Tuesday, 28 August 2018

The Nominations for the 52nd Annual CMA Awards 2018


FINAL NOMINEES FOR “THE 52ND ANNUAL CMA AWARDS” 
REVEALED ON “GOOD MORNING AMERICA”































Luke Bryan, Dan + Shay and Sugarland Announce This Year’s 
Nominations Live from Nashville
Full List of Nominees Revealed via Livestream at 8 AM/CT

Chris Stapleton tops the list of finalists with five nominations.

Final nominees for “The 52nd Annual CMA Awards,” Country Music’s Biggest Night™, were revealed on “Good Morning America”, Tuesday, August 28

Luke BryanDan + Shay and Sugarland announced six categories (Entertainer of the Year, Single of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Vocal Duo of the Year, and New Artist of the Year) live on air from Luke’s 32 Bridge Food + Drink, Bryan’s new restaurant and bar in downtown Nashville.

Immediately following the broadcast at 8:00 AM/CT, the remaining categories (Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year, Musical Event of the Year, Musician of the Year, and Music Video of the Year) as well as the nine CMA Broadcast Awards categories and nominees were announced on GoodMorningAmerica.com as well as “Good Morning America’s” Facebook page through Facebook Live and simulcast on “Good Morning America’s” YouTube channel.
The livestream could be viewed on CMA’s Facebook page.
2018 CMA Awards nominations
We’re in Nashville with Dan + Shay and Sugarland announcing this year's CMA Country Music Association Nominations! https://gma.abc/2BQHkyM
Posted by Good Morning America on Tuesday, 28 August 2018

Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood return to host “The 52nd Annual CMA Awards” live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville Wednesday, Nov. 14 at 8/7c on the ABC Television Network. The beloved hosts return for the 11th year.
“The 52nd Annual CMA Awards” is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the Executive Producer, Gary Halvorson is the Director, and David Wild is the Head Writer

Chris Stapleton tops the list of finalists 
with five nominations.
Producer/musician Dann Huff snags four nominations.
Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Dan + Shay, Florida Georgia Line, Chris Janson, Miranda Lambert, Midland, Thomas Rhett and Keith Urban 
each received three. 
In addition to the three nominations as part of DAN + SHAY, the duo's Dan Smyers also earned nods for Song Of The Year as a Co-Writer and Producer for "Tequila;" those two give him five personal nominations, unofficially tying Stapleton on the leader board.

FIVE NOMINATIONS 

CHRIS STAPLETON  Entertainer of the Year, Single of the Year ("Broken Halos"), Album of the Year (From A Room: Volume 2), Song of the Year ("Broken Halos"), Male Vocalist of the Year

Stapleton adds to his previous 11 nominations and seven wins. He lands his third consecutive nod for Entertainer of the Year in addition to nominations in the Single and Song of the Year categories for "Broken Halos," produced by Dave Cobb and Stapleton, mixed by Vance Powell, and written by Mike Henderson and Stapleton.

Stapleton earns his third nomination for Album of the Year for From A Room: Volume 2, produced by Cobb and Stapleton. He previously won Album for his first two solo albums, TRAVELLER, awarded in 2015, and FROM A ROOM: VOLUME 1, awarded in 2017. 
Stapleton also receives his fourth consecutive nomination for Male Vocalist of the Year, a category he remains undefeated in, having won the past three years.

FOUR NOMINATIONS 
Producer and musician Dann Huff receives four nominations, the second most nominations for 2018.

Producer and musician Dann Huff garners four nominations for his behind-the-scenes work with multiple artists. Huff is a 31-time nominee with three previous wins for Musician of the Year and two previous wins for Single of the Year. 

This year, he's once again nominated in both of these categories. His Single nomination for producing Midland's "Drinkin' Problem" earns Huff his sixth nomination in the category. He also lands two Album of the Year nods for his production work on Keith Urban's Graffiti U and Thomas Rhett's LIFE CHANGES. Huff earns his 18th nomination in the Musician of the Year category, which he last won in 2016.

