CMT Music Awards: Sam Hunt, Luke Combs, Kelsea Ballerini among top nominees
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
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 - “One Night Standards”
Blanco Brown - “The Git Up”
Carrie Underwood - “Drinking Alone”
Dan + Shay - “I Should Probably Go To Bed”
Keith Urban - “Polaroid”
Kelsea Ballerini - “homecoming queen?”
Little Big Town - “Sugar Coat”
Luke Combs - “Beer Never Broke My Heart”
Miranda Lambert - “Bluebird”
Old Dominion - “Some People Do”
Sam Hunt - “Hard To Forget”
Tanya Tucker - “Bring My Flowers Now”
The Chicks -“Gaslighter”
Thomas Rhett - “Remember You Young”
FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Ashley McBryde - “One Night Standards”
Carrie Underwood - “Drinking Alone”
Gabby Barrett - “I Hope”
Kelsea Ballerini - “homecoming queen?”
Maren Morris - “The Bones”
Miranda Lambert - “Bluebird”
MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Jason Aldean - “Got What I Got”
Luke Bryan - “One Margarita”
Luke Combs - “Even Though I'm Leaving”
Morgan Wallen - “Chasin' You (Dream Video)”
Sam Hunt - “Hard To Forget”
Thomas Rhett - “Remember You Young”
GROUP VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Lady A - “Champagne Night”
Little Big Town - “Wine, Beer, Whiskey”
Midland - “Cheatin' Songs (Live From the Palomino)”
Old Dominion - “One Man Band”
The Chicks - “Gaslighter”
The Highwomen - “Crowded Table”
DUO VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Brothers Osborne - “All Night (Studio Performance)”
Dan + Shay - “I Should Probably Go To Bed”
Florida Georgia Line - “Blessings”
LOCASH - “One Big Country Song”
Maddie & Tae - “Die From A Broken Heart”
BREAKTHROUGH VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Blanco Brown - “The Git Up”
Caylee Hammack - “Family Tree”
Gabby Barrett - “I Hope”
Ingrid Andress - “More Hearts Than Mine”
Riley Green - “I Wish Grandpas Never Died”
Travis Denning - “After a Few”
COLLABORATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Blake Shelton with Gwen Stefani - “Nobody But You”
Carly Pearce and Lee Brice - “I Hope You're Happy Now”
Dan + Shay and Justin Bieber - “10,000 Hours”
Kane Brown featuring Nelly - “Cool Again”
Marshmello and Kane Brown - “One Thing Right”
Thomas Rhett featuring Jon Pardi - “Beer Can't Fix”
CMT PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
From CMT Artists of the Year: Ashley McBryde - “One Night Standards”
From CMT Crossroads: Brooks & Dunn and Luke Combs - “Brand New Man”
From CMT Artists of the Year: Chris Young - “Drowning”
From CMT Crossroads: Halsey and Kelsea Ballerini - “Graveyard”
From CMT Artists of the Year: Sam Hunt - “Fancy”
From CMT Crossroads: Sheryl Crow and Chris Stapleton - “Tell Me When It's Over”
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: 2020 CMT Music Awards nominees include Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood
