Miranda Lambert on Friday led all nominees for the second consecutive year at the Academy of Country Music Awards (ACM), collecting eight nods, including entertainer of the year and top female vocalist, in some of country music’s highest honours.
Dierks Bentley, buoyed by his break-up anthem Drunk on a Plane, followed Lambert with seven nominations while duo Florida Georgia Line collected five nods.
The nominations were scheduled to be announced on Tuesday, but were pushed back due to a snowstorm that swept through New York and the northeastern US.
Lambert, a 31-year-old Texan, will look to repeat her success from the rival Country Music Association (CMA) Awards in November where she took home a leading four trophies on the success of her album Platinum and wistful hit Automatic. The 50th ACM Awards will be handed out on April 19 in a televised ceremony from the 80,000-seat AT & T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and will be co-hosted for a third time by singer Luke Bryan and Lambert’s husband, singer Blake Shelton.
Lambert joins Jason Aldean, Garth Brooks, Florida Georgia Line and Bryan as nominees for the fan-voted top prize of entertainer of the year.
The Academy of Country Music honours big stars as well as small market radio DJs and concert promoters, and the awards are voted on by members of the Encino, California-based professional organisation.
Lambert has been country music’s top female performer over the past half decade, so far winning a record five consecutive CMA and ACM female vocalist of the year awards.
Other top nominees include Bryan, Kenny Chesney and Eric Church with four nods apiece, while Aldean, Kacey Musgraves and Carrie Underwood each scored three nominations.
The new artist of the year award is a combined fan and academy vote that will narrow the current eight semi-finalists down to three nominees and eventual winner.
