ACM Preview: Who Will Win The ACM Awards & Why
Florida Georgia Line
and Luke Bryan, who have the #1 song on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart for the third straight week with "This Is How We Roll," are likely to be the big winners at the Academy of Country Music Awards on Sunday. Both artists are likely to take home three awards. (In addition, Bryan is co-hosting the show with Blake Shelton.)
Here are all the categories that will presented on Sunday's telecast. I show the nominees, who won in that category at the ACM Awards last year, who won in that category at the rival Country Music Assn. Awards on Nov. 6, who had the best-seller of the nominees according to Nielsen SoundScan, and finally who I think will win.
(In categories were no recording is specified, I looked at the sales of the artist's most recent studio album.)
You may look this same data and come to a different conclusion about who is likely to win. (And you may well be right!) It's always hard to predict the winners at award shows. But it's always fun. Play along and see where you agree and disagree.
Entertainer of the Year Presented By Ram
Nominees: Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, George Strait, Taylor Swift
Last year's winner: Bryan
CMA winner: Strait
Best-selling album: Swift (by a mile)
Bet on: Bryan
Album of the Year
Nominees: Blake Shelton's "Based On A True Story…," Luke Bryan's "Crash My Party," Florida Georgia Line's "Here's To The Good Times," Kacey Musgraves' "Same Trailer Different Park," Tim McGraw's "Two Lanes Of Freedom"
Last year's winner: Eric Church's "Chief"
CMA winner: Shelton
Best-seller: Bryan, narrowly over Florida Georgia Line
Bet on: Bryan
Single Record of the Year
Nominees: "Cruise" by Florida Georgia Line, "Highway Don't Care" by Tim McGraw featuring Taylor Swift & Keith Urban, "I Drive Your Truck" by Lee Brice, "Mama's Broken Heart" by Miranda Lambert, "Wagon Wheel" by Darius Rucker featuring Lady Antebellum.
Last year's winner: Miranda Lambert's "Over You"
CMA winner: Florida Georgia Line
Best-seller: Florida Georgia Line ("Cruise" is the best-selling country song in digital history.)
Bet on: Florida Georgia Line
Song of the Year
Nominees: "Every Storm (Runs Out Of Rain)" (Gary Allan) by Allan, Hillary Lindsey, Matthew Warren; "I Drive Your Truck" (Lee Brice) by Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington, Jimmy Yeary; "Mama's Broken Heart" (Miranda Lambert) by Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves; "Mine Would Be You" (Blake Shelton) by Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington, Deric Ruttan; "Wagon Wheel" (Darius Rucker featuring Lady Antebellum) by Bob Dylan, Ketch Secor
Last year's winner: "Over You" (Miranda Lambert) by Lambert, Blake Shelton
CMA winner: "I Drive Your Truck"
Best seller: "Wagon Wheel"
Bet on: "Wagon Wheel"
Male Vocalist of the Year
Nominees: Jason Aldean, Lee Brice, Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban
Last year's winner: Aldean
CMA winner: Shelton
Best-selling album: Bryan, narrowly over Aldean
Bet on: Bryan
Female Vocalist of the Year
Nominees: Sheryl Crow, Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood
Last year's winner: Lambert
CMA winner: Lambert
Best-selling album: Swift
Bet on: Lambert
Vocal Group of the Year
Nominees: Eli Young Band, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, The Band Perry, Zac Brown Band
Last year's winner: Little Big Town
CMA winner: Little Big Town
Best-selling album: Little Big Town, narrowly over Zac Brown Band
Bet on: Little Big Town
Vocal Duo of the Year
Nominees: Big & Rich, Dan + Shay, Florida Georgia Line, Love and Theft, Thompson Square
Last year's winner: Thompson Square
CMA winner: Florida Georgia Line
Best-selling album: Florida Georgia Line
Bet on: Florida Georgia Line
New Artist of the Year Presented by Kohl's
Nominees: Brett Eldredge, Justin Moore, Kip Moore
Last year's winner: Florida Georgia Line
CMA winner: Kacey Musgraves
Best-selling album: Kip Moore
Bet on: Kip Moore
Video of the Year
Nominees: "Better Dig Two" by The Band Perry; "Blowin' Smoke" by Kacey Musgraves; "Highway Don't Care" by Tim McGraw featuring Taylor Swift & Keith Urban; "I Drive Your Truck" by Lee Brice; "Mama's Broken Heart" by Miranda Lambert; "Two Black Cadillacs" by Carrie Underwood
Last year's winner: "Tornado" by Little Big Town
CMA winner: "Highway Don't Care"
Best seller: "Highway Don't Care"
Bet on: "Highway Don't Care"
Vocal Event of the Year
Nominees: "Boys 'Round Here" by Blake Shelton featuring Pistol Annies & Friends; "Cruise" (remix) by Florida Georgia Line featuring Nelly; "Highway Don't Care" by Tim McGraw featuring Taylor Swift & Keith Urban; "Wagon Wheel" by Darius Rucker featuring Lady Antebellum; "We Were Us" by Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert
Last year's winner: "The Only Way I Know" by Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan & Eric Church
CMA winner: "Highway Don't Care"
Best-seller: "Cruise"
Bet on: "Cruise"
Get more Academy of Country Music Awards news at ACMAwards.com
