Taylor Swift, Zac Brown Band, Carrie Underwood and Lady Antebellum Score ACA Nominations

Brown and Jason Aldean lead all contenders, scoring a leading eight nominations for Dec. 5 awards show; newcomers Thompson Square was next with seven

By Gina Serpe Oct 13, 2011 4:32 PMTags
Blake Shelton, Taylor Swift, Brad PaisleyNBC; AP IMAGES; Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com

No one likes to offer themselves up a bit of self-congratulations more than Hollywood. Except maybe Nashville.

Not content with the recently announced AMAs, ACMs or CMAs, the ACAs are back for a second go-round, as Fox this morning revealed the nominations for the American Country Awards.

So which country crooner came tops in the nominations and gets to lay claim to the honky-tonk crown?

Leading the charge this time around are Jason Aldean and the increasing laurel-magnet that is the Zac Brown Band. Both acts scored a leading eight nominations apiece, including in the all important Artist of the Year category.

They vie against fellow heavy-hitters and perennial faves Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum and—since no country-based awards show is complete without her—Taylor Swift.

Incidentally, Swift didn't follow too far from the top nominees, as she and relative newcomers The Band Perry both scored six nominations. They were bested slightly by the seven-times nominated, new to the party Thompson Square.

One of Swift's nods came, not surprisingly, for Female Artist of the Year, which pits her against Sara Evans, Alison Krauss, Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood.

Their nominated male counterparts include Aldean, Chesney, Luke Bryan, Brad Paisley and Blake Shelton.

As for Album of the Year honors, six artists will be battling it out for those bragging rights. Aldean's My Kinda Party, Chesney's Hemingway's Whiskey, Paisley's This Is Country Music, Swift's Speak Now, Keith Urban's Get Closer, and Zac Brown Band's You Get What You Give are all up for the prize.

Among the other notable nominees making the cut: American Idol's Scott McCreery, Sugarland, Rascal Flatts, Tim McGraw and Reba McEntire.

Winners in all categories aside from Artist of the Year can be voted on by fans at www.theacas.com through Nov. 11. Voting on the big prize will continue through Dec. 2.

Trace Adkins and Kristin Chenoweth will host the show, airing live Dec. 5. Here's the complete list of nominees for the second annual ACAs:

Artist of the Year
Jason Aldean
Kenny Chesney
Lady Antebellum
Taylor Swift
Zac Brown Band

Artist of the Year: Male
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
Blake Shelton

Artist of the Year: Female
Sara Evans
Alison Krauss
Miranda Lambert
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood

Artist of the Year: Duo or Group
The Band Perry
Lady Antebellum
Rascal Flatts
Sugarland
Zac Brown Band

Artist of the Year: Breakthrough Artist
Eric Church
Eli Young Band
Justin Moore
Jake Owen
Chris Young

Artist of the Year: New Artist
The Band Perry
Scotty McCreery
Jerrod Niemann
Pistol Annies
Thompson Square

Album of the Year
Jason Aldean, My Kinda Party
Kenny Chesney, Hemingway's Whiskey
Brad Paisley, This Is Country Music
Taylor Swift, Speak Now
Keith Urban, Get Closer
Zac Brown Band, You Get What You Give

Single of the Year
Billy Currington, "Let Me Down Easy"
Tim McGraw, "Felt Good on My Lips"
Thompson Square, "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not"
Chris Young, "Voices"
Zac Brown Band with Alan Jackson, "As She's Walking Away"

Single of the Year: Male
Jason Aldean, "My Kinda Party"
Luke Bryan, "Someone Else Calling You Baby"
Billy Currington, "Let Me Down Easy"
Tim McGraw, "Felt Good on My Lips"
Chris Young, "Voices"

Single of the Year: Female
Sara Evans, "A Little Bit Stronger"
Miranda Lambert, "Heart Like Mine"
Reba, "Turn On The Radio"
Taylor Swift, "Mean"
Carrie Underwood, "Mama's Song"

Single of the Year: Duo or Group
The Band Perry, "You Lie"
Rascal Flatts, "Why Wait"
Sugarland, "Stuck Like Glue"
Thompson Square, "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not"
Zac Brown Band, "Colder Weather"

Single of the Year: New Artist
The Band Perry, "You Lie"
Craig Campbell, "Family Man"
The JaneDear Girls, "Wildflower"
Jerrod Niemann, "What Do You Want"
Thompson Square, "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not"

Single of the Year: Vocal Collaboration
Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson, "Don't You Wanna Stay"
Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter, "You and Tequila"
Brad Paisley with Alabama, "Old Alabama"
Zac Brown Band with Jimmy Buffet, "Knee Deep"
Zac Brown Band with Alan Jackson, "As She's Walking Away"

Touring Headline Act of the Year
Jason Aldean
Kenny Chesney
Toby Keith
Tim McGraw
Brad Paisley
Rascal Flatts
George Strait
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood
Keith Urban

Music Video of the Year
Sara Evans, "A Little Bit Stronger"
Jerrod Niemann, "What Do You Want"
Blake Shelton, "Who Are You When I'm Not Looking"
Thompson Square, "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not"
Josh Turner, "I Wouldn't Be a Man"

Music Video: Male
Jason Aldean, "My Kinda Party"
Jerrod Niemann, "What Do You Want"
Blake Shelton, "Who Are You When I'm Not Looking"
Josh Turner, "I Wouldn't Be a Man"
Keith Urban, "Put You In a Song"

Music Video: Female
Sara Evans, "A Little Bit Stronger"
Reba, "Turn on the Radio"
Ashton Shepherd, "Look It Up"
Taylor Swift, "Back to December"
Carrie Underwood, "Mama's Song"

Music Video: Duo, Group or Collaboration
Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson, "Don't You Wanna Stay"
The Band Perry, "You Lie"
Lady Antebellum, "Hello World"
Thompson Square, "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not"
Zac Brown Band with Alan Jackson, "As She's Walking Away"

Music Video: New Artist
The Band Perry, "You Lie"
Craig Campbell, "Family Man"
Brett Eldredge, "Raymond"
Jerrod Niemann, "What Do You Want"
Thompson Square, "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not"