# 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards

The 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards was held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 15, 2018. Nominations were announced on March 1, 2018, with Chris Stapleton leading the nominations with five. Reba McEntire returned as host for the first time in six years, making it the fifteenth time she has hosted the show.

## Winners and Nominees

The winners are shown in bold.
| Entertainer of the Year | Album of the Year |
| Jason Aldean Garth Brooks Luke Bryan Chris Stapleton Keith Urban | From A Room: Volume 1 – Chris Stapleton The Breaker – Little Big Town California Sunrise – Jon Pardi Happy Endings – Old Dominion Life Changes – Thomas Rhett |
| Female Artist of the Year | Male Artist of the Year |
| Miranda Lambert Kelsea Ballerini Reba McEntire Maren Morris Carrie Underwood | Chris Stapleton Jason Aldean Thomas Rhett Keith Urban Chris Young |
| Group of the Year | Duo of the Year |
| Old Dominion Lady Antebellum LANCO Little Big Town Midland | Brothers Osborne Dan + Shay Florida Georgia Line LOCASH Tim McGraw and Faith Hill |
| Single of the Year | Song of the Year |
| "Body Like a Back Road" – Sam Hunt "Better Man" – Little Big Town "Broken Halos" – Chris Stapleton "Drinkin' Problem" – Midland "I'll Name the Dogs" – Blake Shelton | "Tin Man" – Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert and Jon Randall "Better Man" – Taylor Swift "Body Like a Back Road" – Zach Crowell, Sam Hunt, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne "Female" – Ross Copperman, Nicolle Galyon and Shane McAnally "Whiskey and You" – Lee Thomas Miller and Chris Stapleton |
| New Female Artist of the Year | New Male Artist of the Year |
| Lauren Alaina Danielle Bradbery Carly Pearce RaeLynn | Brett Young Kane Brown Luke Combs Devin Dawson Russell Dickerson |
| New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year | Video of the Year |
| Midland High Valley LANCO LOCASH Runaway June | "It Ain’t My Fault" – Brothers Osborne "Black" – Dierks Bentley "Legends" – Kelsea Ballerin "Marry Me" – Thomas Rhett "We Should Be Friends" – Miranda Lambert |
| Vocal Event of the Year | Songwriter of the Year |
| "The Fighter" – Keith Urban (feat. Carrie Underwood) "Craving You" – Thomas Rhett (feat. Maren Morris) "Dear Hate" – Maren Morris (feat. Vince Gill) "Funny (How Time Slips Away)" – Glen Campbell and Willie Nelson "What If's" – Kane Brown (feat. Lauren Alaina) | Rhett Akins Ashley Gorley Hillary Lindsey Shane McAnally Josh Osborne |

## Performances

| Performer(s) | Song(s) |
| Kenny Chesney | "Get Along" |
| Maren Morris | "Rich" |
| Chris Young | "Losing Sleep" |
| Florida Georgia Line Bebe Rexha | "Meant to Be" |
| Brett Young | "In Case You Didn't Know" |
| Alan Jackson Jon Pardi | "Chattahoochee" |
| Lady Antebellum | "Heart Break" |
| Dierks Bentley | "Woman, Amen" |
| Blake Shelton | "I Lived It" |
| Kane Brown Lauren Alaina | "What Ifs" |
| Keith Urban Julia Michaels | "Coming Home" |
| Kelsea Ballerini | "I Hate Love Songs" |
| Jason Aldean | "You Make It Easy" |
| Miranda Lambert | "Keeper of the Flame" |
| Little Big Town | Tribute to Elton John "Rocket Man" |
| Toby Keith Blake Shelton | "Should've Been a Cowboy" |
| Midland | "Drinkin' Problem" |
| Carrie Underwood | "Cry Pretty" |
| Dan + Shay | "Tequila" |
| Darius Rucker | "For the First Time" |
| Thomas Rhett | "Marry Me" |
| Luke Bryan | "Most People Are Good" |
| Lauren Alaina | "Doin' Fine" |
| Reba McEntire Kelly Clarkson | "Does He Love You" |
| Chris Janson | "Redneck Life" |
Source:

## Presenters

* Presenters
* Drew Brees
* Cam
* Sugarland
* David Boreanaz
* Ashton Kutcher
* Sam Elliott
* Lindsey Vonn
* Nancy O'Dell
* Dustin Lynch
* Eve
* Rebecca Romijn
* Kiefer Sutherland