Kenny Chesney holds award for Entertainer of the Year, 18 May 2008

Kenny Chesney won entertainer of the year for the fourth straight time at Sunday's U.S. Academy of Country Music Awards.

With the win, Chesney ties Garth Brooks and is only one win behind the legendary country group "Alabama" which won five of the top awards in row.

Brad Paisley took the award for Top Male Vocalist, his second in a row. Carrie Underwood won the Top Female Vocalist prize, also her second straight.

Chesney won the top prize through online voting, the first time the award was not determined by academy members.

Chesney said he disagreed with the change to online voting because this method of choosing a winner "disrespected" the artists. He said he thought fans should be included but not by pushing buttons on the Internet.

The 43rd annual gala was held this year in Las Vegas, in the western U.S. state of Nevada.

Some information for this report was provided by .