60th ACM Awards Nominations Announced: Ella Langley Leads The Way With 8 Nods

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.
  • 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 Best 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

STUDIO RECORDING AWARDS:

BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR

  • T. Cure
  • Mark Hill
  • Rachel Loy
  • Tony Lucido
  • Craig Young

DRUMMER OF THE YEAR

  • Fred Eltringham
  • Tommy Harden
  • Evan Hutchings
  • Aaron Sterling
  • Nir Z

ACOUSTIC GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR

  • Tim Galloway
  • Todd Lombardo
  • Mac McAnally
  • Bryan Sutton
  • Ilya Toshinskiy

PIANO/KEYBOARDS PLAYER OF THE YEAR

  • Dave Cohen
  • Ian Fitchuk
  • Billy Justineau
  • Gordon Mote
  • Alex Wright

SPECIALTY INSTRUMENT PLAYER OF THE YEAR

  • Dan Dugmore
  • Jenee Fleenor
  • Josh Matheny
  • Justin Schipper
  • Kristin Wilkinson

ELECTRIC GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR

  • Kris Donegan
  • Jedd Hughes
  • Brent Mason
  • Sol Philcox-Littlefield
  • Derek Wells

AUDIO ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

  • Brandon Bell
  • Drew Bollman
  • Josh Ditty
  • Buckley Miller
  • Reid Shippen

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

  • Dave Cobb
  • Ian Fitchuk
  • Charlie Handsome
  • Jon Randall
  • Alysa Vanderheym

INDUSTRY AWARDS:

CASINO OF THE YEAR – THEATER

  • Deadwood Mountain Grand – Deadwood, SD
  • Foxwoods Resort Casino – Mashantucket, CT
  • Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort – Cherokee, NC
  • The Theater at Virgin Hotels – Las Vegas, NV
  • Yaamava’ Theater – Highland, CA

CASINO OF THE YEAR – ARENA

  • Golden Nugget Lake Charles – Lake Charles, LA
  • Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena – Atlantic City, NJ
  • Harveys Lake Tahoe – Stateline, NV
  • Mystic Lake Casino Showroom – Prior Lake, MN
  • Turning Stone Resort Casino – Verona, NY

FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR

  • C2C Country to Country – London, England
  • CMC Rocks – Ipswich, Queensland
  • Stagecoach Festival – Indio, CA
  • Two Step Inn – Georgetown, TX
  • Windy City Smokeout – Chicago, IL

FAIR/RODEO OF THE YEAR

  • Calgary Stampede – Calgary, AB
  • California Mid-State Fair – Paso Robles, CA
  • Cheyenne Frontier Days – Cheyenne, WY
  • Minnesota State Fair – Falcon Heights, MN
  • Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo – Houston, TX

CLUB OF THE YEAR

  • Billy Bob’s Texas – Fort Worth, TX
  • Brooklyn Bowl – Nashville, TN
  • Cain’s Ballroom – Tulsa, OK
  • Georgia Theatre – Athens, GA
  • Joe’s on Weed St. – Chicago, IL

THEATER OF THE YEAR

  • The Caverns – Pelham, TN
  • MGM Music Hall at Fenway – Boston, MA
  • The Met Philadelphia – Philadelphia, PA
  • The Rave/Eagles Club – Milwaukee, WI
  • Tennessee Theatre – Knoxville, TN

OUTDOOR VENUE OF THE YEAR

  • BankNH Pavilion – Gilford, NH
  • CMAC – Constellation Brands Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center – Canandaigua, NY
  • Saint Augustine Amphitheatre – St. Augustine, FL
  • The Wharf Amphitheater – Orange Beach, AL
  • Whitewater Amphitheater – New Braunfels, TX

ARENA OF THE YEAR

  • Dickies Arena – Fort Worth, TX
  • Moody Center – Austin, TX
  • TD Garden – Boston, MA
  • Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center – Knoxville, TN
  • Van Andel Arena – Grand Rapids, MI

DON ROMEO TALENT BUYER OF THE YEAR

  • Deana Baker
  • Bobby Clay
  • Gil Cunningham
  • Weston Hebert
  • Stacy Vee
  • Taylor Williamson

PROMOTER OF THE YEAR

  • Brent Fedrizzi
  • Alex Maxwell
  • Patrick McDill
  • Anna-Sophie Mertens
  • Rich Schaefer
  • Aaron Spalding