Nominations Announced for the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards

Nominations Announced for the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards

Nominations are led by Ella Langley (eight), followed by Cody Johnson (seven), Morgan Wallen(seven), Lainey Wilson (seven), Chris Stapleton (six), Riley Green (five) and Post Malone (five)

Reba McEntire Will Host the Country Music Celebration 60 Years in the Making exclusively on PrimeVideo and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, live from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, TXon Thursday, May 8 at 8 p.m. EDT / 7 p.m. CDT / 5 p.m. PDT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — March 27, 2025 — The Academy of Country Music (ACM) and Dick Clark Productions (DCP) today announced nominations for the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards on TODAY, with Ella Langley, Cody Johnson, Morgan Wallen, and Lainey Wilson receiving the most nominations. Hosted by 16-time ACM Award-winning entertainment icon Reba McEntire, the 60th ACM Awards will stream live exclusively for a global audience across 240+ countries and territories on Prime Video on Thursday, May 8 at 8 p.m. EDT/7 p.m. CDT/5 p.m. PDT from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. The monumental anniversary show will celebrate six decades of Country Music and feature unforgettable performances by the genre’s most legendary and multi-award-winning stars, including Blake Shelton, Eric Church, and Lainey Wilson.

A limited number of tickets to the 60th ACM Awards are available now at SeatGeek, offering fans exclusive entry into a night packed with their favorite Country stars performing the biggest hits.

Fans can also stream the Official ACM Awards playlist available now on Amazon Music in celebration of this year’s nominees. Fans can listen to country music’s biggest stars, such as Kane Brown, Lainey Wilson, and Jelly Roll, directly on the Amazon Music app HERE 

Nominee Highlights for the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards

• ·     First time ACM Award nominee, Ella Langley, leads with eight nominations including Female Artist of the Year, New Female Artist of the Year, and six nominations for her song with Riley Green, “you look like you love me,” which include Single of the Year, Song of the Year as an artist and songwriter, Music Event of the Year, and Visual Media of the Year as an artist and director.
• ·      Cody Johnson ties for the most nominations for a male artist with seven nominations, including his second nomination for Entertainer of the Year, and his third year in a row being nominated for Song of the Year, with “Dirt Cheap” being nominated in the category, as well as Single of the Year and Visual Media of the Year. Johnson is competing with himself in Visual Media of the Year, as his collaboration with Carrie Underwood, “I’m Gonna Love You,” is also up for the award. Johnson’s seven nominations this year mark the most ACM Award nominations he has ever received in one year and make him the most-nominated Texas-born artist this year.
• ·      Morgan Wallen ties for the most nominations for a male artist with seven nominations, including his third consecutive nomination for Entertainer of the Year. Wallen received four nominations for his collaboration with Post Malone on “I Had Some Help,” which includes three artist nominations and one songwriter nomination for Wallen.
• ·      Lainey Wilson ties for the most nominations in different categories, earning nods in six separate categories, including her first nomination for Artist-Songwriter of the Year. Wilson’s nominations for Song of the Year mark her fourth consecutive year being nominated and her seventh total nomination (including artist and songwriter credits) in the category.  
• ·      Luke Combs is a nominee for Entertainer of the Year. A win for Combs in this category will also clinch the coveted Triple Crown Award, which consists of an Entertainer of the Year win, plus wins in an act’s respective New Artist (Male, Female, Duo or Group) and Artist (Male, Female, Duo or Group) categories. Past ACM Triple Crown Award recipients include Lainey Wilson, Chris Stapleton, Miranda Lambert, Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, and others.  This is the sixth year in a row that Luke Combs has been nominated for both Male Artist of the Year and Entertainer of the Year.
• ·      Chris Stapleton receives six nominations, including his tenth consecutive nomination for Male Artist of the Year, an award he’s won four times in the past, including at the 59th ACM Awards.
• ·      Old Dominion receives a nomination for Group of the Year, making this the tenth consecutive year they have been nominated in the category. The group has taken home the title every year for the last seven years. 
• ·      Brothers Osborne’s nomination for Duo of the Year marks their 18th ACM nomination and their eleventh year in a row being nominated for ACM Duo of the Year, an award the pair has brought home four times.
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• ·       Kacey Musgraves’ three nominations this year brings her total nominations count to 30, including nine nominations for Female Artist of the Year. She won the award in 2018, the same year she won Album of the Year for Golden Hour. 
• ·      Kelsea Ballerini receives her first ever Entertainer of the Year nomination in addition to nominations for Female Artist of the Year and Music Event of the Year as an artist and producer. This is her eighth time being nominated for Female Artist of the Year.
• ·         Little Big Town earns their 19th nomination for Group of the Year, which is one nomination shy of tying the record for the most nominations in the category, a record held by Alabama. Little Big Town has been nominated in the category every year since 2005, with the exception of 2011.
• ·      Rascal Flatts receives their first nomination for Group of the Year since 2017, having most recently won the award in 2009 for the seventh time.
• ·      Shaboozey receives his first ACM Award nominations, including a nomination for New Male Artist and Single of the Year for his record-breaking hit song “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”
• ·     First-time artist nominees include Gavin Adcock, Dasha, Noah Kahan, Ella Langley, Jessie Murph, Muscadine Bloodline, Shaboozey, Zach Top, The Red Clay Strays, Treaty Oak Revival, and Tucker Wetmore. 

