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Nominees/Winners

Awards Process

How are the winners chosen?

Any mention of the CMA Awards elicits the question, "How are the winners chosen?" The answer to that query does much to explain why the CMA Awards are so highly regarded and coveted by the recipients.

CMA award winners are chosen in voting by industry professional members of the Country Music Association. Thus, award winners are honored by their peers in the music industry. The staff of CMA does not participate in the voting process.

The awards criteria, rules of election and balloting procedures are established by CMA's Board of Directors. The eligibility period for the 2008 CMA Awards spans from July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008. Singles, albums, music videos, and qualifying products for the musical event must have been first released during the eligibility period. The election is conducted in three rounds as follows:

  • Each CMA member may nominate one act in each category on the first ballot. The top 20 qualified vote recipients that receive at least 10 votes in each category will become an official nominee and will then be submitted to the entire CMA membership on the second ballot.
  • On the second, ballot CMA members must vote for up to five nominees in each category. The results are tabulated, and the five receiving the most votes in each category are listed as finalists on the third ballot.
  • On the final ballot, members vote for one in each category to determine the winners.

The entire balloting process is conducted and certified by the international accounting firm Deloitte & Touche LLP.

Nominees/Award Winners

2008 Final Nominees

Kenny Chesney Leads Finalists with Seven Nominations

George Strait and Sugarland Receive Five Nominations Each, Jennifer Nettles Receives a Total of Six Nominations Including Songwriter Nod for "Stay;" Alan Jackson and Brad Paisley Score Four Nominations Each (Read More)

Entertainer of the Year

Female Vocalist of the Year

Male Vocalist of the Year

New Artist of the Year

Vocal Group of the Year

Vocal Duo of the Year

Single of the Year
(Award goes to Artist and Producer)

  • "Don’t Blink"
    Kenny Chesney
    Produced by Buddy Cannon and Kenny Chesney
    BNA Records
  • "Gunpowder & Lead"
    Miranda Lambert
    Produced by Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke
    Columbia Records
  • "I Saw God Today"
    George Strait
    Produced by Tony Brown and George Strait
    MCA Nashville
  • "Stay"
    Sugarland
    Produced by Byron Gallimore, Kristian Bush and Jennifer Nettles
    Mercury Nashville
  • "You’re Gonna Miss This"
    Trace Adkins
    Produced by Frank Rogers
    Capitol Records Nashville

Album of the Year
(Award goes to Artist and Producer)

  • Carnival Ride
    Carrie Underwood
    Produced by Mark Bright
    19 Records Limited/Arista Nashville
  • Cowboy Town
    Brooks & Dunn
    Produced by Kix Brooks, Tony Brown, Ronnie Dunn and Bob DiPiero
    Arista Nashville
  • Good Time
    Alan Jackson
    Produced by Keith Stegall
    Arista Nashville
  • Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates
    Kenny Chesney
    Produced by Buddy Cannon and Kenny Chesney
    BNA Records
  • Troubadour
    George Strait
    Produced by Tony Brown and George Strait
    MCA Nashville

Song of the Year
(Award goes to Songwriter and Primary Publisher)

  • “Good Time”
    Alan Jackson
    EMI-April Music/Tri-Angels Music
  • “I Saw God Today”
    Rodney Clawson/Monty Criswell/Wade Kirby
    Big Red Toe/Extremely Loud Music/Steel Wheels Music/Blind Mule Music
  • “Letter To Me”
    Brad Paisley
    EMI-April Music/Sea Gayle Music
  • “Stay”
    Jennifer Nettles
    Jennifer Nettles Publishing
  • “You’re Gonna Miss This”
    Ashley Gorley/Lee Thomas Miller
    EMI Blackwood Music/Songs of Combustion/Sea Gayle Music

Musical Event of the Year
(Award to each Artist)

  • Josh Turner featuring Trisha Yearwood
    “Another Try”
    MCA Nashville
  • Reba McEntire and Kenny Chesney
    “Every Other Weekend”
    MCA Nashville
  • Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
    “Gone Gone Gone”
    Rounder Records
  • Sugarland featuring Little Big Town and Jake Owen
    “Life In A Northern Town”
    Mercury Nashville
  • Kenny Chesney (duet with George Strait)
    “Shiftwork”
    BNA Records

Music Video of the Year
(Award goes to Artist and Director)

  • “Don’t Blink”
    Kenny Chesney
    Directed by Shaun Silva
  • “Good Time”
    Alan Jackson
    Directed by Trey Fanjoy
  • “Stay”
    Sugarland
    Directed by Shaun Silva
  • “Waitin’ On A Woman”
    Brad Paisley featuring Andy Griffith
    Directed by Jim Shea & Peter Tilden
  • “You’re Gonna Miss This”
    Trace Adkins
    Directed by Peter Zavadil

Musician of the Year