Musgraves, Swift lead CMA nods

Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn.

Taylor Swift and Kacey Musgraves are the top nominees for the Country Music Association Awards, signaling something of a left turn for the usually traditional organization.

Swift will be going for her third entertainer of the year award and was nominated for album and female vocalist of the year as well for the Nov. 6 awards in Nashville. Newcomer Musgraves also is up for awards in the album and female vocalist categories. The nominations were announced Tuesday.

Reigning entertainer of the year Blake Shelton is next with five nominations. His wife, Miranda Lambert, also has five nominations — three solo and two with her trio Pistol Annies. And Keith Urban and Florida Georgia Line have four apiece.

Shelton and Swift are up for top honor entertainer of the year with Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan and surprise nominee George Strait.

Swift is now up to 21 career CMA nominations and has two entertainer of the year awards among her seven wins.

This is the first year Musgraves has been nominated, and the number of trophies she is up for signals new openness in the once deeply conservative format. Musgraves, a 25-year-old Texas-born singer-songwriter, takes on divisive topics such as homosexuality on her critically acclaimed album.