The nominees for the 2023 ACM Awards are out, and while there are plenty of welcome nominations, including  Lainey Wilson receiving six nods, and both Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood nominated for Entertainer of the Year, there are also a few artists whose accomplishments in the previous year more than earned them a nomination this year. Keep reading to see who should have been nominated, but wasn’t.

1. Jelly Roll

After sweeping at the CMT Music Awards earlier this month with three trophies, it seemed certain that Jelly Roll would receive at least one nomination, and maybe more. The Nashville native had a  No. 1 hit, with “Son Of A Sinner,” not to mention had a big touring year, including selling out Bridgestone Arena. There are few artists as big as Jelly Roll right now, which is why it is shocking to not see him nominated in at least one category.

2. Scotty McCreery

How McCreery is not nominated is truly baffling. The American Idol alum had a multi-week, No. 1 hit with “Damn Strait,” from his Same Truck album. The song happened to be his fifth consecutive chart-topping single, and he’s already back in the Top 15 with “It Matters To Her,.” McCreery tours, plays the Grand Ole Opry regularly, engages with his fans and sells out concert venues on his own. It’s well past time he is acknowledged for his successes.

3. Keith Urban

Not seeing Urban’s name on the list of ACM Awards nominees is shocking. He had No. 1 hits with “Wild Hearts” and “Brown Eyes Baby,” and spent time performing to massive crowds on his The Speed of Now World Tour. More surprising, the last time Urban received an ACM Awards nomination was in 2021, and that was for his part of Thomas Rhett‘s “Be a Light” collaboration.

4. Blake Shelton

This marks the second year in a row that Shelton was nominated for an ACM Award. The last time he was nominated was also in 2021, for Music Event of the Year, for his “Nobody But You” collaboration with Gwen Stefani. He had a hit at radio with “Come Back As A Country Boy,” and has another single still climbing the charts with “No Body.” Shelton remains devoted to country music, more than almost any other artist, and it’s unfortunate to see him not recognized for his efforts.

5. Carrie Underwood

While we are VERY grateful that Underwood is nominated for Entertainer of the Year, the bummer is that’s also her only nomination. The 40-year-old released her Denim & Rhinestones album last year, which included her No. 1 hit, “Ghost Story,” and was accompanied by her theatrical video. Underwood also embarked on her The Denim & Rhinestones Tour,, which sold-out all over the country. The fact that she didn’t earn a nomination in any other category is incredibly disappointing.

6. Luke Bryan

Bryan was the ACM Entertainer of the Year in 2021, but last year was only nominated for his “Buy Dirt” collaboration with Jordan Davis. The Georgia native had a big hit with “Country On,” not to mention his Raised Up Right Tour. Artists with less success than he has have earned nominations in years past, so it’s unfortunate that Bryan’s name was omitted this year.

7. Dierks Bentley

Bentley had a No. 1 hit with “Beers on Me,” his collaboration with HARDY and BRELAND. He also had another hit single, still climbing the charts, with “Gold.” He spent much of 2022 on the road, on his extended Beers On Me Tour, and also hosted his Seven Peaks Music Festival. Bentley is not only one of the hardest workers in country music, he remains a firm devotee of the genre. Hopefully he still has plenty more nominations to come in the future.

8. Kenny Chesney

If awards were based on touring, Chesney would have a trophy case full of them. Unfortunately, Chesney’s other successes in the previous year, including his hit singles “Everyone She Knows” and his “Beer With My Friends” collaboration with Old Dominion still weren’t enough to earn him a nomination this year, which is undoubtedly disappointing not only to him, but to his No Shoes Nation fan club as well.

9. Maren Morris

Morris released her Humble Quest album last year, which included both “Circles Around This Town” and “I Can’t Love You Anymore.” She also embarked on her headlining Humble Quest Tour, and appeared with Zedd and Beauz on “Make You Say.” Morris could easily argue her accomplishments are worthy of a nomination — but she’s probably too busy making more music.

10. Thomas Rhett

Rhett did receive one ACM Awards nomination, but it was for his part in writing “She Had Me At Heads Carolina,” the Cole Swindell hit. Rhett, who shared the Entertainer of the Year category with Underwood in 2020, released his Where We Started album last year, which includes his collaboration with Katy Perry on the title track, as well as his 20th No. 1 hit, “Half of Me,” his collaboration with Riley Green. It’s mind-boggling that he didn’t receive at least another nod for Single of the Year or Music Event of the Year, at the very least.