This year's nominees for the 2018 American Music Awards are out and Kane Brown, Thomas Rhett, Florida Georgia Line, Maren Morris and Dan + Shay are all well represented.
Despite not receiving any CMA nods this year, Kane Brown has more than made up for it in AMA nominations for Favorite Country Male Artist, Favorite Country Album (for his self-titled record,) and Favorite Country Song (for "Heaven.") Tied with three nominations is Florida Georgia Line, who are up for Favorite Country Duo or Group along with Collaboration of the Year and Favorite Country Song for "Meant to Be" with Bebe Rexha.
Thomas Rhett, Maren Morris and Dan + Shay pull in two nominations each while Carrie Underwood, Lanco, Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Bryan and Luke Combs are all recognized with one nod apiece. As the AMAs point out on their Instagram account, Underwood has taken home the award for Favorite Female Country Artist for the past four years. Will she hold on to the title with Morris and Ballerini in the mix?
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Winners are chosen based on measurable successes like album and song sales (including digital), streaming plays, radio airplay, tour dates and social activity. Billboard works with Nielsen Music and Next Big Sound to compile the numbers from Sept. 17, 2017 to Aug. 9, 2018 to determine a winner.
Tracee Ellis Ross will host the 2018 American Music Awards on ABC at 8:00 PM on Oct. 9. The three-hour show created by Dick Clark in 1973 will take place at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
Categories featuring country artists are as follows:
Collaboration of the Year
Camila Cabello "Havana (feat. Young Thug)"
Post Malone, "Rock Star (feat. 21 Savage)"
Bruno Mars and Cardi B, "Finesse"
Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line, "Meant to Be"
Zedd, Maren Morris and Grey, "The Middle"
Favorite Male Artist - Country
Kane Brown
Luke Bryan
Thomas Rhett
Favorite Female Artist - Country
Kelsea Ballerini
Maren Morris
Carrie Underwood
Favorite Duo or Group - Country
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Lanco
Favorite Album - Country
Kane Brown, Kane Brown
Luke Combs, This One's for You
Thomas Rhett, Life Changes
Favorite Song - Country
Kane Brown, "Heaven"
Dan + Shay, "Tequila"
Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line, "Meant to Be"
