2012 ACM Award for Song of the Year – Dierks Bentley, ‘Home’

Dierks Bentley is patriotic without being political on this title-track from his new album 'Home.' The song paints a beautiful picture of freedom, and the Arizona born singer seems to be the perfect candidate to breathe it in. It's a soaring ballad that reaches a cathartic moment before finishing.

This song will win if: Voters are influenced by what's hot right now. 'Home' was barely eligible for nomination and it just reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts. Sometimes it takes the echoes of a big hit song to allow one to fully appreciate its value. It's hearing it in a new way six months after its release that causes one to go, "Wow! That is a great song!" Bentley is relying on recent satisfaction, relative to the other four songs in the category.