Strong field of country acts earn ACM new artist nominations

The Academy of Country Music has announced the nominees in the three newcomer categories for the 48th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. Those categories—new female vocalist, new male vocalist and new vocal duo or group—will be opened up to fan voting beginning Jan. 21 via VoteACM.com and GACtv.com/ACM.

The competition will be fierce in at least two of the categories—male vocalist and duo/group—where all six of the nominees have enjoyed at least one No. 1 single. The new female vocalist category is decidedly weaker in terms of the success of the nominated artists to date. Only Jana Kramer has had a No. 1 hit. Kacey Musgraves has just cracked the top 20 on her still-climbing first single, although it has a strong buzz at country radio.

The nominees for the newcomer categories are:

New Female Vocalist 

Jana Kramer

Kacey Musgraves

Sunny Sweeney

New Male Vocalist 

Lee Brice

Brantley Gilbert

Hunter Hayes

New Vocal Duo Or Group 

Florida Georgia Line

Love and Theft

Thompson Square

The Academy will award trophies in all three newcomer categories, then the winners of each will compete for the overall new artist of the year award, to be revealed on the live telecast of the 48th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, which will be broadcast from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas April 7 at 8 p.m. (ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

The ACM’s professional members determined nominees. Winners will be determined by a combination of votes from fans and professional members.

First round fan voting opens Monday at noon (ET), and will close on Feb. 4 at 3 p.m. (ET). The three winners will be announced in February and will move on to compete as nominees for ACM new artist of the year in a voting category that opens at VoteACM.com March 25 and closes April 7.