Celine Dion at the 24th Annual Billboard Music Awards at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on May 21, 2017. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images via ABC)
Jimmy Fallon (Photo by Art Streiber/NBC)
The following is a press release from NBC:
A spectacle like no other awaits millions as the 93rd annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®, the nation’s most cherished holiday tradition, once again kicks off the holiday season. Millions of families will tune in to watch the excitement unfold on Thursday, Nov. 28 as Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker of NBC News’ “TODAY” host the broadcast from 9 a.m.-noon in all time zones that will also include a special debut performance from her new album Courage by the incomparable Celine Dion.
The Macy’s Parade has must-see entertainment for everyone in the family. Joining the festivities will be stars from a variety of global music genres from pop, R&B and country to Latin and K-Pop, with a few noteworthy special appearances thrown in the mix. Appearing or performing onboard one of Macy’s signature floating stages will be Natasha Bedingfield, Black Eyed Peas, Chicago, Ciara, Josh Dela Cruz, Celine Dion, Jimmy Fallon and The Roots, Debbie Gibson, former NASA astronauts Kay Hire & Janet Kavandi, Chris Janson, Idina Menzel, Lea Michele, Miss America 2019 Nia Franklin, NHL legends Dominic Moore and Eddie Olczyk, the cast & Muppets of Sesame Street, NCT 127, Ozuna, Billy Porter, Kelly Rowland, That Girl Lay Lay, TLC, Tenille Townes and Chris Young; with an extra special appearance by the one-and-only Santa Claus.
To kick-off the revelry, a special must-see opening number featuring a who’s who of actors, singers, dancers and more, all joined by the cast and Muppets of Sesame Street, will start the Thanksgiving Day party with a smash.
Following the opener on 34th Street, Broadway’s best shows will take a star turn in front of Macy’s famed flagship with special performances from the casts of Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations, Beetlejuice, Hadestown and Tina – The Tina Turner Musical. In addition, the show-stopping Radio City Rockettes® will bring their signature high-kicking magic to Herald Square.
Since November 1924, the magic of the holiday season has begun with the march of the Macy’s Parade as it enthrals the nation with its signature mix of whimsical elements and special performances. For the 93rd edition, the line-up will feature 16 giant character balloons; 40 novelty balloons, heritage balloons, balloonicles, balloonheads and trycaloons; 26 floats; 1,200 cheerleaders and dancers; more than 1,000 clowns; and 11 marching bands.
“We are thrilled to present the 93rd edition of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to our viewers nationwide,” said Doug Vaughan, Executive Vice President, Special Programs, NBC Entertainment. “This iconic tradition will once again jump start the holiday season with a celebration led by an incredible lineup of performers, bands, floats, balloons and more.”
For the fourth year, Macy’s, along with NBCUniversal and Verizon, will give viewers an up close and personal second screen experience of the Parade with a 360-degree livestream on Verizon’s YouTube page. The stream will go live at 8:30 a.m. EST at www.youtube.com/verizon and will run through noon EST. With exclusive access to cameras along the entire Parade route, online spectators will get a glimpse of the magic behind the scenes, as well as a preview of what’s to come as the Parade marches down the streets of Manhattan. Additional information on the livestream to be announced soon.
New giant balloons joining the line-up this year include Astronaut Snoopy by Peanuts Worldwide, Green Eggs and Ham by Netflix, and SpongeBob SquarePants & Gary by Nickelodeon. In celebration of his 75thbirthday, a heritage balloon and fan-favorite will return to the Parade as Smokey Bear returns to the skies over Manhattan.
Since 2005, the Macy’s Parade has also been home to a collection of high-flying artworks created in collaboration with renowned contemporary artists, as part of a special series titled Macy’s Blue Sky Gallery. This year, for the eighth edition of the collection, the world’s most renowned female contemporary artist will take her iconic art to new heights as Yayoi Kusama joins the Macy’s Parade with her Love Flies Up to the Sky balloon creation. The balloon design was developed by the artist from face motifs that appear in her “My Eternal Soul” series of paintings — a body of work that she began in 2009. Vibrant and animated, the paintings embody Kusama’s innovative exploration of form and revolve around a tension between abstraction and figuration. The artist’s signature dots, which recur throughout her practice, also feature prominently in the Macy’s Parade balloon design. Previous balloons in the Macy’s Parade Blue Sky Gallery series have included works from famed artists Tom Otterness, Jeff Koons, Keith Haring, Takashi Murakami, Tim Burton, KAWS and FriendsWithYou™.
This year five new floats will debut, including Nickelodeon’s Blue’s Clues & You! (Josh Dela Cruz), The Brick-changer by The Lego Group (NCT 127), Home Sweet Home by Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® (Tenille Townes), Rexy in the City by COACH® (Billy Porter), and Toy House of Marvelous Milestones by New York Life (Kelly Rowland).
