NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR THE "52ND ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS(R)," TO BE BROADCAST FROM T-MOBILE ARENA IN LAS VEGAS LIVE, SUNDAY, APRIL 2 ON CBS

LUKE BRYAN AND DIERKS BENTLEY RETURN TO HOST COUNTRY MUSIC'S PARTY OF THE YEAR(R)

Keith Urban Leads with Seven Nominations; Miranda Lambert and Maren Morris Each Receive Six Nominations; Florida Georgia Line and Tim McGraw Each Receive Five Nominations; Dierks Bentley, Thomas Rhett and Chris Stapleton Each Receive Three Nominations

Nominations were announced today for the 52ND ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS(TM), Country Music's Party of the Year(R), honoring country music's superstars and hottest emerging talent. Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley will return to host for the second consecutive year. The ACM Awards(R) are produced for television by dick clark productions and will be broadcast LIVE from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 2 (live 8:00-11:00 PM, ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network.

Ten-time ACM Award winners and multi-platinum trio Lady Antebellum announced the nominees in five categories, including Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, Vocal Duo of the Year, and Vocal Group of the Year live today on CBS THIS MORNING. "Entertainment Tonight" hosts Nancy O'Dell and Kevin Frazier announced additional nominees on ETonline.com.

Keith Urban leads with seven nominations in five categories, including his seventh for Entertainer of the Year and 10th nod for Male Vocalist of the Year. Urban is nominated twice, as both artist and producer, in the Album of the Year category for Ripcord. He received an additional two nominations, for both artist and producer, in the Single Record of the Year category for "Blue Ain't Your Color," which is also nominated in the Song of the Year category.

Seven-time Female Vocalist of the Year Miranda Lambert received six nominations and is once again nominated in the Female Vocalist of the Year category. Lambert received her fifth nomination in the Album of the Year category for The Weight of These Wings. Lambert's "Vice" received nods in the Single Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Video of the Year categories. Also, she received two nominations for "Vice" in the Song of the Year category, as both artist and songwriter.

First-time ACM nominee Maren Morris earned six nominations in four different categories. Morris received nominations in both Female Vocalist of the Year and New Female Vocalist of the Year categories. She is also nominated twice for Album of the Year, as both producer and artist, on HERO. Morris is twice nominated as both artist and producer in Single Record of the Year for "My Church." Earlier this week, she won a Grammy Award for Best Country Solo Performance.

Reigning Vocal Duo of the Year Florida Georgia Line leads group nominations with five nods, including their fifth nomination in the Vocal Duo of the Year category. Florida Georgia Line is also nominated for the second time in the Entertainer of the Year category. They received their second nomination in the Album of the Year category for Dig Your Roots. Also, they received nods for Single Record of the Year for "H.O.L.Y." and for Vocal Event of the Year for "May We All" with Tim McGraw.

Sixteen-time ACM Award winner Tim McGraw received five nominations in four categories. He earned two nominations in the Single Record of the Year category, as both artist and producer, on "Humble And Kind." Also, McGraw is nominated in the Song of the Year and Video of the Year categories for "Humble And Kind." In addition, he earned his thirteenth nod in the Vocal Event of the Year category for "May We All" with Florida Georgia Line.

ACM Awards co-host Dierks Bentley received three nominations, including his fourth nomination in the Male Vocalist of the Year category. Also, Bentley received his third nod in the Album of the Year category for Black, and his second nod in the Vocal Event of the Year category for "Different For Girls," featuring Elle King.

Thomas Rhett earned three nominations, including his first in the Male Vocalist of the Year category. Also, Rhett received two nominations as artist and songwriter in the Song of the Year category for "Die A Happy Man." The song won Rhett an ACM Award last year in the Single Record of the Year category.

Reigning ACM Male Vocalist of the Year Chris Stapleton is nominated in three categories. Once again, Stapleton is nominated in both the Male Vocalist of the Year category, and the Song of the Year category with "Tennessee Whiskey." Also, Stapleton received a nod in the Video of the Year category for "Fire Away."

Following is the list of final nominees. The Academy of Country Music's professional membership selects the nominees and winners of the Academy of Country Music Awards.

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

· Jason Aldean

· Luke Bryan

· Florida Georgia Line

· Carrie Underwood

· Keith Urban

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

· Jason Aldean

· Dierks Bentley

· Thomas Rhett

· Chris Stapleton

· Keith Urban

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

· Kelsea Ballerini

· Miranda Lambert

· Maren Morris

· Kacey Musgraves

· Carrie Underwood

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR

· Big & Rich

· Brothers Osborne

· Dan + Shay

· Florida Georgia Line

· Maddie & Tae

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

· Eli Young Band

· Lady Antebellum

· Little Big Town

· Old Dominion

· Rascal Flatts

NEW MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY T-MOBILE

· Kane Brown

· Chris Janson

· Chris Lane

· Jon Pardi

· Brett Young

NEW FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY T-MOBILE

· Lauren Alaina

· Cam

· Brandy Clark

· Maren Morris

* four nominees only

NEW VOCAL DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY T-MOBILE

· A Thousand Horses

· Brothers Osborne

· Dan + Shay

· LOCASH

· Maddie & Tae

ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company-Label(s)]

· Black - Dierks Bentley Producers: Ross Copperman, Arturo Buenahora Jr. Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville

· Dig Your Roots - Florida Georgia Line Producer: Joey Moi Record Label: Big Machine Label Group

