The third annual AMERICAN COUNTRY AWARDS will air live from Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas Monday, Dec. 10 (8:00-10:00 PM live) on FOX 50. Luke Bryan leads the AMERICAN COUNTRY AWARDS nominees with seven nominations; Lady Antebellum and Zac Brown Band each earned six nods; and Eric Church and Taylor Swift garnered five nominations. 

A “Song of the Year” category also has been added to this year’s event, in an effort to pay tribute not only to country music’s top performers, but to its top songwriters, as well. The nominees are determined by the Professional Songwriting Division of the Nashville Songwriters Association International.

Starting today, fans can vote once each day for their favorite AMERICAN COUNTRY AWARDS nominees at www.theacas.com. Voting is open until Monday, Nov. 12 for all categories, except for Artist of the Year, which closes on Friday, Dec. 7. The nominees for each award category have been determined by four media measurement companies: BigChampagne (record sales and media consumption); Great American Country (video airplay); Mediabase (radio airplay); Pollstar (touring data); and Nashville Songwriters Association International.

Hosted by multi-platinum recording artist Trace Adkins and Emmy and Tony Award winner Kristin Chenoweth, the two-hour live music spectacular is the only country music awards show that gives fans the opportunity to vote for their favorite artists not only in traditional categories but also in a previously unrecognized area – touring – encompassing the entire spectrum of country music and bestowing honors that no other awards show has.

The AMERICAN COUNTRY AWARDS will feature performances and appearances by the year’s chart-topping country artists. Performers and presenters will be announced soon.

Following is the list of categories and nominees for the AMERICAN COUNTRY AWARDS:

ARTISTS
Artist of the Year
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Lady Antebellum                           
Taylor Swift
Zac Brown Band

Artist of the Year: Male
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Kenny Chesney
Eric Church
Toby Keith

Artist of the Year: Female
Sara Evans
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Taylor Swift                             
Carrie Underwood

Artist of the Year: Group
The Band Perry
Eli Young Band
Lady Antebellum
Rascal Flatts
Zac Brown Band

Artist of the Year: Breakthrough Artist
Lee Brice
Colt Ford
Gloriana
Justin Moore
Jake Owen

Artist of the Year: New Artist
Lauren Alaina
Hunter Hayes
Jana Kramer
Kip Moore
Pistol Annies

Album
Album of the Year
Dierks Bentley, “Home”
Luke Bryan, “tailgates & tanlines”
Eric Church, “Chief”
Lady Antebellum, “Own the Night”
Blake Shelton, “Red River Blue”

SINGLES
Single of the Year
Jason Aldean, “Tattoos On This Town”
Luke Bryan, “I Don’t Want This Night To End”
Eric Church, “Drink In My Hand”
Chris Young, “You”
Zac Brown Band, “Keep Me In Mind”

Single of the Year: Male
Jason Aldean, “Tattoos On This Town”
Luke Bryan, “I Don’t Want This Night To End”
Kenny Chesney, “Reality”
Eric Church, “Drink In My Hand”
Chris Young, “You”

Single of the Year: Female
Sara Evans, “My Heart Can’t Tell You No”
Miranda Lambert, “Over You”
Martina McBride, “I’m Gonna Love You Through It”
Taylor Swift, “Ours”
Carrie Underwood, “Good Girl”

Single of the Year: Group
Eli Young Band, “Even If It Breaks Your Heart”
Lady Antebellum, “We Owned The Night”
Rascal Flatts, “Banjo”
The Band Perry, “All Your Life”
Zac Brown Band, “Keep Me In Mind”

Single of the Year: New Artist
Hunter Hayes, “Wanted”
Jana Kramer, “Why Ya Wanna”
Dustin Lynch, “Cowboys and Angels”
Kip Moore, “Somethin’ ’Bout A Truck”
The Farm, “Home Sweet Home”

Single of the Year: Breakthrough Artist
Lee Brice, “A Woman Like You”
Brantley Gilbert, “You Don’t Know Her Like I Do”
Gloriana, “(Kissed You) Good Night”
David Nail, “Let It Rain”
Jake Owen, “Alone With You”

Single of the Year: Vocal Collaboration
Kix Brooks featuring Joe Walsh, “New To This Town”
Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw, “Feel Like A Rock Star”
Brad Paisley featuring Carrie Underwood, “Remind Me”
Rascal Flatts featuring Natasha Bedingfield, “Easy”
Zac Brown Band featuring Jimmy Buffett, “Knee Deep”

TOURING
Touring Artist of the Year
Jason Aldean
Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw
Eric Church
Toby Keith
Lady Antebellum
Miranda Lambert       
Brad Paisley
Rascal Flatts
Taylor Swift
Zac Brown Band

VIDEOS
Music Video of the Year
Luke Bryan, “I Don’t Want This Night To End”
Jake Owen, “Alone With You”
Blake Shelton, “God Gave Me You”                               
Keith Urban, “For You”            
Chris Young, “You”                  

Music Video of the Year: Male
Luke Bryan, “I Don’t Want This Night to End”
Jake Owen, “Alone With You”
Blake Shelton, “God Gave Me You”
Keith Urban, “For You”
Chris Young, “You”

Music Video of the Year: Female
Sara Evans, “My Heart Can’t Tell You No”
Miranda Lambert, “Over You”
Martina McBride, “I’m Gonna Love You Through It”
Taylor Swift, “Ours”
Carrie Underwood, “Good Girl”

