Kane Brown, Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton, Morgan Wallen and Lainey Wilson are the nominees vying for the most coveted award of the night at the 59th ACM Awards next month, the Academy of Country Music announced on Tuesday morning (April 9).
The Academy of Country Music revealed the list of nominees in the Entertainer of the Year category, in addition to Album of the Year, Duo of the Year, New Female and New Male Artist of the Year, Music Event of the Year, Artist-Songwriter of the Year and other major categories. Nominations kicked off on Tuesday morning on The Bobby Bones Show.
The show is slated to return to Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, the world headquarters of the Dallas Cowboys, leading up to the milestone 60th year in 2025. This year’s show is set for Thursday, May 16. Hosts, performers and presenters of the 59th annual ACM Awards — hailed “Country Music’s Party of the Year” — have yet to be announced.
Combs is the most-nominated artist with eight nominations, according to the Academy of Country Music. He’s followed by Moroney and Wallen, who each have six nominations, and Johnson, Stapleton and Wilson tallying five nominations.
"Frisco, Texas and The Star District proved to be the perfect new home for the evolution of this Emmy-nominated ‘Party,’ bringing music’s biggest global superstars to the passionate and loyal Texas Country Music fans!” ACM CEO Damon Whiteside previously said in a statement, noting that the show would stream live again on Prime Video. He anticipates this show will be “even bigger and better. Fans will certainly want to be there in person to experience all the incredible moments we have in store, and we can’t wait to see everyone in Texas!”
See the list of nominees below.
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
- Kane Brown
- Luke Combs
- Jelly Roll
- Cody Johnson
- Chris Stapleton
- Morgan Wallen
- Lainey Wilson
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Kelsea Ballerini
- Ashley McBryde
- Megan Moroney
- Kacey Musgraves
- Lainey Wilson
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Luke Combs
- Jelly Roll
- Cody Johnson
- Chris Stapleton
- Morgan Wallen
DUO OF THE YEAR
- Brooks & Dunn
- Brothers Osborne
- Dan + Shay
- Maddie & Tae
- The War And Treaty
GROUP OF THE YEAR
- Flatland Cavalry
- Lady A
- Little Big Town
- Old Dominion
- Zac Brown Band
NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Kassi Ashton
- Ashley Cooke
- Hannah Ellis
- Kylie Morgan
- Megan Moroney
NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- ERNEST
- Kameron Marlowe
- Dylan Scott
- Conner Smith
- Nate Smith
NEW DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
- Neon Union
- Restless Road
- Tigirlily Gold
ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
- Gettin’ Old - Luke Combs
Producer: Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton, Luke Combs
Record Company-Label: River House Artists / Columbia Nashville
- Higher - Chris Stapleton
Producer: Chris Stapleton, Dave Cobb, Morgane Stapleton
Record Company-Label: Mercury Nashville
- Leather - Cody Johnson
Producers: Trent Willmon
Record Company-Label: CoJo Music LLC / Warner Music Nashville LLC
- One Thing At A Time - Morgan Wallen
Producers: Joey Moi, Cameron Montgomery, Charlie Handsome, Jacob Durrett
Record Company-Label: Big Loud Records / Republic Records / Mercury Records
- Rolling Up the Welcome Mat (For Good) - Kelsea Ballerini
Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Alysa Vanderheym
Record Company-Label: Black River Entertainment
SINGLE OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
- Burn It Down - Parker McCollum
Producer: Jon Randall
Record Company-Label: MCA Nashville
- Fast Car - Luke Combs
Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton
Record Company-Label: River House Artists / Columbia Nashville
- Last Night - Morgan Wallen
Producer: Joey Moi, Charlie Handsome
Record Company-Label: Big Loud Records / Republic Records / Mercury Records
- Need A Favor - Jelly Roll
Producer: Austin Nivarel
Record Company-Label: Stoney Creek Records / BMG Nashville
- Next Thing You Know - Jordan Davis
Producer: Paul DiGiovanni
Record Company-Label: MCA Nashville
SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
- Fast Car - Luke Combs
Songwriters: Tracy Chapman
Publishers: Purple Rabbit
- Heart Like A Truck - Lainey Wilson
Songwriters: Dallas Wilson, Lainey Wilson, Trannie Anderson
Publishers: Sony / ATV Countryside; Songs of Riser House; Songs of Wild Cat Well Music
- Next Thing You Know - Jordan Davis
Songwriters: Chase McGill, Greylan James, Jordan Davis, Josh Osborne
Publishers: Family Farm Songs; Hold On Can I Get A Number 1 Music; Songs of Universal Inc.
- The Painter - Cody Johnson
Songwriters: Benjy Davis, Kat Higgins, Ryan Larkins
Publishers: Big Music Machine; BMG Platinum Songs US; Nashblonde Music; Pompano Run Music; Songs for Ellie May; Sony / ATV Tree Publishing; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Group; Well That Was Awkward Music
- Tennessee Orange - Megan Moroney
Songwriters: Ben Williams, David Fanning, Megan Moroney, Paul Jenkins
Publishers: 33 Creative; Bone Bone Creative; Sony / ATV Tree Publishing
MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
- Can’t Break Up Now - Old Dominion, Megan Moroney
Producers: Brad Tursi, Geoff Sprung, Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen, Whit Sellers, Ross Copperman, Kristian Bush
Record Company-Label: Three Up Three Down, LLC / Columbia Nashville
- Different ‘Round Here - Riley Green (Ft. Luke Combs)
Producer: Dann Huff
Record Company-Label: BMLG Records
- I Remember Everything - Zach Bryan (feat. Kacey Musgraves)
Producer: Zach Bryan
Record Company-Label: Belting Bronco Records / Warner Records, Inc
- Man Made A Bar - Morgan Wallen (feat. Eric Church)
Producer: Joey Moi
Record Company-Label: Big Loud Records / Mercury Records / Republic Records
- Save Me - Jelly Roll (with Lainey Wilson)
Producers: Zach Crowell, David Ray Stevens
Record Company-Label: Stoney Creek Records / BMG Nashville
VISUAL MEDIA OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
- Burn It Down - Parker McCollum
Producers: Christen Pinkston &Wesley Stebbins-Perry
Director: Dustin Haney
- Human - Cody Johnson
Producer: Christen Pinkston &Wesley Stebbins-Perry
Director: Dustin Haney
- In Your Love - Tyler Childers
Producer: Kacie Barton, Whitney Wolanin, Nicholas Robespierre, Ian Thorton, Silas House
Director: Bryan Schlam
- Next Thing You Know - Jordan Davis
Producer: Jamie Stratakis
Director: Running Bear (Stephen Kinigopoulos, Alexa Stone)
- Tennessee Orange - Megan Moroney
Producer: Lauren Starr, Saul Levitz, Laura Burhenn
Director: Jason Lester
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
- Jessie Jo Dillon
- Ashley Gorley
- Hillary Lindsey
- Chase McGill
- Josh Thompson
ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
- Zach Bryan
- ERNEST
- HARDY
- Chris Stapleton
- Morgan Wallen