Album of the Year

• Urban Cowboy Soundtrack - Urban Cowboy
• Charley Pride - There's A Little Bit of Hank in Me
• Coal Miner's Daughter Soundtrack - Coal Miner's Daughter
• Don Williams - I Believe In You
• Kenny Rogers - Greatest Hits Lyrics

Band of the Year - Non-Touring

• Jimmy Snyder/Palomino Riders
• Dennis Terry/New Country
• Desperados/Johnny Mosby
• Country Sunshine/Johnny Blankenship
• Curtis Stone/Electric Cowboy Band

Band of the Year - Touring

• Charlie Daniels Band Lyrics
• Lacy J. Dalton/The Dalton Gang
• The Buck Owen's Buckaroos Lyrics
• The Waylors/Waylon Jennings
• Merle Haggard/The Strangers

Best Bass

• Curtis Stone
• Joe Osborn
• Red Wootten
• Bob Moore
• Billy Graham

Best Drums

• Archie Francis
• Buddy Harmon
• George Manz
• Richie Albright
• Kenny Malone

Best Fiddle

• Johnny Gimble
• Harold Hensley
• Tommy Jackson
• Doug Atwell
• Charlie Daniels Band Lyrics

Best Piano / Keyboard

• Hargus Robbins
• Ron Oates
• Kim Beck
• Morgan Stoddard
• Floyd Cramer
• Glen D. Hardin
• John Hobbs

Best Steel Guitar

• J.D. Maness
• Buddy Emmons
• Johnny Davis
• Al Vescova
• Ralph Mooney
• Lloyd Green

Country Music Movie of the Year

• Coal Miner's Daughter
• 9 to 5
• Honeysuckle Rose
• The Gambler
• Urban Cowboy

Entertainer of the Year

• Barbara Mandrell Lyrics
• Eddie Rabbitt
• Willie Nelson Lyrics
• Dolly Parton Lyrics
• Kenny Rogers Lyrics

Female Vocalist of the Year

• Dolly Parton Lyrics
• Crystal Gayle Lyrics
• Barbara Mandrell Lyrics
• Emmylou Harris Lyrics
• Lacy J. Dalton

Guitar

• Al Bruno
• James Burton
• Thumbs Carlisle
• Johnny Blankenship
• Reggie Young

Jim Reeves Memorial Award

• Ken Kragen

Male Vocalist of the Year

• George Jones Lyrics
• Don Williams Lyrics
• Kenny Rogers Lyrics
• Eddie Rabbit
• Ronnie Milsap Lyrics

New Female Vocalist of the Year

• Terri Gibbs
• Sylvia
• Kim Carnes Lyrics
• Sissy Spacek
• Reba McEntire Lyrics

New Male Vocalist of the Year

• Johnny Lee
• Steve Wariner Lyrics
• Ed Bruce Lyrics
• Leon Everett
• Don King

Pioneer Award

• Ernest Tubb Lyrics

Single Record of the Year

• George Jones - He Stopped Loving Her Today Lyrics
• Dolly Parton - 9 To 5 Lyrics
• Don Williams - I Believe In You Lyrics
• Eddie Rabbitt - Drivin' My Life Away
• Johnny Lee - Looking for Love

Song of the Year

• Bobby Braddock, Curly Putman - He Stopped Loving Her Today
• Bob Morrison, Wanda Mallet, Patti Ryan - Looking for Love
• Dolly Parton - 9 To 5 Lyrics
• Lionel Richie - Lady Lyrics
• Roger Cook - I Believe In You

Special Achievement Award

• George Burns

Specialty Instrument

• Charlie McCoy
• Billy Liebert
• Larry McNeely
• Lee Feltner
• Carl Walden

Tex Ritter Award

• Coal Miner's Daughter soundtrack
• Urban Cowboy soundtrack

Vocal Duet of the Year

• Joe Stampley & Moe Bandy
• Kenny Rogers & Kim Carnes
• Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn
• Helen Cornelius & Jim Ed Brown
• Bellamy Brothers Lyrics

Vocal Group of the Year

• Alabama Lyrics
• Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers
• Oak Ridge Boys Lyrics
• The Statler Brothers Lyrics
• Charlie Daniels Band Lyrics