The 2021 Dove Awards nominations are in, and Elevation Worship and Brandon Lake are leading the artist field with seven nominations each.
For King & Country follows with six nominations, while CeCe Winans and Zach Williams received five apiece. Steven Furtick leads all nominees with 10, followed by Chris Brown with nine and Wayne Haun with eight.
The nominations were selected from more than 4,600 entries, which is either an impressive display of creative output or a reminder that somebody had to listen to all of them.
The Artist of the Year category brings together Elevation Worship, For King & Country, Lauren Daigle, Phil Wickham and Zach Williams. New Artist of the Year nominees include Brandon Lake, CAIN, Dante Bowe, Hope Darst and Maverick City Music.
The 52nd Annual GMA Dove Awards will also mark a return to an in-person ceremony after the previous year’s pandemic-era production. The event is scheduled for Oct. 19 in Nashville, with the television broadcast set for Oct. 22 on TBN.
Here is a look at the nominees in several of the year’s major categories.
Artist of the Year
Elevation Worship
For King & Country
Lauren Daigle
Phil Wickham
Zach Williams
New Artist of the Year
Brandon Lake
CAIN
Dante Bowe
Hope Darst
Maverick City Music
Song of the Year
“Another in the Fire”
Chris Davenport and Joel Houston, songwriters
“Famous For (I Believe)”
Alexis Slifer, Chuck Butler, Jordan Sapp, Krissy Nordhoff and Tauren Wells, songwriters
“Graves Into Gardens”
Steven Furtick, Chris Brown, Tiffany Hudson and Brandon Lake, songwriters
“Speak to Me”
Donnie McClurkin, Jeremy Hicks, Johntá Austin and Troy Taylor, songwriters
“Thank You for It All”
Aaron Lindsey, Christopher Thomas Leach, Jamone Davis and Marvin Sapp, songwriters
“The Blessing”
Chris Brown, Cody Carnes, Kari Jobe and Steven Furtick, songwriters
“The Father’s House”
Benjamin Hastings, Cory Asbury and Ethan Hulse, songwriters
“There Was Jesus”
Jonathan Smith, Casey Beathard and Zach Williams, songwriters
“Together”
Joel Smallbone, Josh Kerr, Kirk Franklin, Luke Smallbone, Ran Jackson and Ricky Jackson, songwriters
“Truth Be Told”
AJ Pruis and Matthew West, songwriters
Gospel Artist of the Year
CeCe Winans
Jonathan McReynolds
Kirk Franklin
Tasha Cobbs Leonard
Travis Greene
Southern Gospel Artist of the Year
Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
Gaither Vocal Band
Jason Crabb
Joseph Habedank
Triumphant Quartet
Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year
“Famous For (I Believe)”
Tauren Wells
“Good God Almighty”
Crowder
“Hold On to Me”
Lauren Daigle
“There Was Jesus”
Zach Williams featuring Dolly Parton
“Together”
For King & Country featuring Kirk Franklin and Tori Kelly
Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year
“I Got It”
Pastor Mike Jr.
“Joyful”
Dante Bowe
“Never Lost”
CeCe Winans
“Speak to Me”
Koryn Hawthorne
“Touch From You”
Tamela Mann
Worship Recorded Song of the Year
“Battle Belongs”
Phil Wickham
“God So Loved”
We The Kingdom
“Graves Into Gardens”
Elevation Worship featuring Brandon Lake
“Jireh”
Elevation Worship and Maverick City Music featuring Chandler Moore and Naomi Raine
“Peace Be Still”
Hope Darst
Southern Gospel Recorded Song of the Year
“First Church of Mercy”
The Sound
“I Just Feel Like Something Good Is About to Happen”
Gaither Vocal Band
“My King Is Known by Love”
The Crabb Family
“Religion Isn’t Working”
Joseph Habedank
“Wake Up”
Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
Rap/Hip-Hop Album of the Year
3:34
Zauntee
Feared by Hell
Social Club Misfits
His Glory Alone
KB
Restoration
Lecrae
The Divine Storm
Ty Brasel
Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year
Chris Tomlin & Friends
Chris Tomlin
Holy Water
We The Kingdom
Inhale (Exhale)
MercyMe
No Stranger
Natalie Grant
To Love a Fool
Cory Asbury
Bluegrass/Country/Roots Album of the Year
Alone With My Faith
Harry Connick Jr.
Little More Love
Jordan Family Band
My Savior
Carrie Underwood
Peace at Last
The Nelons
Songs of the Times
The Isaacs
Worship Album of the Year
Graves Into Gardens
Elevation Worship
Old Church Basement
Elevation Worship and Maverick City Music
Revival’s in the Air
Bethel Music
The Blessing
Kari Jobe
The People Tour: Live From Madison Square Garden
Hillsong United
Inspirational Film of the Year
A Week Away
Fatima
Mahalia
My Brother’s Keeper
Queen Esther
The 52nd Annual GMA Dove Awards will be held Oct. 19 in Nashville and air Oct. 22 at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Eastern on TBN.
See the complete list of nominees at DoveAwards.com.