The nation’s best marching bands bring the beat to the holiday revelry. For this year’s 93rd march, 11 of the specially chosen ensembles will ignite coast-to-coast excitement and hometown pride as they step off and perform on the streets of the Big Apple. This year’s bands include Awesome Original Second Time Arounders Marching Band (St. Petersburg, FL), Blue Springs High School Golden Regiment (Blue Springs, MO), Catalina Foothills Falcon Band (Tucson, AZ), Franklin Regional Panther Band (Murrysville, PA), Macy’s Great American Marching Band (United States), Madison Central High School Band (Richmond, KY), Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. High School’s Kings of Halftime (Lithonia, GA), Morgan State University’s The Magnificent Marching Machine (Baltimore, MD), NYPD Marching Band (New York, NY), Ronald Reagan High School Marching Band (San Antonio, TX) and Western Carolina University’s Pride of the Mountains Marching Band (Cullowhee, NC).
Entertaining the crowds with their signature exuberance will be the Parade’s signature large and specialty performance groups. Joining the line-up this year are the teen dancers and cheerleaders of Spirit of America Dance Stars and Spirit of America Cheer. These groups together feature more than 1,200 of the very best performers recruited from hometowns nationwide. Days before Thanksgiving, they will gather for the first time in New York City to rehearse their numbers as a group, ahead of their once-in-a-lifetime national spotlight. Adding some wacky 1980s style dancing will be the hilarious 610 Stompers (New Orleans, LA), with modern dance youth talent showcased by The Alvin Ailey School (New York, NY) and the tap dance theatrics of children from The Nice List (New York, NY). Rounding out the performance group line-up and joining select talent performances will be Gamma Phi Circus (Normal, IL), Manhattan Youth Ballet (New York, NY), the dance stars of the world-renowned in-school arts education program National Dance Institute (New York, NY) and Young People’s Chorus of NYC (New York, NY).
PLEASE NOTE: All talent, performers, elements and information included are subject to change.
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade broadcast is produced by the Emmy Award-winning Brad Lachman Productions. Brad Lachman serves as executive producer, Bill Bracken will co-executive produce and Ron de Moraes directs.
For an insider’s look at the holiday procession, fans nationwide should visit macys.com/parade for regular updates including behind-the-scenes previews, special tours, interactive historical information, and more. Fans can also follow @macys on various social networks and join the conversation using #MacysParade.
Billy Porter at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on September 22, 2019. (Photo courtesy of Fox)
Idina Menzel at the Billboard Women In Music at Pier 36 in New York City on December 9, 2016. (Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for A+E)
The following is a press release from NBC:
A spectacle like no other awaits millions, as the 93rd Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®, the nation’s most cherished holiday tradition, kicks off the holiday season. On Thursday, November 28 at 9 a.m., the time honored phrase Let’s Have a Parade™ will ring from the starting line as the march of fantasy takes to the streets of New York City. With more than 8,000 volunteers dressed as clowns, guiding the flight of larger-than-life character balloons, transporting spectators to new worlds on signature floats, bringing the beat in the nation’s best marching bands and entertaining the crowds as part of dazzling performance groups, the annual march is jam-packed with entertainment. With more than 3.5 million spectators in New York City and more than 50 million television viewers nationwide, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is America’s premiere holiday celebration.
“Spectacle is synonymous with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and each year we aim to create an even bigger one than the last, with incredible must-see entertainment for millions of spectators nationwide,” said Susan Tercero, executive producer of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. “Featuring an amazing line-up of high-flying character balloons, jaw-dropping animated floats, world-class marching bands and performance groups, artists covering a variety of musical genres, and of course, the one-and-only Santa Claus, we are ‘Parade Ready’ and can’t wait to take to the streets of New York City to once again herald the arrival of the holiday season.”
For more than nine decades, the magic of the holiday season has begun with the march of the Macy’s Parade, as the spectacle enthrals the nation with its signature mix of whimsical elements and dazzling performances. For the 93rd edition, the line-up will feature 16 giant character balloons; 40 novelty balloons, heritage balloons, balloonicles, balloonheads and trycaloons; 26 floats; 1,200 cheerleaders and dancers; more than 1,000 clowns; and 11 marching bands.
INFLATABLE ICONS
Since 1927, when the Parade’s character balloons first joined the revelry, the inflatables have become a signature element featuring some of the world’s most beloved characters. Over time, the inflatables have morphed from air-filled characters carried on sticks to high-flying giants, balloonheads and even hybrid inflatables with vehicles inside (balloonicles) or tandem tricycles (trycaloons).
New giants joining the line-up this year include Astronaut Snoopy by Peanuts Worldwide, Green Eggs and Ham by Netflix, and SpongeBob SquarePants & Gary by Nickelodeon. In celebration of his 75th birthday, a heritage balloon and fan favorite will return to the Parade as Smokey Bear once again takes to the skies over Manhattan.
