Before the 52nd annual CMA Awards competition heated up many of the artists and nominees made their way onto the red carpet.

Country artist Cole Swindell gushed about how great the talent around him was, “Anytime you’re on the carpet with you know this much talent and you’re not star struck, I don’t know man.”

Kacey Musgraves showed off her custom suit while shaking her tassels.

“Oh my gosh, Y’all this is custom, Versace. They made this suit for me and it’s really fun because its got a lot of western elements to it.”

We asked Scotty McCreery who was wearing a shiny silver suit jacket if he picked it out himself.

“Oh what do you think, you think I… I’m a t-shirt kind of guy, but my stylist Jen she gets me in different things I wouldn’t think I like, but I love this suit. It’s really sweet,” he smiled.

Country great Garth Brooks joked about looking into the eyes of someone other than his wife Trisha Yearwood while singing on stage.

“I’m going to find somebody not as good looking as her like Jason or somebody and stare at him the whole time I’m singing it,” Garth laughed. 

Many of the artists told us the night is not about taking home an award, but it’s about celebrating with the country music family.

The Country Music Association has made it easier than ever to get caught up on the music of who’s who of country music. Put in your earphones (or don’t and let your officemates enjoy the music as well) and get a refresher on the year’s best music from the genre.

Chris Stapleton is hoping to repeat his Album of the Year win in 2017 with another trophy this year. Last year, Stapleton took home the award for his record From a Room: Volume 1. This year, that album’s predecessor is nominated. 

From a Room: Volume 2 debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard charts. The album gets its name from the studio it was recorded in, RCA Studio A. 

Kacey Musgraves, the lone woman nominated in the category, hopes to bring home the award for Golden Hour. The record debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard charts. Musgraves either wrote or co-wrote all 13 songs on the album, which was nothing new for her. 

The mood of the album, however, was different. Most of her past albums have been more melancholy, but this one has several love songs on it. It’s probably because she was recent;y married when she was writing the songs. 

The album was Musgraves’ third album to debut at the No. 1 on the Country Albums chart.

Keith Urban is nominated for his album Graffiti U, his 11th studio album. 

Urban released the album’s first single, “Female,” during the CMA Awards last year. The song didn’t make it into the top 10 in the charts, but it received a lot of positive reviews. However, when his album was released, some critics called Urban out because other tracks on the album contradicted the empowering message of “Female.”

Despite the criticisms, the album debuted at No. 1 on the Country Album charts, the musician’s sixth album to do so. 

Thomas, who was newcomer just a few years ago, is nominated for his album Life Changes. 

And boy, did his life change a lot recently. The singer and his wife have welcomed a baby girl and adopted a little girl from Uganda since his last album was released.

The album was a huge success, too. It was the first country album to reach the top of the Billboard charts and the Country Album charts. The album’s first single, “Craving You,” which he performed with Maren Morris, also topped the Country Charts. Two more songs on the album went to No.1, and another song finished in the top five. Rhett was also nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammy’s and the ACMs. 

Dierks Bentley, an artist that’s no stranger to this list, is nominated for his record The Mountain. 

The Mountain was inspired by the state of Colorado, and the song’s first single, “Woman Amen,” was written for Bentley’s wife. 

From a sale’s perspective, it has been Bentley’s most successful album. It also debuted in the top five of the Billboard charts and at No. 1 on the Country Albums chart. It’s Bentley’s ninth top 10 record.

The Female Vocalist of the year award is one of the more unpredictable ones this year. More names could’ve easily been added to the list, too.

Kelsea Ballerini

Ballerini, a Knoxville, Tenn. native, is nominated for her second consecutive Female Vocalist of the Year award. She’s without a doubt worked hard this year, releasing a new album and going on tour with Thomas Rhett, Lady Antebellum, and Keith Urban. She also headlined her Unapologetically tour while promoting the album of the same name. One of her songs, “Legends,” went No. 1 on the Country Airplay charts. That was her fourth No. 1 song. Her album made it to No. 3 on the country charts and was in the top 10 on the all genres chart. In her spare time this past year she also got married. No big deal. 

Miranda Lambert

Lambert is nominated for the award again despite not putting out a new album since 2016. She won the award last year and in 2015. Earlier this year, she was named Female Artist of the Year at the Academy of Country Music Awards for the ninth consecutive year. If she wins the award on Nov. 12th, it would be her third win of the category, more than any other artist.

Maren Morris

Morris won the Best New Artist Award two years ago and she is ready for the next step. 

She also hasn’t released an album since 2016, but she did chart a No. 1 single in January with “I Could Use a Love Song.” She also featured on a Thomas Rhett’s No. 1 song “Craving You in 2017. Her most recent single, Rich, made it to No. 8 on the Country Airplay charts. Like Ballerini, Morris also got married this year. 

Kacey Musgraves

Musgraves released one of the most anticipated albums of the year, her first full-length studio album since 2015. The album, Golden Hour, debuted at No. 8 on the all genres Billboard chart and at No. 1 on the country charts. It’s also nominated for this year’s Album of the Year. Musgraves toured the album, opening up for both Little Big Town and Harry Styles. While none of the songs on Golden Hour had much success on the Billboard Charts, the album was critically acclaimed, earning some of the highest ratings of the year.

Carrie Underwood

Underwood is not only hosting the awards, but she’ll also be looking to bring one home. She last won the award in 2016 after her Storyteller album was released. Like Miranda Lambert, Carrie this could be Carrie’s third Female Vocalist of the Year award. If either of them wins the award they would have more wins in the category than any artist in the show’s history. “Cry Pretty,” her latest single, debuted in the top 10 of the country charts. 

No matter who wins, whether it be a repeat winner like Underwood or Lambert, or a first-time winner like Ballerini, Morris or Musgraves, it’s sure to be a historic win.