9 CMA Nomination Stunners, From Least to Most Surprising

That Luke Combs and Miranda Lambert lead all nominees for the 2020 CMA Awards is just a little bit surprising. That three very active A-list stars were shut out is simply stunning.

There's plenty to talk about after the CMA Awards nominations were announced on Tuesday morning (Sept. 1). It wouldn't be an awards show if some feelings weren't hurt (we see you, Kelsea Ballerini) and if some dreams didn't come true (congrats to Gabby Barrett and Ingrid Andress, among others).

Lambert (seven nominations) continues to be the CMA's favorite female artist, while Combs (six) is still a hard-charging newcomer with a likely Entertainer of the Year in his future. The long-sought changing of the guard may be manifesting itself in Song, Single and Album of the Year categories, but the big ones (Male and Female Vocalist, Entertainer of the Year) still move more like an oil tanker than a zippy speedboat. CMA voters vote for who they know in those categories, often despite empirical evidence.

Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood Made CMA History:

This year, we combined our snubs and surprises list and ranked them from least to most surprising. The top half of the list is people who were pleasantly recognized for their hard work and creativity, while the bottom of the list is reserved for those artists wgo got shafted. There is one male artist that has never been nominated for a CMA Award, and it's simply shocking. Scroll down to see who we're talking about and then let us know who needs to be added on Twitter.

The 2020 CMA Awards are Nov. 11 at 8PM ET on ABC.

Remember: The best way to watch the 2020 CMAs is on TV, with ToC on your phone!

9 CMA Nominations Stunners, From Least to Most Surprising: