The 2017 ACM Award nominations were announced on Thursday, February 16, and now you can predict the winners before awards are handed out on Sunday, April 2. To do so, visit our predictions center and click “Vote” next to “ACM Awards 2017.” Make your predictions now, and keep updating them as often as you like before the main event.
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We’re predicting 13 categories including Entertainer of the Year, whose nominees are Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban. Three of those nominees have won before, but this year’s biggest nominee, Urban, is aiming for his first victory.
Urban is nominated in the top race for the seventh time since 2005, but he has yet to prevail. But maybe seven is his lucky number because he has that many nominations this year, more than any other artist. That includes two nominations for Album of the Year as both artist and producer of “Ripcord,” his ninth studio album. To date he has received 11 awards from the ACMs, including honorary prizes.
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But Urban is up against the defending champion in the category, Aldean, who won for the first time last year. This is his sixth nomination in seven years, and he has won 10 awards from the academy thus far, but is he hurt by the fact that he has only one other nomination, Male Vocalist of the Year? Maybe not — that was his only other nomination last year too, and he won the top prize anyway.
Bryan is nominated for Entertainer of the Year for the fifth year in a row, and he has won twice (2013, 2015). Altogether he has been awarded seven times by the ACMs, but this year may be an uphill battle for Bryan since he has no other nominations.
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Underwood has also won Entertainer of the Year twice (2009, 2010). Those were her only previous nominations, so she’s undefeated in the top category. The ACM has honored her 12 times, but she hasn’t won any competitive category since 2010, and she only has one other nomination this year (Female Vocalist of the Year), so she may be at a disadvantage.
Rounding out the category are Florida Georgia Line, the only duo or group in the running. This is only their second nomination in this category, following a bid in 2015, but they’re the second most nominated artist contending in this category with five bids, including Album of the Year for “Dig Your Roots.”
Make your ACM predictions now; change them till April 2
Gold Derby readers just like YOU often turn out to be our smartest prognosticators, so it’s important that you give us your predictions. You can continue to update and change your forecasts as often as you like before winners are announced on April 2. Just click “Save” when you’ve settled on your choices. You’ll compete to win a $100 Amazon gift certificate, bragging rights and a place of honor on our leaderboard. Our racetrack odds change as you make your predictions, just as they do when you bet on the Emmys, Oscars and more. Be sure to read our contest rules and sound off on the ACM race in our music forum.