The following is the full list of nominees for the ACM Main Awards, Studio Recording Awards, and Industry Awards categories:

MAIN AWARDS:

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

NOMINEES IN NUMERICAL ORDER

Ella Langley (8): Female Artist of the Year; New Female Artist of the Year; Single of the Year; Song of the Year (Artist & Songwriter nominations); Music Event of the Year; Visual Media of the Year (Artist & Director nominations)

Cody Johnson (7): Entertainer of the Year; Male Artist of the Year; Single of the Year; Song of the Year; Music Event of the Year; Visual Media of the Year (x2)

Morgan Wallen (7): Entertainer of the Year; Male Artist of the Year; Single of the Year; Song of the Year (Artist & Songwriter nominations); Music Event of the Year; Artist-Songwriter of the Year

Lainey Wilson (7): Entertainer of the Year; Female Artist of the Year; Album of the Year; Song of the Year (Artist & Songwriter nominations); Visual Media of the Year; Artist-Songwriter of the Year

Chris Stapleton (6): Entertainer of the Year; Male Artist of the Year; Single of the Year (Artist & Producer nominations); Music Event of the Year; Visual Media of the Year

Riley Green (5): Single of the Year; Song of the Year (Artist and Songwriter nominations); Music Event of the Year; Visual Media of the Year

Post Malone (5): Album of the Year; Single of the Year; Song of the Year (Artist and Songwriter nominations); Music Event of the Year

Kelsea Ballerini (4): Entertainer of the Year; Female Artist of the Year; Music Event of the Year (Artist and Producer nominations)

Luke Combs (3): Entertainer of the Year; Male Artist of the Year; Artist-Songwriter of the Year

Kacey Musgraves (3): Female Artist of the Year; Song of the Year (Artist and Songwriter nominations)

Josh Osborne (3): Song of the Year (Songwriter nomination), Music Event of the Year (Producer nomination), Songwriter of the Year

Jelly Roll (3): Entertainer of the Year; Male Artist of the Year; Album of the Year

ERNEST (2): Song of the Year (Songwriter nomination); Artist-Songwriter of the Year

Ashley Gorley (2): Song of the Year (Songwriter nomination); Songwriter of the Year

Noah Kahan (2): Music Event of the Year (Artist and Producer nominations)

Megan Moroney (2): Female Artist of the Year; Album of the Year

Carly Pearce (2): Music Event of the Year (Artist and Producer nominations)

The Red Clay Strays (2): Group of the Year; New Duo or Group of the Year

Shaboozey (2): New Male Artist of the Year; Single of the Year

Zach Top (2): New Male Artist of the Year; Album of the Year

Carrie Underwood (2): Music Event of the Year; Visual Media of the Year

Gavin Adcock (1): New Male Artist of the Year

Jessi Alexander (1): Songwriter of the Year

Kassi Ashton (1): New Female Artist of the Year

Kristian Bush (1): Album of the Year (Producer nomination)

