For a second consecutive year, Lainey Wilson is the most-nominated act at the Country Music Association Awards. And this time she’s competing for the top prize: entertainer of the year.

The rising country star earned nine nominations, including album of the year for Bell Bottom Country, song of the year for “Heart Like a Truck,” female vocalist of the year and music video of the year for “wait in the truck,” her collaboration with Hardy. The 31-year-old is a double nominee in two categories: “Heart Like a Truck” and “wait in the truck” are nominated for single of the year, while “wait in the truck” and “Save Me,” a collaboration with Jelly Roll, are up for musical event of the year.

Wilson, who won two CMAs last year, is a first-time nominee for entertainer of the year, pitting her against Chris Stapleton, Carrie Underwood, Morgan Wallen and last year’s champ, Luke Combs. The 2023 CMA Awards, to be hosted by Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning, will air live on Nov. 8 on ABC from Nashville.

Combs follows Wilson with four nominations. He has dominated the country and pop charts with his cover of Tracy Chapman’s 1988 classic “Fast Car,” which earned two CMA nominations — including one for Chapman. The 59-year-old, who wrote the song alone, is nominated for song of the year and she could make history as the rare Black artist to win a CMA Award. Combs’ rendition of the Grammy-winning track is nominated for single of the year; his other nominations include album of the year for Gettin’ Old and male vocalist of the year.

Despite being the top artist of the year, regardless of genre, Wallen only received three nominations, including male vocalist of the year and album of the year for One Thing At A Time, which has spent 15 weeks at No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard 200 albums chart.

The success of Wallen’s albums and singles have helped country music hit a height on streaming services, pop radio and the pop charts this year. His hit “Last Night” topped the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart for 16 weeks — tying records set by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito” and Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day”; the only song to perform stronger is Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Old Town Road,” which spent 19 weeks at No. 1. 

Other acts have helped the genre reach new levels: Taylor Swift’s Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) was a hit; Combs’ “Fast Car” has spent months at the No. 2 position on the Hot 100; and Zach Bryan, nominated for best new artist, made history this week when his new self-titled album and Kacey Musgaves-assisted single (“I Remember Everything”) topped the Billboard 200 albums and Hot 100 charts, respectively. And controversial country songs like Jason Aldean’s “Try That In a Small Town” and Oliver Anthony Music’s “Rich Men North of Richmond” have recently topped the pop charts while also making headlines.

The eligibility period for the 2023 CMAs is July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023 — so “Rich Men North of Richmond,” released in August, didn’t qualify. “Try That In a Small Town,” however, was released in late May but the song didn’t gain real traction until mid-July when Aldean released its contentious music video, which CMT pulled from its rotation. Aldean’s song only qualified for one category at this year’s CMAs — song of the year — but first-round voting took place between July 5-16 before the song rose to prominence. 

“Try That In a Small Town” didn’t qualify for single of the year because CMA rules say the song must reach the Top 10 of several country music charts during its eligibility period. The song would qualify for the 2024 CMAs in various categories, including single of the year and music video of the year.

Others who fared well with CMA nominations include Hardy, who has four nominations, all for “wait in the truck,” a murder ballad that has reached platinum status. Multiple acts earned three nods each, including Stapleton, Ashley McBryde, Jordan Davis, producer-engineer Joey Moi, songwriter-producer Jordan Schmidt and musician-producer Derek Wells.

Here’s a complete list of nominees for the 57th annual CMA Awards.

Entertainer of the year
Luke Combs
Chris Stapleton
Carrie Underwood
Morgan Wallen
Lainey Wilson

Single of the year
Award goes to artist(s), producer(s) and mix engineer
“Fast Car” – Luke Combs; producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton; mix engineer: Chip Matthews
“Heart Like A Truck” – Lainey Wilson; producer: Jay Joyce; mix engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
“Need A Favor” – Jelly Roll; producer: Austin Nivarel; mix engineer: Jeff Braun
“Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis; producer: Paul DiGiovanni; mix engineer: Jim Cooley
“wait in the truck” – HARDY (feat. Lainey Wilson); producers: HARDY, Joey Moi, Jordan Schmidt, Derek Wells; mix engineer: Joey Moi

Album of the year
Award goes to Artist, Producer(s) and Mix Engineer(s)
Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville – Ashley McBryde; producers: John Osborne, John Peets; mix engineers: Gena Johnson, John Osborne
Bell Bottom Country – Lainey Wilson; producer: Jay Joyce; mix engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
Gettin’ Old – Luke Combs; producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton; mix engineers: Michael H. Brauer, Jim Cooley, Chip Matthews
One Thing At A Time – Morgan Wallen; producers: Jacob Durrett, Charlie Handsome, Joey Moi, Cameron Montgomery; mix engineers: Josh Ditty, Joey Moi, Eivind Nordland
Rolling Up the Welcome Mat – Kelsea Ballerini; producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Alysa Vanderheym; mix engineers: Dan Grech-Marguerat, Alysa Vanderheym

Song of the year
Award goes to Songwriter(s)
“Fast Car” – Songwriter: Tracy Chapman
“Heart Like A Truck” – Songwriters: Trannie Anderson, Dallas Wilson, Lainey Wilson
“Next Thing You Know” – Songwriters: Jordan Davis, Greylan James, Chase McGill, Josh Osborne
“Tennessee Orange” – Songwriters: David Fanning, Paul Jenkins, Megan Moroney, Ben Williams
“wait in the truck” – Songwriters: Renee Blair, Michael Hardy, Hunter Phelps, Jordan Schmidt

Female vocalist of the year
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Ashley McBryde
Carly Pearce
Lainey Wilson

Male vocalist of the year
Luke Combs
Jelly Roll
Cody Johnson
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen

Vocal group of the year
Lady A
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion
Zac Brown Band

Vocal duo of the year
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Maddie & Tae
The War And Treaty

Musical event of the year
Award goes to Artists and Producer(s)
“Save Me” – Jelly Roll (with Lainey Wilson); producers: Zach Crowell, David Ray Stevens
“She Had Me At Heads Carolina (Remix)” – Cole Swindell & Jo Dee Messina; producer: Zach Crowell
“Thank God” – Kane Brown (with Katelyn Brown); producer: Dann Huff
“wait in the truck” – HARDY (feat. Lainey Wilson); producers: HARDY, Joey Moi, Jordan Schmidt, Derek Wells
“We Don’t Fight Anymore” – Carly Pearce (featuring Chris Stapleton); producers: Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Carly Pearce

Musician of the year
Jenee Fleenor
Paul Franklin
Rob McNelley
Derek Wells
Charlie Worsham

Music video of the year
Award goes to Artist(s) and Director(s)
“Light On In The Kitchen” – Ashley McBryde; director: Reid Long
“Memory Lane” – Old Dominion; directors: Mason Allen, Nicki Fletcher
“Need A Favor” – Jelly Roll; director: Patrick Tohill
“Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis; director: Running Bear
“wait in the truck” – HARDY (feat. Lainey Wilson); director: Justin Clough

New artist of the year
Zach Bryan
Jelly Roll
Parker McCollum
Megan Moroney
Hailey Whitters