In 2005, the Macy’s Parade began to feature what would become a collection of high-flying artwork created in collaboration with renowned contemporary artists. The special series, entitled Macy’s Blue Sky Gallery, has featured some of the art world’s finest creators. This year, for the eighth edition of the series, the world’s most renowned female contemporary artist will take her iconic art to new heights as Yayoi Kusama joins the Macy’s Parade with her Love Flies Up to the Sky balloon. The design was developed by the artist from face motifs that appear in her “My Eternal Soul” series of paintings–a body of work that she began in 2009. Vibrant and animated, the paintings embody Kusama’s innovative exploration of form and revolve around a tension between abstraction and figuration. The artist’s signature dots–which recur throughout her practice—are also featured prominently in the Macy’s Parade balloon design. Previous balloons in the Macy’s Parade Blue Sky Gallery series have included works from famed artists Tom Otterness, Jeff Koons, Keith Haring, Takashi Murakami, Tim Burton, KAWS, and FriendsWithYou™.
Returning giant balloon characters include Diary of A Wimpy Kid® by Abrams Children’s Books; Sinclair Oil’s DINO®; The Elf on the Shelf®; Goku; Illumination Presents Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch; Jett by Super Wings™; Olaf from Disney’s “Frozen 2”; Chase from PAW Patrol®; Pikachu™ by the Pokémon Company International; Pillsbury Doughboy™; Power Rangers Mighty Morphin Red Ranger; Ronald McDonald®; and Trolls. Completing the inflatable lineup is the famed Aflac Duck, Sinclair Oil’s Baby DINOs and the Go Bowling balloonicles, as well as Universal Orlando Resort’s The Nutcracker.
STARS ON PARADE
The Macy’s Parade has must-see entertainment for everyone in the family. Joining the festivities will be stars from a variety of global music genres including Pop, R&B, Country, Latin and K-Pop, with a few noteworthy special appearances thrown in the mix. Appearing or performing onboard one of Macy’s signature floating stages will be Natasha Bedingfield, Black Eyed Peas, Chicago, Ciara, Josh Dela Cruz, Debbie Gibson, former NASA Astronauts Kay Hire & Janet Kavandi, Chris Janson, Idina Menzel, Lea Michele, Miss America 2019 Nia Franklin, NHL® Legends Dominic Moore and Eddie Olczyk, the cast & Muppets of Sesame Street, NCT 127, Ozuna, Billy Porter, Kelly Rowland, That Girl Lay Lay, TLC, Tenille Townes, and Chris Young; with an extra special appearance by the one-and-only Santa Claus.
FLOATING WONDERS
Conceived and crafted by the incredible artisans of Macy’s Parade Studio – a design and production facility that includes carpenters, engineers, electricians, painters, animators, sculptors, metal fabricators, scenic and costume designers – this year’s line-up of floats sets an unparalleled stage for entertainment. Gliding down Manhattan, the Parade’s signature floats transport spectators to worlds of wonder through creative design, engineering, and skillful construction. While they may seem to float down the Parade route as three stories tall and several lanes of traffic wide stages, the magic is truly in the design as these floats are built to collapse to no more than 12 ½-feet tall and 8-feet wide in order to travel safely from the New Jersey home of the Parade Studio to the Manhattan starting line via the Lincoln Tunnel each Thanksgiving eve.
This year, five new floats will debut including Nickelodeon’s Blue’s Clues & You! (Josh Dela Cruz), The Brick-changer by The Lego Group (NCT 127), Home Sweet Home by Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® (Tenille Townes), Rexy in the City by COACH® (Billy Porter), and Toy House of Marvelous Milestones by New York Life (Kelly Rowland).
The returning float roster and its scheduled performers and special stars include 1-2-3 Sesame Street® by Sesame Workshop™ (The cast and Muppets of Sesame Street); Big City Cheer! by Spirit of America Productions (Miss America 2019 Nia Franklin); Central Park (Lea Michele); Christmas Cheer is Near by Elf Pets®/The Elf on the Shelf®; Cornucopia; Deck the Halls by Balsam Hill® (Idina Menzel); Everyone’s Favorite Bake Shop by Entenmann’s®; Fantasy Chocolate Factory by Kinder™ (Natasha Bedingfield), Harvest in the Valley by Green Giant® (Chris Janson); Heartwarming Holiday Countdown by Hallmark Channel (Chicago); Mount Rushmore’s American Pride by South Dakota Department of Tourism (Chris Young); the NHL® Most Valuable Hockey Mom presented by MassMutual (Black Eyed Peas and NHL® Legends Dominic Moore and Eddie Olczyk); Parade Day Mischief by SOUR PATCH KIDS® Candy (Ozuna); Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by Nickelodeon (Ciara); Santa’s Sleigh (Santa Claus); Shimmer and Shine by Nickelodeon (Debbie Gibson); Snoopy’s Doghouse by Peanuts Worldwide (Charlie Brown and former NASA Astronauts Kay Hire and Janet Kavandi); Splashing Safari Adventure by Kalahari Resorts and Conventions (TLC); Tom Turkey; and Universal Playground by Universal Kids (That Girl Lay Lay).
