David Bergman/Getty Images; Jamie McCarthy/Wireimage; Lisa O'Connor/ZUMA PressIf there's one thing the entertainment industry needs more of, it's self-congratulations.
Luckily, the American Country Awards has come along to fill that gap, this morning announcing the inaugural list of nominees for the first ever broadcast.
So, who are the lucky artists? Well, remember the ACMs? And the CMAs? And the CMTs? Yeah, pretty much the same as those.
Which is good news for Lady Antebellum, which alongside newcomer Easton Corbin scored a leading seven nominations. Perpetual golden girl Carrie Underwood was next with six nods, while Miranda Lambert and Josh Turner scored five apiece.
Also getting honored by the new show: Taylor Swift, Jewel, Zac Brown Band, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney, Reba McEntire, Sugarland, Rascal Flatts, Kellie Pickler, Little Big Town, Billy Currington and (remember this guy?) Danny Gokey.
Well, it is airing on Fox.
Taking a page from the People's Choice Awards, the ACAs will be completely determined by fan votes, which, incidentally, can start pouring in today.
Voting will go through Nov. 8, and then it's a nearly one month break to allow the bean counters to do their thing, before the awards are handed out in Las Vegas on Dec. 6 (aside from votes for Artist of the Year, which will remain open until the week before the telecast).
Here's the complete list of nominees:
ARTISTS
Artist of the Year
Lady Antebellum
Miranda Lambert
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood
Zac Brown Band
Artist of the Year: Male
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
Keith Urban
Artist of the Year: Female
Jewel
Miranda Lambert
Reba McEntire
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood
Artist of the Year: Duo or Group
Lady Antebellum
Rascal Flatts
Sugarland
The Band Perry
Zac Brown Band
Artist of the Year: Breakthrough Artist
Easton Corbin
Danny Gokey
Jaron and The Long Road To Love
Jerrod Niemann
The Band Perry
Albums
Album of the Year
Doin' My Thing, Luke Bryan
Need You Now, Lady Antebellum
Revolution, Miranda Lambert
Haywire, Josh Turner
Play On, Carrie Underwood
SINGLES
Single of the Year
"Do I," Luke Bryan
"A Little More Country Than That," Easton Corbin
"Need You Now," Lady Antebellum
"Gimme That Girl," Joe Nichols
"Why Don't We Just Dance," Josh Turner
Single of the Year: Male
"Do I," Luke Bryan
"Little More Country Than That," Easton Corbin
"That's How Country Boys Roll," Billy Currington
"Gimme That Girl," Joe Nichols
"Why Don't We Just Dance," Josh Turner
Single of the Year: Female
"White Liar," Miranda Lambert
"Wrong Baby Wrong," Martina McBride
"Consider Me Gone," Reba McEntire
"Didn't Know How Much I Loved You," Kellie Pickler
"Cowboy Casanova," Carrie Underwood
Single of the Year: Duo or Group
"Need You Now," Lady Antebellum
"Little White Church," Little Big Town
"Unstoppable," Rascal Flatts
"Keep On Lovin' You," Steel Magnolia
"Toes," Zac Brown Band
Single of the Year: Breakthrough Artist
"Little More Country Than That," Easton Corbin
"Pray for You," Jaron and The Long Road To Love
"Lover, Lover," Jerrod Niemann
"Keep on Lovin' You," Steel Magnolia
"Beer on the Table," Josh Thompson
TOURING
Touring Headline Package of the Year
Brooks & Dunn
Toby Keith
Martina McBride & Trace Adkins
Tim McGraw
Brad Paisley
Rascal Flatts
George Strait & Reba McEntire
Sugarland
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood
VIDEOS
Music Video of the Year
"A Little More Country Than That," Easton Corbin
"Need You Now," Lady Antebellum
"Hillbilly Bone," Blake Shelton with Trace Adkins
"Why Don't We Just Dance," Josh Turner
"The Man I Want To Be," Chris Young
Music Video: Male
"A Little More Country Than That," Easton Corbin
"Southern Voice," Tim McGraw
"Hillbilly Bone," Blake Shelton with Trace Adkins
"Why Don't We Just Dance," Josh Turner
"The Man I Want To Be," Chris Young
Music Video: Female
"White Liar," Miranda Lambert
"Consider Me Gone," Reba McEntire
"Didn't Know How Much I Loved You," Kellie Pickler
"Cowboy Casanova," Carrie Underwood
"Work Hard, Play Harder," Gretchen Wilson
Music Video: Duo or Group
"Need You Now," Lady Antebellum
"Little White Church," Little Big Town
"Unstoppable," Rascal Flatts
"Keep on Lovin' You," Steel Magnolia
"Highway 20 Ride," Zac Brown Band
Music Video: Breakthrough Artist
"Giddy On Up," Laura Bell Bundy
"A Little More Country Than That," Easton Corbin
"Lover, Lover," Jerrod Niemann
"Keep on Lovin' You," Steel Magnolia
"If I Die Young," The Band Perry