It was one for the record books when the final list of nominees for The 44^th Annual CMA Awards were announced today with fresh faces layered throughout the field of finalists vying for a coveted crystal trophy on what they call "Country Music's Biggest Night." 

Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood and broadcast live in Australia on CMC from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville at midday on Thurdsay November 11.  When the final nominations were tallied, Miranda Lambert led the list of finalists with nine nominations - the most for any female artist in the history of the CMA Awards. Alan Jackson received 10 nominations in 2002. Prior to that, Merle Haggard held the record with nine in 1970. 

Lambert received nominations for Entertainer; Female Vocalist; Album for Revolution; two for Single, 'The House That Built Me' and 'White Liar' Song for 'White Liar,' which she wrote with Natalie Hemby; Musical Event, for 'Bad Angel' with Dierks Bentley and Jamey Johnson; and two for Music Video of the Year for 'The House That Built Me' directed by Trey Fanjoy, and 'White Liar' directed by Chris Hicky. Lady Antebellum garnered the second highest number of CMA Awards nominations with five including Entertainer of the Year. Third on the list of nominees was Zac Brown Band and Blake Shelton with four nominations. 

In a major surprise, 2009 Entertainer of the Year and 2010 Grammy Album of the Year winner Taylor Swift was not nominated for the Entertainer of the Year award this time around.

Australia's Keith Urban received two nominations for Entertainer and Male Vocalist of the Year. Urban won Entertainer in 2005 and Male Vocalist of the Year three times (2004, 2005, and 2006).  The CMA Awards nominees and winners are determined by the 6,000 industry professional members of CMA. They include international voters. 

Click Here To See The Full List of 2010 CMA Awards Nominees

The highlight of night two of the CMA Music Festival at LP Field was Keith Urban's performance with special guests of the classic track 'The Times They Are A-Changin' in front of a sold out crowd.

Urban performed the song with Sarah Buxton, the female members of Little Big Town and an all-star brass band in celebration of the spirt of the people Nashville following the horrible floods just over a month ago.

Urban and wife Nicole Kidman have pledged money personally to the cause as well as performing a number of charity gigs in support of flood vicitms.

Other performers on the star-studded evening included Reba McEntire, Kid Rock, Julianne Hough and Miranda Lambert.

Photo provided by the Country Music Association (USA).

Hit Country – Hits Of The Decade (2001 – 2010) features the best of the best! It’s a celebration of the last ten years of great country music globally.

Songs for this compilation have been selected on the basis of major chart success, music sales, industry awards and general impact on the music market.

With so many great artists recording so many great songs, the HitCountry.TV team's job of selecting the final 40 tracks was extremely tough!

We could have selected another 40 songs that could have been considered "Hits Of The Decade" but we could only fit 40 tracks on the two CDs, and the 40 on there are simply sensational! 

Country's biggest artists from the last decade from Australia and world are featured including Keith Urban, Lee Kernaghan, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, Kasey Chambers, George Strait, The McClymonts, Adam Brand, Jasmine Rae, Beccy Cole, Melinda Schneider, Brad Paisley, Steve Forde, Sugarland, Brooks & Dunn and many many more.

The compilation is released on June 11, 2010.

Tracklisting:

Disc 1

1. Planet Country - Lee Kernaghan
2. Wrapped Up Good - The McClymonts
3. Born To Survive - Troy Cassar-Daley
4. You’ll Think Of Me - Keith Urban
5. Jesus Take The Wheel - Carrie Underwood
6. Like A River - Kasey Chambers
7. I Go Back - Kenny Chesney
8. Redneck Woman - Gretchen Wilson
9. Bring Me Down - Miranda Lambert
10. Believe - Brooks & Dunn
11. Beer For My Horses - Toby Keith (with Willie Nelson)
12. I’m A Road Hammer - The Road Hammers
13. Country Singer - Jasmine Rae
14. There’s No Limit - Deanna Carter
15. Alcohol – Brad Paisley
16. Best I Ever Had – Gary Allan
17. All Kinds Of Tough - McAlister Kemp
18. Moments – Emerson Drive
19. Stronger – Melinda Schneider
20. Poster Girl (Wrong Side Of The World) – Beccy Cole

