Surprising ACM Awards Snubs

When the 2019 ACM Awards nominations were announced on Wednesday, Feb. 20, there were plenty of expected names — Kacey Musgraves, Chris Stapleton and Luke Bryan, to name a few — along with several stars who surprisingly won’t be eligible for a hat trophy this year.

Whether it’s because of the voting system, eligibility requirements or both, there’s an unfortunately unsurprising lack of women among this year’s nominees, especially including the New Female Vocalist of the Year category, which features four nominees instead of five. In addition, several deserving artists who aren’t considered new were passed over in multiple categories, including Male and Female Vocalist of the Year.

Read on for our list of surprise snubs at this year’s ACMs.

Kelsea Ballerini

After snagging a nomination for Best Country Album at this year’s Grammy Awards, it seems like a given that Kelsea Ballerini should have been included on the ACM’s Female Vocalist of the Year lineup. During the past year, Ballerini has headlined her own tour and hit the road with Keith Urban as a support act, and she’s currently touring with Kelly Clarkson and will headline a tour later this year.

In addition, her 2018 singles, “I Hate Love Songs” and “Miss Me More,” both charted in the Top 30 on the Country Airplay chart, which should more than qualify her for a nod as Female Vocalist of the Year.

Dustin Lynch

Lynch is often overlooked when it comes to awards shows despite his continued success — he scored his sixth No. 1 single in 2018 with “Good Girl” and toured with Brad Paisley and Cole Swindell. He was also inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in September 2018.

Pistol Annies

While Miranda Lambert was nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year, her supergroup, the Pistol Annies, was excluded, despite the fact that they released their excellent third album, Interstate Gospel, in November 2018.

The group also played several shows including performances during the CMA Awards and CMT’s Artists of the Year ceremony.

Chris Young

Chris Young continually proves himself to be a success in country music, headlining his sold-out Losing Sleep World Tour in 2018 and earning two No. 1 singles, “Losing Sleep” and “Hangin’ On.”

He’s continually overlooked in the Male Vocalist of the Year category for some unknown reason, and this year especially should have been the year he received a nod.

Russell Dickerson

While Dickerson did score a nomination for Song of the Year for “Yours,” it can be argued that he also deserves a spot in the Male Vocalist of the Year lineup. Last year, the singer hit the road with Thomas Rhett ad Darius Rucker and Lady Antebellum and he’s currently co-headlining The Way Back Tour with Carly Pearce.

In addition, his first two singles, “Yours” and “Blue Tacoma,” each hit No. 1. Because he’s only released one album, Dickerson also fits the criteria for New Male Vocalist of the Year, though he was nominated in that category last year.

Cole Swindell

Like Dickerson, Swindell was also nominated for Song of the Year for his No. 1 hit “Break Up in the End,” but he should also have a case for Male Vocalist of the Year — the singer consistently earns No. 1 songs and headlined his own tour last year after releasing his third studio album, All of It, in August.

The Fifth New Female Vocalist Nominee

The fact that the ACMs were seemingly only able to find four women to nominate for New Female Vocalist of the Year is laughable, with talented women in country music around every corner, if one would only bother to look for then.

RaeLynn, Cassadee Pope and Cam are all worthy names for the ballot, but the ACM’s criteria that a nominee needs to have earned a Top 40 single is what’s holding many women back, thanks to the noted lack of female voices on country radio.