Returning for a third year by popular demand, the Macy’s Singing Christmas Tree by Delta Air Lines will feature the harmonious voices of more than 100 Macy’s colleagues and friends from Delta hailing from across the nation and the world. Performing an original song to celebrate the start of the holiday season, the golden-voiced chorus will touch the hearts and uplift the spirits of millions.
STRIKE UP THE BAND AND DANCE
The nation’s best marching bands bring the beat to the holiday revelry. For this year’s 93rd march, 11 of the specially chosen ensembles will ignite coast-to-coast excitement and hometown pride as they step off and perform on the streets of the Big Apple. This year’s bands include Awesome Original Second Time Arounders Marching Band (St. Petersburg, FL), Blue Springs High School Golden Regiment (Blue Springs, MO), Catalina Foothills Falcon Band (Tucson, AZ), Franklin Regional Panther Band (Murrysville, PA), Macy’s Great American Marching Band (United States), Madison Central High School Band (Richmond, KY), Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. High School’s Kings of Halftime (Lithonia, GA), Morgan State University’s The Magnificent Marching Machine (Baltimore, MD), NYPD Marching Band (New York, NY), Ronald Reagan High School Marching Band (San Antonio, TX), and Western Carolina University’s Pride of the Mountains Marching Band (Cullowhee, NC).
Entertaining the crowds with their signature exuberance will be the Parade’s signature large and specialty performance groups. Joining the line-up this year are the teen dancers and cheerleaders of Spirit of America Dance Stars and Spirit of America Cheer. These groups together feature more than 1,200 of the very best performers recruited from hometowns nationwide. Days before Thanksgiving, they will gather for the first time in New York City to rehearse their numbers as a group, ahead of their once-in-a-lifetime national spotlight. Adding some wacky 1980s style dancing will be the hilarious 610 Stompers (New Orleans, LA), with modern dance youth talent showcased by The Alvin Ailey School (New York, NY) and the tap dance theatrics of children from The Nice List (New York, NY). Rounding out the performance group line-up and joining select talent performances will be Gamma Phi Circus (Normal, IL), Manhattan Youth Ballet (New York, NY), the dance stars of the world-renowned in-school arts education program National Dance Institute (New York, NY) and Young People’s Chorus of NYC (New York, NY).
A NATIONAL SPECTACLE
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is the nation’s biggest and most anticipated holiday celebration. Broadcast nationally on NBC, with millions of families nationwide tuning in to watch the excitement unfold, the TODAY Show’s Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker will host the three-hour broadcast from 9 a.m. – noon (in all time zones).
To kick off the revelry, a special must-see opening number featuring a who’s who of actors, singers, dancers and more, all joined by the cast and Muppets of Sesame Street, will start the Thanksgiving Day party with a smash.
Following the opener, on 34th Street, Broadway’s best shows will take a star turn in front of Macy’s famed flagship with special performances. In addition, the show-stopping Radio City Rockettes® will bring their signature high-kicking magic to Herald Square.
360 DEGREE INTERACTIVE FUN
For the fourth year, Macy’s, along with NBCUniversal and Verizon, will give viewers an up close and personal second screen experience of the Parade with a 360-degree livestream on Verizon’s YouTube page. The stream will go live at 8:30 a.m. EST at www.youtube.com/verizon and will run through noon EST. With exclusive access to cameras along the entire Parade route, online spectators will get a glimpse of the magic behind the scenes, as well as a preview of what’s to come as the Parade marches down the streets of Manhattan.
For spectators in New York or those traveling to the city to see it live, the 93rd Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade begins at 9 a.m., kicking off from 77th Street and Central Park West. The procession will march to Columbus Circle, turn onto Central Park South and then march down 6th Avenue/Avenue of the Americas. At 34th Street, the Parade will make its final turn west and end at 7th Avenue in front of Macy’s Herald Square.
For an insider’s look at the holiday procession, fans nationwide should visit macys.com/parade or regular updates including behind-the-scenes previews, special tours, interactive historical information, and more. Fans can also follow @macys on various social networks and join the conversation using #MacysParade.
This Thanksgiving, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will bring millions of spectators a dazzling celebration like no other. Start the countdown, in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 … Let’s Have a Parade!
Delta Air Lines is the official airline of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Hilton is the official hotel of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Ram is the official truck of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Remo is the official drumhead provider of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Under Armour is the official outerwear provider of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Tim McGraw at the 2016 American Music Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on November 20, 2016. (Photo courtesy of Image Group LA/ABC)
Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard of Florida Georgia Line at Florida Georgia Line’s grand opening of their Nashville creative compound in Nashville on October 30, 2018. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for Florida Georgia Line)
Dan + Shay at the 51st Annual CMA Awards at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on November 8, 2018. (Photo courtesy of ABC/Image Group LA)
The following is a press release from iHeartMedia:
iHeartMedia, the leading audio company in America which also has a greater reach in the U.S. than any other media outlet, announced today the return of the iHeartCountry Festival on Saturday, May 4, 2019. For the sixth straight year, Country music’s biggest superstars will perform at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas in a live celebration of all things Country.
