Best Country Album – 2011 Grammy Nominees

A wide range of today's biggest country stars, including Zac Brown Band, Lady Antebellum and Miranda Lambert, have been nominated as Grammy finalists in the Best Country Album category. The award is one of the biggest honors scheduled to be given out at the 53rd annual televised ceremony, which airs Feb. 13 on CBS.

Dierks Bentley leads the field, at least if you're looking at their names alphabetically, with his guest-heavy, bluegrass-influenced 2010 album 'Up on the Ridge.' Close behind is the Zac Brown Band, with their second major-label album of bluegrass and reggae-influenced country music, 'You Get What You Give.'

A pair of rabble-rousing (relative) newcomers stand tall among this year's nominees.  First up is Miranda Lambert, the 2003 'Nashville Star' finalist whose fiery lyrical subject matter helped earn her 2009 album 'Revolution' a nod. She joins old-school outlaw revivalist Jamey Johnson, who earns a nomination for the third straight year, this time for his double album 'The Guitar Song.'

Brightening up the room a little bit is one of the biggest modern, pop-influenced country bands around, Lady Antebellum. If sales were the only factor, their 2009 sophomore album 'Need You Now' would be the clear favorite to win this year's Best Country album Grammy.

Dierks Bentley, 'Up on the Ridge'

Zac Brown Band, 'You Get What You Give'

Jamey Johnson, 'The Guitar Song'

Lady Antebellum, 'Need You Now'

Miranda Lambert, 'Revolution'