Chris Stapleton answers questions recently at the 49th annual CMA Awards in Nashville, Tenn. Stapleton is nominated for a Grammy Award for album of the year for his debut, “Traveller.”

NEW YORK — Country music has not had an album or song nominated in the top three categories at the Grammys since 2011 when Lady Antebellum won big, but the genre is back strong, thanks to Chris Stapleton’s overall success and Little Big Town’s megahit, “Girl Crush.”

The award show will be Monday at 8 p.m. on CBS.

Stapleton, a hit songwriter and former leader of The SteelDrivers, is nominated for album of the year for his debut, “Traveller,” while “Girl Crush” earned songwriters Liz Rose, Hillary Lindsey and Lori McKenna nominations for song of the year.

The last time a country album was nominated for album of the year was Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now” at the 2011 Grammys. That year also was the last time a country track earned nominations for song or record of the year, which Lady A took home for their crossover hit, “Need You Now.”

Charles Kelley of Lady A says the 2011 Grammys “was probably the greatest night of my musical career. It felt like a big win for the genre that night.”

Kelley, who is nominated for his first Grammy apart from his Lady A band mates this year, said country music is returning to the top categories because Little Big Town and Stapleton made unique and unpredictable songs.

“They made the boldest records; they’re not down-the-middle records at all, and I think the Grammys always tend to recognize when someone has painted outside the lines a little bit,” he said.

Sam Hunt also is representing country music with a nomination for best new artist, a category that typically includes at least one country act.

Part of the reason country music has not earned top Grammy nominations may be because country songs don’t chart high enough on the pop- and rap-dominated Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Grammy voters who are not paying attention solely to country music may not be as familiar with the genre’s songs and albums because it’s not in the mainstream as much as rap and rock.

Carrie Underwood’s “Inside Your Heaven” was the last country song to hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 2005; before that it was Lonestar in 2000 with “Amazed.” Though “Need You Now” and Swift’s “You Belong With Me” both peaked at No. 2, country songs often chart in the bottom half of the Top 40 pop charts and Top 10 hits are a rarity.

But country acts have a comfortable home with country radio, and can reach double platinum status without crossing over to pop, which is not the case for rap, rock and R&B acts.