Eric Church, Chris Stapleton and Maren Morris lead the Country Music Association (CMA) Awards with five nominations each.
The trio emerged as frontrunners of the annual country music ceremony when the first wave of nominations were read out by Dierks Bentley, Cam and Keith Urban from the famed Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee on U.S. show Good Morning America while the rest were announced online.
Bentley, Urban and Carrie Underwood came closely behind with four nods and Tim McGraw followed with three mentions. All three men will compete for the Male Vocalist prize alongside Church and Stapleton, while Carrie was nominated for the female equivalent with Kelsea Ballerini, Miranda Lambert, newcomer Morris, and Kacey Musgraves.
The Entertainer of the Year trophy is between Stapleton, Garth Brooks, Luke Bryan, Underwood, and Urban while Vocal Group of the Year is a battle between acts Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Old Dominion, Rascal Flatts, and Zac Brown Band.
Stapleton continues his nominations streak with a nod for Single of the Year for Nobody To Blame, and his competitors include Die a Happy Man by Thomas Rhett, McGraw's Humble and Kind, My Church by Maren Morris, and Record Year by Eric Church.
The coveted Album of the Year prize will be fought between Bentley (Black), Morris (Hero), Eric Church (Mr. Misunderstood), Keith Urban (Ripcord) and Carrie Underwood (Storyteller).
The 50th CMA Awards will be hosted by Underwood and Brad Paisley for the ninth year in a row from Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on 2 November (16).
The main list of nominees are as follows:
Entertainer of the Year:
Garth Brooks
Luke Bryan
Chris Stapleton
Carrie Underwood
Keith Urban
Single of the Year:
Die a Happy Man - Thomas Rhett
Humble and Kind - Tim McGraw
My Church - Maren Morris
Nobody To Blame - Chris Stapleton
Record Year - Eric Church
Album of the Year:
Black - Dierks Bentley
Hero - Maren Morris
Mr. Misunderstood - Eric Church
Ripcord - Keith Urban
Storyteller - Carrie Underwood
Female Vocalist of the Year:
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Maren Morris
Kacey Musgraves
Carrie Underwood
Male Vocalist of the Year:
Dierks Bentley
Eric Church
Tim McGraw
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban
Vocal Group of the Year:
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Old Dominion
Rascal Flatts
Zac Brown Band
Vocal Duo of the Year:
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Joey + Rory
Maddie & Tae
Musical Event of the Year:
Different For Girls - Dierks Bentley feat. Elle King
Home Alone Tonight - Luke Bryan featuring Karen Fairchild
The Fighter - Keith Urban featuring Carrie Underwood
Think of You - Chris Young (duet with Cassadee Pope)
You Are My Sunshine - Morgane Stapleton with Chris Stapleton
Music Video of the Year:
Burning House - Cam
Fire Away - Chris Stapleton
Humble and Kind - Tim McGraw
Record Year - Eric Church
Somewhere On A Beach - Dierks Bentley
New Artist of the Year:
Kelsea Ballerini
Brothers Osborne
Maren Morris
Old Dominion
Cole Swindell