THREE NOMINATIONS:
Jason Aldean (Entertainer of the Year, Single of the Year "Drowns the Whiskey", Musical Event of the Year "Drowns the Whiskey")
Credit:- Miller Mobley

The Country star has opened up about the grief he experienced after a gunman shot and killed 58 people and injured nearly a thousand others at the October 2017 Route 91 Harvest Music Festival in Las Vegas where he performed. Last year The 51st Annual CMA Awards” walked the line between celebration and commemoration with an opening monologue recalling: Las Vegas. Charlottesville. New York. Sutherland Springs. Historic storms in Texas, Puerto Rico and Florida. The list went on and on. 2017 had been a year marked by tragedy, impacting countless lives.
Aldean’s Entertainer of the Year nomination is his first since 2015 and his fourth nomination in the category. This year, Aldean lands two nominations alongside Miranda Lambert for Single of the Year, along with producer Michael Knox and mix engineer Jeff Braun, and Musical Event of the Year for their collaboration "Drowns the Whiskey" (2-weeks No1 Country Airplay).
Aldean has two previous nominations for Musical Event, having won in 2011 for his song "Don't You Wanna Stay" with Kelly Clarkson, as well as two nominations for Single.

Dierks Bentley (Album of the Year: The Mountain, Male Vocalist of the Year, Musical Event of the Year: "Burning Man")
Dierks Bentley earns his sixth career nomination for Album of the Year, alongside producers Ross Copperman, Jon Randall Stewart, and Arturo Buenahora Jr., while also marking his fifth consecutive nomination for Male Vocalist of the Year. He also lands a nod alongside Brothers Osborne for Musical Event of the Year for their collaboration "Burning Man," Bentley's third nomination in the category.
He won Musical Event in 2016 for his song "Different For Girls" (Feat. Elle King). With this year's nominations, Bentley collects 24 total career nominations.

DAN + SHAY (Single of the Year: "Tequila", Vocal Duo of the Year, Music Video of the Year: "Tequila")
Adding to their four career nominations, Dan + Shay receive three nominations this year, with two first-time nominations for "Tequila" in the Single of the Year and Music Video of the Year categories. Dan + Shay also land a nomination for Vocal Duo of the Year, their fifth consecutive nomination in the category. Smyers earns a second nomination for Song of the Year for co-writing "Tequila" alongside Nicolle Galyon and Jordan Reynolds. A win in any category this year would mark Dan + Shay's first-ever CMA Award.

Florida Georgia Line (Single of the Year: "Meant to Be", Vocal Duo of the Year, Musical Event of the Year: "Meant to Be")
Florida Georgia Line becomes six-time Vocal Duo of the Year nominees this year in addition to landing nominations for Single of the Year and Musical Event of the Year for "Meant to Be" (38-weeks at No1 on Hot Country Songs Chart), their collaboration with Bebe Rexha. "Meant to Be" also earns Single nominations for producer Willshire and mix engineer Serban Ghenea. Florida Georgia Line previously won in the Single category in 2013 for their song "Cruise." This year marks Rexha's first-ever CMA Awards nominations.

Chris Janson (Song of the Year ("Drunk Girl"), Music Video of the Year ("Drunk Girl"), New Artist of the Year
With three nominations this year, Chris Janson ties Midland for the top earning first-time nominee. His song "Drunk Girl" lands nods for Song of the Year, alongside co-writers Scooter Carusoe and Tom Douglas, and Music Video of the Year, directed by Jeff Venable. Janson is also up for New Artist of the Year.

Miranda Lambert (Single of the Year: "Drowns the Whiskey", Female Vocalist of the Year, Musical Event of the Year: "Drowns the Whiskey")
Credit: Becky Fluke

Not only is Miranda Lambert the most-awarded female in CMA Awards history with 13 total wins, but she's also the reigning Female Vocalist of the Year, earning her 12th consecutive nomination in the category this year

Lambert collects two nominations with her Jason Aldean collaboration "Drowns the Whiskey" for Single of the Year, along with producer Michael Knox and mix engineer Jeff Braun, as well as for Musical Event of the Year, bringing her total career nominations to 47.

MIDLAND (Single of the Year: "Drinkin' Problem", Vocal Group of the Year, New Artist of the Year)
Midland ties for the top earning first-time nominees, matching Chris Janson's three nominations this year. The trio lands a Single of the Year nomination for "Drinkin' Problem" along with producers Huff, Shane McAnally, and Josh Osborne, and mix engineer Justin Niebank. Midland also receives nominations for Vocal Group of the Year and New Artist of the Year

Thomas Rhett (Album of the Year: Life Changes, Male Vocalist of the Year, Music Video of the Year: "Marry Me")
Thomas Rhett collects his second consecutive nomination in the Male Vocalist of the Year category this year. His album Life Changes earns his first-ever Album of the Year nomination, which he shares with producers Julian Bunetta, Jesse Frasure, Huff, and Joe London. Thomas Rhett also receives a nomination for Music Video of the Year for his song "Marry Me," directed by TK McKamy.

