Country Countdown Launches

Dick Clark Productions’ inaugural American Country Countdown Awards took place at Nashville’s  Dec. 15.

Photo: facebook.com/KennyChesney
Kenny Chesney Accepts the Groundbreaker Award at the Inaugural American Country Countdown Awards Dec.15.

The show was hosted by Florida Georgia Line, and its very first winner was Luke Bryan, who landed male vocalist of the year.

The female vocalist award went to Miranda Lambert, and Jason Aldean got artist of the year. Florida Georgia Line got best group/duo, and Brett Eldredge won song of the year for “Beat of the Music.”

Eric Church landed album of the year for The Outsiders. Vince Vaughn gave his good friend Kenny Chesney the Groundbreaker Award in recognition of the places and people Chesney has brought his music to.

Kip Moore got some long-overdue recognition by winning the Breakthrough Artist award, beating out Eldredge, Tyler FarrThomas Rhett and . The awards show was a two-hour broadcast on Fox.