Eric Church leads Academy of Country Music Awards nominations

The main nominations for the annual prizegiving were announced on Wednesday (13Feb13) and Church is set to compete in categories including Male Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year for Chief, as well as Song of the Year for his Bruce Springsteen tribute Springsteen and Video of the Year for Creepin'.

He will face newcomer Hunter Hayes - who scored an impressive six nominations - in categories for Video of the Year, Song of the Year and Single of the Year, all for his track Wanted.

Swift is also set to be a major contender at the upcoming awards show - her hit record Red will compete with Church's Chief for Album of the Year along with Carrie Underwood's Blown Away, Luke Bryan's Tailgates & Tanlines, and Tornado by Little Big Town.

The 23-year-old singer also scored her fourth consecutive nomination for Entertainer of the Year, a title she has won twice in the past, and she faces competition from Lambert, as well as Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton.

Swift's other nominations include Video of the Year for We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, and in the Female Vocalist category she will also face Lambert, who has scored five nods.

Nominations for the newcomer categories, which are decided by a public vote, were announced last month (Jan13).

The awards will be handed out on 7 April (13) at a ceremony in Las Vegas which will be hosted by Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan.

Copyright (c) WENN 2013, All Rights Reserved.