Luke Bryan has a leading seven nominations heading into Sunday night’s presentation of the 2016 American Country Countdown Awards, while Sam Hunt has five and Thomas Rhett and Zac Brown Band each have four.
Bryan and Hunt are nominated for the top prize of artist of the year, along with Blake Shelton, Florida Georgia Line and Jason Aldean.
Rhett, Bryan, Hunt, Shelton and Aldean are all up for male vocalist of the year category. Vying for female vocalist of the year will be Cam, Carrie Underwood, Jana Kramer, Kelsea Ballerini and Miranda Lambert.
Group/duo of the year nominees are A Thousand Horses, Dan + Shay, Florida Georgia Line, Old Dominion and Zac Brown Band.
Carrie Underwood, Florida Georgia Line, Hunt, Brooks & Dunn, Bryan, Martina McBride and Rhett are among those expected to perform during the show, which is based on the radio countdown show, “American Country Countdown with Kix Brooks.”
The show will also feature Toby Keith performing a tribute to the late Merle Haggard, introduced by Matthew McConaughey and featuring Haggard’s band, The Strangers.