain (TEEN CHOICE 2012, "Kids' Choice Awards").
Fletcher Foster, Paul Flattery and Tisha Fein serve as producers; and Greg Sills is supervising producer. Michael Dempsey will direct the special.
