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 2020 CMA Awards nominations were announced on 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 the 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.

This year's snubs and surprises list is ranked 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 who got shafted. There is one male artist that has never been nominated for a CMA Award, and it's simply shocking:

The 2020 CMA Awards are scheduled to take place on Nov. 11 and will air live from Nashville on ABC beginning at 8PM ET. Due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, however, the event will look a bit different than usual: It's being hosted at Nashville's Music City Center, not Bridgestone Arena as is customary, and there will be no live audience.

The Boot will be staying up late covering the most buzzed-about winners, fashion and moments at the 2020 CMA Awards. Readers can watch along with us by checking back to TheBoot.com for the latest CMAs headlines, liking The Boot on Facebook and following The Boot on Twitter.

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