The 2019 iHeartCountry Festival lineup will feature Country music’s hottest artists including Tim McGraw, Florida Georgia Line, Dan + Shay, Luke Combs, Little Big Town, Lauren Alaina, Old Dominion, Chris Janson, Bobby Bones & The Raging Idiots and Tenille Townes. The festival will also feature a special live performance music collaboration featuring today’s emerging Women of iHeartCountry. In addition, one of iHeartMedia’s nationally-syndicated top on air personalities, Bobby Bones, will return as the official host of the iHeartCountry Festival main stage.
“I look forward to the iHeartCountry Festival every year,” said Bobby Bones, Vice President, Creative Director of iHeartCountry and Executive Producer and Host of iHeartMedia’s The Bobby Bones Show. “It’s always special to have so much of the Country music community together in one place, including some really talented new artists we have been supporting on Women of iHeartCountry.”
iHeartCountry has more than 150 Country stations across the U.S. reaching more than 110 million Country music listeners per month on broadcast alone, making it the largest Country broadcast radio group in America. The iHeartCountry Festival is part of iHeartMedia’s roster of nationally-recognized events including the iHeartRadio Music Festival, the iHeartRadio Music Awards, the nationwide iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Concert Tour Presented by Capital One®, iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina, iHeartRadio ALTer Ego, iHeartRadio Wango Tango and the iHeartRadio Podcast Awards.
The iHeartCountry Festival is an iHeartMedia Production. Proud partners of this year’s event include Delta Dental and Tito’s Handmade Vodka, with more to be announced. For more information visit iHeartRadio.com/countryfestival.
Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, February 8 at 12:00pm CT via TexasBoxOffice.com. iHeartMedia’s Country music radio stations will broadcast the event live in their local markets and at iHeartRadio.com.
About the Frank Erwin Center:
Located in the heart of downtown Austin, the Frank Erwin Center has served Central Texans with the best in live entertainment, including concerts, theatrical performances, family shows and sporting events since 1977. The multi-purpose facility, which celebrated its 40th Anniversary in November 2017, is owned and operated by The University of Texas at Austin and serves as thehome court for the Texas Longhorns Men’s and Women’s basketball teams.
The following is a press release from the Country Music Association and ABC:
The Country Music Association has announced the final nominees for “The 52nd Annual CMA Awards,” as Chris Stapleton tops the list of finalists with five nominations. Producer and musician Dann Huff receives four nominations, the second most nominations this year, while nine garners three each—Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Dan + Shay, Florida Georgia Line, Chris Janson, Miranda Lambert, Midland, Thomas Rhett and Keith Urban.
Luke Bryan, Dan + Shay and Sugarland appeared on ABC’s “Good Morning America” today, live from Luke’s 32 Bridge Food + Drink, Bryan’s new restaurant and bar in downtown Nashville, to reveal six of the 12 categories on air. Immediately following the broadcast, Dan + Shay and Sugarland announced the remaining six categories in addition to the CMA Broadcast Awards nominees on GoodMorningAmerica.com as well as “Good Morning America’s” Facebook Live and simulcast on the top-rated show’s YouTube channel. The livestream can also be viewed on CMA’s Facebook page.
“Today kicks off CMA Awards season where we get to honor the best of the best in our outstanding format,” said CMA Chief Executive Officer Sarah Trahern. “There were some great breakout performances this year and the diversity of the nominations honors new faces and some favorite returning names.”
Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood return for an 11th year to host “The 52nd Annual CMA Awards,” Country Music’s Biggest Night™, broadcasting live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville Wednesday, Nov. 14 (8:00-11:00 p.m. EDT), on the ABC Television Network.
CHRIS STAPLETON – FIVE NOMINATIONS
Entertainer of the Year, Single of the Year (“Broken Halos”), Album of the Year (“From A Room: Volume 2”), Song of the Year (“Broken Halos”), Male Vocalist of the Year
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4DXSi4AfCE
Stapleton leads this year’s CMA Awards nominations with five, adding to his previous 11 nominations and seven wins. He lands his third consecutive nod for Entertainer of the Year in addition to nominations in the Single and Song of the Year categories for “Broken Halos,” produced by Dave Cobb and Stapleton, mixed by Vance Powell, and written by Mike Henderson and Stapleton. Stapleton earns his third nomination for Album of the Year for “From A Room: Volume 2,” produced by Cobb and Stapleton. He previously won Album for his first two solo albums, “Traveller,” awarded in 2015, and “From A Room: Volume 1,” awarded in 2017. Stapleton also receives his fourth consecutive nomination for Male Vocalist of the Year, a category he remains undefeated in, having won the past three years.
