(Reuters) – Singers Taylor Swift and newcomer Kacey Musgraves on Tuesday led the nominees for this year’s Country Music Association awards, one of the genre’s top prizes.
Swift, 23, and Musgraves, 25, each scored six nominations, followed by husband-and-wife singers Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert with five nominations each. Country singer and “American Idol” judge Keith Urban landed four nominations along with group Florida Georgia Line.
The Country Music Association is a trade organization comprising individuals working in the genre and members vote winners across singing categories. The awards will be handed out in a televised ceremony on November 6 in Nashville, Tennessee, country music’s capital.
Shelton, who won CMA’s top accolade Entertainer of the Year last year, is nominated for the award again along with Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Swift and country music veteran George Strait.
Swift, country music’s cross-over pop star, is also nominated for top female vocalist, album of the year, best single, top musical event and top music video. Her latest album “Red” has sold about 4 million copies and earned her four top 10 singles on the U.S. pop chart.
Singer-songwriter Musgraves, whose top hit “Merry Go ‘Round” differs from most country music by describing the dark sides of rural American life, scored nominations for top female vocalist, best new artist for her debut “Same Trailer Different Park,” album of the year and single of the year.
She also earned two nominations for song of the year, an award handed out to songwriters, for Lambert’s “Mama’s Broken Heart” and “Merry Go ‘Round.”
The CMA awards show, which competes with the springtime’s Academy of Country Music Awards for prestige and TV audience, will be hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood and broadcastWalt Disney Co’s ABC network.
(Reporting by Eric Kelsey in Los Angeles; Editing by Piya Sinha-Roy and Cynthia Osterman)
