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Which country stars made your 2008?

This year's CMA nominees have been announced in New York… By Shelley Marsden - 17/09/08

The final nominees for the prestigious US Country Music Association Awards have been announced, and it looks like it could be Kenny Chesney’s year to shine. The artist has bagged seven nominations for the 42^nd year of the annual awards more than anyone else. Chesney and Geotge Strait are nominated for entertainer of the year alongside Brad Paisley, Sugarland and Keith Urban.

The male vocalist nominees are Alan Jackson, Chesney, Paisley, Strait and Urban, while nominated for female vocalist are Alison Krauss, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, the young Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood. Five-time vocal group of the year winners Rascal Flatts received another nomination in the category, this time with the Eagles, Emerson Drive, Lady Antebellum and Little Big Town.

Up for this year's album of the year are Underwood's Carnival Ride (please let someone else win something, Carrie?!), Brooks & Dunn's Cowboy Town, Jackson's Good Time, Chesney's Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates and Strait's Troubadour. James Otto and Lady Antebellum were both nominated in the new artist category alongside Kellie Pickler, Jason Aldean and Rodney Atkins, and all three members were visibly excited about their very first CMA nomination.

"When we had looked at the categories, that was one that we were just hoping so much we could get in," Kelley told CMT shortly after. "I think of us to have everybody's stamp of approval on us, it just feels so amazing, and there's just great talent in there."

Otto, who has been in the music business for a number of years, was no less chuffed with his nomination."Man, I'm sweating now actually thinking about just how crazy it is," Otto said. "It's amazing, man. This is a lifetime of work coming together. ... You know, there's a lot of people that have been in that category that have a lot more hits than I do and people that really deserve the award, so it feels amazing, man. And yes, nerve-racking for sure."

Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush have got five nominations, including for entertainer of the year. Nettles received a sixth nomination for song of the year - for writing "Stay." She said in a statement: "I almost spilt my tea this morning as I was watching and the nominations kept being added. Being in the entertainer of the year category is such an honor. We've been lucky enough to be out on the road with Kenny Chesney for a couple of tours over the last two years. Looks like rock by osmosis really does work."

Taylor Swift (pictured) was another girly who was over the moon when presenters Rascal Flatts read her name out among the female vocalist nominations at Times Square. "This was definitely a day worth getting up really early for," she said. "Hearing my name called in the female vocalist category was a dream come true. "The big night will take place on November 12^th at Nashville’s Sommet Center.