· HERO - Maren Morris Producers: busbee, Brad Hill, Maren Morris Record Label: Columbia Nashville

· Ripcord - Keith Urban Producers: Jeff Bhasker, busbee, Nathan Chapman, Nitzan Kaikov, Dann Huff, Tyler Johnson, Johnny Price, Nile Rodgers, Keith Urban, Greg Wells Record Label: Hit Red Records, Capitol Records Nashville

· The Weight of These Wings - Miranda Lambert Producers: Frank Liddell, Eric Masse, Glenn Worf Record Label: RCA Nashville, Vanner Records

SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company-Label(s)]

· Blue Ain't Your Color - Keith Urban Producers: Dann Huff, Keith Urban Record Labels: Hit Red Records, Capitol Records Nashville

· H.O.L.Y. - Florida Georgia Line Producer: Joey Moi Record Label: Big Machine Label Group

· Humble And Kind - Tim McGraw Producers: Byron Gallimore, Tim McGraw Record Label: McGraw Music, Big Machine Records

· My Church - Maren Morris Producers: busbee, Maren Morris Record Label: Columbia Nashville

· Vice - Miranda Lambert Producers: Frank Liddell, Eric Masse, Glenn Worf Record Label: RCA Nashville, Vanner Records

SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]

· Blue Ain't Your Color - Keith Urban Songwriters: Clint Lagerberg, Hillary Lindsey, Steven Lee Olsen Publishers: WB Music Corp (ASCAP), Music Of The Corn (ASCAP), HillarodyRathbone Music (ASCAP), BMG Gold Songs (ASCAP), House of Sea Gayle Music (ASCAP), Spirit Catalog Holdings (S.a.r.l.), Spirit Two Nashville (ASCAP)

· Die A Happy Man - Thomas Rhett Songwriters: Thomas Rhett, Sean Douglas, Joe Spargur Publishers: EMI Blackwood Music Inc (BMI), Cricket On The Line (BMI), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp (BMI), Eastman Pond Publishing (BMI), Music of Big Deal (BMI), Nice Life (BMI), Frederic And Reid Music (BMI), BMG Platinum Songs (BMI), Brodsky Spensive Publishing (BMI)

· Humble And Kind - Tim McGraw Songwriter: Lori McKenna Publishers: Songs of Universal Inc (BMI), Hoodie Songs (BMI)

· Kill A Word - Eric Church Featuring Rhiannon Giddens Songwriters: Eric Church, Luke Dick, Jeff Hyde Publishers: Emileon Songs (BMI), Little Louder Songs (BMI), Longer And Louder Music (BMI), Mammaw's Fried Okra Music (BMI), Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (BMI)

· Tennessee Whiskey - Chris Stapleton Songwriters: Dean Dillon, Linda Hargrove Publishers: Universal-Songs Of PolyGram International (BMI), EMI Algee (BMI)

· Vice - Miranda Lambert Songwriters: Miranda Lambert, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne Publishers: Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (BMI), Pink Dog Publishing (BMI), Smack Hits (GMR), Kobalt Music Group, Ltd. (GMR), Anderson Fork In The Road Music (ASCAP), Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc. (ASCAP), Smackville Music (ASCAP)

VIDEO OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY XFINITY [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]

· Fire Away - Chris Stapleton Director: Tim Mattia Producer: Jennifer Rothlein

· Forever Country - Artists of Then, Now & Forever Director: Joseph Kahn Producers: Nathan de la Rionda, Jil Hardin, Charleen Manca, Joanna Carter, Chandra LaPlume, Sarah Trahern, Damon Whiteside

· Humble And Kind - Tim McGraw Director: Wes Edwards Producer: Jennifer Rothlein

· Peter Pan - Kelsea Ballerini Director: Kristin Barlowe Producer: Michelle Abnet

· Vice - Miranda Lambert Director: Trey Fanjoy Producer: Ashley Bergeron Ford

VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company-Label(s)]

· Different For Girls - Dierks Bentley Featuring Elle King Producers: Ross Copperman, Arturo Buenahora Jr. Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville

· Forever Country - Artists of Then, Now & Forever Producer: Shane McAnally Record Label: MCA Nashville

· May We All - Florida Georgia Line Featuring Tim McGraw Producer: Joey Moi Record Label: Big Machine Label Group

· Setting The World On Fire - Kenny Chesney Featuring P!nk Producers: Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney Record Labels: Blue Chair Records, Columbia Nashville

· Think Of You - Chris Young Featuring Cassadee Pope Producers: Corey Crowder, Chris Young Record Labels: RCA Nashville, RCA Records

IMPORTANT NOTE: Awards counts for artists reflect categories in which they have been recognized as individuals or as part of their duo or group. In some cases, an artist may receive more than one nomination which factors into their official count. For example, Keith Urban received two nominations in the Album of the Year category - one each as artist and producer - because that category recognizes both.

Award recipients in each category are noted above parenthetically in the Album of the Year, Single Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Video of the Year and Vocal Event of the Year.

Sponsors and partners for the 52ND ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS include Comcast and T-Mobile.

About the Academy of Country Music Awards

The 52ND ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS is dedicated to honoring and showcasing the biggest names and emerging talent in the country music industry. The show is produced for television by dick clark productions. Allen Shapiro, Mike Mahan, R.A. Clark, Barry Adelman and Mark Bracco are executive producers. Pete Fisher and Tiffany Moon are executive producers for the Academy of Country Music.

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RATING: To Be Announced