DANN HUFF – FOUR NOMINATIONS
Single of the Year (“Drinkin’ Problem”), Album of the Year (“Graffiti U”), Album of the Year (“Life Changes”), Musician of the Year (Guitar)
Producer and musician Dann Huff garners the second most nominations, receiving four nominations for his behind-the-scenes work with multiple artists. Huff is a 31-time nominee with three previous wins for Musician of the Year and two previous wins for Single of the Year. This year, he’s once again nominated in both of these categories. His Single nomination for producing Midland’s “Drinkin’ Problem” earns Huff his sixth nomination in the category. He also lands two Album of the Year nods for his production work on Keith Urban’s “Graffiti U” and Thomas Rhett’s “Life Changes.” Huff earns his 18th nomination in the Musician of the Year category, which he last won in 2016.
JASON ALDEAN – THREE NOMINATIONS
Entertainer of the Year, Single of the Year (“Drowns the Whiskey”), Musical Event of the Year (“Drowns the Whiskey”)
Jason Aldean adds three nominations to his 14 career nominations. His Entertainer of the Year nomination is his first since 2015 and his fourth nomination in the category. This year, Aldean lands two nominations alongside Miranda Lambert for Single of the Year, along with producer Michael Knox and mix engineer Jeff Braun, and Musical Event of the Year for their collaboration “Drowns the Whiskey.” Aldean has two previous nominations for Musical Event, having won in 2011 for his song “Don’t You Wanna Stay” with Kelly Clarkson, as well as two nominations for Single.
DIERKS BENTLEY – THREE NOMINATIONS
Album of the Year (“The Mountain”), Male Vocalist of the Year, Musical Event of the Year (“Burning Man”)
Dierks Bentley earns his sixth career nomination for Album of the Year, alongside producers Ross Copperman, Jon Randall Stewart, and Arturo Buenahora Jr., while also marking his fifth consecutive nomination for Male Vocalist of the Year. He also lands a nod alongside Brothers Osborne for Musical Event of the Year for their collaboration “Burning Man,” Bentley’s third nomination in the category. He won Musical Event in 2016 for his song “Different For Girls” (Feat. Elle King). With this year’s nominations, Bentley collects 24 total career nominations.
DAN + SHAY – THREE NOMINATIONS
Single of the Year (“Tequila”), Vocal Duo of the Year, Music Video of the Year (“Tequila”)
Adding to their four career nominations, Dan + Shay receive three nominations this year, with two first-time nominations for “Tequila” in the Single of the Year and Music Video of the Year categories. “Tequila” lands the song’s producers, Dan + Shay’s Dan Smyers along with Scott Hendricks, as well as mix engineer Jeff Juliano, nominations for Single, while director Patrick Tracy earns his first nomination for Music Video. Dan + Shay also land a nomination for Vocal Duo of the Year, their fifth consecutive nomination in the category. Smyers earns a second nomination for Song of the Year for co-writing “Tequila” alongside Nicolle Galyon and Jordan Reynolds. A win in any category this year would mark Dan + Shay’s first-ever CMA Award.
FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE – THREE NOMINATIONS
Single of the Year (“Meant to Be”), Vocal Duo of the Year, Musical Event of the Year (“Meant to Be”)
Florida Georgia Line becomes six-time Vocal Duo of the Year nominees this year in addition to landing nominations for Single of the Year and Musical Event of the Year for “Meant to Be,” their collaboration with Bebe Rexha. “Meant to Be” also earns Single nominations for producer Willshire and mix engineer Serban Ghenea. Florida Georgia Line previously won in the Single category in 2013 for their song “Cruise.” This year marks Rexha’s first-ever CMA Awards nominations.
CHRIS JANSON – THREE NOMINATIONS
Song of the Year (“Drunk Girl”), Music Video of the Year (“Drunk Girl”), New Artist of the Year
With three nominations this year, Chris Janson ties Midland for the top-earning first-time nominee. His song “Drunk Girl” lands nods for Song of the Year, alongside co-writers Scooter Carusoe and Tom Douglas, and Music Video of the Year, directed by Jeff Venable. Janson is also up for New Artist of the Year.
MIRANDA LAMBERT – THREE NOMINATIONS
Single of the Year (“Drowns the Whiskey”), Female Vocalist of the Year, Musical Event of the Year (“Drowns the Whiskey”)
Not only is Miranda Lambert the most-awarded female in CMA Awards history with 13 total wins, but she’s also the reigning Female Vocalist of the Year, earning her 12th consecutive nomination in the category this year. Lambert collects two nominations with her Jason Aldean collaboration “Drowns the Whiskey” for Single of the Year, along with producer Michael Knox and mix engineer Jeff Braun, as well as for Musical Event of the Year, bringing her total career nominations to 47.
