The 2021 CMA Awards nominees included many of the same artists as last year in the artist categories. In fact, there are just five differences in those five categories, which means several artists got snubbed.

This annual CMA Awards Snubs and Surprises list ranks nine "Wow!" responses to Thursday morning's (Sept. 9) nominee announcement. While the venerable television broadcast has never been quick to pivot or celebrate a class of country artist ignored in previous years, this year's nominee lineup looks particularly familiar. But, we're getting ahead of ourselves (see No. 5 below), because for a second-straight year, three true superstars of our genre have been shut out.

What does this say about country music today?

Artists that lean toward the edges of the genre are being celebrated now more than ever. That's Eric Church and Chris Stapleton (five nominations apiece), as well as Brothers Osborne, Miranda Lambert and Ashley McBryde (three). Did your favorite artist get snubbed? Look for them below.

The 2021 CMA Awards will air on Nov. 10 on ABC. Remember: The best way to watch the CMAs is on ABC, with ToC on your phone!

2021 CMA Awards Nominations: Snubs and Surprises

The 2021 CMA Awards will air on ABC on Nov. 10. Eric Church and Chris Stapleton lead all nominees with five apiece. Here are the nine biggest snubs and surprises, ranked.

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