The Academy of Country Music (ACM) has revealed the nominees for the 51st ACM Awards Song of the Year and Song Writer of the Year awards.
The initial nominees were determined with the input of a professional panel comprised entirely of award-winning songwriters. The five nominees that will appear on the final ballot were voted on by the Composer class of ACM Membership.
“The ACM Board of Directors recently voted to revise the prestigious Song of the Year Award criteria to allow the greater songwriting community a stronger voice in determining the final nominees,” said Tiffany Moon, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of the Academy of Country Music. “Songwriters are at the inception of all of this; we’re privileged to have their expertise in choosing the most well-crafted songs.”
SONG OF THE YEAR NOMINEES (Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s):
- Burning House – Cam
Songwriters: Jeffrey Bhasker, Tyler Johnson, Cam
Publishers: Marvelous Oaks Records (ASCAP), Creative Pulse Music (BMI), One Year Yesterday Publishing (BMI), Sony/ATV Songs LLC (BMI), These Are Pulse Songs (BMI), Way Above Music (BMI) - Girl Crush – Little Big Town
Songwriters: Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna, Liz Rose
Publishers: HillarodyRathbone Music (ASCAP), Hoodie Songs (BMI), Songs of Crazy Girl Music (BMI), Songs of Universal Inc (BMI), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI) - Nobody To Blame – Chris Stapleton
Songwriters: Chris Stapleton, Barry Bales, Ronnie Bowman
Publishers: House of Sea Gayle Music (ASCAP), WB Music Corp (ASCAP), Quackhead Music (BMI), RayLynn Publishing (BMI) - Raise ‘Em Up – Keith Urban Featuring Eric Church
Songwriters: Tom Douglas, Jaren Johnston, Jeffrey Steele
Publishers: Jeffrey Steele Music (BMI), Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (BMI), TomDouglasMusic (BMI), Sony/ATV Harmony (ASCAP), Texa Rae Music (ASCAP) - She Don’t Love You – Eric Paslay
Songwriters: Eric Paslay, Jennifer Wayne
Publishers: Five Stone Publishing (ASCAP), Spirit Two Nashville (ASCAP), Songwriters of Platinum Pen Publishing (BMI)
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR *(OFF CAMERA AWARD)
- Rodney Clawson
- Ross Copperman
- Ashley Gorley
- Shane McAnally
- Josh Osborne
A complete list of nominees for the 51st ACM Awards can be seen here.
The winners of these awards and all the awards will be announced at 51ST ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS®, Country Music’s Party of the Year® co-hosted by Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 3rd at 8 PM live ET/7 PM CT/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network.
By: Buck Stevens