Music Video of the Year: Group or Collaboration
Gloriana, “(Kissed You) Good Night”                              
Lady Antebellum, “Dancin’ Away With My Heart”
Little Big Town, “Pontoon”                                               
Love and Theft, “Angel Eyes”
The Band Perry, “All Your Life”

Music Video of the Year: New Artist
Hunter Hayes, “Wanted”
Casey James, “Let’s Don’t Call It A Night”
Jana Kramer, “Why You Wanna”
Dustin Lynch, “Cowboys and Angels”
Kip Moore, “Somethin’ ’Bout A Truck”

Song of the Year:
Trace Adkins, “Just Fishin’” (Casey Beathard, Monty Criswell and Ed Hill)
Jason Aldean, “Fly Over States,” (Michael Dulaney and Neil Thrasher)
Jason Aldean, “Tattoos On This Town” (Michael Dulaney, Wendell Mobley and Neil Thrasher)
Lee Brice, “A Woman Like You” (Phil Barton, Johnny Bulford and Jon Stone)
Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter, “You And Tequila” (Matraca Berg and Deana Carter)
Eric Church, “Springsteen” (Eric Church, Jeff Hyde and Ryan Tyndell)
Ronnie Dunn, “Cost of Livin’” (Phillip Coleman and Ronnie Dunn)
Eli Young Band, “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” (Will Hoge and Eric Paslay)
Toby Keith, “Red Solo Cup” (Brett Beavers, Jim Beavers, Brad Warren and Brett Warren)
Tim McGraw, “Better Than I Used to Be” (Ashley Gorley and Bryan Simpson)

AMERICAN COUNTRY AWARDS is executive-produced by Bob Bain (TEEN CHOICE 2012, “Kids’ Choice Awards”). Fletcher Foster, Paul Flattery and Tisha Fein serve as producers. Greg Sills is supervising producer. Michael Dempsey will direct the live special.

About Mandalay Bay
Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino is a unique destination resort set on 120 lush acres on the Las Vegas Strip. The resort offers three distinct hotel experiences: Mandalay Bay, a AAA Four Diamond award-winning hotel, with 3,211 luxurious rooms and suites reflecting a modern tropical ambiance; Four Seasons Hotel, a AAA Five Diamond hotel-within-a-hotel, offering 424 rooms and suites; and the stand-alone all-suite THEhotel, which will be redesigned and rebranded as Delano Las Vegas in early 2014. Mandalay Bay boasts an 11-acre tropical pool paradise, featuring real sand, a wave pool and the only climate-controlled, poolside gaming in the city. Other property highlights include world-class entertainment at the 12,000-seat Mandalay Bay Events Center, award-winning dining by celebrity chefs and restaurateurs, Shark Reef Aquarium and the 1.7-million-square-foot Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Mandalay Bay’s offerings also include BATHHOUSE Spa, House of Blues Concert Hall and restaurant, and The Shoppes at Mandalay Place, a collection of unique boutiques and restaurants. In 2013, Mandalay Bay will become home to a resident Cirque du Soleil production based on the music and choreography of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. Mandalay Bay is a wholly owned subsidiary of MGM Resorts International™ (NYSE: MGM). For more information and reservations, visit mandalaybay.com or call toll free at (877) 632-7800 or find us on Facebook and Twitter.

About BigChampagne
BigChampagne integrates, analyzes and reports information about the sale, broadcast and consumption of popular entertainment media. Our partners and sources for data include retailers, online and traditional (radio and television) broadcasters, major content companies, subscription services, social networks and other venues where entertainment is enjoyed.

About Great American Country (GAC)
Great American Country is the leader in country music entertainment, and delivers to viewers the widest variety of country music, its artists and the lifestyles they influence. GAC broadcasts original country music programming, music performance specials, live concerts and music videos. GAC is available in more than 60 million households and online at www.GACTV.com. GAC is owned by Scripps Networks Interactive, the leading developer of lifestyle-oriented content for television and the Internet, including HGTV, DIY Network, Food Network, Cooking Channel and Travel Channel. Scripps Networks is based in Knoxville, TN, with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, Chevy Chase, MD and Nashville, and is a unit of Scripps Networks Interactive (NYSE:SNI).

About Mediabase
Mediabase monitors the airplay of over 1,800 radio stations, updated continuously 24 hours daily. Mediabase produces historic and current airplay data for U.S. and Canadian radio stations, satellite radio, and music television. Formats monitored include Mainstream Top 40, Rhythmic, Mainstream Rock, Active Rock, Modern Rock, Classic Rock, Triple A, Country, Oldies, AC, Hot AC, Urban, Urban AC, Smooth AC, Christian AC, Gospel and Latin.  In addition to providing vital airplay information to radio stations in the U.S. and Canada, Mediabase provides information to every major record label and distributor, as well as concert promoters, artists, managers, music publishers, movie studios, video game developers and more.
Mediabase charts are published weekly in USA Today, and are used on nearly all radio countdown shows and dozens of websites and magazines.

About Pollstar
Pollstar is the only trade publication covering the worldwide concert industry. It has been supplying in-depth information to every professional concert promoter, booking agent, artist manager, facility executive and every other entity involved in the live entertainment business for more than 25 years. Pollstar gets its information primarily from the agents, managers and promoters who are producing concerts. It employs a staff of more than 25 full-time professionals who do nothing except research and build their tour database.

About Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI)
The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) is the world’s largest not-for-profit songwriters trade association. Established in 1967, the membership of more than 5,000 active and pro members spans the United States and six other countries. NSAI is dedicated to protecting the rights of and serving aspiring and professional songwriters in all genres of music.