This year marks the 60th annual Academy of Country Music Awards, which honors both established artists and rising stars. This year’s batch of nominees, revealed today (March 27), offers a roster of acts who dominated mainstream country music in recent months.
Newcomer Ella Langley earned the most nominations, earning a place in 8 categories thanks to her breakout collaboration with Riley Green, “you look like you love me.” Their hit track earned nominations for Single of the Year, Song of the Year, Music Event of the Year, and Visual Media of the Year, helping Langley snag her spot in the coveted Female Artist of the Year and New Female Artist of the Year categories.
Other artists earning multiple nominations this year include Cody Johnson, Morgan Wallen, Chris Stapleton, and Lainey Wilson. Kelsea Ballerini is up for Entertainer of the Year for the first time in her career, propelled by the success of her 2024 album Patterns. Folk-pop standout Noah Kahan also earns his first ACM Award nomination this year for his collaboration with Ballerini, “Cowboys Cry Too.”
Fellow first-time nominee Shaboozey is up for Best New Male Artist and Single of the Year for his record-breaking No. 1 hit, “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” Zach Top, The Red Clay Strays, Muscadine Bloodline, Dasha, Gavin Adcock, Tucker Wetmore, and Treaty Oak Revival are also celebrating their first ACM Awards nominations this year.
Earlier this week, the Academy of Country Music revealed Lainey Wilson, Eric Church, and Blake Shelton as their first confirmed performers at this year’s ceremony. Additional acts and award presenters are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
Reba McEntire will return as host for this 16th time when the 60th annual ACM Awards are held on Thursday, May 8, at 8 p.m. ET, inside Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. A limited amount of tickets are available for purchase now via SeatGeek.
60th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards Nominees:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
- Kelsea Ballerini
- Luke Combs
- Cody Johnson
- Jelly Roll
- Chris Stapleton
- Morgan Wallen
- Lainey Wilson
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Kelsea Ballerini
- Ella Langley
- Megan Moroney
- Kacey Musgraves
- Lainey Wilson
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Luke Combs
- Cody Johnson
- Jelly Roll
- Chris Stapleton
- Morgan Wallen
DUO OF THE YEAR
- Brooks & Dunn
- Brothers Osborne
- Dan + Shay
- Muscadine Bloodline
- The War And Treaty
GROUP OF THE YEAR
- Flatland Cavalry
- Little Big Town
- Old Dominion
- Rascal Flatts
- The Red Clay Strays
NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Kassi Ashton
- Ashley Cooke
- Dasha
- Ella Langley
- Jessie Murph
NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Gavin Adcock
- Shaboozey
- Zach Top
- Tucker Wetmore
- Bailey Zimmerman
NEW DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
- Restless Road
- The Red Clay Strays
- Treaty Oak Revival
ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
● Am I Okay? (I’ll Be Fine), Megan Moroney
Producer: Kristian Bush
Record Company/Label: Columbia Records / Sony Music Nashville
● Beautifully Broken, Jelly Roll
Producers: BazeXX, Brock Berryhill, Zach Crowell, Devin Dawson, Charlie Handsome, Ben Johnson, mgk, The Monsters & Strangerz, Austin Nivarel, SlimXX, Ryan Tedder, Isaiah Tejada, Alysa Vanderheym
Record Company/Label: BBR Music Group / BMG Nashville / Republic Records
● Cold Beer & Country Music, Zach Top
Producer: Carson Chamberlain
Record Company/Label: Leo33
● F-1 Trillion, Post Malone
Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins
Record Company/Label: Mercury Records / Republic Records
● Whirlwind, Lainey Wilson
Producer: Jay Joyce
Record Company/Label: BBR Music Group / BMG Nashville
SINGLE OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
● “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” Shaboozey
Producers: Sean Cook, Nevin Sastry
Record Company/Label: American Dogwood / EMPIRE
● “Dirt Cheap,” Cody Johnson
Producer: Trent Willmon
Record Company/Label: CoJo Music LLC / Warner Music Nashville
● “I Had Some Help,” Post Malone, Morgan Wallen
Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins
Record Company/Label: Mercury Records / Republic Records
● “White Horse,” Chris Stapleton
Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton, Morgane Stapleton
Record Company/Label: Mercury Nashville
● “you look like you love me,” Ella Langley, Riley Green
Producer: Will Bundy
Record Company/Label: SAWGOD / Columbia Records
SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
● “4x4xU,” Lainey Wilson
Songwriters: Jon Decious, Aaron Raitiere, Lainey Wilson
Publishers: Louisiana Lady; One Tooth Productions; Reservoir 416; Songs of One Riot Music; Sony/ATV Accent
● “The Architect,” Kacey Musgraves
Songwriters: Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves, Josh Osborne
Publishers: Songs for Indy and Owl; Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing
● “Dirt Cheap,” Cody Johnson
Songwriter: Josh Phillips
Publishers: Warner-Tamerlane Publishing; Write or Die Music; Write the Lightning Publishing
● “I Had Some Help,” Post Malone, Morgan Wallen
Songwriters: Louis Bell, Ashley Gorley, Hoskins, Austin Post, Ernest Keith Smith, Morgan Wallen, Chandler Paul Walters, Ryan Vojtesak
Publishers: Bell Ear Publishing; Master of my Domain Music; Poppy’s Picks; Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing; Universal Music Corporation
● “you look like you love me,” Ella Langley, Riley Green
Songwriters: Riley Green, Ella Langley, Aaron Raitiere
Publishers: Back 40 Publishing International; Langley Publishing; One Tooth Productions; Sony/ATV Tree; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp
MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
● “Cowboys Cry Too,” Kelsea Ballerini, Noah Kahan
Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Noah Kahan, Alysa Vanderheym
Record Company/Label: Black River Entertainment
● “I Had Some Help,” Post Malone, Morgan Wallen
Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins
Record Company/Label: Mercury Records / Republic Records
● “I’m Gonna Love You,” Cody Johnson, Carrie Underwood
Producer: Trent Willmon
Record Company/Label: CoJo Music LLC / Warner Music Nashville
● “we don’t fight anymore,” Carly Pearce, Chris Stapleton
Producers: Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Carly Pearce
Record Company/Label: Big Machine Records
● “you look like you love me,” Ella Langley, Riley Green
Producer: Will Bundy
Record Company/Label: SAWGOD / Columbia Records
VISUAL MEDIA OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
● “4x4xU,” Lainey Wilson
Producer: Jennifer Ansell
Director: Dano Cerny
● “Dirt Cheap,” Cody Johnson
Producer: Dustin Haney
Director: Dustin Haney
● “I’m Gonna Love You,” Cody Johnson, Carrie Underwood
Producers: Christen Pinkston, Wesley Stebbins-Perry
Director: Dustin Haney
● “Think I’m In Love With You,” Chris Stapleton
Producers: Wes Edwards, Angie Lorenz, Jamie Stratakis
Director: Running Bear (Stephen Kinigopoulos, Alexa Stone)
● “you look like you love me,” Ella Langley, Riley Green
Producer: Whale Tale Music
Directors: Ella Langley, John Park, Wales Toney
ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
- Luke Combs
- ERNEST
- HARDY
- Morgan Wallen
- Lainey Wilson
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
- Jessi Alexander
- Jessie Jo Dillon
- Ashley Gorley
- Chase McGill
- Josh Osborne
