The 48th Annual GMA Dove Awards nominees were announced on Wednesday morning at Lipscomb University, with Zach Williams and Lauren Daigle leading the nominated artists with five nominations each.
Daigle has won big at the Dove Awards the past two years. At last year’s ceremony, Daigle won Artist of the Year, just after clinching the New Artist of the Year award the year before. Daigle was not nominated for Artist of the Year this time, but she is nominated for Songwriter of the Year (Artist).
Williams, however, did succeed in securing a nomination for New Artist of the Year. Writer and producer Wayne Haun grabbed the most nominations overall, with six. Bernie Herms and David Garcia followed with five each.
GMA executive director Jackie Patillo announced that this year’s theme for the Dove Awards is “Sound the Remedy.” Last year’s theme was “Love Amplified.”
“Gospel Music is the only genre that is defined by its lyrics, and we believe that the message in our music is God’s remedy to the world,” Patillo said.
The Dove Awards will take place on October 17, 2017, returning to Lipscomb’s Allen Arena for the fifth consecutive year. The show will air on Trinity Broadcasting Network on October 22.
Artist of the Year
Chris Tomlin, sixstepsrecords/Sparrow Records
for KING & COUNTRY, Word Entertainment
Hillsong United, Hillsong Music Australia/Sparrow Records
MercyMe, Fair Trade Services
TobyMac, ForeFront Records
New Artist of the Year
Bri (Briana Babineaux), Marquis Boone Enterprises/Tyscot Records
Micah Tyler, Fair Trade Services
Social Club Misfits, Capitol CMG Label Group
Steven Malcolm, Word Entertainment
Zach Williams, Provident Entertainment Group
Song of the Year
“Chain Breaker”
(writers) Jonathan Smith, Mia Fieldes, Zach Williams
(publishers) Anthems of Hope/ Be Essential Songs, Not Just Another Song Publishing, So Essential Tunes, Upside Down Under, Wisteria Drive
“Come Alive (Dry Bones)”
(writers) Lauren Daigle, Michael Farren
(publishers) Wordspring Music, LLC, CentricSongs, Farren Love And War Publishing
“Even If”
(writers) Bart Millard, Ben Glover, Crystal Lewis, David Garcia, Tim Timmons
(publishers) D Soul Music, Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Publishing, 9t One Songs, Ariose Music, So Essential Tunes, Crystallized Tunes of MercyMe
“Eye Of The Storm”
(writers) Bryan Fowler, Ryan Stevenson
(publishers) Songs Of Emack, Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Publishing, Capitol CMG Genesis, TrueMuse
“Feel Invincible”
(writers) John Cooper, Seth Mosley
(publisher) Photon Music
“Great Are You Lord”
(writers) David Leonard, Jason Ingram, Leslie Jordan
(publishers) Integrity’s Alleluia! Music, Integrity’s Praise! Music, Open Hands Music, So Essential Tunes
“King Of The World”
(writers) Sam Mizell, Becca Mizell, Natalie Grant
(publisher) SeeSeeBubba Songs, Maxx Melodies, BMG Platinum Songs, Takin It To The Maxx
“O Come to The Altar”
(writers) Chris Brown, Mack Brock, Steven Furtick, Wade Joye
(publishers) Music by Elevation Worship Publishing
“The Lion And The Lamb”
(writers) Brenton Brown, Brian Johnson, Leeland Mooring
(publishers) Meaux Mercy, Thankyou Music, The Devil Is A Liar! Publishing, Bethel Music Publishing
“Thy Will”
(writers) Bernie Herms, Emily Lynn Weisband, Hillary Scott
(publishers) Songs of Universal, Inc., W. B. M. Music, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., WB Music Corp.
“What A Beautiful Name”
(writers) Ben Fielding, Brooke Ligertwood
(publisher) Hillsong Music Publishing
Songwriter of the Year (Artist)
Bart Millard
Chris Tomlin
Hillary Scott
Kirk Franklin
Lauren Daigle
Songwriter of the Year (Non-Artist)
Bernie Herms
Bryan Fowler
Jonathan Smith
Mia Fieldes
Michael Farren
Traditional Gospel Album of the Year
The Journey LIVE — Donnie McClurkin, (producers) Donnie McClurkin, Trent Phillips, Tre’ Corley
Azusa The Next Generation 2: Better – Hezekiah Walker, (producers) Donald Lawrence, Hezekiah Walker
You Deserve It – J.J. Hairston Youthful Praise, (producer) J.J. Hairston
Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year
The Misadventures Of Fern and Marty – Social Club Misfits, (producers) Elvin “Wit” Shahbazian, 42 North, Tommy Revenge, Ruslan Odnoralov, Black Knight, Raymond Castro, Social Club Misfits
Steven Malcolm – Steven Malcolm, (producer) Joseph Prielozny
The Waiting Room – Trip Lee, (producer) Gabriel Azucena, James Foye III, Chris Macley, John McNeil, Joel McNeil , Alex Medina, Allen Swoope, Almondo Cresso, Chris Macley, Joseph Prielozny, Tyshane Thompson
Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year
American Prodigal – Crowder, (producers) David Crowder, David Garcia, Solomon Olds, Ed Cash, Hank Bentley
H A R D L O V E – NEEDTOBREATHE, (producers) NEEDTOBREATHE, Jon Levine Dave Tozer, Ed Cash, Ido Zmishlany
Unleashed – Skillet, (producer) Zachary Kelm
Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year
“Priceless” – for KING & COUNTRY, (writers) Luke Smallbone, Joel Smallbone, Seth Mosley, Tedd Tjornhom, Ben Backus
“Come Alive (Dry Bones)” – Lauren Daigle, (writers) Lauren Daigle, Michael Farren
“Even If” – MercyMe, (writers) Bart Millard, Ben Glover, Crystal Lewis, David Garcia, Tim Timmons
“Eye of the Storm (feat. GabeReal)” – Ryan Stevenson, (writers) Bryan Fowler, Ryan Stevenson
“Chain Breaker” – Zach Williams, (writers) Jonathan Smith, Mia Fieldes, Zach Williams
Southern Gospel Recorded Song of the Year
“The Right Hand of Fellowship” – Bradley Walker, (writers) Larry Cordle, Leslie Winn Satcher
“Better Together” – Gaither Vocal Band, (writers) William J. Gaither, Reba Rambo-McGuire, Dony McGuire, Chip Davis
“Here He Comes” – Joseph Habedank, (writers) Joseph Habedank, Chris Cron, Tony Wood
“I Choose Christ” – Karen Peck & New River, (writers) Gerald Crabb, Jason Cox, Sue C. Smith
“Never Forsaken” – Tribute Quartet, (writers) Wayne Haun, Joel Lindsey
Inspirational Film of the Year
Ben-Hur, (director) Timur Bekmambetov (producers) LightWorkers Media, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Paramount Pictures, Sean Daniel Company
I’m Not Ashamed, (director) Brian Baugh (producers) Visible Pictures, Big Film Factory, Pure Flix Entertainment
Priceless, (director) Ben Smallbone (producer) Roadside Attractions
The Case For Christ, (director) Jon Gunn (producers) Triple Horse Studios, Pure Flix Entertainment
The Shack, (directors) Stuart Hazeldine (producers) Netter Productions, Summit Entertainment
To view the full list of nominees from all categories, visit the Dove Awards site.
Photo by Ben Davis