Brooks & Dunn (1): Duo of the Year

Brothers Osborne (1): Duo of the Year

Ashley Cooke (1): New Female Artist of the Year

Dan + Shay (1): Duo of the Year

Dasha (1): New Female Artist of the Year

Devin Dawson (1): Album of the Year (Producer nomination)

Jessie Jo Dillon (1): Songwriter of the Year

Flatland Cavalry (1): Group of the Year

HARDY (1): Artist-Songwriter of the Year

Little Big Town (1): Group of the Year

Chase McGill (1): Songwriter of the Year

mgk (1): Album of the Year (Producer nomination)

Jessie Murph (1): New Female Artist of the Year

Muscadine Bloodline (1): Duo of the Year

Old Dominion (1): Group of the Year

Rascal Flatts (1): Group of the Year

Restless Road (1): New Duo or Group of the Year

Morgane Stapelton (1): Single of the Year (Producer nomination)

Ryan Tedder (1): Album of the Year (Producer nomination)

Treaty Oak Revival (1): New Duo or Group of the Year

The War And Treaty (1): Duo of the Year

Tucker Wetmore (1): New Male Artist of the Year

Bailey Zimmerman (1): New Male Artist of the Year

The 2025 ACM Studio Recording Awards and Industry Awards will be presented to recipients at the 18th Academy of Country Music Honors, a special event held annually in August in Nashville. More details about this year’s show will be announced in the coming months.

IMPORTANT NOTES

·         The eligibility period for submissions for the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards is January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024.

·         The awards count for artists reflects categories in which they have been recognized as individuals or as part of their duo or group. In some cases, an artist may receive more than one nomination per category, such as producer, director, or songwriter which factors into their official count.

·         Award recipients in each category are noted above in brackets in the Album of the Year, Single of the Year, Song of the Year, Video of the Year, and Music Event of the Year.

·         Awards are voted on by members of the Academy of Country Music, which boasts a record-high membership this year of more than 5,000 members and serves as a powerhouse advocate for Country fans, artists, and all facets of the business.

·         A full database of previous Academy of Country Music Awards nominations and winners can be found on the Academy of Country Music website in the “Past Winners” section found HERE.

The 60th Academy of Country Music Awards is produced by Dick Clark Productions (DCP). Raj Kapoor is executive producer and showrunner, with Patrick Menton as co-executive producer. Damon Whiteside serves as executive producer for the Academy of Country Music, and Jay Penske and Barry Adelman serve as executive producers for DCP. John Saade will also continue to serve as consulting producer for Amazon MGM Studios.

Established in 1966, the Academy of Country Music Awards is the longest-running Country Music awards show and made history in 2022 as the first major awards ceremony to exclusively livestream, in partnership with Prime Video. This year’s show marks its return to Texas for the third consecutive year.

The 60th ACM Awards performers, presenters, and ACM Awards week ancillary events will be announced in the coming weeks. The Media Credential Application to cover the ACM Awards in Frisco, Texas is now available HERE. For more information, visit ACMcountry.com.

Follow the Academy of Country Music on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, join the conversation with #ACMawards, and sign up for the FREE ACM A-List for the latest news and updates in your email inbox.

About the Academy of Country Music:

Founded in Southern California in 1964 as a regional trade organization, the ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC (ACM) has grown in the 60 years since into a leading association for the Country Music industry. Headquartered in Nashville, TN and boasting record-high membership of more than 5,000 worldwide, the Academy serves as a powerhouse advocate for Country fans, artists, and all facets of the business, as well as a supporter of philanthropic work through charitable partner ACM LIFTING LIVES, dedicated to improving lives through the power of music and providing aid in times of need, with a focus on health initiatives. 2025 is a landmark year for the Academy with the 60th ACM Awards, hosted by entertainment icon Reba McEntire, returning to the world headquarters of the Dallas Cowboys in Texas for a third consecutive year and streaming live for a global audience on Prime Video. The Academy also remains relentlessly committed to creating a more inclusive environment for underrepresented groups in Country Music, from the boardroom to the stage, and proudly presents ACM LEVel Up, a two-year professional development and enrichment curriculum for rising leaders, among other initiatives. For more information, visit ACMcountry.com or ACMLiftingLives.org.