MIDLAND – THREE NOMINATIONS
Single of the Year (“Drinkin’ Problem”), Vocal Group of the Year, New Artist of the Year
Midland ties for the top-earning first-time nominees, matching Chris Janson’s three nominations this year. The trio lands a Single of the Year nomination for “Drinkin’ Problem” along with producers Huff, Shane McAnally, and Josh Osborne, and mix engineer Justin Niebank. Midland also receives nominations for Vocal Group of the Year and New Artist of the Year.
THOMAS RHETT – THREE NOMINATIONS
Album of the Year (“Life Changes”), Male Vocalist of the Year, Music Video of the Year (“Marry Me”)
Thomas Rhett collects his second consecutive nomination in the Male Vocalist of the Year category this year. His album “Life Changes” earns his first-ever Album of the Year nomination, which he shares with producers Julian Bunetta, Jesse Frasure, Huff, and Joe London. Thomas Rhett also receives a nomination for Music Video of the Year for his song “Marry Me,” directed by TK McKamy.
KEITH URBAN – THREE NOMINATIONS
Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year (“Graffiti U”), Male Vocalist of the Year
This year marks Keith Urban’s 14th nomination for Male Vocalist of the Year, 11th nomination in the Entertainer of the Year category, and his sixth nomination in the Album of the Year category for “Graffiti U,” bringing his career nominations to 45 with 11 total wins. Urban shares the nomination with the albums producers Dan McCarroll, J.R. Rotem, Josh Kerr, Jason Evigan, Greg Wells, Benny Blanco, Ed Sheeran, Johnny McDaid, Jesse Shatkin, Jimmy Robbins, Oscar Holter, Matt Rad, Eric Valentine, Ian Kirkpatrick, Mike Elizondo, Captain Cuts, Copperman, Huff, and Peter Karlsson. Urban is the reigning Single of the Year winner for his song “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” which he also produced.
Winners of “The 52nd Annual CMA Awards” will be determined in a final round of voting by eligible voting CMA members. The third and final ballot will be emailed to CMA members Monday, Oct. 1. Voting for the CMA Awards final ballot ends Tuesday, Oct. 23 (6:00 p.m. CDT). All balloting is tabulated by the professional services firm Deloitte.
“The 52nd Annual CMA Awards” is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the Executive Producer, Gary Halvorson is the Director, and David Wild is the Head Writer.
Here is the complete list of nominations for the 2018 CMA Awards:
Entertainer of the Year
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Kenny Chesney
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban
Single of the Year Award goes to artist, producer(s) and mix engineer(s)
Chris Stapleton – “Broken Halos”
Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton
Mix Engineer: Vance Powell
Jason Aldean featuring Miranda Lambert – “Drowns the Whiskey”
Producer: Michael Knox
Mix Engineer: Jeff Braun
Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line – “Meant to Be”
Producer: Willshire
Mix Engineer: Serban Ghenea
Dan + Shay – “Tequila”
Producers: Scott Hendricks, Dan Smyers
Mix Engineer: Jeff Juliano
Album of the Year Award goes to artist and producer(s)
Chris Stapleton – “From a Room: Volume 2”
Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton
Kacey Musgraves – “Golden Hour”
Producers: Ian Fitchuk, Daniel Tashian, Kacey Musgraves
Keith Urban – “Graffiti U”
Producers: Keith Urban, Dan McCarroll, J.R. Rotem, Josh Kerr, Jason Evigan, Greg Wells, Benny Blanco, Ed Sheeran, Johnny McDaid, Jesse Shatkin, Jimmy Robbins, Oscar Holter, Matt Rad, Eric Valentine, Ian Kirkpatrick, Mike Elizondo, Captain Cuts, Ross Copperman, Dann Huff, Peter Karlsson
Thomas Rhett – “Life Changes“
Producers: Julian Bunetta, Jesse Frasure, Dann Huff, Joe London, Thomas Rhett
Dierks Bentley – “The Mountain”
Producers: Ross Copperman, Jon Randall Stewart, Arturo Buenahora Jr.
