'Billboard' Music Awards Finalists Revealed

Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line, Taylor Swift, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton, Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson are among the Nashville entertainers nominated for the Billboard Music Awards.

The awards will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 18, on ABC from 8 p.m. – 11 p.m. ET.

Among the Country entries for the 2014 Billboard Music Awards finalists are Luke Bryan, whose Crash My Party title is one of five finalists for the Top Billboard 200 Album, alongside Beyonce‘s self-titled project, Drake‘s Nothing Was The Same, Eminem‘s The Marshall Mathers LP2, and Justin Timberlake‘s The 20/20 Experience. Bryan will also compete for Top Male Artist, alongside Drake, Eminem, Bruno Mars and Timberlake. He is also up for Top Billboard 200 Artist alongside Beyonce, Eminem, One Direction and Timberlake. He is also nominated for Top Country Artist, twice for Top Country Song (for “Crash My Party” and “That’s My Kind of Night”), and Top Country Album (Crash My Party).
Florida Georgia Line also notched a nomination in the Top Duo/Group category, alongside Imagine Dragons, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, One Direction, and OneRepublic. They are also up for Top Country Album (for Here’s To The Good Times), Top Country Artist, and Top Country Song (“Cruise”).
Blake Shelton is nominated for Top Country Artist, Top Country Album (Based on A True Story), and Top Country Song (“Boys Round Here,” featuring Pistol Annies and Friends).
Taylor Swift earned a nod in the Social Artist category, competing against Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, and One Direction.

Alan Jackson‘s Precious Memories: Volume II earned a nomination in the Top Christian Album category, along with Skillet‘s Rise, Third Day‘s Miracle, Chris Tomlin‘s Burning Lights, and Various Artists’ WOW Hits 2014.
Billboard Music Awards finalists are based on album and digital singles sales, radio airplay, touring, streaming and social interactions on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, VEVO, Spotify, and other popular online destinations for music. These measurements are tracked year-round by Billboard and its data partners, including Nielsen Entertainment and Next Big Sound. The awards are based on the reporting period of March 11, 2013 through March 9, 2014.
Categories featuring Nashville-related nominees are listed below. For a full list of nominees, visit billboard.com.
Top Billboard 200 Album
Beyonce, Beyonce
Luke Bryan, Crash My Party
Drake, Nothing Was the Same
Eminem, The Marshall Mathers LP2
Justin Timberlake, The 20/20 Experience
Top Duo/Group
Florida Georgia Line
Imagine Dragons
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
One Direction
OneRepublic
Top Male Artist
Luke Bryan
Drake
Eminem
Bruno Mars
Justin Timberlake
Top Billboard 200 Artist
Beyonce
Luke Bryan
Eminem
One Direction
Justin Timberlake
Top Social Artist
Justin Bieber
Miley Cyrus
One Direction
Rihanna
Taylor Swift
Top Country Artist
Luke Bryan
Florida Georgia Line
Darius Rucker
Blake Shelton
Taylor Swift
Top Country Album
Garth Brooks, Blame It All on My Roots: Five Decades of Influences
Luke Bryan, Crash My Party
Florida Georgia Line, Here’s to the Good Times
The Robertsons, Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas
Blake Shelton, Based on a True Story
Top Country Song
Luke Bryan, “Crash My Party”
Luke Bryan, “That’s My Kind of Night”
Florida Georgia Line, “Cruise”
Darius Rucker, “Wagon Wheel”
Blake Shelton (Feat. Pistol Annies and Friends), “Boys ‘Round Here”
Top Christian Album
Alan Jackson, Precious Memories: Volume II
Skillet, Rise
Third Day, Miracle
Chris Tomlin, Burning Lights
Various Artists, WOW Hits 2014
Top Christian Artist
Mandisa
Skillet
tobyMac
Chris Tomlin
Matthew West
Top Christian Song
“We Won’t Be Shaken,” Building 429
“Overcomer,” Mandisa
“Help Me Find It,” Sidewalk Prophets
“Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies),” Chris Tomlin
“Hello My Name Is,” Matthew West