Who will be the big winner at Thursday night’s (May 8) 60th annual ACM Awards in Frisco, Texas?
Ella Langley leads the pack this year with eight nominations, and she’s already picked up two wins prior to the ceremony, earning new female artist of the year and visual media of the year (for the music video clip for “You Look Like You Love Me,” her hit collab with Riley Green).
Cody Johnson, Morgan Wallen and Lainey Wilson follow with seven nominations apiece, while Chris Stapleton earned six. Green and Post Malone earned five nominations each.
Kelsea Ballerini, who has four total nominations, aims to earn her first entertainer of the year win. Elsewhere, Rascal Flatts returns to the group of the year category, after last being nominated in 2017. Meanwhile, Muscadine Bloodline picked up their first nomination in the duo of the year category, while Flatland Cavalry and The Red Clay Strays both vie for the group of the year honor.
Zach Top and The Red Clay Strays are two other early winners, with Top earning new male artist of the year, and The Red Clay Strays picking up the new duo/group of the year accolade.
Reba McEntire will host the ACM Awards for an 18th time, with the show streaming live on Prime Video from the Ford Center at The Star. The ACM Awards will stream beginning at 8 p.m. ET. The eligibility period for the 60th ACM Awards was Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2024.
Below, Billboard offers picks on who will likely take home this year’s trophies in key categories:
Entertainer of the year
Kelsea Ballerini
Luke Combs
Cody Johnson
Jelly Roll
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen
Lainey Wilson
Wilson is the reigning ACM EOY winner and looks to defend her crown this year, while every artist nominated in this category has had a stellar year marked by No. 1 hits, sold-out tours (either domestically or internationally), and/or numerous media looks. Alongside Wilson, Combs, Ballerini and Johnson all released new albums, with Ballerini celebrating her first project to debut atop Billboard‘s Top Country Albums chart. Over the past year, Jelly Roll not only spearheaded a sold-out arena tour, but also earned his first all-genre Billboard 200 chart-topping album (Beautifully Broken), while releasing hits including “Liar” and “I Am Not Okay,” and continuing to charm fans and fellow artists alike with his charismatic personality. And Stapleton continued on his headlining All-American Roadshow tour and earned a top 15 Country Airplay hit with “Think I’m in Love With You.”
Meanwhile, Wallen wrapped his massive One Night at a Time Tour — a stadium-headlining trek that drew audiences both domestically and internationally — in 2024, as he continued to send hits (“Love Somebody,” Post Malone collab “I Had Some Help”) to the Hot 100’s pinnacle. All of those achievements could be enough to push Wallen into the winner’s circle.
Winner Prediction: Morgan Wallen
Female artist of the year
Kelsea Ballerini
Ella Langley
Megan Moroney
Kacey Musgraves
Lainey Wilson
Wilson looks to extend her current two-year reign as the winner in this field, while Musgraves could earn her second W in the category (she previously won in 2019). Ballerini, Langley and Moroney are each hoping to earn their first win in the category, as each has seen her career soar to new heights this year. With a headlining arena tour and a debut atop the Top Country Albums chart this year with Patterns, it is likely Ballerini could notch a win in this category.
Winner Prediction: Kelsea Ballerini
Male artist of the year
Luke Combs
Cody Johnson
Jelly Roll
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen
Stapleton is a four-time winner in this category, while his fellow stadium headliners Wallen and Combs are each looking to earn a second win (Wallen previously won in 2023, while Combs won in 2020). Johnson and Jelly Roll each could pick up their first wins in the category. While Jelly Roll’s reputation as a multi-faceted star continues to surge, and Johnson continues earning top hits with neo-traditional songs such as “Dirt Cheap,” Stapleton is a long-time favorite in the category and could emerge triumphant again this year.
Winner Prediction: Chris Stapleton
Duo of the Year
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Muscadine Bloodline
The War and Treaty
Brooks & Dunn have been on a roll this year thanks to their headlining Neon Moon Tour, and their 2024 project Reboot II, which teamed the duo with fellow country hitmakers like Morgan Wallen and Jelly Roll. Brothers Osborne released the EP Break Mine, The War and Treaty issued the Plus One project and reigning category winners Dan+Shay released their first Christmas album over the past year. Meanwhile, indie duo Muscadine Bloodline earns its first ACM nomination. Still, it will be hard to beat out Brooks & Dunn, who are vying for a record-extending 17th win in the category.