Song of the Year Award goes to songwriter(s)
“Body Like a Back Road”
Songwriters: Zach Crowell, Sam Hunt, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne
“Broken Halos”
Songwriters: Mike Henderson, Chris Stapleton
“Drowns the Whiskey”
Songwriters: Brandon Kinney, Jeff Middleton, Josh Thompson
“Drunk Girl”
Songwriters: Scooter Carusoe, Tom Douglas, Chris Janson
“Tequila”
Songwriters: Nicolle Galyon, Jordan Reynolds, Dan Smyers
Female Vocalist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Maren Morris
Kacey Musgraves
Carrie Underwood
Male Vocalist of the Year
Dierks Bentley
Luke Combs
Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban
Vocal Group of the Year
Lady Antebellum
LANCO
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion
Vocal Duo of the Year
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Maddie & Tae
Sugarland
Musical Event of the Year Award goes to each artist
Dierks Bentley featuring Brothers Osborne – “Burning Man”
Maren Morris featuring Vince Gill – “Dear Hate”
Jason Aldean featuring Miranda Lambert – “Drowns the Whiskey”
David Lee Murphy with Kenny Chesney – “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright”
Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line – “Meant to Be”
Musician of the Year
Jerry Douglas, Dobro
Paul Franklin, Steel Guitar
Dann Huff, Guitar
Mac McAnally, Guitar
Derek Wells, Guitar
Music Video of the Year Award goes to artist and director(s)
Sugarland featuring Taylor Swift – “Babe”
Director: Anthony Mandler
Carrie Underwood– “Cry Pretty”
Director: Randee St. Nicholas
Chris Janson – “Drunk Girl”
Director: Jeff Venable
Thomas Rhett – “Marry Me”
Director: TK McKamy
Dan + Shay – “Tequila”
Director: Patrick Tracy
New Artist of the Year
Lauren Alaina
Luke Combs
Chris Janson
Midland
Brett Young
Broadcast Personality of the Year
National
“American Country Countdown” (Kix Brooks) – Westwood One
“Bob Kingsley’s Country Top 40” (Bob Kingsley) – Westwood One
“Country Countdown USA” (Lon Helton) – Westwood One
“The Mayor of Music Row” (Charlie Monk) – Sirius XM Satellite Radio
“The Music Row Happy Hour” (Buzz Brainard) – Sirius XM Satellite Radio
Major Market
“Bud and Broadway” (Bud Ford, Jerry Broadway, Kelly Rebal, “Captain Mac Douglas” Gregory Paul Ford, “T.Wall” Tom Wall, and “Sweet Becca” Walls) – WIL St. Louis, MO
“Double-L” (Lois Lewis) – KNIX Phoenix, AZ
“Hawkeye in the Morning” (“Hawkeye” Mark Louis Rybczyk, Jasmine Sadry, and “Connected K” Katelyn Maida) – KSCS Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
“KYGO Morning Show” (Tracy Dixon, Guy David, and Patrick Knight) – KYGO Denver-Boulder, CO
“Tim, Ben and Brooke” (Tim Hattrick, Ben Campbell, and Brooke Hoover) – KNIX Phoenix, AZ
Large Market
“Jim, Deb & Kevin” (Jim Denny, Deborah Honeycutt, and Kevin Freeman) – WFMS Indianapolis, IN
“Obie & Ashley in the Morning” (Obie Diaz and Ashley Stegbauer) – WWKA Orlando, FL
“Q Morning Crew” (Mike Wheless and Janie Carothers) – WQDR Raleigh-Durham, NC
“The Randy, Jamie, and Jojo Show” (Randy Carroll, Jamie Martin, and Jojo Meza) – KAJA San Antonio, TX
“Ridder, Scott and Shannen” (“Ridder” Shaun Ridderbush, Scott Dolphin, and Shannen Oesterreich) – WMIL Milwaukee-Racine, WI
Medium Market
“The 97.5 WPCV Breakfast Club” (Roger Todd, “Julie K.” Kansy, and “D.J. Thee Trucker” Dale Sellers) – WPCV Lakeland-Winter Haven, FLA
Brent Michaels – KUZZ Bakersfield, CA
“Ken, Kelley, and Daniel” (Ken Hicks, Kelley Bradshaw, and Daniel Wyatt) – WUSY Chattanooga, TN
“The Odd Squad” (Roger Rhodes, Robyn Adair, and Dan Carson) – CKRY Calgary, AB
“Scott and Sarah in the Morning” (Scott Wynn and Sarah Kay) – WQMX Akron, OH
Small Market
“Barrett, Fox & Berry” (Bill Barrett, Tim Fox, and Tracy Berry) – KKNU Eugene-Springfield, OR
“The Cat Pak Morning Show” (Brent Lane and Candy Cullerton) – WYCT Pensacola, FL
“The Eddie Foxx Show” (Eddie Foxx and Sharon Green) – WKSF Asheville, NC
“The Good Morning Guys” (Todd Harding, Susan Moore, and Brian Gary) – KUAD Ft. Collins-Greeley, CO
“Steve and Jessica Mornings” (Steve Waters and Jessica Cash) – WFLS Fredericksburg, VA
Radio Station of the Year
Major Market
KKBQ Houston-Galveston, TX
KNIX Phoenix, AZ
KUPL Portland, OR
WKKT Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC
WSOC Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC
Large Market
KCYY San Antonio, TX
KUBL Salt Lake City-Ogden-Provo, UT
WQIK Jacksonville, FL
WUBE Cincinnati, OH
WWKA Orlando, FL
Medium Market
KUZZ Bakersfield, CA
WBBS Syracuse, NY
WHKO Dayton, OH
WUSY Chattanooga, TN
WYRK Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY
Small Market
KCLR Columbia, MO
KKNU Eugene-Springfield, OR
KTTS Springfield, MO
WCOW La Crosse, WI
WKSF Asheville, NC
