Sugarland garners most nods as Kellie Pickler & Lance Smith announce final CMT Music Awards nominees

Multi-nominated Sugarland

Earlier today, Kellie Pickler and Lance Smith announced the final round of nominees for the upcoming June 16 CMT Music Awards. With more than 2.5 million votes cast to determine the nominees, Sugarland's chances of taking home a Buckle are the strongest, having secured 5 nominations overall.  

Sugarland, comprised of Jennifer Nettles and Christian Bush, got a double nod in the Duo Video of the Year category for both Already Gone and All I Want To Do .  Their teaming with Little Big Town and Jake Owen on Life in a Northern Town is nominated for Collaborative Video of the Year.  The live performance of that track, also got a mention as contender in CMT's most self-indulgent category, CMT Performance of the Year.  All I Want To Do is also still in the running for Video of the Year.  Whether All I Want To Do makes the final cut as a nominee in the category or not will be determined during the live broadcast of the show.

Sugarland has taken home the Buckle for Duo Video of the Year in both 2007 and 2008 for their work on Want To and Stay, respectively.

Taylor Swift gets four CMT nominations

Brad Paisley and Taylor Swift tied next with four nominations each.  Brad is nominated in the categories of Male Video of the Year for Waitin' on a Woman, Collaborative Video of the Year for his work with Keith Urban on Start a Band, CMT Performance Video of the Year for the all-star jam session on Country Boy from CMT GIANTS: Alan Jackson.  Country Boy not only featured Brad, but also Alan Jackson, Dierks Bentley and George Strait. Like Sugarland, Brad too is still a potential finalist in Video of the Year (Waiting on a Woman).  

Taylor Swift got a mention for her efforts in Female Video of the Year for Love Story.  Her oddly satisfying CMT Crossroadsconcert, that paired her with Def Leppard, assured her a spot in the CMT Performance Video of the Year and Wide Open Country Video categories for their new take on the Def Leppard classic, Photograph.  Taylor is also still in the running for Video of the Year for Love Story.

Newcomes to the CMT Awards, Lady Antebellum

First-time nominees Lady Antebellum and six-time Buckle winners Rascal Flatts round out the top five nominees having received nods in three categories each. Lady A for their hit Lookin' For A Good Time in both Group Video of the Year and USA Weekend Breakthrough Video of the Year and of course Video of The Year.  Joe Don and Company, twice in the Group Video category for Bob That Head and Every Day, and yes, they are still in the running for Video of the Year. 

Here is a complete list of the FINAL NOMINEES:

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Trace Adkins - “You’re Gonna Miss This” (Director: Peter Zavadil)
Kenny Chesney featuring The Wailers - “Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven” (Director: Shaun Silva)
Toby Keith - “God Love Her” (Director: Michael Salomon)
Kid Rock - “All Summer Long” (Director: Deaton Flanigen)
Lady Antebellum - “Lookin’ For A Good Time” (Director: Chris Hicky)
Brad Paisley - “Waitin’ On A Woman” (Directors: Jim Shea & Peter Tilden)
Rascal Flatts - “Every Day” (Director: Deaton Flanigen)
Sugarland - “All I Want To Do” (Director: Shaun Silva)
Taylor Swift - “Love Story” (Director: Trey Fanjoy)
Carrie Underwood - “Just A Dream” (Director: Roman White)

MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR 

Trace Adkins - “You’re Gonna Miss This”
Toby Keith - “God Love Her”
Brad Paisley - “Waitin’ On A Woman”
Keith Urban - “Sweet Thing”

FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Miranda Lambert - “More Like Her”
Martina McBride - “Ride”
Kellie Pickler - “Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful”
Taylor Swift - “Love Story”

GROUP VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Lady Antebellum - “Lookin’ For A Good Time”
Rascal Flatts - “Bob That Head”
Rascal Flatts - “Every Day”
Zac Brown Band “Chicken Fried”

DUO VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Brooks & Dunn - “Put A Girl In It”
Montgomery Gentry - “Roll With Me”
Sugarland - “All I Want To Do”
Sugarland - “Already Gone”

USA WEEKEND BREAKTHROUGH VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Julianne Hough - “That Song In My Head”
Jamey Johnson - “In Color”
Lady Antebellum - “Lookin’ For A Good Time”
Zac Brown Band - “Chicken Fried”

COLLABORATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Brooks & Dunn featuring Reba McEntire - “Cowgirls Don’t Cry”
Kenny Chesney featuring The Wailers - “Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven”
Brad Paisley with Keith Urban - “Start A Band”
Sugarland featuring Little Big Town and Jake Owen - “Life In A Northern Town”

CMT PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

Alan Jackson featuring Dierks Bentley, Brad Paisley and George Strait - “Country Boy” from CMT GIANTS: ALAN JACKSON
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - “Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)” from CMT CROSSROADS: ROBERT PLANT AND ALISON KRAUSS
Sugarland featuring Little Big Town and Jake Owen - “Life In A Northern Town” from the 2008 CMT MUSIC AWARDS
Def Leppard and Taylor Swift - “Photograph” from CMT CROSSROADS: DEF LEPPARD AND TAYLOR SWIFT

WIDE OPEN COUNTRY VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Def Leppard and Taylor Swift - “Photograph”
Kid Rock - “All Summer Long”
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - “Please Read The Letter”
Rehab featuring Hank Williams, Jr. - “Bartender Song”

VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR

Deaton Flanigen (award eligible videos include: Kid Rock’s “All Summer Long” and Rascal Flatts’ “Every Day”) 
Trey Fanjoy (award eligible videos include: Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” and George Strait’s “Troubador”)
Roman White (award eligible videos include: Carrie Underwood’s “Just a Dream” and Reba McEntire’s “Every Other Weekend”)
Peter Zavadil (award eligible videos include: Trace Adkins’ “You’re Gonna Miss This” and Joey + Rory’s “Cheater Cheater”)