CMT Music Awards: Sam Hunt, Luke Combs, Kelsea Ballerini among top nominees
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The video star takes center stage this week as award season in Nashville sets sights on the annual CMT Music Awards.
CMT on Wednesday unveiled nominees for the upcoming ceremony, led by a six-way tie from hitmakers Ashley McBryde, Dan + Shay, Thomas Rhett, Sam Hunt, Kelsea Ballerini and Luke Combs. Each of these leading artists earned three nods, including a slot competing for marquee "Video of the Year" honors.
The CMT Music Awards air Oct. 21, a Wednesday night, at 7 p.m. CST on CMT. Viacom, the Nashville-based brand's parent company, angles to simulcast the program on six additional networks: MTV, MTV2, Logo, Paramount Network, Pop an TV Land.
In a similar move to this year's MTV Video Music Awards in New York City (also a Viacom program), the show plans to host "epic outdoor performances in and around Music City," a news release said. Once scheduled for early May, COVID-19 precautions led show organizers to postpone the CMT Music Awards to Oct. 14 before announcing Thursday an Oct. 21 run date.
2020 VMAs: Best and worst moments, from Lady Gaga's pandemic-chic outfits to eerie fake crowds
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A total of 14 artists compete for Video of the Year, including first-time nominee Tanya Tucker, for her Grammy Award-winning song "Bring My Flowers Now"; viral breakout Blanco Brown, for his genre-blending song "The Git Up" and the winningest artist in CMT Awards history, Carrie Underwood, who's earned 20 fan-voted trophies.
The Chicks (formerly known as The Dixie Chicks) earned two nominations for its "Gaslighter" video, the first CMT awards nod for the group since 2007. Other artists to earn two nominees include Brown, Underwood, Gabby Barrett, Kane Brown, Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert and Old Dominion.
Viewers can begin casting ballots for the fan-voted ceremony now at vote.cmt.com. Voting remains open until Oct. 12 at 11 a.m. CST, when CMT plans to unveil five Video of the Year finalists.
2020 CMT Music Award nominees
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
- Ashley McBryde - âOne Night Standardsâ
- Blanco Brown - âThe Git Upâ
- Carrie Underwood - âDrinking Aloneâ
- Dan + Shay - âI Should Probably Go To Bedâ
- Keith Urban - âPolaroidâ
- Kelsea Ballerini - âhomecoming queen?â
- Little Big Town - âSugar Coatâ
- Luke Combs - âBeer Never Broke My Heartâ
- Miranda Lambert - âBluebirdâ
- Old Dominion - âSome People Doâ
- Sam Hunt - âHard To Forgetâ
- Tanya Tucker - âBring My Flowers Nowâ
- The Chicks -âGaslighterâ
- Thomas Rhett - âRemember You Youngâ
FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
- Ashley McBryde - âOne Night Standardsâ
- Carrie Underwood - âDrinking Aloneâ
- Gabby Barrett - âI Hopeâ
- Kelsea Ballerini - âhomecoming queen?â
- Maren Morris - âThe Bonesâ
- Miranda Lambert - âBluebirdâ
MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
- Jason Aldean - âGot What I Gotâ
- Luke Bryan - âOne Margaritaâ
- Luke Combs - âEven Though I'm Leavingâ
- Morgan Wallen - âChasin' You (Dream Video)â
- Sam Hunt - âHard To Forgetâ
- Thomas Rhett - âRemember You Youngâ
GROUP VIDEO OF THE YEAR
- Lady A - âChampagne Nightâ
- Little Big Town - âWine, Beer, Whiskeyâ
- Midland - âCheatin' Songs (Live From the Palomino)â
- Old Dominion - âOne Man Bandâ
- The Chicks - âGaslighterâ
- The Highwomen - âCrowded Tableâ
DUO VIDEO OF THE YEAR
- Brothers Osborne - âAll Night (Studio Performance)â
- Dan + Shay - âI Should Probably Go To Bedâ
- Florida Georgia Line - âBlessingsâ
- LOCASH - âOne Big Country Songâ
- Maddie & Tae - âDie From A Broken Heartâ
BREAKTHROUGH VIDEO OF THE YEAR
- Blanco Brown - âThe Git Upâ
- Caylee Hammack - âFamily Treeâ
- Gabby Barrett - âI Hopeâ
- Ingrid Andress - âMore Hearts Than Mineâ
- Riley Green - âI Wish Grandpas Never Diedâ
- Travis Denning - âAfter a Fewâ
COLLABORATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
- Blake Shelton with Gwen Stefani - âNobody But Youâ
- Carly Pearce and Lee Brice - âI Hope You're Happy Nowâ
- Dan + Shay and Justin Bieber - â10,000 Hoursâ
- Kane Brown featuring Nelly - âCool Againâ
- Marshmello and Kane Brown - âOne Thing Rightâ
- Thomas Rhett featuring Jon Pardi - âBeer Can't Fixâ
CMT PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
- From CMT Artists of the Year: Ashley McBryde - âOne Night Standardsâ
- From CMT Crossroads: Brooks & Dunn and Luke Combs - âBrand New Manâ
- From CMT Artists of the Year: Chris Young - âDrowningâ
- From CMT Crossroads: Halsey and Kelsea Ballerini - âGraveyardâ
- From CMT Artists of the Year: Sam Hunt - âFancyâ
- From CMT Crossroads: Sheryl Crow and Chris Stapleton - âTell Me When It's Overâ