Keith Urban (Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year: Graffiti U, Male Vocalist of the Year)
This year marks Keith Urban's 14th nomination for Male Vocalist of the Year, 11th nomination in the Entertainer of the Year category, and his sixth nomination in the Album of the Year category for Graffiti U, bringing his career nominations to 45 with 11 total wins. Urban is the reigning Single of the Year winner for his song "Blue Ain't Your Color," which he also produced.

SNUBS & COMMENT:
Jason Aldean was shut out of the 2017 CMA nominations altogether, but the CMA members may have shown some sympathy in the wake of the October 2017 Route 91 Harvest Music Festival shootings. Aldean lands an Entertainer Of The Year nod and is joined by Kenny Chesney who replace last year’s nominees Garth Brooks and Eric Church. Once again, the Entertainer Of The Year category is void of a female artist.

The 38-week Hot Country Songs No1 and biggest selling digital single “Meant To Be” by Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line gets a Single Of The Year nod but not a Song of The Year nomination. Could it suffer the same fate as the 2017 biggest seller and 34-week No1 when Sam Hunt’s No1 “Body Like A Back Road” which was beaten out by Keith Urban’s “Blue Ain’t Your Color” last year.

Quite why Sam Hunt’s Body Like A Back Road” is again nominated for a second year running in the Song Of The Year category is a complete mystery. It was first released on February 2, 2017 which is outside the Eligibility Period: July 1, 2017, through June 30, 2018?!!!! 

Kacey Musgraves is the new addition in the 2018 Female Vocalist Of The Year ccategory replacing 2017 nominee Reba McEntire. The Singer-songwriters third full-length, GOLDEN HOUR (MCA Nashville/Universal Music Group Nashville), debuted at No.1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart (dated April 14; 38,810 were traditional album sales) marking her third No.1 on Top Country Albums.

Luke Combs is the new addition to the Male Vocalist Of The Year category replacing 2017 nominee Eric Church.
Strangely no nominations for Jason Aldean or Luke Bryan who was ranked #1 on Country's Highest-Paid Stars list “earning” $52 million over the course of the last year, toppling Garth Brooks through a combination of live shows, his work on American Idol and endorsement deals.

LANCO and Midland are the new additions to Vocal Group Of The Year replacing 2017 nominees Rascal Flatts and Zac Brown Band (A band with only 1 CMA win out of 17 nominations (2010 New Artist of the Year) often out of favour with CMA voters)

Sugarland replace Locash as the new addition to Vocal Duo Of The Year. Their album BIGGER (Big Machine/Big Machine Label Group/ UMGN) bounded in at No.2 on Top Country Albums (No.11 Billboard 200; 26,300 in traditional album sales) but quickly fell away but the video “Babe” is helping to propel the single on Country Airplay. Maddie and Tae are lucky to receive a second successive nomination after 2 quiet years following restructuring at the Big Machine label.
The exact five contenders as in 2017 Jerry Douglas, Paul Franklin, Dann Huff, Mac McAnally and Derek Wells are again up for Musician Of The Year. Considering if you throw a stick in Nashville you’re likely to hit a musician you would at least think some new names just might appear?!

Strangely the Darius Rucker Straight To Hell” huge collaboration ffeaturing Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Charles Kelley (>> Video) is ignored for both Music Video Of The Year and Musical Event.

Chris Janson and Midland are the new additions to New Artist Of The Year replacing Old Dominion & Jon Pardi. Kane Brown is once again ignored, despite being an artist who has had 10 non-consecutive weeks at No.1 on Billboard’s Country Album Chart and a No.1 on the Digital Songs chart.
Carly Pearce who had a Country Airplay No1 in October 2017 with "Every Little Thing" did not receive enough votes nor Ashley McBryde.













