The Country Music Association has announced the nominees for the 56th Annual CMA Awards – “Country Music’s Biggest Night” – with breakout superstar BBR recording artist Lainey Wilson and chart-topping award-winning BMG songwriter Carley Pearce leading the nominations.

Wilson received a staggering six CMA Awards nominations, becoming the leading artist with the most nominations of the year and only the fourth artist ever to receive six nominations in their first year of eligibility. Wilson’s nominations include Album of the Year (Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’), Song of the Year (‘Things a Man Oughta Know’), Female Vocalist of the Year, the only female-nominated New Artist of the Year, Music Video of the Year (‘Never Say Never’ with Cole Swindell), and Musical Event of the Year (‘Never Say Never’ with Cole Swindell).

Since arriving with her critically acclaimed BBR debut Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’, Wilson has received universal praise and recognition including winning New Female Artist of the Year and Song of the Year at the 2022 ACM’s, Best New Country Artist at the iHeartRadio Music Awards, Billboard’s Top New Country Artist of 2021, and MusicRow Awards for Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Breakthrough Artist-Writer of the Year. Wilson’s forthcoming studio album Bell Bottom Country will be released on October 28.

“This is my first time being cordially invited to the CMA Awards and what a wonderful invitation it is,” said Wilson. “It has been such a challenging but beautiful journey up until this point and to see the Country music community and the incredible fans be so receptive to me and my music is such a blessing. I’m so grateful for this moment.”

Pearce, the reigning CMA Female Vocalist of the Year, tied for the second most nominations with five, including Female Vocalist of the Year, Single of the Year (‘Never Wanted To Be That Girl’), Song of the Year (‘Never Wanted To Be That Girl’), Musical Event of the Year (‘Never Wanted To Be That Girl’), and Video of the Year (‘Never Wanted To Be That Girl’) from her critically-acclaimed third album 29: Written In Stone.

The 56th Annual CMA Awards will broadcast live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday, November 9, at 8:00pm ET on ABC.