Strait and Brad Paisley led with five nominations each. Strait was also nominated for musical event of the year, for a performance with Jimmy Buffett and Alan Jackson; album of the year for It Just Comes Natural; and single of the year for “Wrapped,” his 55th career No. 1 single.

Paisley is nominated for entertainer, male vocalist, his album, Fifth Gear, best single for “Ticks,” and best music video with “Online.”

Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts and Keith Urban rounded out the entertainer of the year category.

Josh Turner joined Chesney, Paisley, Strait and Urban with nominations for male vocalist of the year.

Bluegrass star Alison Krauss was nominated for female vocalist of the year, along with Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire and Carrie Underwood.

The top nominations were announced on ABC’s “Good Morning America” by Sara Evans and Kristian Bush and Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland. The rest were announced in Nashville by duo Montgomery Gentry and 17-year-old Taylor Swift, who was nominated for the Horizon Award for new artists.

“They kind of tortured me a little bit at the end by not saying my name right away,” she said of Montgomery Gentry”s nail-biting introduction. “I kind of freaked out. I was excited. I started shaking.”

The CMA Awards are scheduled for November 7 in Nashville.