Winner Prediction: Brooks & Dunn
Group of the Year
Flatland Cavalry
Little Big Town
Old Dominion
Rascal Flatts
The Red Clay Strays
Rascal Flatts came roaring back into the spotlight this year, reuniting for a headlining tour and announcing its collaborations album, which finds the group teaming with artists including Kelly Clarkson and The Backstreet Boys. Little Big Town celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, and also issued a Christmas album last year and teamed with Sugarland for a co-headlining tour. Reigning category winners Old Dominion also embarked upon its How Good Is That World Tour. Meanwhile, Flatland Cavalry picks up its second nomination in the category, and “Wondering Why” hitmakers The Red Clay Strays earn its first. Despite the newer blood in the field, look for Rascal Flatts to potentially return to the winners circle.
Winner prediction: Rascal Flatts
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; 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; BBR Music Group / BMG Nashville / Republic Records
Cold Beer & Country Music – Zach Top; producer: Carson Chamberlain; Leo33
F-1 Trillion – Post Malone; producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins; Mercury Records / Republic Records
Whirlwind – Lainey Wilson; producer: Jay Joyce; BBR Music Group / BMG Nashville
Each of the albums nominated for album of the year embodies the artistic vision of the artist and fellow creatives who crafted them, each with their own unique sound. “Emo cowgirl” Moroney continued issuing signature songs such as “Am I Okay?” and “No Caller ID,” while Zach Top played a key role in bringing ’80s and ’90s-inspired country music back into vogue with his debut album. Post Malone teamed with numerous fellow country artists for his debut country set F-1 Trillion, earning a Billboard 200 No. 1 debut with the project. Jelly Roll scored his own Billboard 200 chart-topper with his latest album, Beautifully Broken, spearheaded by songs including “I Am Not Okay” and “Liar,” while Wilson kept her Whirlwind career swirling with her Jay Joyce-produced album, which featured “Hang Tight Honey” and “4x4xU.”
Still, Jelly Roll’s project has further spurred his reputation as a genre-fluid hitmaker who has proven an inspiration for scores of fans — and likely makes him the favorite in this category.
Winner Prediction: Beautifully Broken
Single of the Year
(Awarded to artist(s)/producer(s)/record company–label(s))
“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – Shaboozey; producers: Sean Cook, Nevin Sastry; American Dogwood / EMPIRE
“Dirt Cheap” – Cody Johnson; producer: Trent Willmon; CoJo Music LLC / Warner Music Nashville
“I Had Some Help” – Post Malone, Morgan Wallen; producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins; Mercury Records / Republic Records
“White Horse” – Chris Stapleton; producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton, Morgane Stapleton; Mercury Nashville
“you look like you love me” – Ella Langley, Riley Green; producer: Will Bundy; SAWGOD / Columbia Records
This category has tender ballads and chart-dominating hits, as well as enduring collabs. Johnson released one of the most endearing songs of the year with “Dirt Cheap,” while Stapleton offered a potent reminder of his country-rock bona fides with “White Horse.” Meanwhile, Langley and Green gave their careers a mighty boost with their flirty collab “You Look Like You Love Me.” Wallen and Post Malone combined their star power for a four-week Country Airplay chart-topper, which became a ubiquitous 2024 summer anthem. Meanwhile, Shaboozey’s runaway smash became a record-tying 19-week Billboard Hot 100-topper, while also spending 43 weeks atop the Hot Country Songs chart and seven weeks atop Country Airplay.
Winner prediction: “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
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
The song of the year category has a mix of hit collabs and heart-tugging, introspective ballads. This category tends to honor songcraft over hit status. Johnson’s Leather album picked up album of the year at November’s CMA Awards, so look for the album’s “Dirt Cheap” to likely pick up a song of the year win.
Winner prediction: “Dirt Cheap”
