New Artist of the Year: 2016 Taste of Country Fan Choice Awards
There's no shortage of bright young talent in country music in 2016! Our nominees for New Artist of the Year in the 2016 Taste of Country Music Awards have got the future of the genre assured, bringing in influences from all over the map.
Brett Young released his debut single, "Sleep Without You," this year, and followed it up with a self-titled EP. Chris Lane brought a very different vibe to country radio with "Fix," which reached No. 1, while the sibling duo of High Valley are proving that there's still room for good old-fashioned acoustic-based music in contemporary country.
Kane Brown has parlayed a series of ultra-successful Facebook covers into a rising career at country radio, while Maren Morris went from being almost unknown to being a name on everyone's lips in Nashville in 2016 with the release of "My Church." Trent Harmon followed up winning the last-ever season of American Idol with a pair of singles, and Tucker Beathard showed country fans how to "Rock On" with his debut single.
William Michael Morgan also gave hope to country fans who have feared that traditional country music is dead, putting an old school slant on his debut single, "I Met a Girl," and the songs from his debut album, Vinyl.
Which of these rising stars is the New Artist of the Year? Vote below as often as once every hour until the poll closes at 6PM ET on Nov. 30, and click the button underneath to vote in other categories in the 2016 Taste of Country Fan Choice Awards.