Final Nominees for "The 52nd Annual CMA Awards" 
(by ballot category order):

NEW = New to the Category for 2018 compared to the 2017 nominees

Entertainer Of The Year (Category 1) Tweet

Jason Aldean NEW; Luke Bryan; Kenny Chesney NEW; Chris Stapleton; Keith Urban

Single Of The Year (Category 2)  Tweet
(Award goes to Artist, Producer(s), and Mix Engineer(s)) (Category 2)

Broken Halos” - Chris Stapleton; Producer: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton; Mix Engineer(s): Vance Powell
Drinkin Problem” – Midland; Producer: Dann Huff, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne; Mix Engineer(s): Justin Niebank
Drowns The Whiskey” – Jason Aldean ft. Miranda Lambert; Producer: Michael Knox; Mix Engineer(s): Jeff Braun
Meant To Be” – Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line; Producer: Willshire; Mix Engineer(s): Serban Ghenea
Tequila” – Dan and Shay; Producer: Scott Hendricks and Dan Smyers; Mix Engineer(s): Jeff Juliano


Album Of The Year (Category 3) Tweet
(Award goes to Artist and Producer(s))

FROM A ROOM: VOLUME 2 – Chris Stapleton; Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton
GOLDEN HOUR – Kacey Musgraves; Producers: Ian Fitchuk, Daniel Tashian, Kacey Musgraves
GRAFFITI U – Keith Urban; Producers: Benny Blanco, Ross Copperman, Captain Cuts, Mike Elizondo, Jason Evigan, Oscar Holter, Dann Huff, Josh Kerr, Ian, Kirkpatrick, Johnny McDaid, Matt Rad, Jimmy Robbins, J.R. Rotem, Jesse Shatkin, Ed Sheeran, Keith Urban, Greg Wells
LIFE CHANGES – Thomas Rhett; Producers: Julian Bunetta, Jesse Frasure, Dann Huff, Joe London, Thomas Rhett
THE MOUNTAIN – Dierks Bentley; Producers: Ross Copperman, Jon Randall Stewart, Arturo Buenahora Jnr.

Song Of The Year (Category 4) Tweet
(Award goes to Songwriter(s))
Body Like A Back Road” Songwriter(s): Zach Crowell, Sam Hunt, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne
Broken Halos” Songwriter(s): Mike Henderson, Chris Stapleton
Drowns the Whiskey” Songwriter(s): Brandon Kinney, Jeff Middleton, Josh Thompson
Drunk Girl” Songwriter(s): Scooter Carusoe, Tom Douglas, Chris Janson
Tequila” Songwriter(s): Nicolle Galyon, Jordan Reynolds, Dan Smyers

Female Vocalist Of The Year (Category 5) Tweet

Kelsea Ballerini; Miranda Lambert; Maren Morris; Kacey Musgraves NEW; Carrie Underwood


Male Vocalist Of The Year (Category 6) Tweet

Dierks Bentley; Luke Combs NEW; Thomas Rhett; Chris Stapleton; Keith Urban

Vocal Group Of The Year (Category 7) Tweet

Lady Antebellum; LANCO NEW; Little Big Town; Midland NEW; Old Dominion

Vocal Duo Of The Year (Category 8) Tweet

Brothers Osborne: Dan + Shay; Florida Georgia Line; Maddie and Tae; Sugarland NEW

Musical Event Of The Year (Category 9) Tweet
(Award goes to each Artist)

Burning Man” – Dierks Bentley Feat. Brothers Osborne
Dear Hate” – Maren Morris (Feat. Vince Gill)
Drowns the Whiskey” – Jason Aldean (Feat. Miranda Lambert)
Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” – David Lee Murphy (with Kenny Chesney)
Meant to Be” – Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line

Musician Of The Year (Category 10) Tweet

Jerry Douglas (Dobro); Paul Franklin (Steel Guitar); Dann Huff (Guitar); Mac McAnally (Guitar); Derek Wells (Guitar)

Music Video Of The Year (Category 11) Tweet
(Award goes to Artist and Director(s))

Babe” – Sugarland (Featuring Taylor Swift); Director(s): Anthony Mandler
Cry Pretty” – Carrie Underwood; Director(s): Randee St. Nicholas
Drunk Girl” – Chris Janson; Director(s): Jeff Venable
Marry Me” – Thomas Rhett; Director(s): TK McKamy
Tequila” – Dan + Shay; Director(s): Patrick Tracy


New Artist Of The Year (Category 12) Tweet

Lauren Alaina: Luke Combs; Chris Janson NEW; Midland NEW; Brett Young


See all the #CMAawards nominees & their reactions in the Country Music Association Twitter Moments CLICK HERE




2018 CMA Broadcast Finalists:
Finalists for CMA's Broadcast Station and Personality of the Year were revealed
Winners will be notified prior to and honored on ABC-TV's Nov. 14 telecast of the 52nd CMA Awards.


