WALLEN NOTCHES SEVEN CMA NOMS

The ever-present Morgan Wallen leads the nominations for this year’s Country Music Association Awards with seven, with the Big Loud star picking up nods for Entertainer of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year,

Wallen is also nominated for Single of the Year, Song of the Year, Musical Event of the Year and Music Video of the Year for his Post Malone collab “I Had Some Help.” He also notched a Musical Event of the Year nod for “Man Made a Bar.”

Cody Johnson (Warner Music Nashville) and 21-time CMA winner Chris Stapleton (Mercury Nashville) are each up for five awards, followed closely by Nashville newbie Malone (Republic/Mercury) and reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year Lainey Wilson (BBR) with four apiece.

Three-time nominees for the 58th annual CMAs include Louis Bell, Luke Combs, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins, Jelly Roll, Megan Moroney and Kacey Musgraves.

This year’s biggest surprise might be Beyoncé being shut out completely for her crossover chart-topper Cowboy Carter (Parkwood/Columbia) album and its attendant singles. Then again, Bey took to Instagram way back when to proclaim, “This ain’t a country album… this is a Beyoncé album.”

The ceremony will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on 11/20 at 8pm ET on ABC and next day on Hulu. Wake HITS up when it's time to write the recap?

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

Luke Combs

Jelly Roll

Chris Stapleton

Morgan Wallen

Lainey Wilson

SINGLE OF THE YEAR

“A Bar Song (Tipsy),” Shaboozey Producers: Sean Cook, Nevin Sastry Mix Engineer: Raul Lopez

“Dirt Cheap,” Cody Johnson Producer: Trent Willmon Mix Engineer: Jack Clarke

“I Had Some Help,” Post Malone (Feat. Morgan Wallen) Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins Mix Engineer: Ryan Gore

“Watermelon Moonshine,” Lainey Wilson Producer: Jay Joyce Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce

“White Horse,” Chris Stapleton Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton, Morgane Stapleton Mix Engineer: Vance Powell

ALBUM OF THE YEAR Award goes to Artist, Producer(s) and Mix Engineer(s)

Deeper Well, Kacey Musgraves Producers: Ian Fitchuk, Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian Mix Engineers: Shawn Everett, Konrad Snyder

Fathers & Sons, Luke Combs Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton Mix Engineer: Chip Matthews

Higher, Chris Stapleton Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton, Morgane Stapleton Mix Engineer: Vance Powell

Leather, Cody Johnson Producer: Trent Willmon Mix Engineer: Jack Clarke

Whitsitt Chapel, Jelly Roll Producers: Andrew Baylis, Brock Berryhill, Zach Crowell, Jesse Frasure, David Garcia, Kevin “Thrasher” Gruft, Austin Nivarel, David Ray Stevens Mix Engineers: Jeff Braun, Jim Cooley

SONG OF THE YEAR

“Burn It Down,” Songwriters: Hillary Lindsey, Parker McCollum, Lori McKenna, Liz Rose

“Dirt Cheap,” Songwriter: Josh Phillips

“I Had Some Help,” Songwriters: Louis Bell, Ashley Gorley, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins, Austin Post, Ernest Keith Smith, Morgan Wallen, Chandler Paul Walters

“The Painter,” Songwriters: Benjy Davis, Kat Higgins, Ryan Larkins

“White Horse,” Songwriters: Chris Stapleton, Dan Wilson

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Kelsea Ballerini

Ashley McBryde

Megan Moroney

Kacey Musgraves

Lainey Wilson

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Luke Combs

Jelly Roll

Cody Johnson

Chris Stapleton

Morgan Wallen

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

Lady A

Little Big Town

Old Dominion

The Red Clay Strays

Zac Brown Band

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR

Brooks & Dunn

Brothers Osborne

Dan + Shay

Maddie & Tae

The War And Treaty

MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR

“Cowboys Cry Too,” Kelsea Ballerini (with Noah Kahan) Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Alysa Vanderheym

“I Had Some Help,” Post Malone (Feat. Morgan Wallen) Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins

“I Remember Everything,” Zach Bryan (ft. Kacey Musgraves) Producer: Zach Bryan

“Man Made a Bar,” Morgan Wallen (feat. Eric Church) Producer: Joey Moi

“you look like you love me,” Ella Langley (feat. Riley Green) Producer: Will Bundy

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR

Tom Bukovac, Guitar

Jenee Fleenor, Fiddle

Paul Franklin, Steel Guitar

Rob McNelley, Guitar

Charlie Worsham, Guitar

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR Award goes to Artist(s) and Director(s)

“Dirt Cheap,” Cody Johnson Director: Dustin Haney

“I Had Some Help,” Post Malone (Feat. Morgan Wallen) Director: Chris Villa

“I’m Not Pretty,” Megan Moroney Directors: Jeff Johnson, Megan Moroney

“The Painter,” Cody Johnson Director: Dustin Haney

“Wildflowers and Wild Horses,” Lainey Wilson Director: Patrick Tracy

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Megan Moroney

Shaboozey

Nate Smith

Mitchell Tenpenny

Zach Top

Bailey Zimmerman

THE HITS LIST TURKEY TROT
...with all the trimmings (11/22a)
AN AWARD-WINNING CMA GALLERY
Cowboy hats and funny caps (11/21a)
NEAR TRUTHS: WITCHING HOUR
It's not easy being green. (11/21a)
NEAR TRUTHS: REALIGNMENT AND RECOGNITION
Underscoring the year's biggest stories (11/19a)
NEAR TRUTHS: THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
Nervous time in the music biz and beyond. (11/16a)
NOW WHAT?
We have no fucking idea.
COUNTRY'S NEWEST DISRUPTOR
Three chords and some truth you may not be ready for.
AI IS ALREADY EATING YOUR LUNCH
The kids can tell the difference... for now.
WHO'S BUYING THE DRINKS?
That's what we'd like to know.
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