Kenny Chesney [ tickets ] grabbed a whopping 11 nominations--almost doubling his nearest competition--for the 43rd Academy of Country Music Awards.

The country music superstar was tapped in every category he was eligible for--including Entertainer of the Year and Album of the Year, for his most recent studio set, "Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates"--when nominations for the awards were announced Tuesday (3/4) in Nashville.

Chesney, who also was given nods for Top Male Vocalist, Single Record of the Year and Song of the Year (both for "Don't Blink"), has taken home the Entertainer of the Year statue from the ACM ceremony the last three years.

The Academy announced that fans will choose the Entertainer of the Year winner for the first time ever. Fan voting will begin May 5, with details to be announced through the organization's website at a later date.

Following Chesney's haul, the next closest nominee was Rodney Atkins [ tickets ]. The Tennessee singer is nominated for six awards, including Top Male Vocalist, as well as Song of the Year and Video of the Year for "Watching You" from his latest disc, "If You're Going Through Hell," which also was nominated for Album of the Year.

Miranda Lambert [ tickets ] and Taylor Swift [ tickets ] led all female artists with three nominations each, with both scoring nods for Top Female Vocalist. Lambert was nominated for her album "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" and for the song "Famous in a Small Town," while Swift grabbed a nomination for Top New Female Vocalist as well as one for her self-titled debut album.

Last year's Top Male Vocalist winner, Brad Paisley [ tickets ], is nominated again in that category as well as three others, including Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year (for "5th Gear") and Video of the Year (for "Online").

Big & Rich [ tickets ] and Sugarland [ tickets ] grabbed more nominations than any other duos with four apiece. Both pairs are nominated in the Top Vocal Duo category, as well as Single of the Year, Song of the Year and Video of the Year.

The 43rd Academy of Country Music Awards ceremony will take place May 18 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will air live on CBS-TV. A complete list of nominees is provided below.

Entertainer of the Year Kenny Chesney [ tickets ] Brad Paisley Rascal Flatts George Strait [ tickets ] Keith Urban [ tickets ]

Top Male Vocalist Rodney Atkins Kenny Chesney Brad Paisley George Strait Keith Urban

Top Female Vocalist Miranda Lambert Martina McBride LeAnn Rimes Taylor Swift Carrie Underwood

Top Vocal Group Diamond Rio Eagles Emerson Drive Little Big Town Rascal Flatts

Top Vocal Duo Big & Rich Brooks & Dunn Halfway To Hazard Montgomery Gentry Sugarland

Top New Male Vocalist Luke Bryan Jack Ingram Jake Owen

Top New Female Vocalist Sarah Buxton Kellie Pickler Taylor Swift

Top New Duo or Vocal Group Carolina Rain Lady Antebellum The Wreckers

Album of the Year "5th Gear," Brad Paisley "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend," Miranda Lambert "Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates," Kenny Chesney "If You're Going Through Hell," Rodney Atkins "Taylor Swift," Taylor Swift

Single Record of the Year "Don't Blink," Kenny Chesney "Famous In A Small Town," Miranda Lambert "Lost In This Moment," Big & Rich "Stay," Sugarland "Watching Airplanes," Gary Allan Song of the Year "Don't Blink," Kenny Chesney "Lost In This Moment," Big & Rich "Moments," Emerson Drive "Watching You," Rodney Atkins "Stay," Sugarland

Video of the Year "Don't Blink," Kenny Chesney "Lost In This Moment," Big & Rich "Online," Brad Paisley "Stay," Sugarland "Watching You," Rodney Atkins

Vocal Event of the Year "Because of You," Reba McEntire Duet With Kelly Clarkson "Find Out Who Your Friends Are," Tracy Lawrence With Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney "Shiftwork," Kenny Chesney Duet With George Strait "Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore," Bon Jovi Featuring LeAnn Rimes "What You Give Away," Vince Gill With Sheryl Crow