Country Music Award Nominees for 2010 have been announced. The Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards are decided by a three round nomination process that is handled by the ACM Membership. The membership is comprised of anyone who currently makes their living or in the past has made their living from country music. Members include artists, entertainers, club operators and employees, composers, on-air personalities, managers, musicians, band members, instrumentalists, music publishers, publications, publicists, public relations, record labels, talent agents, talent buyers, TV/Motion Pictures. In the first round The entire membership of the ACM receives a blank ballot allowing them to write in one nomination for each of the following categories; Entertainer of the Year, Top Male Vocalist, Top Female Vocalist, Top New Male Vocalist, Top New Female Vocalist, Top New Vocal Duo or Group, Single Record of the Year, Vocal Event of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Video of the Year. Entries with twenty (20) or more nominations in this round are reviewed by a committee to validate compliance with criteria for the category. After committee review the entries who qualify are sent to ACM members for Round two voting.

In the second round members of the ACM cast two votes for each category. The five nominees receiving the most votes move on to round three for voting. And finally in the third round members of the ACM cast one (1) vote for each category. These are the final votes, and the winners of this round are the ones announced at the live ACM show. In the case of a tie both winners receive an award.http://www.acmcountry.com/awards/votingcriteria.php

New Nominee Categories There are some new nominee categories this year such as Top New Solo Vocalist, Top New Vocal Duo and Top New Vocal Group. These categories are voted online by fans at VoteACM.com. The Top New Solo Vocalist category takes place of the Top New Male Vocalist and Top New Female Vocalist categories.http://www.acmcountry.com/awards/news.php

2010 Nomination Summary

• Lady Antebellum- 7 nominations (3 Win)
• Miranda Lambert – 6 nominations (1 Win)
• Carrie Underwood - 6 nominations (1 Win)
• Taylor Swift - 5 nominations
• Kenny Chesney – 4 nominations
• Brad Paisley - 4 nominations (1 win)
• Zac Brown Band - 4 nominations as a group and 2 for Zac Brown himself

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

• Carrie Underwood-WINNER
• Kenny Chesney
• Toby Keith
• Brad Paisley
• George Strait
• Taylor Swift
• Keith Urban
• Zac Brown Band

TOP MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

• Brad Paisley- WINNER
• Darius Rucker
• George Strait
• Keith Urban
• Kenny Chesney

TOP FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

• Miranda Lambert- WINNER
• Reba McEntire
• Taylor Swift
• Carrie Underwood
• Lee Ann Womack

TOP VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

• Lady Antebellum- WINNER
• Little Big Town
• Randy Rogers Band
• Rascal Flatts
• Zac Brown Band

TOP VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR

• Brooks & Dunn - WINNER
• Joey and Rory
• Montgomery Gentry
• Steel Magnolia
• Sugarland

TOP NEW SOLO VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

• Luke Bryan - WINNER
• Jamey Johnson
• Chris Young

TOP NEW VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR

• Joey and Rory - WINNER
• Steel Magnolia
• Bomshel

TOP NEW VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

• Eli Young Band
• Gloriana - WINNER
• The Lost Trailers

TOP NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR

• Luke Bryan - WINNER
• Joey and Rory
• Gloriana

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

• Revolution - Miranda Lambert - WINNER
• American Saturday Night - Brad Paisley
• Lady Antebellum - Lady Antebellum
• Play On - Carrie Underwood
• The Foundation - Zac Brown Band

SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR

• Need You Now - Lady Antebellum- WINNER
• People Are Crazy – Billy Currington
• Red Light – David Nail
• Toes - Zac Brown Band
• White Liar - Miranda Lambert

SONG OF THE YEAR

• Need You Now - Lady Antebellum- WINNER
• Cowboy Casanova - Carrie Underwood
• Need You Now - Lady Antebellum
• People Are Crazy - Billy Currington
• White Liar - Miranda Lambert
• You Belong With Me - Taylor Swift