The Academy of Country Music has announced its semi-finalists for the 2015 ACM New Artist of the Year Award.

Brett Eldredge, Tyler Farr, Sam Hunt, Kip Moore, Thomas Rhett, Chase Rice, Cole Swindell and Dan + Shay are all in the running for New Artist of the Year this year. The ACM's professional membership voted to determine the eight semi-finalists, and beginning Jan. 27, fans will be able to vote to determine the category's final three nominees.

Fan voting closes on Feb. 10, and after nominees are announced, a final round of combined fan and ACM professionals voting will determine the 2015 ACM Awards New Artist of the Year.

The 2015 ACM Awards are set to air live on April 19 at 8 PM ET on CBS. Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan will return as co-hosts. For the awards' 50th anniversary, the ceremony is being held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, rather than in Las Vegas, as they have been since 2003. Tickets, which went on sale last April, shortly after the 2014 awards, sold out in mere minutes.

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