We all know that this year’s CMA nominations lack some of the biggest names in country music, but out of all the missing acts…who got snubbed the hardest? Well, we’ve outlined the top seven snubs of this year’s nominees according to industry insiders!
Overall the nominations are spectacular, but there are definitely spaces that tons of people agree should have been filled by people that went unmentioned.
Click the button below to jump in!
1. Blake Shelton – Male Vocalist of the Year
One of the country’s biggest male vocalists and prominent celebrities, Blake Shelton surely got snubbed when his emotional and “most honest” album ever didn’t help him earn a spot among the nominated male vocalists.
Notably absent along with Shelton are Luke Bryan and Dustin Lynch, but who do you think should have also been added or left off? The full list is below.
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
- DIERKS BENTELY
- ERIC CHURCH
- KEITH URBAN
- CHRIS STAPLETON
- TIM MCGRAW
2. LoCash – Vocal Duo of the Year
Surprisingly this incredibly talented duo was missing from the list which many experts thought they would secure a CMA nod, but throughout their successful career and hits such as “I Love This Life” and more recently, “I Know Somebody”, they’re still without a nomination.
Here are the current nominees:
VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
- BROTHERS OSBORNE
- MADDIE & TAE
- FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE
- DAN + SHAY
- JOEY + RORY
3. Cam, “Burning House” – Single of the Year
This spritely and curly gem is truly one of the most magnificent artists to break out onto the main country stage in recent months and she surely deserved recognition for her hard work with “Burning House” – which seemed to become an international phenomenon over night.
So instead of calling this a snub…we’re gonna say she got “burned”.
The list of nominees is below.
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
- “HUMBLE AND KIND” – TIM MCGRAW
- “RECORD YEAR” – ERIC CHURCH
- “NOBODY TO BLAME” – CHRIS STAPLETON
- “MY CHURCH” – MAREN MORRIS
- “DIE A HAPPY MAN” – THOMAS RHETT
4. Jennifer Nettles – Female Vocalist of The Year
Not seeing Jennifer Nettles’ name appear on the list of female vocalists this year was definitely a shock that left many wondering “why not”, especially after the great year she had!
Scoring a No. 2 album, and nailing a spot in the Top 40, she also broke out on the stage again as part of Dolly Parton’s made-for-TV move, “Coat of Many Colors”.
Additionally, Cassadee Pope was not nominated, however many have noted that, while successful, she did have a markedly different year than Nettles.
Here is the full list of nominees:
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
- KELSEA BALLERINI
- KACEY MUSGRAVES
- CARRIE UNDERWOOD
- MAREN MORRIS
- MIRANDA LAMBERT
5. Chris Young – Male Vocalist of the Year
Let’s begin this one by acknowledging that we have already covered this category once in this article, but we felt that the response to snubbing both Blake Shelton and Chris Young in one fell swoop deserved a second round.
Young’s album I’m Comin’ Over is one of the hottest albums of the entire year and his duet with Cassadee Pope seems like it will never stop lighting up the airwaves, but throughout all this he was not able to secure a nomination for top male vocalist.
Fox News says that Young represents a group of “dependable, but not flashy artists that built radio playlists and sell concert tickets, but are overlooked [for nominations] in favor of someone with more edges”.
Here are the nominees:
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
- ERIC CHURCH
- TIM MCGRAW
- CHRIS STAPLETON
- KEITH URBAN
- DIERKS BENTLEY
6. Sam Hunt – New Artist of the Year
While still the controversy continues in which people are trying to define if Sam Hunt is “Country”…the fact remains that he’s selling albums faster than hotcakes and he’s playing on country radio everywhere, meaning that his success deserves to be recognized by the community listening to him, but that did not happen this year.
One of the most successful breakout artists in recent history, Hunt did not make the list of nominees for New Artist – and some people have asked “What did he do wrong?”.
He recently just made history for a male artist by having a fourth single from his debut album reach the No. 1 chart position – a feat that no other solo male artists has ever achieved.
Below are the nominees.
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- BROTHERS OSBORNE
- MAREN MORRIS
- OLD DOMINION
- COLE SWINDELL
- KELSEA BALLERINI
7. Dierks Bentley – Entertainer of the Year
One of the most successful of his albums to date, a beautifully dark video series, and sold-out shows, Dierks Bentley has been in the spotlight a lot this year, but none of that seemed to help him take home a nod for Entertainer of the Year, which many saw coming for this dazzling country family man.
Surprisingly, Carrie Underwood scored her first-ever nomination for this category which we all welcomed with open arms! After all, it has been 10 years in the making!
Here are the nominees:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
- GARTH BROOKS
- CARRIE UNDERWOOD
- CHRIS STAPLETON
- LUKE BRYAN
- KEITH URBAN