Disc 2

1. Summer’s Little Angel - Steve Forde
2. Best Days Of Your Life - Kellie Pickler
3. Blame It On Eve - Adam Brand
4. In Colour - Jamey Johnson
5. What I Did Last Night - Catherine Britt
6. Beautiful Life - Doc Walker
7. What Was I Thinkin’ - Dierks Bentley
8. Austin - Blake Shelton
9. Stay - Sugarland
10. Tim McGraw - Taylor Swift
11. Fast Car - The Wilkinsons
12. I Saw God Today - George Strait
13. Save A Horse, Ride A Cowboy - Big & Rich
14. Love Is A Beautiful Thing - Phil Vassar
15. I Hope You Dance - Lee Ann Womack
16. Acting Stupid - The Sunny Cowgirls
17. What You Give Away – Vince Gill (featuring Sheryl Crow)
18. Song For The Old Rake - Paul Kelly & The Stormwater Boys
19. Boondocks - Little Big Town
20. Don’t Chase Me - Shea Fisher

You can buy the two CD compilation now at  

Pop act, The Jonas Brothers performed at the Housten Rodeo recently and did a cover of Keith Urban's 'Somebody Like You'.

Take a look at their attempt...  

Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood and Zac Brown Band have topped the nominations for the 45th annual Academy of Country Music Awards, which were announced by Reba McEntire and Blake Shelton last night.

Country Music has figured prominently at this year's GRAMMY Awards with Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Zac Brown Band, Lady Antebellum, Randy Travis and Australia's Keith Urban amougst the winners.

Swift won GRAMMYS for Best Country Album, Best Country Song ('White Horse') and Best Female Country Vocal Performance ('White Horse'). She then won the biggest award of the night, Album Of The Year (all genres).

"I just hope that you know how much this means to me and Nathan [Chapman], my producer, and to all these musicians you see on this stage that we get to take this back to Nashville," she said.

"Oh my God, our families are freaking out in their living rooms! My dad and my little brother are losing their minds in the living room right now. This is for my dad. Thank you for all those times you said I could do whatever I wanted in life. And my mom, you're my best friend," said Swift.  

Zac Brown Band won Best New Artist among all genres, completing a great double for country music.

And Keith Urban won his third GRAMMY in the Best Male Country Vocal Performance category for 'Sweet Thing'.

Lady Antebellum won Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals for 'I Run To You' and Carrie Underwood and Randy Travis won Best Country Collaboration With Vocals for 'I Told You So'.

Visit www.grammys.com for the full list of winners.

Photos: Steve Granitz / WireImage.com

The 38th CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia, were delivered on Saturday night in Tamworth. The Awards were hosted by The McClymonts.

The US People's Choice Awards were held today in Los Angeles with country artists fairing very well. Taylor Swift won the Favorite Female Artist (All Genres) award. She beat out Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Carrie Underwood and P!NK to win.

Keith Urban is back in Australia this week to perform major city shows. Check out some of the action from sound-check at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne last week...

Keith Urban has received four nominations for the 52nd Grammy Awards to be held on January 31, 2010 (February 1 Australian time) at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Urban's nominations are in the following categories: 

* Best Male Country Vocal Performance: 'Sweet Thing'

* Best Country Collaboration With Vocals: 'Start A Band' w/Brad Paisley

* Best Country Album: Defying Gravity

* Best Long Form Music Video: 'Love, Pain & The Whole Crazy World Tour Live'

“I wrote and recorded Defying Gravity to touch upon the power of the human spirit,” said Urban.  “I had no idea it would’ve connected the way it did.  We saw it night after night on the Escape Together Tour and to now end the year with these nominations is pure magic", said Urban on his official website.

Congratulations Keith!