CMA Broadcast Personality of the Year

National
  • Kix BrooksAmerican Country Countdown, Westwood One
  • Bob KingsleyCountry Top 40, Westwood One
  • Lon HeltonCountry Countdown USA, Westwood One
  • Charlie MonkThe Mayor Of Music Row, SiriusXM
  • Buzz BrainardThe Music Row Happy Hour, SiriusXM
Major Market
  • Bud Ford, Jerry Broadway, Kelly Rebal, Gregory Paul Ford, Tom Wall, Becca WallsBud and Broadway, WIL/St. Louis
  • Lois LewisDouble-L, KNIX/Phoenix
  • Mark Louis Rybczyk, Jasmine Sadry, Katelyn MaidaHawkeye In The Morning, KSCS/Dallas
  • Tracy Dixon, Guy David, Patrick KnightKYGO Morning Show, KYGO/Denver
  • Tim Hattrick, Ben Campbell, Brooke HooverTim, Ben and Brooke, KNIX/Phoenix
Large Market
  • Jim Denny, Deborah Honeycutt, Kevin FreemanJim, Deb & Kevin, WFMS/Indianapolis
  • Obie Diaz, Ashley StegbauerObie & Ashley In The Morning, WWKA/Orlando
  • Mike Wheless, Janie CarothersQ Morning Crew, WQDR/Raleigh
  • Randy Carroll, Jamie Martin, JoJo MezaThe Randy, Jamie and Jojo Show, KAJA/San Antonio
  • Shaun Ridderbush, Scott Dolphin, Shannen Oesterreich,Ridder, Scott and Shannen, WMIL/Milwaukee
Medium Market
  • Roger Todd, Julie Kansy, Dale Sellers, 97.5 WPCV Breakfast Club, WPCV/Lakeland
  • Brent Michaels, KUZZ/Bakersfield
  • Ken Hicks, Kelley Bradshaw, Daniel WyattKen, Kelley and Daniel, WUSY/Chattanooga
  • Roger Rhodes, Robyn Adair, Dan Carson, The Odd Squad, CKRY/Calgary
  • Scott Wynn, Sarah KayScott and Sarah In The Morning, WQMX/Akron
Small Market
  • Bill Barrett, Tim Fox, Tracy BerryBarrett, Fox & Berry, KKNU/Eugene, OR
  • Brent Lane, Candy CullertonThe Cat Pak Morning Show, WYCT/Pensacola, FL
  • Eddie Fox, Sharon GreenEddie Fox Show, WKSF/Asheville, NC
  • Todd Harding, Susan Moore, Brian GaryGood Morning Guys, KUAD/Ft. Collins, CO
  • Steve Waters, Jessica Cash, Steve and Jessica Mornings, WFLS/Fredericksburg, VA
CMA Radio Station Of The Year
  • Major Market: KKBQ/Houston, KNIX/Phoenix, KUPL/Portland, WKKT/Charlotte, WSOC/Charlotte
  • Large Market: KCYY/San Antonio, KUBL/Salt Lake City, WQIK/Jacksonville, WUBE/Cincinnati, WWKA/Orlando
  • Medium Market: KUZZ/Bakersfield, WBBS/Syracuse, WHKO/Dayton, WUSY/Chattanooga, WYRK/Buffalo
  • Small Market: KCLR/Columbia, MO; KKNU/Eugene, OR; KTTS/Springfield, MO; WCOW/LaCrosse, WI; WKSF/Asheville, NC.


ABOUT The Country Music Association

The Country Music Association is currently a 7,583-member affiliation of industry professionals from within 17 eligible categories: advertising / public relations / media, affiliated, artist, composer, entertainment services, international, marketing / digital, musician, personal manager, producer / engineer / studio, publisher / PRO, radio, record company, talent agent, talent buyer / promoter, touring personnel and venue. Those who work full-time in one of those categories and earn their income mostly from within the country music industry pay an annual membership fee if they wish to be part of the CMA.
Companies within the country music industry can also apply for CMA membership, though they are not eligible to vote for the CMA Awards.

