In the wake of the CMA nominations, industry tongues are wagging about trophy magnets Capitol Nashville's Little Big Town, Mercury Nashville's Eric Church and Kacey Musgraves, MCA Nashville's Sam Hunt and Dot/BMLG's Maddie & Tae in particular as artists who are now part of the conversation for Grammy noms outside the genre categories. In particular, Little Big Town's smash "Girl Crush" and its strong full-length Pain Killer may well earn them consideration for top-tier nods, and Musgraves' simply brilliant Pageant Material is as deserving as any album released this year. Hunt, already a likely Best New Artist contender, should now find himself under consideration for other major categories. Meanwhile, Maddie & Tae have almost certainly gotten into the discussion as possible BNA nominees. Stay tuned.

In the wake of the CMA nominations, industry tongues are wagging about trophy magnets Capitol Nashville's Little Big Town, Mercury Nashville's Eric Church and Kacey Musgraves, MCA Nashville's Sam Hunt and Dot/BMLG's Maddie & Tae in particular as artists who are now part of the conversation for Grammy noms outside the genre categories. In particular, Little Big Town's smash "Girl Crush" and its strong full-length Pain Killer may well earn them consideration for top-tier nods, and Musgraves' simply brilliant Pageant Material is as deserving as any album released this year. Hunt, already a likely Best New Artist contender, should now find himself under consideration for other major categories. Meanwhile, Maddie & Tae have almost certainly gotten into the discussion as possible BNA nominees. Stay tuned.