CHESNEY RULES ACM ROOST

The show will take place in Las Vegas on May 18 and be televised live by CBS.

In addition to an Entertainer of the Year nom—an award he's taken home each of the past three years—Chesney also scored a nomination for Top Male Vocalist as well as a laundry list of would-be honors for his latest album, Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates, and single "Don't Blink."

While the former earned the crooner an Album of the Year nod, with nominations for Chesney as both singer and producer, "Don't Blink" racked up nominations for Single Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Video of the Year.

Rodney Atkins scored a second-best six ACM nominations and also performed during the nomination announcement, which were announced Tuesday morning by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood on CBS' Early Show via satellite from Nashville.

Atkins, who is the reigning Top New Male Vocalist, will vie against Chesney for Top Male Vocalist this year. His "Watching You" is also up for Song and Video of the Year, while If You're Going Through Hell scored a nod for Album of the Year.

Paisley, Big & Rich and Sugarland were next, each received four nominations.

Paisley, the reigning Top Male Vocalist, will defend his honor in the category again as well as trying his luck as Entertainer of the Year. His 5th Gear and "Online" are also up for Album and Video of the Year, respectively.

Big & Rich and Sugarland, meanwhile, go head-to-head in all nominated categories, with both acts up for Top Vocal Duo, Single Record, Song and Video of the Year.

Rounding out the nominations were Miranda Lambert and newcomer Taylor Swift, each of whom scored three nods.

Lambert, the reigning Top New Female Vocalist, also performed during the nomination announcement. She is up this year for Top Female Vocalist, Album of the Year for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and Single Record of the Year for "Famous in a Small Town."

For her part, Swift will attempt to succeed Lambert in the Top New Female Vocalist category, and is also up against her as Top Female Vocalist. Her final nod, for Album of the Year, came courtesy her self-titled debut.

Meanwhile, Underwood received a nom for Top Female Vocalist. Her title-sharing cohort, Kelly Clarkson, is also up for one award at the country-fried ceremony, that of Vocal Event of the Year for her "Because of You" duet with Reba McEntire.

McEntire will host the show for the 10th time.

For the first time ever this year, the show's most coveted prize, that of Entertainer of the Year, will not be chosen by the Academy, but rather by the public.

For a full list of the nominations, click here.