About the CMA Awards: The first “CMA Awards Banquet and Show” was held in 1967. The following year, the CMA Awards was broadcast for the first time – making it the longest running, annual music awards program on network television. The Awards have aired on ABC since 2006. ABC will be the network home of the CMA Awards and CMA’s other two television properties, “CMA Fest” and “CMA Country Christmas,” through 2021.

Who Can Vote for the CMA Awards?
Only CMA members are allowed to take part in the three-ballot CMA Awards process. Each registered member of the CMA is issued a CMA member number and a PIN to certify their votes.

Who Is Eligible to Win at the CMA Awards?
Eligibility Period: July 1, 2017, through June 30, 2018

Nominees in each of the 12 CMA Awards categories do not have to be CMA members themselves. Eligibility is determined based on the period of July 1 of the previous year through June 30 of the current year; in other words, for the 2018 CMA Awards, voters should be considering work done in the period of July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018.
However, in addition to those broad qualifications, there are certain, more-specific eligibility requirements for each of the 12 CMA Awards categories. The Country Music Association explains those in detail on their website.

CMA Awards Voting Process
The CMA Awards voting process involves three rounds:
Round One: The first CMA Awards ballot is for nominations.
June 30, 2018: CMA broadcast ballots were due at 6:00 p.m. CT.
CMA first round ballot opened Monday July 2, 2018 and closed Thursday July 12, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. CT.

CMA members are allowed to make one nomination per category, based on an artist's work in the previous 12 months (that July 1-June 30 period); however, they are not required to make a nomination in every category.
In 2018, nominations were accepted from CMA members earlier this summer. The top 20 nominees in each category are automatically advanced to the second round of voting, with the exception of the Entertainer of the Year category. The Entertainer of the Year category only includes the Top 15 nominees, at most, and every nominee must have a minimum of 10 votes to advance.

Round Two:
CMA first round ballot opened Monday August 6, 2018 and closed Thursday August 16, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. CT
The next step in the CMA Awards voting process is the second ballot. During this round, members are allowed to vote for five of the whittled-down nominees in each category; once again, members do not have to vote in every category.
The results are calculated by an independent accounting firm, Deloitte & Touche LLP. The top five nominees in each category move on to the final round.

Round Three: 
CMA final round ballot opens on Oct 1, 2018 and closes on October 23, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. CT
The third and last step in the CMA Awards voting process is the final ballot. CMA members are allowed, once again, to vote for only one nominee in each category; once again, members are not required to vote in every category.
Once again, the results will be tabulated by Deloitte & Touche agents; those people are the only individuals with knowledge of the results before the CMA Awards take place during a live-broadcast ceremony.

The WINNERS will be announced on November 14, 2018:
52nd Annual CMA Awards, live from Bridgestone Arena on ABC at 7 p.m. CT

The organization has plenty more in its sights. Reba McEntire returns as host for the ninth annual CMA Country Christmas,
taping Sept. 27 at Belmont University’s Curb Events Center. Guests this year include Tony Bennett, Diana Krall, Martina McBride, Brett Eldredge and Dan + Shay.
Additionally, a Sept. 17 instalment in the CMA Songwriters Series is slated at the Heights Theater in Houston. The lineup features Maddie & Tae with songwriters Josh Kerr (“Dibs,” “Love Me Like You Mean It”) and Jon Nite (“Break Up in the End,” “Strip It Down”).

TROPHY
At its inception in 1967, the CMA Awards trophy was designed to resemble a chart bullet. Constructed of a rich walnut and a sturdy marble base, the trophy signified the strength, durability and warmth of the genre. A brass music note adorning the center read “Best Liked World Wide,” CMA’s slogan at the time. The limited supply of walnut wood in 1983 encouraged a transition to crystal, the material still used today. With the update arrived a new medallion in the center that has been modified only slightly since.

Today’s 15-inch, 7.5-pound trophy is a stylish, high-value adornment made of hand-blown fine crystal in Florence, Italy, with final assembly by Francis & Lusky in Nashville, Tenn. The CMA logo appears on a tri-level, die-struck medallion in polished bronze. After the CMA Awards winners have been revealed live on the annual broadcast, the award is engraved with the winner’s name and CMA Awards category.