Big news from the Academy of Country Music® (ACM), as the nominees for the 61st ACM Awards have officially been revealed! The show will take place in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday, May 17, streaming live exclusively on Prime Video at 8:00 p.m. EST. The ceremony will also be broadcast on the Amazon Music channel on Twitch and available in the Amazon Music app.
Women in country music are leading the nominations this year. Megan Moroney tops the list with nine nominations, followed by fellow artists Miranda Lambert with eight. Both Lainey Wilson and Ella Langley earned seven nominations each, while Chris Stapleton follows with six. Zac Top received five nominations, and Cody Johnson rounds out the list with four nominations.
Additionally, there are several first-time nominees that are up for an ACM award, marking an exciting moment for these artists and their teams. Those receiving their first ACM Award nomination include 49 Winchester, Avery Anna, Mackenzie Carpenter, Carter Faith, Caroline Jones, Vincent Mason, Emily Ann Roberts, and Thelma & James (*MacKenzie Porter was previously nominated for Music Event of the Year in 2022 with Dustin Lynch), along with Hudson Westbrook and Stephen Wilson Jr.
The full list of nominees is below. It’s shaping up to be an exciting night in Vegas on May 17 as the winners are revealed. Tickets for the 61st ACM Awards, as well as events leading up to the big night, are available now on AXS.com.
Nominees for the 61st ACM Awards:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Luke Combs
Jelly Roll
Cody Johnson
Megan Moroney
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen
Lainey Wilson
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Ella Langley
Megan Moroney
Lainey Wilson
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Luke Combs
Riley Green
Cody Johnson
Chris Stapleton
Zach Top
GROUP OF THE YEAR
49 Winchester
Flatland Cavalry
Old Dominion
Rascal Flatts
The Red Clay Strays
DUO OF THE YEAR
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Muscadine Bloodline
Thelma & James
NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Avery Anna
Mackenzie Carpenter
Dasha
Caroline Jones
Emily Ann Roberts
NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Gavin Adcock
Vincent Mason
Shaboozey
Hudson Westbrook
Tucker Wetmore
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Jessie Jo Dillon
Ashley Gorley
Charlie Handsome
Chase McGill
Blake Pendergrass
ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Luke Combs
Riley Green
Ella Langley
Megan Moroney
Morgan Wallen
ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
Ain’t In It For My Health – Zach Top
Producer: Carson Chamberlain
Record Company-Label: Leo33
Cherry Valley – Carter Faith
Producer: Tofer Brown
Record Company-Label: Gatsby Records / MCA
Don’t Mind If I Do (Deluxe) – Riley Green
Producer: Dann Huff, Michael Knox
Record Company-Label: Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment
I’m The Problem – Morgan Wallen
Producers: Joey Moi, Charlie Handsome, Jacob Durrett
Record Company-Label: Big Loud Records
Parker McCollum – Parker McCollum
Producers: Frank Liddell, Eric Masse
Record Company-Label: MCA
SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
A Song To Sing – Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton
Songwriters: Chris Stapleton, Miranda Lambert, Jenee Fleenor, Jesse Frasure
Publishers: I Wrote These Songs; Pink Dog Publishing; Songs for the Munch Music; Songs of Influence; Sony/ATV Tree Publishing; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp
Am I Okay? – Megan Moroney
Songwriters: Megan Moroney, Luke Laird, Jessie Jo Dillon
Publishers: Big Ass Pile of Dimes Music; Big Music Machine
Choosin’ Texas – Ella Langley
Songwriters: Ella Langley, Luke Dick, Miranda Lambert, Joybeth Taylor
Publishers: Bada Bing & Bada Langley Publishing; Little Louder Songs; Sony Music Publishing
I Never Lie – Zach Top
Songwriters: Zach Top, Carson Chamberlain, Tim Nichols
Publishers: Music and Magazine Publishing; Rio Bravo Music Inc; Sony/ATV Tree Publishing; Too Broke to Quit Music; Zach Top Music
Somewhere Over Laredo – Lainey Wilson
Songwriters: Lainey Wilson, Trannie Anderson, Dallas Wilson, Andy Albert, Harold Arlen & Yip Harburg
Publishers: Concord Sounds; Dtown Boogie Music; Emi Feist Catalog Inc; Songs Of Riser House; Songs Of Wild Cat Well Music; Sony/ATV Countryside; Story Farmer; Tacklebox Music Publishing
SINGLE OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
6 Months Later – Megan Moroney
Producers: Kristian Bush
Record Company-Label: Sony Music Nashville / Columbia Records
Choosin’ Texas – Ella Langley
Producers: Ella Langley, Miranda Lambert, Ben West
Record Company-Label: SAWGOD / Columbia Records
I Never Lie – Zach Top
Producers: Carson Chamberlain
Record Company-Label: Leo33
Somewhere Over Laredo – Lainey Wilson
Producers: Jay Joyce
Record Company-Label: BBR Music Group / BMG Nashville / Broken Bow Records
The Fall – Cody Johnson
Producers: Trent Willmon
Record Company-Label: CoJo Music / Warner Records Nashville
MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
A Song To Sing – Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton
Producers: Dave Cobb
Record Company-Label: Republic Records
Amen – Shaboozey & Jelly Roll
Producers: Danny Majic, Nevin Sastry, Sean Cook
Record Company-Label: Empire
Don’t Mind If I Do – Riley Green feat. Ella Langley
Producers: Dann Huff, Michael Knox
Record Company-Label: Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment
Trailblazer – Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson
Producers: Tony Brown, Reba McEntire
Record Company-Label: MCA
You Had To Be There – Megan Moroney & Kenny Chesney
Producers: Kristian Bush
Record Company-Label: Sony Music Nashville / Columbia Records
VISUAL MEDIA OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
6 Months Later – Megan Moroney
Producers: Christen Pinkston & Wesley Stebbins-Perry
Director: CeCe Dawson, Megan Moroney
A Song To Sing – Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton
Producers: James Stratakis
Director: Alexa King Stone, Stephen Kinigopoulos
Cuckoo -Stephen Wilson, Jr.
Producers: Tim Cofield
Director: Tim Cofield
Somewhere Over Laredo – Lainey Wilson
Producers: Katie Babbage
Director: TK McKamy
The Fall – Cody Johnson
Producers: Christen Pinkston & Wesley Stebbins-Perry
Director: Dustin Haney